MarchFourth is a group that was recommended to me by someone on Twitter just last night, and tonight seems like a good night to check them out. MarchFourth is a group from Portland, Oregon, and began releasing music together in the mid-2000s. The group’s Bandcamp bio describes their music as a “colorful explosion of brassy funk, rock, and jazz. This album, Magic Number (2016), which includes the tags funk, jazz, and new orleans music on Bandcamp, seems to be the only one available for streaming on Apple Music from the group. This does indeed sound like something I will likely enjoy, so with that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Call to Action” starts with a bit of rattling percussion that immediately reminds me of some of the swampy stylings of the New Orleans scene. Oh wow, the horns come in really nicely with that funky groove. I’m already really digging this track and sound a ton. Oh wow, the combination of gradually swelling horns with the syncopated drum roll adds a lot of tension for a moment, which resolves in a really groovy way that’s keeping me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. Great track, and I’m super stoked to hear more.
Oh wow, “The Quarter” starts out with a nearly sinister groove from some brass instruments, and the drums bring a syncopated groovy feel with a strong backbeat that’s pulling me even further into the music. Oh wow, the wah-pedal’d guitar adds some really groovy accentuations to the main line by the brass instruments. This almost reminds me a bit of EOTO with the somewhat darker sound and the evolving percussion. Holy smokes, the first vocals in the album so far just entered the track and added some really groovy sweetness with the chorus vocals that segues the track into a somewhat modern funk jazz sound as a trumpet seems to take the lead in the track. Wow, great track.
“Magic Number” starts out with some horns that almost remind me of the baroque period of Spanish music, and then the drums come in with a modern funk rock sound with a bit of a jazz-inflection and take the track to a different genre altogether. Holy smokes, the surf rock guitar has absolutely hooked me into this track. I really dig the vocals in this track, as they serve the song really nicely and seem to develop the jams as they continue. Holy smokes, the wah-pedal’d guitar drips with some super sweet funk flavor into the soundscape. Oh wow, the guitar solo at the end of the track ties in some of the surf rock sounds from earlier with a sound that nearly gets into punk rock territory. Wow, another great track.
“Push It Back (feat. Stanton Moore)” starts out with some really interesting funky sighs and breathes from the band with some lyrics worked in that have a personal sound with the half-whispering style mixed with the funky instrumentation. Super sweet track.
“Inventing the Wheel (feat. Trombone Shorty)” starts out with some really flavorful distorted guitar that adds a roughness to the track and is complemented nicely by the nearly industrial sounds from the rhythm and horns in the backdrop off the track. Oh wow, the horns have developed into a movement that feels vibrant with some big city energy. Oh wow, the guitar work has evolved into something that sounds industrial mixed with some super groovy blues rock and roll. The song almost seems to gradually get infused with more and more New Orleans flavors as the jamming continues, and I’m really digging the resulting sound. Wow, great jam track.
“Hotstepper” starts out with some warm swelling horns that give way to a sort of funky jazz-inflected hip hop type of groove between the evolving and quick percussion that contains high hats, claps, and really tight snares, and some horns that infuse that NOLA sound into the groove really nicely. Oh wow, the vocals come into the track and have dialed that funky-jazz inflected hip hop sound up even further with the chorus vocals and interesting sound effects. Super groovy track.
“Drunk Bears” starts out with a classic sounding New Orleans jazz horn section that hits a lot of flavors of Mardi Gras in a musical format. There’s almost a bit of a Caribbean-inflection with the underlying melody and the rhythm of the track. Great tune.
“Jan Jar” brings the a distorted rock and roll guitar to the flavors of the previous track, feeling like a very natural evolution in the process. Holy smokes, the guitar adds some classic surf rock tremelo and has hooked me even further into the track in the process. Oh wow, the track builds on itself more and more and nearly swells like a classical orchestral piece at the end of the track. Great track.
“Science (Free Your Mind)” has an almost folksy feeling mixed in those NOLA roots and rhythms in the track with some vocals that make you want to sing along or join in the groove somehow. I really dig what sounds to be audience chatter in the background, as though they were in an integral part in the recording of this track. Oh wow, a saxophone takes the lead and brings out the partying New Orleans feeling even more than it already was. Oh wow, the track keeps building on itself more and more. Wow, great jam track.
“It’s a Trap!” starts out with some nearly ominous percussion and interesting effects from a guitar that nearly have a bit of psychedelic sound for a moment, and then the band jumps right into things with intensity that reminds me of punk ska bands like Streetlight Manifesto. Oh wow, the back and forth vocals combined with the high intensity and dynamic effects somehow evolve on the partying New Orleans sound from the previous track. I’m sort of reminded of a band named Ripe with this track as well. Oh wow, the band lets loose as the track comes to a close. Great tune.
Oh wow, “Endless Highway” begins with some swelling horns that have a certain sweetness reminiscent of baroque orchestras. Wow, this track somehow can calm me down after getting amped up by the previous tracks in the album. Super sweet track and a great way to end the album.
Wow, I’m definitely glad to have checked out MarchFourth tonight. The meshing of genres centered around a New Orleans sound, while adding in flavors of funk, jazz, blues, and rock and roll, to name a few. If you’re into music with a New Orleans spirit, you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, then I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A