Local Review: Bad Luck Brigade – SOMETHING’S AT MY NECK

BAD LUCK BRIGADE
SOMETHING’S AT MY NECK
Self-Released
Street: 09.13
Bad Luck Brigade = Thundercat + The Pharcyde + Snarky Puppy

Is there something gnawing at your nape? A thought crawling up your back? A feeling in your spine? That might be the withdrawal cravings. Or you’re ready for Bad Luck Brigade’s latest EP, SOMETHING’S AT MY NECK. The five-man band forms a jazz, funk and hip-hop group that mirrors the classic trope—one leads, one contrasts, one thinks, one fights and one keeps all of the above from killing one another. With a backstreet alleycat finesse, the crew creates an atmosphere only found during the after-hours of a Kilby Court show. Donning trucker hats and handlebar mustaches, the type of guys you’d want to share a spliff with. Their vivid personalities shine through their eclectic sound and flow. Tasting slightly of misfortune and superstitious smoke, the posse explores the finale of a plot for the public. 

The technicolor EP plays out the third part of the Brigade’s musical trilogy, following ANYTHING IN MODERATION and EVERYTHING’S A FUCKING MESS. Keeping up with the tempo, the new project is the ultimate culmination of their previous energy. The series of EPs is a chronicle of the band members’ lives and features themes of drug experimentation and dependency. There is a distinct beginning, middle and end as each part has dropped in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. The saga plays out like a concept Western about psychedelic rap artists. It’s a narrative about the highs and lows of being a blue-collar worker who makes lofi boom-bap out of Logan, Utah. If you asked them, they’d call it “shroom-bap.” The final portion of the three parts is an ascendancy of the previous adversity, lucid with clarity and fun. 

The opening track begins with an offering “HERE! TAKE THIS,” which preludes the constellation of rhythm the listener is about to observe. Like the start-up screen of space invaders, a series of synths and chimes fall out of the sky. Among the ambient resonance is the unambiguous voice of the group’s lyricist, Kilow. Next, “REVERSE” takes the previous notion and flips it on its head. While maintaining the celestial reverb, the tempo quickens and excites the sensation of hearing. The piece is animated with buzz and taste, as Kaika’s acidic bass playing invites enlivenment. Drum roll, please… the next track is “YARD DOG.” Heavier on the handcrafted acoustics and guitar strumming, the melody radiates warmth like a bonfire. Truly man’s best friend, it’s the only single released before the full EP and it feels like a buddy to have a beer with in someone’s backyard. 

Subverting my expectations based on the title, “RESPECT MY GRIP” slows the pace down. Continuing with the star-shaped synths, there is more focus on the shaker that Walker plays. Maybe this is the respectable grip in question. This creates a sanctuary of sound, a sleepy stop in the center of it all. After a moment of rest, the EP hits its thematic summit. The troupe plays around with cadence like a poker game throughout the piece. Despite their name, which claims they don’t have it in the cards, they keep coming up flush. “SONATA (HOLD MY SOUL)” is the best example of how well they keep lighter instrumentals relaxed while accelerating others, creating a fusion of momentum. Some questions are better left unspoken and “WHY?!?” does not beg for an answer. It acts as its own counter-argument. Good or bad, there’s no point in stopping life and asking about its rhetorics because there is no reason. The resolution lies within a hallucinogenic portal into “…SOUND.” Flourishing like the scene of a picnic next to a reservoir, the final song maintains the album’s initial force while still feeling like a getaway. 

The wide-ranging band entertains with rhyme in their veins and a funkadelic pulse under their skin. Their illuminating verses cast bright lights onto the intoxicating melodies they play. Previous live shows reveal the group’s magnetic stage presence, including a cosmic set opening for Killer Mike and Hippo Campus at Ogden Twilight 2024. Take a trip through the solar system alongside the neo-soul rodeo clowns of Bad Luck Brigade. You won’t regret it. If there’s everything to gain and nothing to lose, why not take a gamble on this battalion of otherworldly cowboys? Fuck cause and effect, my homies and I will chance it. Coming out on Friday the 13th of September, SOMETHING AT MY NECK promises all the fate in the world. –Marzia Thomas

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