Madness on Repeat, the title of The Chris Ruben Bands new full-length, reads like a track you might want to immediately delete from a playlist. Why listen to something thats only going to make you crazy, right? However, Ruben isnt talking about any particular crazy-making music. Instead, hes most likely referring to repeatedly crazy societal behaviors. Therefore, the album addresses contemporary society with an album of tasty, funk-spiced rock music.
The obvious influence upon The Chris Ruben Band is Red Hot Chili Peppers. That band, after all, made Funkadelic/Parliament/George Clinton funk palatable for mainstream consumption. The album opens with the bass-slapping Unsure, which mightily brings the funk. Its followed, though, by Wont See Me, a sincere plea for romantic reciprocation. Its a soulful rock song that sounds far more Aerosmith than, say, Prince.
Ruben sings these songs with a voice that can go from strained scratchiness to a lovely falsetto, as occurs during Live Meltdown. Although Ruben is this musics central focus, drummer Russ Benjamin kicks off both Starfish and Prayer for Sadness, proving this is, indeed a band, more than any one man show.
Something magical can happen whenever rock and funk music intersect, and The Chris Ruben Band sure creates a lot of musical magic with Madness on Repeat.
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