This Is What We Do

iTunes Review

The second tune on the New Mastersounds’ third album serves as a perfect introduction to this Leeds quartet’s approach. “All I Want (Right Now)” melds a bit of Stax-style R&B and a dab of uptown Blue Note soul jazz with the filthiest of funky break beats to fashion a distinctive sound. They also revisit rare-groove nuggets such as “Zambezi” and “You Got It All,” the latter benefiting substantially from the thrilling solo work of guest tenor saxophonist Karl Denson. Keyboardist Bob Birch switches from Hammond organ to piano for “The Tin Drum,” which is given a distinct Latin-rock feel thanks to guest percussionist Sam Bell. They also have a crack at Jimi Hendrix’s “Ain’t No Telling,” with fine success. They take things toward the stratosphere on “Land of Nod,” bring them way down on “La Cova,” and bring them home on the closing “Vandenburg Suite,” which was first released in France as a single, but remains a staple of their setlists. While a pronounced late-‘60s ambience is in evidence, there is a certain something about the NMS sound that seems decidedly of the moment — you’ll be dancing so hard it won’t matter anyway.