by Sarah Chauncey

Tribe:Julian Fuego (vocals, guitar, harmonica, cello), Jorge DaCosta (drums), Jennifer Gilmore (bass) and DJ Tyrone (turntables)
Tunes:Immensely funky acid-jazz, trip-hop-pop
To Contact:The Agency Group (416) 368-5599.

For a band with such a creepy name, Roach Motel certainly has universal appeal. Or maybe that’s the idea - draw ‘em in and never let ‘em go. Which is a distinct danger with their debut CD, Free Fooze and Bood. Fuego, formerly of Baby Judas, delivers his smooth vocals in front of an ever-changing landscape that incorporates elements of acid jazz, trip-hop and R&B. With a lot of harmonica thrown in for good measure. Their sound is engaging, but not overpowering.
Although the production itself is very straightforward, the occasional ambient audience sounds will evoke a summer party environment anywhere the CD is playing. With songs reminiscent of everything from Marvin Gaye to the Philosopher Kings, Roach Motel is a must-see during the summer months. And given their absolute joy in performing just about anywhere, they shouldn’t be hard to find.
Go ahead. Check them out. But if you find yourself hooked, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 5th, 1998 at 1:41 pm and is filed under Showcase. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.