Sabertooth Swing expand their sound on memorable LP, "Delta Bound"
Laying it all out on the table for their incredibly expressive 2nd LP Delta Bound, Sabertooth Swing have done it again. We’re loving this one! Read on for our in-depth review of the record, in addition to a background on the band.
Currently representing the New Orleans music scene, Sabertooth Swing should be super proud of their ambitious second record, Delta Bound. For all the Jazz lovers out there, and those looking to expand their musical horizons, this should undoubtedly be the next record up in your listening queue. They’ve presented deep lyrical themes on the history of the genre, important racial issues, and the history of violence in Louisiana. Without a doubt, we can’t wait for everyone to give it a listen.
Effortlessly mixing together arrangements of traditional songs, as well as originals of their own, Delta Bound comes in at a whopping 19 tracks spanning right around the hour mark. Now while of course Sabertooth Swing have their core members, they’ve brought on a slew of featured guests that include Sister Helen Prejean, Bruce ‘Sunpie’ Barnes, Jeffery Broussard, Cedric Watson, Paul Chéene, The Daiquiri Queens, Zachary Richard, Kid Chocolate, Daiquiri René Jones, and Big Queen Mary Kay of the Original Wild Tchoupitoulas. Each guest brings their own uniqueness into the mix and from start to finish it honestly brought a much needed diversity to an otherwise cohesive record.
Starting right from the beginning, the album begins with a spoken word essay that helps to prep the listener for what’s about to come. Slowly easing us all in with a slow burner of a single and title track “Delta Bound”, you immediately understand their sound. It won’t take long for any listener to realize just how instrumentally expansive and original this work is going to be, but there’s also a certain cohesiveness that shows itself throughout. Each member is a master of their musical craft, whether it be purely instrumental songs or those with features. Our initial reaction after listening in full was just how magnificent it would be to witness this in a live setting. We’ve yet to travel to New Orleans, but this is exactly the type of music we’d envision enjoying the moment we touched down.
Lyrically speaking, we found that the spoken word passages were the true driver of the story being told, but they also provided a nice break from the music. Some of the instrumentals are dense in the best way possible, and at a runtime of an hour, they were ideally placed to give the listener a breather. At this point though, we don’t want to spoil too much else, so please dive head first into Delta Bound for what’s absolutely going to be a memorable listening experience.
For all things Sabertooth Swing, to listen, and to follow along for more, please check out the following links below.
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