November/December 2008 Issue

Music Review: Make the Road by Walking

Menahan Street Band’s tangy instrumentals make this the perfect after-midnight record.

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Menahan Street Band caught a break last year when Jay-Z sampled its debut single. Anyone else with soul will dig these tasty sounds, too: The leisurely horns and tangy guitar of the Brooklyn band’s instrumentals never break a sweat but generate plenty of heat, evoking sultry ’70s R&B without resorting to imitation. Elegant tracks like “Montego Sunset” and “Going the Distance” can pass for superior background music yet also reward closer listening, making this the perfect after-midnight record. Featuring players from the Sharon Jones (and Amy Winehouse) backers the Dap-Kings.

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