Album Reviews

Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal

Cooked Raw

Artist:     Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal

Album:     Cooked Raw

Label:     Silver Street Records

Release Date:    

87

Cooked Raw is the latest release by the Nebraska six-piece band, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal. It’s an LP with a tight and consistently polished sound, made even more impressive by the fact that Cooked Raw was recorded live in the studio during a single take. It’s a choice that actually works in the band’s favor, helping to craft the sensation of an impromptu and lively jam session.

Hoyer & Soul Colossal offer a series of six straightforward soul and funk tunes– modern lyrics about people with demanding, urban lives, but with a heavy basis in the traditional and a touch of retro flair. Cooked Raw strikes a nice balance that should appeal to casual listeners as well as those who regularly seek out soul or funk music.

Heated solos on brass animate various parts of the album, notably in “Misfit Children” and near the end of both “Every Day And Every Night” and “Blood And Bone.” Hoyer’s raw vocals add just the right amount of coarseness without overwhelming the prolific horn or spattering of guitar. The impression is of a band that works hard together to collectively produce a finished and enjoyable whole. Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal have created a sound that is flashy and bold, but with a wild energy clearly directed by skill and control.

– Leah Dearborn

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