BOOTCUT

3.5 stars really

This band from Sweden named Bootcut formed by Beardfish keybordist and singer Rikard Sjöblom helped by a bunch of musicians with quite high skills. Bootcut released so far two albums, the latest being their best so far. De Fluff is the name of the release issued in 2006. This is keyboard orientated prog, with a slightly jazzy feel. The entire album is quite accesible in sound, but has plenty of tricks in instrumental sections, the hammond is present and in combination with the drums and guitar in places and even sax are quite enjoyble most of the time. The music is groovy and has that jazzy atmosphere, the pieces are kinda short all are under 6 min, but all are energic and well played. All in all a decent album towards great in places, I do prefer this band Bootcut more then anything Beardfish released over the years. Very fine booklet and all package. A little known band who gone under the radar of prog collectors.

Bootcut are a music duo, consisting of Rikard Sjoblom of Beardfish fame on keyboards and drummer Peter Diamant, also an original member of Beardfish.They've been around since 2000, even before the formation of Beardfish, always a very active live project, and recorded an album in 2002, which eventually saw the light in 2005 on the US label Gadfly.The title was ''Hammond vs drums''...

...and the title says it all.This is a constant battle between Sjoblom's Hammond organ and Diamant powerful drumming all the way, exploring a variety of styles, but do not expect some abstract jamming.These are well-structured instrumental compositions with plenty of solos with the duo stepping from one music style to another in a blink of an eye.There are plenty of Funk/Jazz pieces with some pleasant organ leading the way along with groovy drum parts, while the solos are always in the menu.But there are also numerous Fusion and Classical beats to be found in here with strong links to the styles of KEITH EMERSON and BRIAN AUGER, while Diamant's drumming turns into a jazzy delivery to this point.And while a couple of instruments seem hard enough to fully catch the listener's attention, Sjoblom and Diamant achieve to perform constanly in furious grooves and mid- to fast tempos, thus making ''Hammond vs drums'' an album full of intensity, energy and positive sounds.

Reaching this work, I thought I would get bored before the album got to its end.But these guys made the impossible possible.Fiery, dynamic and powerful combination of Prog, Fusion, Jazz and Funk by an album ready to fullfill the dreams of all lovers of vintage organ sounds.Strongly recommended (unless Hammond organ is not your thing)...3.5 stars.

Bootcut are a band with the strength of an ox, the subtlety of both ironic and expert music-lovers and the warmth of a young crew that sails on a good wind, with a very good musical practice and even a very good instrumental sound by their side. In line with similar young and fresh (or even younger and fresher) progressive rock bands of today, they surprise with a low interest on "searching the original" (which, many times, can't be found at all, since it ran out decades ago), a much higher one on good music that's played in an even balance of chill and strong focus and finally with albums that wrap up good qualities in both the section of prog value and rock flares. It's an accessible, over-rateable, interesting and charming mix of music, talent and easy (but fast) playing that already wins hearts for Bootcut, and shall continue to, if they'll have better years ahead.

De Fluff, released 2006, has a strong echo of being Bootcut's most polished album so far, after a Hammond vs. Drums debut which made them wanna look like interesting proggers (and I'd definitely get that one someday, at least for the curiosity of hearing what a "duel" of prog instruments can sound like), still that doesn't mean the band isn't still open to fresh and simple rock ideas, to a tonic nevertheless jammy slice of dice, plus to a high drive of rocking that makes them so natural. Bootcut stays a Hammond-percussion duo, with Rikard Sjöblom making sure the link to Beardfish won't slip unmentioned (caution with mixing both bands though, as Bootcut is not of Beardfish's interactive art rock kind, and isn't as "skinny" as you could think, in contrast with the band that, currently, could be one of the best in the contemporary business); several artists play on a couple of tracks, bringing the mix and the punch to a healthier degree of intense music. De Fluff only has a bit weird cover - sure, the name itself couldn't "fluff" in a stranger way - (and, along this line, some track-titles indicate a fictional concept going underway; luckily the music prevents this bit muddle course).

With relatively short tracks but a tantalizing energy in each one of them, Bootcut choose the right stuff, even aback their own minimal or comfortable desires: progressive music based on fusion and keyboard sound, jams and moments of funk rock that break a pleasant expectation, pretty deep easy music relying on happy charms and cool drifts. De Fluff's Hammond "freakiness" makes me think it's a good time to quote a great symphonic expert who said playing the Hammond (equally the Mellotron) isn't easy at all; the success of the blend here makes me also believe it's even more difficult to play the Hammond greatly. A lot of the rhythmic, funny or easy to follow jam-rock in here put a backlog on Focus's music from the 70s, cause otherwise the giant classic prog bands have rarely entered a world of genuine fun(k) music and very relaxed virtuosity.

De Fluff, for what it's worth, has a smash on you, as a listener, and is a good find, overall. Pieces like Fresh Free Fruit and the even lighter Funck The Living Dead, Hang Em High, Immortal Session put a strong cut of art lush music, the pieces in between focusing on a diverse breeze of fusion, jazzy abstract tone, or on a more uninteresting, still fervently played, effort. Mutta, Soul P.D. or similar stuff contrast with very light and solely-for-amusement music. The instrumental bounce is incredible; the light prog idea can simply turn the tables in favour or against Bootcut being truly amazing. Hanging with the positive stuff, De Fluff is a success.

Why Eclectic Prog (I almost never initiate in chatting over the current genre of a band, but my mind really got stuck to the idea of putting, this time, some guiding words)? Maybe because of the relation with Beardfish, who are nothing but "Eclectic Prog" for as long as they keep their values straight, but surely more because complexity shines interestingly bright and easy, as oppose to the heavy, alternative tendencies in the prog rock of the same days and even the same directions; because Bootcut interpret, without doubt, a progressive ideal groove, with funny, powerful or subtle details alternating each other, and because, I would personally add, there's a feeling of "classic prog" being a nice great influence to Bootcut, the band doing, in return, an original as possible act, not a replica, a retro or a two-times mellower act.

Fuzz-buzzing straight ahead into the contemporary times of progressive rock, Bootcut really edge an enjoyable, crafty and palpitating music, with a close-minded technique and passion that fortunately opens a lot better into the rock 'n' roll of the music. Keeping in mind Beardfish (but not intensively), Bootcut's De Fluff is their best yet, promising to any new or old prog fan.

Last note: I did start to love De Fluff as I listened more and more to it. So do absolutely try it twice if, at a first shake, it gives you an odd impression.

A few months ago I was watching this Swedish two-piece band with fellow Dutchman and acclaimed Prog Archives member Angelo during their gig on the first Dutch Symforce Festival in 2007. We were delighted about their performance and dynamic, Hammond drenched sound and concluded very soon that Bootcut deserved to be on Prog Archives and now they are, welcome and we hope that more progheads will discover Beardfish member Rikard Sjöblom (who also plays guitar and sings) his pleasant side-project. After the show I had a chat with him on the Beardfish/Bootcut merchandise stand, he was pleasantly surprised that I started to talk about legendary famous jazzrock duo Hansson & Karlsson, of course a main source of inspiration for them. Bootcut has released two albums, this is their second effort entitled De Fluff, released in 2006. The band is a duo featuring Rikard Sjöblom (Hammond B3 organ, Nord Electro2 and ARP Pro Solist synthesizer) and Petter Diamant (drums and percussion) with additional musicians on woodwind - and brass instruments, guitar and contrabass.

In general the 12 melodic and accessible compositions sound fluent and swinging with strong echoes from jazz (Bootcut often played in jazz clubs) but also rock and blues. Their music often brings late Sixties and early Seventies bands to my mind like The Spencer Davis Group (after Eddie Hardin had replaced Stevie Windwood who had just founded Traffic), Hardin & York (also a Hammond/drums duo), Brian Auger and Trace. And of course late Sixties fellow Swedish band Hansson & Karlson but less complex, less focussed on solo-ing and more keyboard variation like the synthesizer in Quintus Quest, the clavinet in Funck The Living Dead and the Fender Rhodes electric piano in the bluesy Istället För Att Jag Kom Till Skogen Kom Skogen Till Mig. Although Rikard plays less self-indulgent, we can enjoy some swirling and propulsive work like in Fresh Free Fruit (funky sound), Funck the Living Dead, Hang Em High and especially in Crazy Cookie where he freaks out, goose bumps! The interplay between Rikard and Petter is strong and often dynamic. In some songs we can welcome guest musicians on guitar, flute, trombone and saxophone, it give the music a pleasant extra dimension. A funny track is the final song Mutta, a swinging blend of organ, guitar and Turntables (by D-Cuts), that sound of playing LP's with the hand (scratching), quite original in prog!

This is a very tasteful CD that will please the Hammond organ freaks.

I WISH YOU A HAPPY 2008 WITH LOTS OF HAMMOND ORGAN RUNS, MINIMOOG SYNTHESIZER FLIGHTS AND MELLOTRON ERUPTIONS!!

www.progwalhalla.com

Fluffy organ sounds

I discovered Bootcut as an alternative for Beardfish at Symforce festival 2007. Both bands played in a small venue in the attic of 013 music center in Tilburg, and Beardfish filled up that space so well I could only stand at the door and listen. With Bootcut, who played after them, I was lucky enough to be close to the stage, in a far less filled room. A great gig, and halfway through I slipped out to get this album, which I played right away on the way home that night.

Bootcut is not your average prog rock act. There are no guitars or bass guitars to be found, except when played by guest musicians. Also, most of the work is instrumental on this album, despite the fact that organ and keyboard player Rikard Sjöblom does sing and play guitar in Beardfish. Here - he's the keyboard man, accompanied live only by drummer Petter Diamant. The result is a mixture of rock, funk and jazz with a lot to be found for Hammond organ addicts.

De Fluff contains relaxed jazzy pieces like Fresh Free Fruit (with guest musicians on trombone and saxophone), Istället För Att Jag Kom Till Skogen Kom Skogen Till Mig or the ballad Immortal Session with Peter's brother Rasmus on double bass. Other tracks are more funky, like Funck The Living Dead, where the organ takes over the role the guitar normally plays in funk, or the soul influenced Soul P.D., which contains a great guitar solo by metal guitarist Per Nilsson and the only track with vocals (by guest singer Chister Jägerlund). Two tracks stand out on the album for me, albeit not always for progressive rock quality. The first one of those is Mystic Dildo, which centers around variations on a circus music theme interleaved with electronic synth parts. Like it or not, it sticks in your head for days after hearing it. The second is closing track Mutta, which adds an interesting touch by means of DJ D-Cuts who is actually performing some old-fashioned scratching on vinyl turn-tables. It's part of the old hip-hop and rap style, but it blends in nicely with what the organ does on this track. Interesting to say the least.

Overall, Bootcut's De Fluff is a nice find - I play the album regularly, but it's not something to put on as background music while working. Also, it has some weaker tracks, like the rather straightforward and not so interesting Hot Chocolate. A rarety album, not a must have - except for Hammond (B3) freaks.