s k Barnett

'Paraphernalia' first appeared in 1996, after the 'Dead Mans Shoes' album the prior year. It is a mixed bag, primarily showcasing Steve Overland's vocals - played out in a rock/blues fashion, in the style of a young Paul Rodgers, or if one was to throw an American slant on it - a band like Tangier would be a good example. Apparently, most of these tracks are outtakes left over from the 'Dead Mans Shoes' period, but all in all, there are some jewels to be found among the laser etched grooves.

The musicianship here really is top draw and this band of white boys could easily have backed James Brown and gotten away with it. 'Rawville' is essentially an album of gritty, organic funk numbers. A throwback to the days of 'Funky Drummer', the album has even been produced to sound 'retro' and on that score everything works fine together. The big problem with the album though is a distinct lack of variety. Sure, there are a few vocal tracks and Ohmega Watts even pops up to rap on a couple of sides but the emphasis pretty much all the way is on the funk.