THIEVERY CORPORATION – CULTURE OF FEAR

D.C.’s Rob Garza and Eric Hilton are back with their signature lounge funk, but the fire in the belly that bore their last masterpiece is now just an ember. While the overall feel of Culture Of Fear is more psychedelic than Thievery Corp’s previous releases (specifically, the loose jazz/dub of Where It All Starts and the subtle early Santana references in Web Of Deception), the heat and aggression that made 2008’s Radio Retaliation such a fine record have faded. The message is still there – MC Mr. Lif’s beautifully percussive rapping on the title track is on the money with observations on the fear that permeates our daily lives: “maybe we like being afraid, maybe we’re just so used to it at this point that it’s a part of us, a part of our culture…” – but the call to arms that shone from Retaliation’s luminary musical guests and righteous horn arrangements has been downgraded to food for thought. From inspiring bombast to mere phatness. To be fair, for Garza and Hilton to try and maintain that intensity, or to try and improve on it for the sake of innovation would have been risky, false even. Culture Of Fear is still a solid, classy release that reminds us why these guys are the leaders in their field.

***1/2