Toronto, Ontario’s After Funk are preparing to release their debut album, Santa Barbara on February 22nd. Surviving the Golden Age is excited to premiere the quartet’s album.
As the band’s name suggests, funk is a strong influence on the band but they draw from a wide pool that includes R&B, blues, soul, and jazz. The single “The Mess We’ve Become” could be played alongside Motown classics from the 60s and not sound out of place with its smooth vocals and bluesy guitars. While opening track, “Face in the Crowd” is a more raucous affair with a disco beat and funk guitars. The album closes with its loudest moment, “Ain’t Nobody.” The track draws on Stevie Ray Vaughan-style blues with a little Faith No More slap bass mixed in. It ends Santa Barbara showing the versatility of talented ensemble.
