There is perhaps no other style of music as maligned as that of the jam band, a genre whose artists are too often dismissed by music snobs for their tendency to indulge in meandering, improvised instrumental breaks and gratuitous guitar noodling.
In many ways, The People Brothers Band are jammers at heart. Although the Madison-based octet has been recognized and awarded over the years as an outstanding blues, soul and pop-R&B group, its style is rooted in all the things that make jam bands so beloved (and polarizing) — technical virtuosity, earnest songwriting and rapturous live performances where good vibes are as important as good music.
On Jan. 12, the group debuted its third album, Love Electric, a 12-track release described by the band as a “personal journey” examining and deconstructing love as a spectrum of distinct emotions. The music is classic PBB — soulful, skillful and more than a little sultry — and the addition of new guitarist Paul Matushek has given the band a nudge in the psychedelic direction.
Love Electric leans heavily on moderate and slower-tempo numbers. The opening track, “Getcha,” starts big and triumphant with a soaring guitar solo before settling into more restrained soul groove. It’s a joy to luxuriate in frontwoman Teresa Marie’s exquisite vocals on slow burners like “Live Like a Song” and the album’s title track, “Love Electric,” a lush ballad with a 1960s doo-wop feel. Keyboard player and vocalist Bobby Gronna is a hugely talented singer in his own right, holding down the lead in the satisfyingly bluesy “That Feelin,’” the rootsy, gospel-inflected “Raise Your Hands” and the energetic country tune “Honey Please.”
In a first for the band, saxophone player Max “Maxaphone” Felsheim experiments with an electronic wind instrument (EWI) during the spacy, psychedelic breakdown on the Latin-influenced “Rosa.” More layered electronic sounds add texture to the supremely jammy rock song “Down the Mountain,” and lend an ethereal quality to the otherwise bouncy “Lazy Lions,” an unexpected standout track.
The only times the album falls short are when down-tempo jams fail to build and deliver a satisfying musical climax — on the rather plodding “Walk A While,” and the overlong reggae number “Money Goes.” The group excels at writing compelling hooks, but some of the verses on Love Electric don’t rise to the same level of lyrical power. Still, this album displays impressive stylistic range, exceptional proficiency and an abundance of heart.
