Garaj Mahal – Blueberry Cave

It doesn’t take a crime scene investigator or a detective’s hunch to determine that this music will be quite different. The name alone should be a tip-off. However, this divergence from the mainstream should not be a reason to set it aside. Instead, this group’s ground-breaking music takes a rare and special approach. While it’s often eccentric, it’s accessible in a very weird and inexplicable way.

Garaj Mahal is Kai Eckhardt (bass), Fareed Haque (guitars), Alan Hertz (drums), and Eric Levy (keys). These four fellows are responsible for almost everything on this album. DJ Fly Agaric is invited to spin the turntables on two tracks. Vocal appearances are also made by Tasha Levine and Shanan Edelheit. While it’s mostly instrumental, the band’s core members contribute their voices as well.

Listening to this music is like trying out a new and exotic restaurant, ordering something unpronounceable, and then being hit by the zest and spice of a uniquely flavorful dish. To give you an idea, there is a pizza parlor in town that features odd, but practical slices. Among their ingredients, they pile on mac n’ cheese, steak n’ fries, and even at times make their pizzas up like a chicken burrito. While this may sound strange, it isn’t long before patrons come back and try out other combinations. This band offers a similar kind of cuisine. They mix together elements you wouldn’t normally find nuzzled next to each other. Yet, it takes just one bite to realize that you’ve been missing out by keeping these tasting toppings apart.

While it’s difficult to draw an exact association to anything else, this band reminds me of an equally unknown, but equally entertaining band called Pipe Circus. Garaj Mahal is all funked up in the vein of George Clinton and has the soul of James Brown. In addition, they architect jazz to reach new and unheard of heights. As you may have picked up on, I was pleasantly surprised by this unexpected discovery.

There is a lot of music on the release. It’s packed with troves of treasures in its various nooks and crannies. Initially, it will keep you entertained for well over an hour. It also has enough complexity in its crevices to find new adventure in your successive visits.

Here’s what you’ll find when you go spelunkering around inside Blueberry Cave:

The Shadow – While it’s hard coming up with a convincing comparison, this song is suspiciously similar to Jamiroquai. In this track, papa’s got a brand new bag and it’s packed and ready to go. The Indian immigrants are Coming to America. They share influences from the homeland but they’re also quick to incorporate blues and jazz. These multi-national travelers are worldly and fluent in several cultures. There is an interesting part where the drums lay down a tribal rhythm while the other instrumentalists do a synchronized dance. It really gets fun when it works in progressive rock riffs and electronic dance beats towards the end. This is difficult and trying music. They start with one of the best songs on the album.

Alvin – The chipmunks are at it again. This cantankerous and mischievous bunch has nothing better to do than cause trouble in the neighborhood. They’re fiddling with each of instruments. Every piece of equipment gets banges as these rascally rodents try and figure them out. It’s spontaneous and random, but eventually they get the hang of it. The solos are shared evenly among this noncompliant crew. Each musician acts out and contends for your attention before moving onto their next curiosity. They try out many differing melodies, but continually return to the one riff they have mastered. This track is creatively chaotic.

Blueberry Cave – The title track reminds me of a band weaned right out of the heartland. That would be a band called Kopecky that’s based in Wisconsin. It might also be the kind of tune you’d find coming from other great progressive rock composers as well. There are aspects in it that remind me of the craftsmanship seen in the works of Steve Howe and Steve Hackett. As for the contemporary side of the cut, it reflects clearly off of Eric Johnson. It’s a well-written number, sublime and serene, which is why it deserves to be the centerpiece of the album. The guitar and keys work like tailors to create a colorful sonic tapestry. The drums and bass weave themselves subtlety into this song’s silky seams.

‘Spect Rap – This is the most bizarre track on the album. Literally, it’s a rap done with Indian influences. It has the enlightenment of the Dali Lama, but with the rhythm of Eminem.

No ‘Spect – This complements the previous song. It’s still rap, but does so by tying in hip-hop and a bluesy beat. The lyrics in this one could be taken the wrong way, but I doubt they mean anything by them. This may be the track that earned them the parental advisor. Be advised, they are equal-opportunity when they come to the words they choose. Nobody is singled out and by no means is their prejudice in their phrases. This song of stereotypical slang is simple, but syncopated. It may even manage to get a chuckle out of you.

Massive – This has a dance beat that’s undulates with a wave of electronic emotion. It reminds me of that car commercial, you know, the one with the silly girl flipping out in the front seat. If you too found this funny, you’d certainly crack up from Dave Chappelle’s version. He massacred this idea in his comic variety show. If you’re familiar with this commercial or even the skit, believe me, this song will quickly bring visions into view. To be fair, it’s giving due diligence as an engaging opening that eventually leads into massively melodic riffs. They work in a sitar and then play it how a Mexican mariachi would flicker his fingers upon an acoustic guitar. Even though dance music isn’t usually my kind of music, this is my favorite track on the album, because again, they’ve managed to make something clever and new out of existing ideas.

Cosmic Elevator – The drums and bass are situated on separate floors. While the drums are playing fast and furious jazz, the bass settles back with blues. Aspects of this song remind me of a good ole Flower King’s jam and the vocals are fantastically funky. While this tower of terror is spooky, it’s so fun; you’ll be eager to ride it to the top.

Paladin – This is sequenced like the commemorative Canterbury piece in The Tangent’s The Music That Died Alone. While this is by no means meant as commentary on anybody’s weight class (honestly, I wouldn’t know and the cover shows four svelte men), Alan Hertz’s drums are extra-large, big-boned, and husky. Fat Albert and the gang get down and boogie at the junkyard. They trade licks on trash cans, ring bicycle bells, and splash around in the spare parts.

Bicycling in Bombay – This is the odd ball out of the bunch. It’s more ultra-modern, avant-garde, and far-out than the rest of the bunch. This brings the accessible wit and charm of whimsical bands such as Far Corner to mind. It’s also futuristic and spacey like Univers Zero.

Celtic Indian – The long song is also one of the best. It comes out of the deep blue sea to sing us a tune. It’s beefy and brawny at times, but ever so often expresses itself in a wimpy tone. It’s Popeye the sailor man. He rides the waves and whistles when all is well.

When he’s is out of his leafy spinach, he is on the run from Bruno. Once he’s had his dose of iron-clad instrumentals, he’s the one who’s overconfident and doing the chasing. At the end, he finally outwits his foe and eventually earns himself the hand of Olive Oil. It concludes with their happy marriage. For their honeymoon, they take a cruise from India and arrive safely upon the coast of Ireland. They last days of their trip are spent in the close quarters of a quaint and quiet cottage.

In summary, Blueberry Cave is an infectious confection. It has a mouth-watering crust, contains the fruitiest filling, and is covered in the fluffiest whipped cream. While you may have been reluctant to make you’re initial order, I’m sure you will find yourself coming back for seconds.

8.5/10