Label: GroundUP Music, 2025
Personnel - Ben Wendel: tenor saxophone, effects; Shane Endsley: trumpet, synth bass, effects; Adam Benjamin: keyboards; Nate Wood: drums, electric bass.
Formed in 2001, Kneebody is a progressive and eclectic unit featuring Nate Wood simultaneously on electric bass and drums, Ben Wendel on saxophone, Shane Endsley on trumpet, and Adam Benjamin on keyboards. While Wood and Wendel are based in Brooklyn, Benjamin and Endsley reside in Reno and Denver, respectively. Reach is the group’s ninth studio album and features compositions by all members except Wood.
The album opens with two Wendel compositions: the crisp and forceful “Repeat After Me”, brimming with soulful attacks from the authoritative drummer and multiple psychedelic effects, in a seamless blend of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters’ funk-laden synth strut with the heavy muscularity of rock bands; and “Reach”, a piece that could easily hit the dancefloor with its on-the-nose, 10-beat-cycle electro-rock demeanor. With Endsley on board, we can expect a high premium on dynamic range, and that’s exactly what he delivers here.
Inspired by old-time music, “Natural Bridge” injects more groove into the mix, with clear R&B influences and the two horns in harmonious consonance. Like the former, “Top Hat” was penned by Endsley, featuring spasmodic staccatos, skillful drumming enhanced by clever syncopation, and electronic embellishments, resulting in a futuristic fusion soundscape.
Benjamin’s “Glimmer” leans on simple riffs and spectral ambient diffusions, while Wendel’s “Say So” creates a giddy mood, placing a catchy riff over a rock-infused progression. A tasteful synth solo closes out the piece.
There’s an underground energy you can dance to, but I expected more from a band of this caliber. Their experimentation is commendable, but at times it feels like they aim to be hip without fully realizing the potential of their hybrid sound.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Repeat After Me ► 04 - Natural Bridge ► 09 - Say So