“Grooving at the speed of life, it’s all happening now,” sings Kyle Hollingsworth on his new album, Speed Of Life. The String Cheese Incident keyboard player is set to release his third solo album, one that draws inspiration from all aspects of his life – being a musician, husband, father, and even a brewer of delicious beers. Hollingsworth says he “was trying to explore some traditional funk elements as well as pop sensibilities,” ranging “stylistically from ‘60s funk to modern electronica, featuring both instrumental and lyrical tracks.” Well, mission accomplished.

Soliciting aid from several SCI bandmates as well as fellow SCI Fidelity artists Dave Watts (drums – The Motet), Garrett Sayers (bass – The Motet), Dan Schwindt (guitar), Jason Hann (percussion – The String Cheese Incident), Michael Kang (guitar – The String Cheese Incident), Dominic Lalli (saxophone – Big Gigantic), Bonnie Paine (vocals – Elephant Revival), Gabriel Mervine (trumpet – The Motet), Matt Pitts (saxophone – The Motet), Kim Dawson (vocals – The Motet), and LaDamion Massey (vocals), Hollingsworth has put together an all encompassing record that speaks to his eclectic sensibilities as a 21st Century musician.

The opening track “Racer X” showcases the keyboardists’ style in a nut shell. This disco-esque instrumental track, obviously heavy on keys, ramps up the energy on the record right away and sets the tone for what is to come. With some ripping guitar and strong percussive support, I could see this one getting the full String Cheese Incident treatment live on stage some day. Likewise, funk-laden tracks “Pack It Up,” “Lucky Charms,” and the longest selection on the album, “Peregrino,” sound like they’re right out of the String Cheese playbook. Particularly, “Lucky Charms” sounds like it could be a jam section to any number of SCI compositions, featuring a guitar tone similar to that of a John Scofield.

On the flip side, tracks like “Falling Through The Cracks,” “You’ve Got The World,” and “All Around” have their own organic feel to them. Here, Hollingsworth does a good job of simply appealing to the human condition. His lyrical sentiments of “falling through the cracks, ain’t no looking back” and “you’ve got the world girl, don’t let it bring you down” are something that anyone can latch onto.  

All things considered, Hollingsworth has created an album that touches upon his virtuosity as a keyboard player as well as his knack for song writing. His blending of traditional instrumentation with electronic elements make for a very entertaining listen. Whether one is a String Cheese enthusiast or not, Speed Of Life offers something to listeners that is both oddly reminiscent and new, all at the same time.

You can stream several of the tracks from Speed Of Life below:

 

Full Track Listing:

1. Racer X
2. Here We Go
3. Falling Through The Cracks
4. You’ve Got The World
5. Pack It Up
6. All Around
7. Happening Now
8. Beautiful People
9. Lucky Charms
10.Ordinary
11. Peregrino
12. World Girl RepriseÂ