We have seen bands like the Disco Biscuits, STS9, the New Deal, Lotus, Pnuma Trio, Zoogma, Future Rock, and (and our Feature band) BioDiesel spawn a new genre of music called Livetronica. Any fan of these bands will tell you that you have to see these bands live; most don’t even want a “noob” to listen to a studio album for the fear that it might turn them off to the music. With the release of Two-One-Live, BioDiesel creates an album that could turn anybody into a fan. Recorded in July of 2011, at The Blockley in Philadelphia, PA, the album was conceived to give listeners a better glimpse into what can be expected at one of BioDiesel’s highly-captivating, and intensely energetic live shows.BioDiesel consists of world-renowned drummer Johnny Rabb, who is one of the most respected drummers in the electronic scene for his inventiveness with the freehand technique, and the electronic scene’s “Go-To” bassist Clay Parnell (Brothers Past, The Join, Philabuster). The music that these two amazing musicians and producers create is absolutely incredible. When listening to them, you tend to forget that you are listening to only two musicians because of the plethora of sounds.The beauty of Two-One-Live lies in the seamlessness in moving from track to track. All you have to do is press play, and let Rabb and Parnell take over your mind for almost 70-minutes. If you have seen BioDiesel before, you can also see the evolution of the band, and how effectively the two have gelled in recent history. Their jams are killer, and segues so smooth that one gets lost in the sound which is exactly what one is looking for when listening to a live album. Starting off with “Liquid” into “Hippo Break“, BioDiesel does a fantastic job of building energy and creating the right tempos to get things started; and Rabb’s drumming is so on-point, and so quick at times that it is hard to believe that one man is actually making those sounds. “Powering Down” has a lot of airiness to it, and uses some great vocal samples to give it just enough edge.Having sufficiently built the set up to peak point, “Tranzam” drops in and has you going wild. The party has officially begun, and not a moment too soon. While Rabb is murdering the drums, you can really see what Parnell brings to the table with skills on both the bass and keys. “Mello Tone” keeps the party going proper, and before you know it Aron Magner of the Disco Biscuits drops in to say hello, and brings his skills with improvisational jamming to the table. A track that is a shade under 20-minutes is something that will probably be the highlight for many fans, as this showcases just how good these guys are at what they do.”KGB” and “Turnin’ Back” turns the spaceship around and begins to bring us back to planet Earth, reminding us that this voyage is almost over. It’s definitely a nice way to end the album, leaving us with our minds officially blown. Remember, drink plenty of water, as listening to music like this can get one extremely dehydrated.Overall, Two-One-Live provides listeners with a great representation of how amazing a live BioDiesel show really is, as well as giving first-timers an extremely accurate depiction of what you may not be able to convey in words. I would recommend this album to anybody that likes good, dance-driven grooves. Rabb and Parnell are masters of their craft, and Two-One-Liveis clear-cut evidence of this.The album was officially released April 3rd, and BioDiesel will be touring in support of it. Here is a list of their upcoming shows. CHECK THEM OUT!

April 4 – Allston, MA. @ Together Festival w/ Grimace Federation

April 5 – New Haven, CT. @ Stella Blues w/ Grimace Federation

April 12 – Philadelphia, PA. @ The Blockley w/ Damn Right! feat. Bernie Worrell, Derek VanScoten (d.v.s.*) and Pixel8ter (EP Release Party)

April 13 – Baltimore, MD. @ Baltimore Soundstage w/ Ozric Tentacles

April 14 – Newark, DE. BassCampus @ University of Delaware w/ Sonic Spank, Grimace Federation, d.v.s.*, Space Jesus, and more

April 16 – Brooklyn, NY. Brooklyn Bowl w/ Kung Fu and Sonic Spank

-Chris Meyer

Check out a video from their live show: