If There’s One Thing Lettuce Does On Their New Album, It’s ‘CRUSH’

Everything tastes better with Lettuce! The masters of modern-day funk music have released their highly-anticipated fourth full-length album today entitled, Crush, from Velour Records. Keeping up with their M.O., the band have kicked out yet another homerun of a record, swarming with funky grooves and jazzy twists and turns.

Eric Krasno (Soulive) and Adam Smirnoff are on fire with their prodigious guitar stylings, while Ryan Zoidis on sax and trumpet player Eric “Benny” Bloom jazz up the band’s already-festive sound with their unstoppable horn section. Tying it all together is Neal Evans (keyboards, organ, piano) and the percussive prowess of Adam Deitch, who keeps it all in the pocket, to create the funk-filled smorgasbord that is Lettuce.

Right out of the gate, Crush begins with an awesomely ostentatious opening. Much like the tuba-headed pachyderm on the album cover, the album’s first song, “The Force” is larger-than-life and mysteriously funky! It is followed by the Herbie Hancock-esque second song, “Get Greasy”, which is as funky as funk can be. Pleasantly reminiscent of Hancock’s “Chameleon”, this track is just what the doctor ordered if you’re looking for foot-stomping funk and tasty, tight percussion.

In early October, the boys put out an early release of the single “Phyllis”, which comes in the middle of the album. Clocking in just shy of seven minutes, this spectacular musical voyage hypnotizes the listener with its cosmic, spaced out sound as it gradually rises in intensity, eventually bursting into a jazzy and energetic pinnacle.

Songs like “He Made A Woman Out Of Me” and “Sounds Like A Party” feature the only vocals on this predominantly instrumental jam record. The latter is easily one of the brightest and most-fun tracks on the album. The stuttering attack of bass and drums creeps along with a spellbinding groove in “Trillogy”, while tunes like “Pocket Change”, “The New Reel” and “The Lobbyist” sound like they could easily score a 1970’s heist film.

From the organ’s moan on the upbeat third track “Chief”, to the Funkadelic-inspired rough edge of “Silverdome”, this fourth record from Lettuce, from start to finish, could collectively be some of the best material the band has turned out in their 20-plus year career. If you’re looking for a party, look no further! Crush has all the ingredients necessary for a good time. Just push play!

You can find the album, which was released today, November 6th, right here. Fans of the funk band can also check them out for two nights at the PlayStation Theater in New York, NY on November 13-14 (more info here), and don’t miss the premiere of their official documentary Let Us Play, a Human Being film produced by Live for Live Music, the following November 17th! Information for that can be found here.