Big Medicine Gang
Charmed Life
Cherry Sound Records
3.5 out of 5 stars
Big Medicine Gang’s latest effort, Charmed Life sees the Rocky Mountain reggae-roll group focusing more on bluesy funk and soulful grooves than their previous releases. But, while the five-song EP sees some changes with the addition of Otis Lande on bass and 18-year-old Halle Tomlinson on vocals, the basic theme of Big Medicine Gang is still the same — to set the soundtrack of the party with infectiously danceable, booty-shaking, horn-heavy tracks.
With producer/engineer/keyboardist A.G. Lunsfjord adding vocals to “What You Gonna Say,” Charmed Life takes on a sort of Ronnie Hawkins “Who Do You Love” flavor. But with an impressive seven members, the band never stays too long on one vibe, and Big Medicine Gang continues to shift and simultaneously blend genres with carefully crafted hooks and riffs that somehow tap all of their influences. Charmed Life is a dialed-in effort for the group, who is already back in the studio working on their next EP.
