Sex Mob: Sex Mob Does Bond (2002)

Mark Corroto

Senior Contributor since 1999

Mark misses his large dog Louie, but endeavors daily to find and listen to new and interesting sounds.

Recent articles (998 total)

Published: October 1, 2001

Exactly, what does this terror-filled world require? Simply stated two words (actually three), Bond, James Bond. Saving the world, or in this case the popular entertainment world, is the band Sex Mob. Their take on the music of James Bond is more Chris Farley then Sean Connery. Where Bond composer John Barry oozed 1960 and 70s hip, Sex Mob reach for twenty-first century camp. Leader Steven Bernstein mines a sort of modern vaudeville in his music. His trumpet and musical direction have graced recordings by They Might Be Giants, Lounge Lizards, Don Byron and soundtracks like Get Shorty and Robert Altman's Kansas City.

Sexmob comprises veteran New York Downtown players, Kenny Wollesen (Junk Genius, New Klezmer Trio, Brad Shepik), Tony Scherr (Michael Blake, Maria Schneider, Slow Poke) and Briggan Kraus (Pigpen, Satoko Fujii Orchestra, Babkas). Sex Mob Does Bond is their third release following Din Of Inequity and Solid Sender. This disc finds keyboardist John Medeski joining the Mob to provide the grease that lubricates Bernstein's cartoon fantasies. Bond has been a staple of Sex Mob's repertoire from the beginning. They regularly cover "Bond With Bongos" at their gigs and their first disc contained "Live And Let Die" and "Goldfinger." Why? Because, like Bond movies, Bernstein shares a love of the outrageous. They move beyond camp, past ultra-cool, to anarchistic good fun that skates an edge, just this side of out-of-control.

Track Listing: Dr. Yes; Teasing The Korean; This Never Happened To The Other Feller; 007; Battle At Piz Gloria; You Only Live Twice; Bond With Bongos; Oddjob's Pressing Engagement; Bond Back In Action Again; Over And Out; Dawn Raid On Fort Knox; Nobody Does It Better; Dr. Yes (Reprise).

Personnel: Steven Bernstein: slide trumpet; Kenny Wollesen: drums; Briggan Krauss: saxophone; Tony Scherr: bass; John Medeski: keyboards.

Record Label: Ropeadope
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream