SLY AND WHO?

If you were going to press me, I don't know if I could properly tell you why I like ESG. Quite honestly, part of the reason is that if you described them on paper, I'd probably not have the slightest interest. Wait. Nevermind. That's how I first heard of them, on paper, pre-pixel paper, an issue of New York Rocker to be exact, way back in the day. I bought their first EP on the strength of a review and didn't exactly go apeshit over it, but over the years I've returned to it, and subsequent ESG records, over and over again because when you want to hear something like ESG, you're not going to find it anywhere else. I wish I could remember what the review said because if I did, I could paraphrase it, but instead all I can come up with is that "nothing sounds like ESG". Pfft.

The best description might be stripped down funk, in the way Sly and Robbie playing together without any additional instruments is stripped down reggae. I saw that once, at a Black Uhuru show, everyone left the stage one by one until it was just the two of them. People were still dancing. Then Sly Dunbar left and it was just Robbie Shakespeare. Musically naked. Bass bones. And people were still dancing. I can see where this is going.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
ESG - Erase You mp3 at Atumblr (?)
ESG - Moody mp3 at Ozgood
ESG - Earn It (live) mp3 at Beware of the Blog
ESG - Dance mp3 at Self Titled
ESG - You're No Good mp3 at Nevver Go there to get it