Red Ferguson’s name sounds more like an early Adam Sandler alter-ego than one of the more interesting new guitar groups to emerge from LA in a minute (sort-of yes, French Montana). Their Reset EP is the first thing that Bryan Gomez (Vocals, guitar, and MPC) and Alex Hastings (Bass and MPC) have done since they met two years ago under the bridge downtown. (Bridge may or may not involved toll to Anthony Kiedis). Since then, they describe their union as “been working towards finding and creating a sound that combines melodic guitar, funky bass, and hip hop drum beats.”
The Chili Pepper that they actually take their cues from is Flea, who has always deserved better than the beach bum ballads that he’s been a part of post-BloodSugarSexMagick. If you saw those Atoms for Peace shows than you know what he can do given the right material to funkdafie. He has been trying to be the white Bootsy for a long time (and he believes in nothing). Gomez and Hastings are in their mid-20s and list a-alikes as Radiohead, Dilla, and Flea. Maybe it is played out for underground rappers to cite Dilla, but rock groups get an extra year or two. The clock is ticking.
Red Ferguson also sound like they spent plenty of spliffs listening to Thom Yorke’s Eraser. You could probably bitch about Gomez’s eerily close approximation of Thom Yorke’s seraphic yawp. But as far as criticisms go, that’s like knocking Blake Griffin for not yet having a complete game. He’s got time and you can’t teach athleticism or groove. I’m not sure if you can teach funk, but that university would be worth attending.
Download:
MP3: Red Ferguson – “Feed Their Greed”
ZIP: Red Ferguson – Reset EP (Left-Click)
