Steez

The Steez boys are taking the University of Wisconsin – easily the headiest school in the Big Ten – by storm with their self-described Creep Funk. Fresh off graduation, this up and coming jamband just completed their first tour, hitting a number of Midwest venues and a few in Colorado. The Creep Funk moniker is about as accurate as you can get to describe the Steez. The sound is reminiscent of a funked out version of the soundtrack music for klobbing your friend’s ass in Goldeneye for Nintendo 64.

The band layers think a thick, funky low end with heavy synthesizer, keys, or sometimes accordion, and sax/flute/oboe/fiddle/you name it for a very full high-energy mix. You can really sense the transition from the college party band into a group of serious musicians. I must admit, while I am excited about the Steez sound, I am not entirely sure I want to be known as a Steezburger – the nickname for the bands denizens. That’s pretty gay. I think I’d prefer Mesteezo, personally.

http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/blips-time-to-break-out-the-freshies/ - Glide Magazine

It all began with a busted motorcycle, borrowed by a guitarist from a bass player, after a successful first show at Madison's during the weekend of Halloween 2003. Four years later, the band steez is still entertaining local fans, though no vehicles have recently been totaled.

A five piece funk group at its core, steez consists of Matt Williams on keys, synth and accordion; Steve Neary on guitar and vocals; Chris Sell on bass and vocals; Raab Bessert on drums and vocals; and Andrze as a sort of jack of all trades on oboe, fiddle, saxophone, flute, guitar and vocals.

Most of the band got their start while students at the UW, enabling them to network easily in the tight knit Madison musical community. Today, the last member still in school is poised to graduate, but the group expects to continue in its current form. They’ve made a name for themselves on campus playing house parties, small Madison venues and events like the Mifflin Street Block Party.

steez has also built up a nice following around the Midwest with sets of controlled jams punctuated by obscure covers by the likes of Blondie and Hot Chocolate. They also throw in a few TV and movie references in for good measure. Fans enjoy the variation from show to show, and the group thrives on the element of surprise.

"I think what makes us really good friends and makes us really tight as a band is the fact that we are all really passionate about music and about listening to and enjoying music," says bassist Chris Sell. Keyboardist Matt Williams notes that while they practice hard and have a structure to their music, they also enjoy the unique musical aspects that emerge when they allow sounds, jams and new songs to surface spontaneously.

The band prides itself on having a unique sound, which led them to create the term "creepfunk" to describe their style. While they occasionally slip into the realms of disco, house and jazz, steez's members feel the closest relation to funk.

"Anything funky is the bottom line," notes guitarist Steve Neary.

The band fondly refers to their fans as "steezburgers" and notes that they have a reputation for setting record alcohol sales during their shows. While the band members love playing and living in the Madison community, they've definitely felt the pressure of trying to build a successful musical enterprise in what many local bands refer to as the biggest small city in the Midwest.

"There's definitely a lot of competition here. There are just so many musicians, which is what makes it great, but [it's] also difficult to make a name for yourself. On any weekend night, there’s probably 50 shows going on," notes Neary.

steez is starting a tour in Janurary around the heart of the country, including stops in Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, and Missouri. The dates for the tour, along with more music by the band, is available at its MySpace page.

The group has one last show in Madison this year -- their annual "Moustache Party" -- scheduled for Der Rathskeller at Memorial Union on Friday, December 14.

This tradition started at a show last year when steez decided to hold a mustache contest during their set break. The winner received a non functional guitar painted by the band. The band promises a prize for this year's mustachioed winner too, but is keeping it under wraps until the big night.

Katya Szabados 12/13/2007
http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=16832

- Isthmus (madison) - the daily page

You should have seen this one coming. With gigantic festivals of 40,000+ capacity crowds popping up more often than Willie “Mays” Hayes, the little ones are going to get some praise. Well, the Summer Camp Music Festival in Chillicothe, IL earned plenty of it over this past Memorial Day weekend from the 12,000 attendees who experienced a pretty flawless execution.

For starters, I think we have our first graduate from the first class of Blips. The boys from STEEZ won a contest to play at Summer Camp and got a Sunday slot on the Camping Stage (the smallest of the stages tucked away in the woods amidst the tented masses). They may have even represented, per capita, the most rocking out crowd in the place. Despite having half of their set overlap with moe.’s last set of the weekend, the crowd was packed in front, on both sides, and even behind the stage. And they made no waste of their one hour set, kicking it off with a cover of Daft Punk’s Robot Rock and plowing mercilessly through two of their best tunes in the rotation, Boss Theme and everyone’s favorite Estonian cover tune, Kalbassa (not to be confused with Kielbasa). Overall, expect to hear a lot more from STEEZ as you could read everyone’s lips saying, “Damn, these guys are really good.” Note to the tapers: somebody get these guys on the archive.

- Glide Magazine - June 2nd, 2008

Now a three-year tradition at the University of Wisconsin, Steez takes to the stage on the last day of classes for the fall semester every year for their annual Mustache Bash. Growing into larger venues with each successive year, this year’s Bash went down at familiar Steez locale, the High Noon Saloon, where around 300 mustachioed Madtowners aimed to blow off some steam and celebrate the holiday season. This year’s Mustache Bash easily topped them all surpassing everyone’s exceptions and playing host to a photo booth, local Madison radio station WSUM with adhesive mustache swag in tow, and heaps of special guests.

Generally speaking, Steez is a band in the sweet spot; that point where they are really clicking with one another and getting a lot better, fast. Every show they play right now is better than the last. What impresses most is that for a young band largely comprised on non-classically trained musicians, they fit the pieces together in a very mature manner; synergy [interlocks fingers while looking serious].

One would expect a band that focuses on such high energy music and comprised of five members, that space would be an issue. Who wouldn’t want to solo non-stop with, as one of their hip hop guests proclaims, “the energy meter way the fuck up here.” Not the case though, they exhibit a lot of patience as the saxophone and keys often hold back from playing minutes at a time and solos are generally contained and the jams are more about getting the whole band rocking rather than featuring individual playing. And with the help of Andrew LaValley from Bear Sound adding his magic touch on live sound and mixing down crispy reproductions, the recordings are incredible.

After local faves, Herman Price warmed things up, one leg of famed DJ triforce Orchard Lounge and newfound Madison native, Ben Silver, kicked things off for Steez. The Steez/Orchard Lounge connection is becoming a fan favorite as Steez has begun to make a habit of coming out to start shows with a segue where they jam with the DJs out of Orchard Lounge’s set — or in this case Ben Silver’s — which translates into a vitreous globule of sound. The segue to kick of the Mustache Bash takes a few minutes to warm up, but by the midpoint, this 15 minute plus segment gets plain mean.

After Ben Silver bid the band adieu, Steez compiled a beefy sandwich of one of their funkier originals, Scoring Position, between one of their tamer, TKO. It probably takes a pretty keen listener with a familiarity with the band’s repertoire to discern the two songs, but having heard most of their shows, this is a tight mash, which hopefully returns from time to time. At this point, Steez launches into its first cover of the night, the always fun Thriller. While we’ve all heard our share of Thriller covers, Steez covers tend to forego human vocals in favor of Ron’s seductive saxophone vocals, which translate magnificently both here and a number of other times throughout the night.

Next up came one of the really colossal highlights of the show as Steez invited out three well-known hip hop MCs, including Raashan Ahmad from the Crown City Rockers, Bru Lei, and Apocalypse, Inc, out for a 20 minute plus improvisational beat down. While the original intention is a riff on the Coolio (or possibly Tupac) classic, replacing “Ain’t no party, like a west coast party” with “Ain’t no party like a mustache party,” the real name for this song has got to be Tummy Full of Poison. This line perpetually returns throughout the collaboration and will drill into though your head like a brain eating worm.

While the subsequent sit-in from electronic fiddle wiz, Shauncy Ali, shined on raging renditions of Daft Punk’s Robot Rock (complete with some goblin-esque talk box action on the keys) and Steez’s own So I Guess I’ll See Ya, Pt. II, the true moment of bliss came during the encore as Steez busted out a stellar rendition of Madge’s classic, Like a Prayer. Take it from my wife’s reaction, this song will put smile on your face and some ’80s in your dance moves.

The next few months and through the summer should prove to be a big stepping stone for Steez as they have some bigger things on the horizon. Besides yet another collaboration with Orchard Lounge in Chicago and an STS9 after-show, the highlight on the docket has to be the three night run of Umphrey’s McGee after-parties, including a split bill with another up-and-coming HT fave, The Hue. That sounds about like a festival to me. Speaking of festivals, keep an eye out this summer as Steez should be making the rounds at a dirt pile near you.

author: Ryan Dembinsky
date: 1.29.09
weblink: http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/steez%e2%80%99s-third-annual-mustache-bash/
- Glide Magazine

December 2009 Issue of Relix Magazine
"On The Verge"
by Scott Bernstein

The members of Steez grew up listening to a diverse group of artists including Prince, Michael Jackson, Jaco Pastorius, Bob James and Defunkt. You can hear those influences in the quintet’s originals and off-the-beaten-path cover choices during their high-energy live shows. Steez concerts feature a smidge of improvisation but they aren’t your typical jamband shows. “Once in a while we’ll give a song the [improv] treatment, but generally we try to keep our music concise and to the point,” says guitarist Steve Neary. The band describes its sound as “creepfunk” which Neary explains as “funky with creepy tendencies—tendencies coming from a multitude of some dark passages with funk, disco and electronic music all rolled into one dance-friendly result.” This past year saw the release of the group’s debut album, Creepfunk Crusade, as well as an ambitious cross-country tour. The future looks bright for the Madison-based five piece, which continues to build a loyal fanbase thanks in part to blistering performances at festivals like Summer Camp and 10,000 Lakes.

http://www.relix.com/on-the-verge/2009/12/01/steez - Relix

4. Steez: Creepfunk Crusade

I've been enamored of Steez for much of 2009 because they show how pop music has changed in recent years.

There's been a national synth-rock revival spearheaded by bands like MGMT, Passion Pit and Animal Collective. But the current wave doesn't feel like a fad. Electronic music has come of age this decade, and rock is increasingly marching to a BPM beat.

Enter Steez, a group of mostly UW-Madison guys who lived together in a house on Gorham Street. They started a band and continued in the long Madison tradition of campus party bands that like to jam.

But they deftly reinvented that tradition with a splash of electronics.

"Wrappin' It Up" is the showcase song from Creepfunk Crusade. It's grounded in funk, the kind you'd hear at a beer-soaked festival in a Madison park. It's adorned with guitar jams, the kind you'd hear shooting pool at Mr. Robert's on Atwood Avenue. And it's wrapped in a decadent layer of synth pop, the kind Disney turned into a Main Street Electrical Parade long ago.

for more of the article: http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=27658
- The Isthmus: 12/11/09 - Rich Albertoni

Somewhere between the end of World War II and the first term of President Eisenhower, guitars and drums eclipsed strings and horns as the dominant instrumentation in American pop music.

More than 50 years later, the pop paradigm is shifting in a way that's just as fundamental. The synthesizer is eclipsing the guitar as the primary voice in the most influential pop now being made. From the simple synth riffs that define MGMT songs like "Kids," to baroque compositions such as Animal Collective's "My Girls," the synthesizer is increasingly the heart and soul of 21st-century pop.

That trend is weaving its way into the fabric of Madison music. And that's why Creepfunk Crusade, the new CD by Steez, is a seminal local release.

For sure, Creepfunk Crusade is not the first Madison album to incorporate synth. What's significant is that Steez uses synth to reinvent the sound of the jam band, the funk band, the bar band, the Union Terrace band, the tailgate party band, the Bratfest band, indeed, all the band types that arguably constitute the mainstream Madison sound.

In a lot of ways, Steez is an extension of Madison folklore. Three of its five members met as students at UW and once lived together in a big house on Gorham Street.

Now that they've graduated, they still live a collegiate lifestyle. On the evening last week that I interviewed Steez vocalist and guitarist Steve Neary, two Steez members were frantically packing to beat their Aug. 15 apartment move-out deadlines.

It's been six years since the members of Steez first played together, but Creepfunk Crusade is the band's full-length debut. They've commenced a two-week CD-release tour. Then they return to Madison for a hometown party on Aug. 28 at the High Noon Saloon.

The five members of Steez are Matt Williams (keys, synth, accordion), Steve Neary (guitars, vocals), Rob Bessert (drums), Chris Sell (bass) and Andrzej Benkowski (sax, violin, oboe).

"Chris and Matt and I met as students at UW," says Neary. "Matt had an apartment on Doty Street, and the first time we ever jammed together was in his living room."

They soon formed a band, originally named the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

"Andrzej was always our honorary fifth member," says Neary. "He went to Northwestern and we knew him through friends." Now he's a regular member.

"When you say you're a jam band, a lot of people think that means you play Phish or Grateful Dead covers," says Neary. "Generally our songs are not longer than 10 minutes," he adds. "We'll do something live like do a Human League cover and bring a jazzy, funky side to it."

The recording process was new to Steez as they approached the making of Creepfunk Crusade. "We thought the layering we were able to do was so cool," says Neary. "You can overdub the same part two or three times and just let this crazy, full tone burst out at you."

In 2009, Neary says the band has become a bigger commitment for each of the members. "Chris and I planned this whole tour and booked the shows," says Neary.

The newfound responsibilities haven't taken the wind out of Steez's free spirit. Even so, the guys have traded in their van for an old bus that's equipped with a shower. "We sleep in that bus when we're on tour," says Neary. "You learn a lot about each other living in such close quarters. None of us has tried to use the shower yet."

Jamming has always been at the core of the Steez sound, but Neary notes this evolution: "We definitely have much more of an electronic feel now."

So goes pop music.
- Rich Albertoni
http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=26695 - The Isthmus: 8.21.09

The debut offering from record label, Mason Jar Records, is Steez’s Creepfunk Crusade. This mid-west five piece ensemble, consists of Matt Williams (keyboards, synthesizers, and accordion), Steve Neary (guitar and vocals), Rob Bessert (drums), Chris Sell (bass), and Andrzej Benkowski (saxophone, oboe, and violin) can really cook, shake and groove.

Let me start by saying that this is a party album, no singer/songwriter, crying in your beer fare. Clocking in at roughly 72 minutes, you get bang for your buck with this release. This album is stylistically all over the map. Starting with a slow creep of groove, “Trouser Snake” builds into a steady rhythm and quickly devolves into Moog and horn showcase. Each player is able to showcase their skill and lays a sonic landscape of funk. In Wrapping It Up, we see sketches of surfin’ safari with panache and deep pockets of crunch. Rufio is a Latin-tinged offering that rushes in some places but offers sweet reward. Swirls of sounds tickle the ear and keep this almost 9 minute piece interesting and very well may be a show stopper in a live setting. The song concludes with a dense layering of voices that reminded me of Polyphonic Spree. Crunch funk with interesting and stylistic shifts typify Scoring Position. Electric Mr. Boston is another funk piece that intrigues. I must say that this is a hugely impressive debut album from Steez that I cannot recommend enough. Catch this band and see for yourself.

http://musicalstewdaily.com/2009/08/22/album-review-steez-creepfunk-crusade/ - Musical Stew Daily: August 22, 2009

Track By Track: Steez – Creepfunk Crusade

Back in June we kicked off a new monthly column on Hidden Track called Track By Track in which an artist shares a story or factoid about each track on their latest album. We didn’t post a Track By Track for July – we’re such slackers – so we’ve got two of ‘em for you this week.

First up is an inside look at Creepfunk Crusade, the new release on Mason Jar Records from Blips alums Steez. Steez kicks off their CD release tour on Thursday at the Kinetic Playground in Chicago before moving eastward for a string of shows that ends with a performance at the Bowery Poetry Club in NYC on August 21. Thursday also marks the release date for Creepfunk Crusade, which will be will be available at the gigs as well as all major internet distribution channels such as Amazon, iTunes, Napster, eMusic, Lala, Shockhound, Rhapsody and other major internet outlets.

Bassist Chris Sell takes us through every track on the Madison-based quintet’s first full-length album, Creepfunk Crusade. Take it away, Chris…

Trouser Snakes

Trouser Snakes kind of epitomizes what we call “Creepfunk,” a song with very deep funk pockets accentuated with a rather simple change that calls on both Latin and Arabic scales. This is highlighted at the end of the song with Andrzej Benkowski’s oboe playing and brings the song together with the endings’ “snake charmer” feel.

READ ON for more about Steez’s new album, Creepfunk Crusade from bassist Chris Sell and to sample Electric Mr. Boston from the disc…

This song is a classic example of how many Steez songs are formulated, starting with a very simple groove and built slowly piece by piece with the musicians each adding their own unique interpretation through their instrument and often solidified through live experimentation. This song also resurrects many of the old funk sounds created by the likes of Bootsy Collins, which is one reason we had so much fun in the studio on the album. It is great for using finicky old vintage pedals like the Akai deep impact. Matt Williams’ use of the Moog Voyager is also featured in this track which consistently adds color and cohesiveness throughout the album.

Wrappin It Up

One of the most eclectic sounding songs on the album, this one immediately calls on the influence of Bob James, one of keyboardist Matt Williams’ favorite artists and really pulls people together with happy funk synth chords. Ironically, this part of the song was actually written by Matt Williams while recording this part and has since been added to the live shows. Steez songs are always a work in progress and the door is always open for improvement and improvisation.

Although, it’s often considered a cardinal sin for a musician in a band with a small budget to go into the studio without their parts completely written, it’s that loose perspective that paid off in this particular song. The opening part turns into almost a surf-rock bridge featuring Steve Neary’s guitar tone calling on the likes of Dick Dale. Although almost chaotic, the song is brought back down into the funk – another common theme in Steez songs. Our songs are not necessarily confined to musical theory “rules” and we can usually find ways to mold non-traditional parts into something cohesive and catchy.

Rufio

This is one of those songs that fans tend to love and the band never really understands why it is a fan favorite. It can be argued that this song is somewhat neglected when played live, but that also probably adds to the fans’ desire to hear it and makes for a nice little treat. This song is definitely a change of pace track, opening with Steve Neary getting wild with an interesting studio guitar opening and breaking into a Latin vibe. This song kind of epitomizes the depth of the album.

For a song that is very simple in structure, it contains some of the most intricate studio work that probably will go un-noticed by the average listener. The song features multiple tracks from almost every instrument which much like the rest of the album, made mixing quite challenging. The lyrics to Rufio are again a playful spin of pop culture and although humorous, have a truly whimsical feel. There are over 20 vocal tracks alone on the end part which features the likes of Kelly Maxwell. Though some people might not understand the contradiction between the playful lyrics and the somewhat serious vibe/melody of the song, its things like this that Steez enjoys… keeping the audience off guard and maintaining a fun/carefree musical experience.

This track ends with four sax tracks laid together in harmony by Andrej Benkowski, which again accentuates the detail oriented nature of the disc. These tracks fit in well in the mix during the end part, but Chris Sell (bass, me) and Andrew LaValley (producer) thought the lick was so strong that it would be a good way to take out the song and thus utilized modern recording technology and added that to the end of the song. This song also gets Latin flavor from percussionist john doing’s use of the castanets.

Scoring Position

This song perhaps more than any other, really found its identity in the studio. The structure and the majority of the song is very similar to the live version, but subtle changes that developed through working with producer LaValley really brought out qualities that make this song a solid studio track. This song also features a 3rd element that is a consistent theme of Steez songs and more so Steez jams, that improvisation and live show dynamics create a great atmosphere for experimenting. Often Neary, Benkowski, and Williams use their ears to either trade-off mirroring licks, or come together with solo type harmonies together. Both of which are featured on this track. Often these licks are worked out and perfected live and being able to have that experience with these songs has allowed Steez to be able create these extremely dense/polished tracks.

Saz >

These songs are almost always played together live, much like the predictable Scarlet > Fire or Mikes > Weekapaug, but as these songs have been in our rotation for years, almost every combination of the songs/segues have been thought of and executed (sometimes not very well, ha). It’s easy to assume that with a older songs that have been played hundreds of times, that it’d be cake to go into the studio and just lay down what you do live, but that is not the case with this triage. Between the three songs there are over 100 tracks! And the fact that this song dates back so far, only lent itself to a more creative atmosphere. It got so dense at one point that LaValley had to find creative and innovative ways of mixing the album as even with top of the line recording software and computers.

Regardless, Saz, which was originally named, “Don’t Eat at the Saz” was a restaurant in Madison. When I first moved to Madison I asked my friend who lived in Madison for advice… his only advice, “whatever you do, don’t eat at the Saz.”

Most instrumental songs from jammy bands tend to have serious titles that add to the mystery of the song, and somewhat lead listeners into a certain direction. For us, honestly, we just needed something to call the song, instead of, let’s play that one with the half-step climb, yada yada… the song speaks for itself and although the name really has no significance, does it really matter?

Boss Theme >

Again, instrumental song with no name… I think someone mentioned at practice shortly after jamming what would end up being Boss Theme, that it reminded them of a video game when you get to the end guy, or the boss (specifically the Ninja Turtles video game). Anyway, this song displayed the creative harmonies that the likes of Neary, Williams, and Benkowski can create, giving it a very powerful melody.

Duderfunk

This song started as a jam off of a simple bass riff which opens the door for drummer Rob Bessert to show off his tremendous ability to create space and pockets, making for an incredible funky track. Again, this is a track where Matt Williams loose mentality spawned creativity. By throwing his keyboard through a Mini-Marshall portable amp that probably has a 3 inch speaker and LaValley’s meticulous attention to and excitement about detail, the mini-amp was mic’d and thus created the hook that accentuates the pockets. Percussionist John Doing also played off of drummer Rob Bessert’s beats in a very tasteful and unselfish way. Funk tunes such as this one that display really how powerful and creative and unselfish Steve Neary’s rhythm guitar playing can be. It just goes to show you that funky rhythm guitar is under-appreciated.

TKO >

Has its roots in the earliest days of Steez and calls on the influences of former drummer, Drew Brzezinski. As Drew decided to choose a different career path and move to San Diego, the band continued forward and still values the musically creativity spawned by good friend Brzezinski. The song’s unique three part structure lends itself to a become sort of an epic tale, with part one’s lyrics explaining a personal bout of Neary’s over a woman that ended in violence, which you feel escalate in part two with the funk energy and whispery vocals from Sell. Finally, that leads into the 3rd part and is almost the resolution or the dark reflection after an event of this magnitude… Neary’s multiple guitars along with Williams’ synth work make the end part of TKO a perfect addition of creep to the funk.

Electric Mr. Boston

* DOWNLOAD: ELECTRIC MR. BOSTON from Creepfunk Crusade

Electric Mr. Boston is a funk song that really features Matterhorn’s ability to anticipate and hear harmonies before they are created. As you hear more and more of these synth tracks come in and weave on top of one another, you can’t help but admire the way he drew this up in his head and fully taking advantage of the studio process. His use of an electric guitar sound via his keyboard make for a real ’80s synth pop coupled with a ’70s funk rhythm gives this track uniqueness. This song intermingles eclectic changes back and forth with the overarching funk groove giving it its unique flavor to standard funk music. Benkowski also takes full advantage of the studio in the middle major section by overdubbing alto and tenor sax to really create a completely different vibe to the song before bringing it back to funk.

Hot N’ Sweaty

This is one of the few Steez songs that actually started from an idea lyrically. Sell and Neri were watching TV one day, kickin’ it if you will, when a line from the show caught the attention of them both… I believe it was something like, “wow, ________(insert name) you look really hot! Yeah, really sweaty…” It was a funny moment and as the two sat around and brainstormed ways to rhyme phrases with sweaty, the idea of the song came together as one that pokes fun of the grungy side of the tour scene.

The song is not meant to be offensive to anyone, I think anyone who has been to a music festival or some kind has achieved wookie status, so we’ve all been there, but a lot of humor within a group of friends, especially guys, is immature and at the expense of others and why this song relates to our generation. Anyway, its Kenny Leiser’s effortless violin playing that really brings this track some professionalism and adds some variety to the album.

So I Guess I’ll C Ya Part I >

This is the classic break up song… about a guy and girl who seemed like a great fit but the timing was just not right and things just didn’t work out. Unless you are one-for-one and married your high school sweetheart you can probably relate to this situation in one way or another, timing is everything and something you can’t control, which is the influence in the dark vibe of part I. It has a real “if only” type feel and uncertainty about the unknown. It’s no doubt that Kenny Leiser’s layering of fiddle parts makes this song one of the bands personal favorite, while adding a little sensitivity through the weepiness of the violins. Williams’ soothing synths really add color and his utilization of the mini-marshal amp gives the build that gritty distorted texture that really fits the vibe of the song.

So I Guess I’ll C Ya Part II

CYA II begins with a beautifully written change by Neary that almost makes one feel as if a storm has been lifted… cheesy but true, as it fits with the story, life goes on and like it or not you better make the best of it. The house beat and faster tempo really comes through and shows off drummer Rob Bessert’s ability to play virtually any style of music. This song which really shows off the beauty and creativity of Neri’s lyrics really finishes the story in a conversation with guest vocalist Kelly Maxwell. The intention was to have the verse go back and forth like a conversation to give context to the listener. Again, utilizing the ability to bring in additional artists in the studio and expanding on the ideas that originally spawned these works.

In the end these 12 songs summarize the early works of Steez and for a band the size of Steez that has taken a completely grass roots approach, the overarching theme from the band was to make this album as good as possible because realistically it might be our only opportunity to do this. We’ve been lucky enough to have stuck together this long.

With as many good musicians and creative people as there are just in our town of Madison, it’s really the friendship we’ve formed that has allowed us to stay together and let our creativity grow. We’ve probably seen 100 bands start and end in the 5 years that at least the three of us, (Neri, Sell, Williams) have been together and its always humbling to realize that we have at least gotten this far on our own merit and our support from friends/family/fans which in our eyes is a great accomplishment. Music may not be the path for all of us, and I don’t think that anyone can argue that it’s an easy field to make a living in, but we all love music, dream that it could be a career, and regardless it will always be a big part of our lives.

Being able to put an album back out into the world when so many albums have influenced my life, either on a grand scope or even influence me daily or even hourly basis, it’s a great feeling. Not everyone may like this disc, and it definitely isn’t perfect but that is not the point of this disc. The point of this is to just try to do something different something creative, expend all possible resources that the studio environment offers and hopefully give music fans hope that there can be music coming out that is fresh, danceable, and transcends the boundaries of genres. At this point, this is the best we could do, and as cheese-dick as it sounds, its satisfying to know you laid it all out there and now, it is what it is and nothing can change that.

Thanks again, to everyone who has supported us regardless of whatever questionable decisions we’ve made… and thanks to all those who give us a chance and listen to our album.

http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/track-by-track-steez-creepfunk-crusade/#more - Glide Magazine

Steez presents a muscular, energetic blend of funk, jam, and groove with “Creepfunk Crusade.”

Steez, an energetic quintet from Madison, Wisconsin has played together for 6 years. After garnering a loyal following, releasing “Creepfunk Crusade,” and touring across the Midwest and East Coast in 2009, the band is poised for a breakout. The swampy, cosmic soup of “Creepfunk Crusade” begins with “Trouser Snakes.” This song morphs from its swarthy funk foundation into a stratospheric guitar solo that coalesces nicely with contributions from horns and keys. The song changes directions throughout the body of the song, culminating in a dramatic, almost cinematic-feeling jam. “Rufia” begins with exploratory guitar before coalescing into a nice, percussive groove. This track is punctuated by Benkowski’s energetic saxophone and Williams’ rollicking keyboard. The later measures of the song offer room for one of Steve Neary’s muscular guitar workouts before the band offers whimsical lyrics about a “Rufie”-dispensing groupie. Despite the rather comic overtones of the lyrics, there is a sonic quality here that reminds me of the best Pink Floyd. “Scoring Position” begins with playful musical interchanges and settles into a lengthy, majestic jam where bass, keys, guitar, and horns share the spotlight. “Saz” gallops into prominence and changes directions frequently, offering several nice moments for the lover of keyboard and guitar. This song blends seamlessly into “Boss Theme,” which blends into “Duderfunk,” offering an excellent combination of funk grooves and lilting keyboard along the way.

“TKO” begins listlessly and loose-spirited, but ramps up its intensity amidst the backdrop of swirling keyboards. The lyrics depict a thug who wants to “punch your lights out to satisfy his soul” and features a lengthy exploratory jam. “Electric Mister Boston” is a bouncy, energetic number that features danceable grooves, wailing guitar, and a variety of tones and directions. The song changes moods and tempos frequently, an attribute that can be applied to the album as a whole. “Hot n’ Sweaty” features Kenny Leiser on violin with its ironic portrayal of the “heady dready” festival scene. The album ends with the “So I Guess I’ll C Ya” (Parts 1 and 2) and these tracks have that same cinematic quality that I have attributed to other tracks on the album. “Part 2” changes tempo into an exciting, forward moving jam featuring precise guitar, lilting keyboard, and a light-hearted, inspiring tone.

In reviewing this album as a whole, I am impressed by the band’s musical chops. The tracks on this album are light-hearted, satisfying, and feature dazzling interplay between guitar, keyboards, horns, vocals, and percussion. The tracks on this album entice me to see Steez “live,” as these songs feel dramatic, yet fun, and like they would definitely translate well into a live performance. Steez’s “Creepfunk Crusade” is the culmination of 6 years working together, and the results are excellent. Although I was originally unaware of Steez, this album definitely puts them on my radar, and I hope to catch them here in the Southeast sometime soon.

- J. Evan Wade
http://www.homegrownmusic.net/product-reviews/steez-creepfunk-crusade-cd - Home Grown Music Network: October 27th, 2009 | Posted by: leeway