Golden Age

Any album that cites influences as diverse as swamp jazz, Malian desert rock, Peru’s psychedelic chicha music and ‘master of the twang’ guitarist Duane Eddy has a lot to live up to. Happily, New Orleans-based multi-instrumentalist Brian Gitkin demonstrably possesses the talent and breadth of vision to pull it off. In fact, you could comfortably add the raw electronic beats of William Onyeabor, the lush, quirky jazz of Bill Frisell and the rootsy soundscapes of Ry Cooder to that compelling list of influences. It’s not easy to successfully brew up such a heady gumbo, but Gitkin and his backing players manage to consistently hit a sweet spot. In other hands this music might come across as contrived or pastiche kitsch, but here feels authentic. A deliciously enjoyable stew.