By Heath McLeod
Excluding the occasional forays into soulful-funk, Rusted Root has a multiculturalfolk-rock sound on their latest disc, Welcome To My Party. Using African percussion, folk drums from northeastern India (khol), and a never-ending barrage of tambourines, congas, bongos, harmonicas and cow bells, the Pittsburgh natives show they’re a giftedbunch. Incorporating his strange brand of lyricism with funky beats in the closing track of the album, Michael Glabicki lets loose “People of my Village” with the rest of the band wailing “tell me why,” as percussionist John McDowell goes to town on his African drums.
The band’s distinct sound becomes a little monotonous between the first and last song-a downfall to an otherwise great act. However, being true to the history of multicultural folk-rock, Welcome To My Party takes the music to new places and with any luck, listeners will only remember the few truly commendable tracks of the album.