The Bamboos team up with Durand Jones in new single and video
Melbourne nine-piece funk / soul powerhouse The Bamboos return with another video from their tenth studio album, Hard Up. This time the track in focus is “If Not Now (Then When)” featuring guest vocals from US soul singer Durand Jones, best known as leading the band The Indications. Their two albums released on Dead Oceans / Secretly Canadian have received wide acclaim and draw inspiration upon a similar era of soul music as The Bamboos.
In “If Not Now (Then When)” the man Jones sings of the urge just to dance underneath the stars with his partner and escape the feeling of being “pinned down hard all week” and is backed with a rolling piano line and a horn lead chorus that’s subtle but infectious. The song was in fact co-written by the whole band and emerged out of a jam session during the recording of the album at a remote country house north of Melbourne.
“When The Bamboos sent a message my way that they would like to collaborate” said Jones, “I chose the tune that sounded the least like anything The Indications would do. It was a challenge for me, but I think it came out with a gospel, soul, and pop vibe that makes me smile every time I hear it.”
Bamboos guitarist / founder / band leader Lance Ferguson has collaborated with many great vocalists throughout the band’s history, such as Aloe Blacc, Alice Russell and Daniel Merriweather. But he was especially excited at the prospects of this team up. “I’ve long been a huge fan of Durand, he brings to everything he touches real human warmth, soulfulness and charisma…and THAT voice!”.
The single comes accompanied by a brand new video with animation by Gina Pratt, the same name behind the video of “Free Thing“ by Menagerie, Lance‘s spiritual jazz ensemble.
“Hard Up“ out 2LP / CD / Digital download on May 7th via BMG / Pacific Theatre
