Escort

Though "big band disco from Brooklyn" may not be a tag that inspires musical enthusiasm among non-New Yorkers, it's hard not to enjoy Escort. This self-titled album has been a long time coming, with singles having preceded its release for nearly five years ― even now it sees its first release in Canada after having been available stateside for nine months. At heart, Escort contain a timeless pop groove and strong songwriting ― never just one riff beaten to death with wah wah guitars. At the same time, it's refreshingly un-retro, the grooves are organic, not sounding tracked one at a time, but the record also sports a modern day dance mix with compression on everything. As with Lindstrom's Swedish disco tricks, the modernity isn't just on the surface ― it's built into the arrangements with clipped guitars and toms/tympani providing bass without much reverb. The vocals and lyrics aren't memorable, but they keep the pace even when polishing up ragged source material like Dillinger's "Cocaine." Escort sound like ESG with less personality and a bit more retro '70s atmosphere, as well as admittedly excellent horn charts. Obviously, they were built for a live experience.