Robert Mercurio - bass
Stanton Moore - drums
Jeff Raines - guitar
Rich Vogel - keyboards
Ben Ellman - tenor sax, baritone sax & harmonica
Theryl "The Houseman" de Clouet - vocals
Produced by Nick Sansano
Recorded at Kingsway Studios, New Orleans
Most bands just entertain their audiences. Galactic, on the other hand, would prefer to exhaust them. "The ultimate thing is, we try to get people to dance", says sax player Ben Ellman. Ellman's rhythmic sax and Rich Vogel's funky work on the Hammond B-3, Wurlitzer and Moog keyboards decorate the grooves laid down by the punchy rhythm section of Jeff Raines (guitar), Robert Mercurio (bass) and Stanton Moore (drums). The band also utilized Theryl "Houseman" de Clouet's gritty vocals more than on past efforts, with five tracks on the album featuring him.
Recorded at Kingsway Studios, a converted 19th-century mansion in New Orleans' French Quarter, and produced by veteran Nick Sansano (Sonic Youth, Manic Street Preachers, Grassy Knoll), Late for the Future is a more adventurous and complex album than their first two releases.
Galactic's sound is more up-front and aggressive on this effort. Raines' guitar has gone from quiet background flavoring to a bold, dynamic lead instrument. His powerful sound carries several of the new songs, like the spacey soul tune "Century City". In fact, all five instrumentalists used a variety of effects and pedals to create more diverse sounds and textures. Moore even experimented with drum loops on some songs, like the funk-meets-free jazz instrumental "Two Clowns". Says Moore, "We're just exploring new sonic possibilities".
Galactic's got a funky seed to sow with Late for the Future.