(November 4, 2021) An artist’s voice and power of the pen have the capability to be a sounding board for the triumphs and tribulations. But to achieve that essence, an artist must often be willing to step out of his or her musical comfort zone.
For over a decade, the French/U.S. soul/pop band The Buttshakers has been known to deliver the lighter side of life with bouncy arrangements. But it was the band’s lead singer Ciara Thompson, who noted that certain issues like racism and violence in America needed to be addressed. So The Buttshakers’ upcoming fourth CD, Arcadia (UnderdogRecords) tackles these concerns, recalling the stirrings of seventies’ soul icons such as Gil Scott-Heron and Curtis Mayfield, who thrived on social themes. One track from Arcadia addresses a still too familiar subject of emotional abuse.
SoulTracks welcomes The Buttshakers for the first time through their World Premiere Video, “Hear Me,” a stunning animated piece utilizing a car as a symbol of domination and independence. The storyline depicts a victim confronting her dominating abuser – whose actions turn physical – eventually finding her independence in the end. Thompson’s gritty, urgent narrative cements the message of “Hear That,” capped by an obvious “wake up call”: “We’re going faster and faster around the bend/This spells disaster when we come crashing to the end.”
Backing Thompson with a vintage soul soundtrack are Jean Joly, Sylvain Lorens and Josselin Soutrenon, alongside a brass section that punches its way through the song’s bridge. Despite a heavy subject matter, The Buttshakers properly state their points visually and musically. Let us know what you think.
By Peggy Oliver
World Premiere Video
The Buttshakers – “Hear Me”
