Caveman - Before The World (2002)

Filled with a plethora of musical styles and movements, this album plays out like a journey into the heart of human existence. Pretty bold for a group of Americans in their early twenties. Relying on a jazz background and a love for musical genres ranging from funk/jam based to tribal world influenced, these young men have taken bold steps to forge original ground here. Although it would be easy to kick out a few groovy jams and just coast on the wave, these cavemen have instead created a dense composition consisting of tight arrangements and a wide range of time signatures. By using the template of improvisational music as a way of tapping into the moods of men of a distant age, this album provides a wild emotional ride. Drummer Tim Keiper's ability to add accentuations when necessary definitely stands out while guitarist John Lee's range of playing styles astounds. Caveman has no bounds to its development. It can and will expand much like primitive man has. Their next journey will definitely not resemble their first, and I look forward to travelling with them. - From Stuart Reed