A Thievery Corporation show is like your first hit of weed; it opens up doors. While marijuana may lead to some other, interesting mind-altering substances, Thievery Corporation will lead to exploring worldly genres from dub/reggae to trip-hop to bossa nova. With a variety of sounds from around the globe and tons of talented singers providing authentic peaks in to the world’s music, we’re going to explore these genres and make some suggestions based on a Thievery Corporation show.
Natalia Clavier is a beautiful redhead that sings many of the bossa nova influenced tracks on the newest album Saudade. The sexiness is undeniable, and if you dig this kind of Brazillian music you should check out Bebel Gilberto. For a less traditional bossa nova artist, check out the English band Smoke City, who combines the Brazillian music with trip-hop.
Loulou Ghelichkhani does a bit of that bossa nova style as well, but some of her other input is different from the Brazillian-based genre. If you dig cuts like the beautiful “Take My Soul” that they played towards the end of their recent Webster Hall show, check out All India Radio.
Other trip-hoppers that will take you in to “Lebanese Blonde” territory are Blockhead and Boards of Canada.
Thievery Corporation also brings out a variety of dancehall and reggae singers to compliment their rub-a-dub style. If you want more dubby reggae with dancehall vocals (like the ones Sleepy Wonder provides on stage with Thievery), check out Mr. Williamz. If you like the style a little more modernized, you have to check Subatomic Sound System. But if you like the old school, instrumental dub style, Mad Professor is your boy.
The dancehall flavor often bleeds in to straight conscious-minded hip-hop. “Culture of Fear” is a prime example of that kind of thing, and if you dig Mr. Lif’s contribution to that song, well, check him out!
Sometimes they get a little jazzy, though, busting out horns to laud their electronica roots. If you like jazzy electronic music, you have to check out St. Germain.
Thievery Corporation is the best and only band that I know brings all of these things together, melts up up nice and gooey and serves em back to you in form of a show that is super tight, sounding great and executed effortlessly. It isn’t the easiest task to assemble over a dozen musicians and have everything run smooth, but Rob Garza and Eric Hilton have it down. We’ve reviewed their live show before, and words never do it justice, so I hope you enjoyed something new with this one.