Following hot on the heels of their second Grammy win for 2015’s Sylva and this year’s critically-acclaimed and #1-charting Family Dinner – Volume Two, Brooklyn-by-way-of-Denton, Texas’ Snarky Puppy introduces their first new band album in two years, Culcha Vulcha. In a nutshell, the album title refers to how we—the Western civilized world—have all become slaves to Pop culture, consuming as many messages to “buy”, “be” and “get” as possible. We circle above and wait to swoop in and ravenously eat or “consume” as much messaging as possible so we can feel “full” and satisfied that we are “cool,” losing our sense of self-confidence and self-acceptance as we are. The album is a slight departure for Snarky Puppy; darker, with elements of Rock along with brilliant flourishes of R&B, Funk, Soul, Jazz, Bossa Nova, electric Blues and more. Guitars cry, keyboards wail, all the while the percussion and bassline drive you forward. In a word, intoxicating. Scratch that: otherworldly. Consider this their White Album. You will only get one chance to make a first impression, and if this is the introduction to many people of the Snarky Puppy experience, it will quickly make them Puppy addicts! The New York Times has been bitten by the Snarky bug: “A barnstorming, groove-centric instrumental act with a rabid fan base and a blithely unplaceable style. And if the name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s probably just a matter of time.” True! Standout tracks: “Big Ugly,” “Semente” and “Grown Folks."