indy cd & vinyl

WAX TAILOR—HOPE & SORROW

“How shall I begin my story?’” are the first words heard on Wax Tailor’s second album, Hope & Sorrow. Given that his first album wan an all-instrumental affair, the line is very appropriate. Wax Tailor, nee French DJ J.C. Le Saout, has once again crafted a masteful hip-hop/trip-hop/turntablist/funk/and so on concoction that swings and seduces in equal measure. As mentioned, his first album had no vocalists, while this current effort sees vocals on 2/3 of the tracks, as well as an occasionally-present ‘narrator” weaving things together throughout. The vocals that are present are not, however, of the boastful hip-hop variety, but rather are there to add color and texture to what is an otherwise superb amalgam of live and sampled music. Even when sung by funk/hip-hop doyens Ursula Rucker and Sharon Jones, they are used in service to the music, rather than the music being in service to the vocals (the standard in most hip-hop works). As for the music, Wax Tailor’s beats are usually led by very simple, and very slinky, drums and bass. He then layers various samples, programmed sounds, and live performances over the top of the beats. Employing horns, woodwinds (especially flute), strings, horns, and organ/keyboards, he consistently tailors his sounds for wax (hence the name) into laid-back grooves, swinging funk, stuttery soul, and all points in between. Reminiscent more of a movie soundtrack than an artist’s album, Hope & Sorrow, along with his first effort, Tales Of The Forgooten Memories, puts Wax Tailor very near the top of the sample-driven hip-hop heap,.