Celebration

The Modern Tribe (4AD)

Celebration has always been a bit tribal, but the Baltimore trio makes it literal on its second album. Produced by TV on the Radio’s David Sitek and much like his own band, The Modern Tribe is awash in big, fat layers of rhythm and beat. Vocalist Katrina Ford excels in a soulful howl, and where it sounded seductive on 2005’s self-titled debut, here she gets animalistic and explores new territory, huffing, grunting, and yelping like a witchy, blown-out Karen O, especially on “Tame the Savage.” What she’s singing about is mostly a mystery, but it makes the voodoo of “Evergreen” and grind of multi-instrumentalist Sean Antanaitis’ organ and David Bergander’s drums all the more feral. It never quite rips the flesh, though; “Hands off My Gold,” its layers of psych and Afrobeat crunching against dance-floor-ready toms, goes straight for the pleasure center. (2:45pm, Stage 1)

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This article appears in November 2 • 2007.

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