Knoxville520.com

Heeow – these warm sunshiny days have got me feeling that spring time joy. Have you noticed the bushes are budding? It’s not even March, and there are little leaves sprouting their sweet light green-ness throughout the woods.

Happy Spring my fellow k-towners, it comes quickly round here.

I just got an email that tops the entire ‘spring is coming’ vibe off to a T. Fundamental Elements will be back in K-town this Thursday, March 2. They will be at Barley’s in the Old City, and you so need to be there. These guys have a groove that could get your 90 year old Papaw bopping his head. You just can’t help it with FE. Their self professed sound is “100% Original Blue Eyed Soul” which I’ll go along with but it’s only hitting part of their sound. These guys are such a unique mix, kinda like Digable Planets for the 21st century (pretend they aren’t back together, their new sound isn’t ‘new’). Not that they sound the same, but their sound is so unique compared to what’s out there like The Goats, or Pharcyde were (check out Passin Me By for a blast from the past) back in the day. FE has an original sound mixing acoustic instruments and turn tables. Their sound is like hip hop meets be bop, colliding with soul and then pummeling down Rock n Roll Mountain. These guys have so much energy at their shows it quickly infects the crowd and they begin dancing, even during their few slow jams.

I first got hip to them when they opened for Dishwater Blonde at the World Grotto last year I guess it was? I’d heard buzz about them, so I went early to see if it was hype or legit, and was pleasantly surprised. A few minutes after I walked in the door I had a digital camcorder put in my hand by Russ, the lead singer and proceeded to record the show for them and I’ve been following them ever since. Now I’m just waiting for Untied to be played on 90.3 The Rock? It needs to be, and I bet it will be very soon. Do yourself a favor a listen to it here, and tell me if it doesn’t beg to be blasted from a car cruising down an East Tennessee road under a big sunny sky? Their latest CD is a sound track for a great summer day – pure joy with some pep in your step. Do yourself another favor and come out to the show on Thursday; you’ll be glad you did!