In the Tank

In the wake of Chance the Rapper’s much-deserved Grammy wins, it’s great to see another quirky, independent, and truly excellent group get some recognition. Today, NPR’s All Songs Considered announced the winner of their 2017 Tiny Desk Contest: New Orleans’ Tank and the Bangas.

The group brings together great musicians with backgrounds in rock, folk, jazz, gospel, and hip hop, to create a self-declared new genre, “Soulful Disney.”

In turns, their music is funny, beautiful, ironic, fierce, melancholy. Consider this video, which got them the Tiny Desk nod:

Then juxtapose that with this performance, at the Essence Music Festival:

How is that the same group?

Or consider this studio session with the same song from the Tiny Desk recording, in which Tarriona “Tank” Ball throws off rap verses with aplomb, in a much more straight-ahead way (and with a shout-out to Chance’s signature “IGH” ad-lib):

And, finally, circle back to their performance of “Oh Heart,” off Think Tank (their first album, on Apple Music and Spotify, and most certainly worth a listen):

There’s a lot going on here – arguably too much – but it’s riding on a whole hell of a lot of talent, and as much group chemistry as I’ve seen on stage anywhere in years.

I’m keeping an eye on these guys, and I suggest you do, too. They’re headed for big things.