Bigger. Brighter. Bolder:
Just three words to nail the irresistible sound of hot Adelaide quartet Lowrider’s second album, Round the World.

Having forged a reputation as one of the most mesmerising live acts around and with one acclaimed album already under their belt, the foursome of Paul Bartlett (drums/beats), brother John (piano/keys), Joe Braithwaite (vocals) and Scott Duncan (bass) are at the top their game and ready to take their unique blend of soul and funk to the world.

Since forming in Adelaide in 2004, Lowrider have supported some of the biggest acts in Australia and the world (Christina Aguilera, Lupe Fiasco, Alicia Keys). Also performing countless festivals including Big Day Out, Blues and Roots, Pyramid Rock and A Day On The Green. After proving they could match it with the best on stage, it was that smooth spontaneous live sound they wanted to capture on the album, embellished with the almost limitless possibilities the studio can bring. The stunning result intertwines threads from the four members’ different tastes and backgrounds into a seamless whole. The band has built on its proven formula by adding echoes of Motown and Stax, Latin tinges and slinky funk to create a compelling catalogue of love songs, haunting ballads, party jams and even socio-political comment.

The first single, Here We Go, is an irresistible invitation to the party (“come right in and take a beer, it’s all on us!”), with a driving bass line and wicked horns that will have you thirsting for more. At the other end of the spectrum is What Keeps You Here, a heartfelt, rhythmically intriguing piano-driven ballad that gives Joe’s soulful vocals a chance to truly shine.

The astute, scathing, Latin-infused Twenty Thirteen sees the band questioning society’s slavish devotion to the corporate dollar (“don’t become the cattle of the rich man”), and the sweeping strings and sparse handclaps of the lush, epic Break Me display the band’s sensitive side.

Upbeat, inspirational Hold On, with its swirling organ intro (“Hold on to me, a time will come when you see the best of me and we’ll go higher”) brings to mind the best of vintage soul whereas the gentle, jazzy album closer Keep The Pace provides a thoughtful and fitting finale.

“A lot of the music to begin with was written without the thought of having to reproduce it live,” says Paul. “We just wanted to make music that sounded good – whatever the hell instruments we wanted to use, we will use. But people would also say you really had to see Lowrider live to understand what we do. So we thought - how can we capture a bit more of our live show and live energy into an album?”

You can start by borrowing Alicia Keys’ horn section. After bonding with the Lowrider lads on Keys’ last tour, the Chops Horns, a razor sharp unit who have played with the likes of The Police, Parliament and Public Enemy, offered their services and bring an urgency and groove that lifts the music to another dimension. “It was a huge honour to have someone like that playing on the album,” says Paul. “The sounds of a real horn section on there are just unbeatable.”

And the international flavour doesn’t end there. Although Round The World was proudly recorded in Adelaide by Gabriel “Gabs” Agostino and produced by the Bartlett brothers, it was mixed by sonic guru Jason Goldstein, (who won a Grammy for Beyonce’s B’Day album as well as handling Jay-Z’s masterpiece The Blueprint) and mastered by Dave Kutch (The Roots, Erykah Badu, Al Green). With that kind of overseas credibility and clout on board, Lowrider is poised to once again capture the attention of music lovers of all ages, stages and flavours in Australia and beyond.

“We want to make music as an Australian band but that will transcend worldwide,” says Paul. “We don’t want to aim it for a certain market – we do what we do and if people like it then that’s cool and a bonus. As soon as you try to formulate your music for a certain market or group of people you will fall flat on your face. We make honest music.”

That kind of passion - and the ability to back it up - should indeed take Lowrider Round the World.