Where'd You Get That Vibe?

A splendid jam rock full-length debut release, Where'd You Get That Vibe has all the necessary ingredients to make a stretched-out, roots rock joyride. Agents of Good Roots had only been mastering their highly improvised, eclectic live show and song crafting for less than a year when this 1996 release was put together, but the results are stunning. This is due largely to the group's impressive instrumental skills — each member firing off multiple musical weapons — some clever lyrics, and an overall rock/jazz/folk songwriting approach that is both mature and exciting. The subtle yet substantial "Sidewinder" is a real standout with regards to the band's dexterity, and other more straightforward cuts like "Turtle Dove" also shimmer with the Agents of Good Roots self-propelled, funky chops. More than just an impressive initial offering, Where'd You Get That Vibe (along with every Agents of Good Roots release) encapsulates much of what is good about the '90s jam and pop/rock neo-revivalism: tightly musical, committed to an ideal, but without all the meandering.