Rubblebucket is known for its voluminous afro-funk style and the imminent interactive dance parties that ensue at their shows. Not surprisingly, Rubblebucket won the 2009 Boston Music Award for Live Act of the Year. The band released self-titled Rubblebucket in October. I held high-expectations for the album because it is difficult to capture the feel and aura of multi-sensory performances of live music acts like Rubblebucket and I had a feeling they would pull it off well. Rubblebucket is a psychedelic garden of sound full of variety and surprises. The lyrics are earthy and make several terrestrial references to natural beings like snails, birds and the wind and sky. The first track “November” is horn heavy and fast while the vocals are dreamy and have a definite B’jork influence (most of the album does). “November” is the type of song you would hear on a space train. “Ba Donso, We Did This” is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It features the n’goni, a West-African string instrument which is usually plucked. In “Ba Donso, We Did This” the n’goni adds rhythmic twangy support to Traver’s floating vocals. While juicy horns raise the song up and the n’goni and organ mellow it out without dropping the infectious rhythm. Great contrast of sounds in this tune.“Bikes” is a signature song for the band. Jovial but strong lead vocals and big band horns it makes you feel like you are in the jungle. The lyrics of the whole album are unique and well-written and have beat-era style. “Maya” is noted as a song and poem. The first two stanzas of the poem are recited by Adam Dotson (who wrote the music and lyrics on “Maya”, the other songs are written by Travers and Toth and Craig Myers, the n’goni player on tracks 2 and 12 )in a  tinny, hollow and far away voice which adds a crisp eeriness to such a sweet song. After the reciting, Traver  sings, “Your love is like a falling flame/It sputters and goes out again/ It shoots a line across the sky/It shimmers and warms up the night” in a beautiful, elated voice. Another example of the rainbow of sonic flavor this album shares with the listener.On the final track, Hommage, the g’nogi is the star. Hommage has whimsy and a bit of old world magic laced through it. It’s a simple, beautiful song with trickling scales and soft horns that creep in and lift it up. It’s an elegant closing song for such a remarkably lively and sound rich album, like powdered sugar on a triple chocolate cake. The tracks making up “Rubblebucket” hold elements of the city and the country reflecting the backgrounds of band leaders Alex Toth and Kamila who have lived all over New England from Vermont to  Jamaica Plain. The band is in a genre of its own, they have the vibrant soul of a funk band, magical vocals, spirit-possessing percussion that makes your feet move before your head tells them to and unique lyrics of poetic grade. You can buy the album here. –review by Meghan Chiampa