One could easily be confused by the unusual type of music coming from 12 the Band, but it captivates those looking for something out of the ordinary. The band's music seems to be a mix of so many genres, but bandleader Sheldon Holder says it is "urban alternative calypso music." "It is built on the premise that throughout the ages, calypso has been represented in the music that existed in the world at the time," Holder said.
In existence for ten years, the band has intrigued audiences with their unique style, which Holder calls "music for above the waistline."Indeed the songs tell different stories, whether about love or about the daily struggles of life, causing one to ponder for a moment. One of their videos for the song Prosper shows by the use of animations, everyday life, hitting home for viewers.
They have also already begun the launch of their album Streets and Avenues. "Hey average man, I wanna hear your point of view," the title track plays. Holder says he's looking to the streets, to the average, everyday man to find the avenues.
"It's music you can listen to outside of Carnival," he said at Alice Yard, last Wednesday.
"I feel our music is becoming like a mask to forget ourselves," Holder said.
He said it took two-and-a-half years to produce the album.
While Holder strummed a typical calypso beat it flowed with his almost vocals. "I wanna feel the real connection on a stronger foundation," he sang.
The album
The 200 albums, each a collector's item in the shape of an organ with the words "Expand your heart and mind" written on it, expand when air is blown into it. So other than listening to the album, it's also meant to be something engaging.
