If this is your introduction to The Heavy, then I’m afraid I have to tell you that you’re late for the party! In 2007, this English quartet brought the world Great Vengeance and Furious Fire, a wonderful journey in music – and often overlooked due to the fact that it’s not easily tagged to a particular genre. The Heavy are probably one of the most diverse acts I’ve come across lately, and they take that versatility up a notch on their new record, The House That Dirt Built! The Heavy touches on everything from neo-soul to punk to indie rock on this disc, with a sound reminiscent of Gnarls Barkley (minus the polish), and that is what I love about it.

Once you get into their material and sound, you can hear the same formula that Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse used with St. Elsewhere (and then mostly abandoned on Odd Couple). The Heavy, however, have more of an authentic R&B sound, thanks in part to Dan Taylor's subtle guitar work and a wonderful horn section. Three tracks in, you get the best example of this combination with the cut, “How You Like Me Now," a beautifully crafted song with a pulsing bass line and driving drums reminiscent of a funky soul track from previous generations. The next song, "Sixteen," has a Tom Waits feel to it, with low-end, growling vocals and a slow, downtrodden pace that contrasts with the track's uplifting backing vocals. The lyrics seem to be about a fascination with younger girls and how they act older than they really are, “…we got 16 year olds, acting like they 40 year olds/yo, we need to reclaim some souls…”

Vocalist Kelvin Swaby really shows us his chops on the rockin’ tracks, “Oh No! Not You Again!” and the blues-tinged “No Time." On the latter cut, bassist Spencer Page lays down the serious funk, the horns and guitars play against each other to perfection, and percussionist Chris Ellul brings it all home. “No Time” really is the epicenter of The House That Dirt Built.

“Cause For Alarm” is a standout track because it further enhances their diversity, this time crafting their way through reggae and dancehall. The band gives us more insight to some of their influences with the track “Love Like That," which could easily be mistaken for something The Zutons would have put out. The fuzzed-out wash over Kelvin’s vocals on “What You Want Me To Do?” and the crunchy guitar licks Dan lays down gives the listener a taste of The Heavy’s heaviness, while the album’s closer, “Stuck," is a wonderful pop ballad, complete with strings and all. Not the way I would have ended the album, but another diverse track for sure.

In a world of copycats and trends, it’s great to hear a record that covers a broader spectrum of music and The House That Dirt Built does just that. Whatever you’re a fan of, I’m pretty sure you’ll find a hit on this record … it's pretty amazing!