Every once in a while, it’s a necessary endeavor to change things up a bit. It’s a prime catalyst for progression whether it’s a career path, a long-term relationship or even an artistic endeavor. Nobody wants to trap themselves in a box where their creativity is stifled to the point where their new output is just like their previous material, and this is what has been going on lately with the Providence progressive alt-funk quintet Northeast Traffic. Vocalist and guitarist Alex Claros, keyboardist Nick Parisi, guitarist Samuel Clemens, bassist Burke White and drummer Joe Krapf have been diving into new territory with their latest album “Cowbell 1”, which was self-released by the band back on October 4. For the making of the five-song record, this talented group worked with Anthony Cimino at the Franconia, New Hampshire based Mojo Studios, which is the same place they made a couple of their previous releases, “Magnet Man” and a self-titled full-length record.

During the songwriting and recording process, the guys in Northeast Traffic wanted to evolve their approach in a variety of ways. This included introducing new influences and elements while maintaining their musical cohesiveness.

“‘Cowbell 1’ was an effort on our part to write more concisely, step outside of our classic sound and experiment with other genres,” Parisi, a Cranston native, says about the new record. “As we have grown older and evolved as musicians, we all have brought new influences and ideas to our 15 year old brotherhood, and I think that's what makes our band so fun and refreshing to watch. I couldn't be more proud of the finished product.”

“I think ‘Cowbell 1’ shows a maturity in how we write music in Northeast Traffic,” Clemens adds. “There are a lot of new sounds in there while keeping true to our style. We made a conscious effort to keep the album cohesive and to highlight the growth we've experienced as a band and as individual musicians.”

The title track starts it off with a thunderous clash of the drums, keys, guitars and bass to bring it all down to a syncopated groove. There’s something about “The Line” that echoes the sounds of jam bands like Grateful Dead and Gov’t Mule, but at the same time there’s an exciting structure and an emphatic finale. With a little help from their friend Mike Berman on the lyrical end, “As Is” has some crazy solos coming from both the guitars and keys that compliment the catchy chorus. “Intradial Boogie” has a bit of a disco vibe while Claros reaches a new level with his vocals. Closing the album out is “Boggs”, which leans more towards having a blues sound along with a little bit of attitude.

To give “Cowbell 1” a listen, there are a couple ways. One is by looking up the album on the streaming service of your choice, whether that’s Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube among others. The other way is by logging onto Northeast Traffic’s Bandcamp page at northeasttraffic.bandcamp.com and pressing play on the platform while purchasing it for your digital music library. Regardless of what people do, they should dive into this fantastic array of tunes. If you’re the type who loves alt-rock, blues, prog rock and funk, then this record and this band are what you’ve been looking for.