Based out of Albany, NY, The Getdown have developed a reputation as one of the area’s most engaging original bands. Working from their eclectic take on funk, soul, rock, and R&B music, The Getdown deliver imaginative, groove-heavy songs with lush vocal hooks and dynamic band arrangements.

With the independent release of their debut album, “Don’t Stop,” The Getdown are poised to reach an even wider audience than ever. Funded completely by a fan-supported Kickstarter campaign, the 11-song album took just over a year to complete and contains songs written over the course of the band’s 3-year history.

Featured tracks like “Rays of Sunshine” and “Keep Waiting” are fueled by big vocal harmonies and percolating, neo-disco bass/drum grooves, but the band also shines on subtler, more spacious tracks, like the atmospheric and surprising “Now It’s Gone,” an urban relationship ghost story. In the smoky, syncopated R&B of “Yours Tonight,” warm, wah-wah drenched guitar chords are punctuated by sharp, teasing horn stabs, the soundtrack to a seduction. The album’s closer, “Only a Son” is perhaps the most emotionally charged on the album. Building from a lilting, soul-inflected 6/8 verse to an explosive chorus and bridge, the song’s lyrics peel away increasingly raw truths about loss and estrangement. Tracks like “Bodylove” and “Legendary” show off a wry sense of humor; both feature slick, playful grooves, ambitious musical interludes, and lyrics from the perspective of charming, but unscrupulous protagonists.

The Getdown continues to carve out a unique niche in the Capital Region of New York. Music fans connect with their memorable hooks and meaningful songs, while musicians appreciate the band’s collective talents and creative interplay. Catch the next live show by The Getdown and find out what it’s all about!

Dave Spadaro is following