Time has been kind to 8 Deep. Even though only four months had passed since they took the stage as The Burn at Harper's Ferry, this collection of talented young Berklee musicians has distilled their sound, honed their compositions, and above all else, grown much more comfortable with their book of startling original material. It seems that before, The Burn was far too concerned with playing correctly. Now, 8 Deep can spend their time on playing, and having fun with it. And as such, 8 Deep's overall effect has increased considerably.

8 Deep has apparently spent quality time in rehearsal. They have an extremely polished and evenly balanced sound, which is no small feat for bands larger than four. In their increased comfort with their compositions, they are now able to sit back on the beat a little more and allow a solid groove to develop much more organically. They use crescendo and syncopation masterfully; each musician knows exactly how and when to push things. The ensemble, as a whole, can build a controlled and deliberate cacophony from the most basic of grooves, stop on a dime, and leave a gap of silence big enough to drive a truck through. It's an impressive and effective musical device, and a perfect case example of just how attenuated each member of the band is to the whole.

Although the band pulls influences from a variety of genres, a healthy degree of reggae has crept into 8 Deep's playing. It, of course, is tweaked by the band's specific backgrounds and interests, and as such many of the reggae-influenced grooves come out as multifaceted, frenetic bass-heavy behemoths high on Bounce Factor. With the exception of an attempt at the more intricate drum n' bass groove, 8 Deep was able to tackle several playing styles. More importantly they found an original voice frequently during their set. Their voice is one of energy, youthful and full. At times, all the sound coming off the stage is almost too much, but considering what could be with less disciplined musicians, the chaos is kept to amounts that bring the thrill without losing the groove.

Above all, though, 8 Deep exudes a good time. The musicians all seem much more into what they are doing: the horn section is often dancing, the bass and drums are usually locked in smiles in the back, and vocalist Jordan Berger has no problems keeping things loose up front. And as a result, the crowd is just as much into it. Overheard from one concertgoer: "I knew they were going to put on a fun show, but I didn't expect them to be this good. That was amazing!" This seems to be the right track for 8 Deep. Now that they have matured a bit and become more comfortable with their playing, 8 Deep can continue to bring their overpowering, feel-good cocktail of musical precision and sonic cacophony to an ever-expanding audience of music fans that are, above all else, looking for a good time.

-David Taus