Medeski, Martin & Wood's Shack Man is the best example to date of the trio's cerebral fusion of soul-jazz, hip-hop, and post-punk worldbeat. Relying on a laid-back groove for most the album, the group just rolls along. Shack Man is the kind of album that will appeal most to soul-jazz beginners; for aficionados, the lack of grit in the groove makes it rather tedious. ~ Leo Stanley