The fourth Decoding Society studio album, and the second with the Vernon Reid/Melvin Gibbs/Reverend Bruce Johnson lineup, expands the horn section: saxophonists Zane Massey and Lee Rozie are joined by trumpeters David Gordon and Henry Scott (they play on different tracks). The group’s taut, busy funk has more of a rock edge sometimes; the aptly titled “Spanking” is a burst of blaring horns, punk-rock shredding and rhythmic battery. It’s mixed like a hard rock record, too, thanks to engineer Ron St. Germain. But when Vernon Reid switches from guitar to banjo (“Iola”), a West African feel blows through the room like a cool breeze. Jackson’s drumming, as ever, is a nonstop roll of thunder — the fact that there’s still room for everyone else to be heard is some kind of miracle.

– Phil Freeman