“Their lyrics are progressively conscious, and their understanding of both funk and ska are damn near scholarly…this album will soothe the soul cravings.” - Mtn. Express “…You’re immediately struck by the vitality and depth of their vocals as well as the airtight interplay of their instruments…Strut is ready for harvest.” - High Times Magazine “STRUT has created a journey through several unique genres of music and melded it into one big funky stew…pure musical bliss! ” - Stowe Reporter “Non-Hostile Takeover” is a difficult album to describe, but easy to listen and move to. STRUT’s long-awaited second independent release is not limited by the boundaries of genre. As they seamlessly shift from funk to ska to punk to jam-rock at times isolating a style, other times incorporating many. The complexity of their sound derives in part from their eclectic musical influences (everything from Operation Ivy, the Chili Peppers, Sublime and Tribe Called Quest to The Clash, Talking Heads and Modest Mouse) as well as their background. Each of the five members of STRUT was raised on The Farm - a commune dedicated to non-violent, eco-friendly living, founded in 1971 in Summertown, TN. Check out more information on “The Farm” at www.thefarmcommunity.com. The band - made up of brothers Casey (guitar) and Elijah Cramer (bass/vocals), Biko Casini (percussion/vocals), Agent Ishi (vocals) and Patrick Thomas (drums) – also invited several guests to perform on the album, including some Asheville’s finest vocalists, Mary Ellen Bush & Allison King of Ménage and some ska-meets the mountains-banjo by Woody Wood. To some of the Southeast’s hottest young musicians: Horns by Chris Poland & Jim Starr of Fusebox Funk and keys by the phenomenal Chris Spies (who has played with everyone from Santana to Mike Clark of The Headhunters). They ales brought on one of Asheville and Western North Carolina’s most talented and in demand producers, Aaron Price to complete the project. STRUT - which spent literally half of 2005 touring, setting crowds a-sway from Bonnaroo to the Virgin Islands and the other half in the studio - are primed and focused to continue breaking down genre-barriers and musical stereotypes. Latest proof of that shows from recently being named “Unsigned Band of the Week” by High Time Magazine to cuts from ‘Non-Hostile Takeover’, scoring new episodes of the MTV reality series “Meet the Barkers.” With the always evolving, uplifting live performances and their rock-steady message of conscious living, its quite obvious STRUT is here to stay.