MTN LION - Stealth [LP]

Stealth' is the debut album by MTN LION, a Denver-based funk quartet comprising drummer Adam Deitch and guitarist Adam "Shmeeans" Smirnoff of Lettuce, alongside keyboardist Joey Porter and bassist Garrett Sayers of The Motet. Recorded in 2020 and 2021 when touring stopped and all four were in Denver, the album grew from informal sessions built on decades of shared history. Deitch and Smirnoff have played together for more than thirty years, earning multiple No. 1 debuts on the Billboard jazz charts and a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. Porter and Sayers came up through The Motet, a long-running Colorado band that has headlined Red Rocks and built a national audience through steady touring.

On 'Stealth,' the band locks into tight, interlocking parts. Deitch and Sayers anchor a deep-pocket, syncopated groove shaped by the approach of Tower of Power bassist Rocco Prestia, while Smirnoff's guitar moves between rhythmic drive and tonal detail. Porter brings talkbox and vocoder into the core of the arrangements, giving the group a distinct sonic identity. The album spans originals and deep cuts drawing from Marvin Gaye, Herbie Hancock, James Brown, and Prince — "Herbie Hancock is maybe our biggest influence combined," Porter says.

"Real instruments, no AI, and analog warmth," says Deitch. "Stealth is in line with all of MTN LION's influences and musical heroes, ranging from James Brown to Prince to Herbie Hancock to Marvin Gaye and Zapp. Fans of our longtime touring groups Lettuce and Motet, as well as fans of Funk music, will surely dig this unique, electric quartet's musical output. Put on Stealth at a party and watch everyone get up and dance!"