The down time allotted by the pandemic and subsequent lockdown yielded few positive byproducts, but one in particular gained the attention of fans of pop, hip hop, R&B and everywhere in between. Silk Sonic’s “Leave The Door Open,” a track that glistened its way into top-40 rotations with retro-inspired sounds from Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, felt like a wonderful homage to days gone by. Prior to the collaboration, both artists had leaned on the style of ‘70s funk and soul to punch up their already impressive catalogues, but the prospect of a supergroup left fans eager for more from the uber-talented duo. After months of waiting, debut album An Evening With Silk Sonic is here, and it’s just as funky as we expected it to be.
An introduction from Bootsy Collins serves as both your welcome notice and a tip of the cap from an established legend. The hit single follows, mainly because it needs to go somewhere at the top of the record, and things divulge into a wilder ride from there. Collins reappears on the front half of the album, alongside Thundercat, the only other current artist that could do the classic funk sound justice, on “After Last Night.” The rest is a display in top-notch production from Mars, .Paak and crew, who do their best to emulate the records that shaped them with an updated touch.
While An Evening With Silk Sonic is technically near-perfect, and everyone expected that from the start, there is an element of the record trying to prove its authenticity to the originators of the desired sound. You could liken it to a refurbished Cadillac; at the top of its class, with an impressive look and feel, but you’ll always know that there’s non-original parts under the hood. For many, it won’t matter, but for absolute purists, a tinge of disdain is going to be present.
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