This one was recommended by Ailish – thank you!
According to the internet, the group – really a superduo, made up of pop luminaries Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak – picked up their name from funk legend Bootsy Collins, who crowned the group while appearing in a handful of the songs here.
As you might expect, An Evening With Silk Sonic has feet in a number of different genres, primarily pop, funk and soul – after a quick intro, we get into soul/R&B first single “Leave The Door Open”, then moving into the refined funk of “Fly As Me”, Paak lending himself to the lead vocal. “Fly As Me” might be my favourite track here; despite myself, I found myself dancing in my desk chair while I was checking my emails.
I kind of love that the album wears its influences on its sleeve; tracks like “Smokin Out The Window” amd “Put On A Smile” sound like they could have been lifted straight from the seventies. But I think I prefer it when the music incorporates more modern tendencies. “777” is another highlight, mostly thanks to the hiphop vocals of Mars and Paak.
I thoroughly enjoyed this album from start to finish though. I was always sold on Anderson.Paak as a musician and songwriter, but this certainly makes me rethink my opinion of Bruno Mars. The musicianship is top rate, the songs are fun, and I enjoyed myself a lot more than expected. Highly recommended.
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CLTM (Chris Listens To Music) is my attempt to listen to a new album every day; you can follow my efforts on Instagram here (and send recommendations), and if you like what I’m doing, support my efforts by shouting me a cuppa at Buy Me A Coffee.