*Pop phenoms of any era “stem” from artists who are paying homage to nostalgic sounds of yesteryear with the benefit of contemporary sonic twists. What makes Silk Sonic, the side chick turned wifey of multi-talents Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, so much fun is that while the duo’s tongues are firmly in cheek in the presentation, the adoring authenticity of their homage to the craft, sound and vibe of the `70s could only have been done by cats with not only their fingers on the pulse but their heartbeats in-sync to the blood-rush within. Creamy chord changes, dreamy melodies, dime-stop punches, real drums, organ, wah-wah guitars, Roto-Toms and some Fender Rhodes (of course)…with horn and strings.
This duo of baby daddies could never deny their offspring with “Fly As Me” straight lifted from a Fred Williamson blaxploitation soundtrack groove; or all the Philly Soul Delfonic sonics they laid harmonical pipe on; or all the verbal rap ability a la Bootsy on “After Last Night;” or the James Brown in Vegas on a winnin’ streak oneness of “777” – etc. etc. etc. It’s the endless summer soundtrack for sunny skate park afternoons into starry, blunted Bible-black nights…with a biscuit AND an intro track. That it took these brothers two years to come up with 8 songs and an interlude in 30 minutes of music is a testament to how much effort was put forth to do their predecessors proud. They’re only getting away with things the old school wish they could have gotten away with in the Jimmy Carter years.
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An Evening with Silk Sonic is an album for all the lovers and the ladies in the house covering all your moves for horizontal and vertical mambos – songs to groove to, woo to, screw to, fume to…then have make-up woo to! It’s a whole vibe that works for real seductions even if you’re shaking your head over how corny the macks are (“You smell better than a bar-b-q” – really?). Real players always understood the leverage of humor in the step-to…because the whole ritual is about how creative you can be for ladies who’ve heard it all. How about a sonic blast of Classic Soul/Blue-Eyed Soul cut with the uncut Hip Hop verbiage to which headz are now accustomed. For instance, when a chick gets called a bitch on “Smokin’ Out the Window,” it not like she could even dispute the label. She’d likely wear it with pride – the precise portrait that “sexy mama” meant for her man to feel about her in THAT “moment.” No sugar-coating necessary. Cuz there’s plenty of ooey-gooey-ooowee to be found elsewhere on this flashback Friday time machine journey – one you won’t dare to skip not `nary one track, Jack!
You know you’ve hit pop culture paydirt when one of your songs becomes forever entangled with a camera phone video of Halle Berry runnin’ down her backyard stairs to her pool in slow-mo, disrobing as she goes for a post-Oscars skinny dip (Mars’ “Versace on the Floor”). And that’s precisely how this album will make you feel – blissed out but ready for the B-side. And if Bootsy himself co-signs the ride as your host du jour, well, uh, pass the munchies down this-a-way, bobba.
So “Put on a Smile,” “Blast Off” and grab this handful of ear candy edibles – sex packet main ingredient Afro-disiacs guaranteed to crack-a-lack yo sacroiliac.
In other Silk Sonic news, the group is nominated for multiple AMAs and Soul Train Awards this year. According to ratedRnB.com, they are scheduled to perform at the latter ceremony, where they are up for three awards, including Song of the Year for “Leave The Door Open.”
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