SILK SONIC: ALBUM REVIEW
Seeping with silk wave caps, suede on the inside, and Inglewood’s finest shoes, two short kings of completely different paths and circumstances come together to bring an audience into a time machine; one made of mahogany and marble. A palatable misogynoir laced with cocaine and aftershave.
Anderson and Bruno are masters of their craft in their own unique ways, respectively and although this collaboration really was not expected, it sees the two bring out the best of each other creatively while having casual fun.
Hailing from Ventura California and the other from the island city of Honolulu, Anderson Paak and Bruno Mars came up through very different circumstances but have excelled in their own realms of music.
Working the woodwork, coasting through California working on weed farms, and releasing covers under the name Breezy Lovejoy, it took Anderon Paak years before breaking through the musical zeitgeist in 2016 where he saw his first commercial breakthrough album, an XXL Freshman list spot, and a handful of features with hip hop titans such as Dr. Dre and A Tribe Called Quest. On the other side saw Bruno Mars. A talented child who made his musical debut doing an Elvis impersonation act in Hawaii, becoming an island-established name before coming to the states and becoming the heartthrob pop singer of the 2010s. Mars matured quickly from MTV teen singer to soulful, 70’s funk-esque pop singer with one of the slickest styles and voices in today's arsenal of singers. Thus was born Silk Sonic, a collaboration that I genuinely believe no one saw coming but brought about some of the smoothest singles in the last year.
An Evening With Silk Sonic is reminiscent of an era of soul and traditional 70’s R&B music, drawing inspiration from likes of The Isley Brothers, Curtis Mayfield, even from the likes of the band’s curator Bootsy Collins.
This album is drenched in the same over-dramatic flair as a goldie love song that’s been bumped for the last five decades. Bruno Mars has a voice meant for serenading a woman deserving to be loved and understood. There’s an innate intimacy in his vibrato that none can even attempt to copy. He puts more than soul into his belting, he puts the entire room's attention into it. It captivates anyone who listens and creates a crescendo of emotion. This paired with Anderson Paak’s peak drumming creates a listening experience that yearns to be had with good company and good alcohol.
Every song on the album is crafted with care and ingenuity. “Silk Sonic Intro” is the perfect album opener as it gives a very strong sample of what listeners can expect from the entire project. Fun drum grooves and feel-good energy. Immediately followed is “Leave The Door Open”, a song that will survive decades upon decades.
“Fly As Me” is the first non-single we encounter and is the corniest song on here, but brings the spirit of a film theme song from the late 90s. It has bounce, soul, a fun little affirmation you can groove to gliding on the freeway.
“...After Last Night” features the only features on the album which are good in nature, I just would’ve appreciated a little more Thundercat.
Though the album has a conceptual start and ending to the album, I would’ve liked to see more of a concept in the structure. Certain songs flow right into one another such as the intro into “Leave the Door Open”, but everything after that seems just haphazardly placed by one another.
It’s clear who’s the better vocalist on this album. Although Bruno shows better skill and range throughout the album, there are moments where Anderson’s singing just doesn’t match or deliver; coming off more as a sidekick to a leading man than the equal.
Despite Anderson falling short vocally on some songs like “Smokin out the Window” and “Put On A Smile” side by side with Bruno, they bring out the best in one another
The lyricism throughout the album is very formulaic, but the range is there. Going from “this bitch has me paying her rent, paying her shit” to “the only thing worth smiling for is you” is quite the transition, but showcases the range!
“777” is arguably the most experimental song on the album as it follows a different approach of production and song structure, but ended up being my least favorite. The swagger Bruno presents on there just doesn’t fit over the wonky pitched guitar and comes off as reaching.
An Evening with Silk Sonic comes off as a love project and dedication to the music that’s inspired both Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak. The album feels like a jam session between two creative, joyous friends in a manner that doesn’t take itself too seriously yet doesn’t leave room for mistakes.
It’s meant to be something fun and is exactly that. A fun listening experience anyone can sing along to for any occasion.