With decades of music under his belt, veteran piano pop great Bruce Hornsby continues to experiment, try new things, and make unlikely collaborations. 'Flicted feels like a mixed bag but its risk taking and refreshing ideas are an achievement in itself.
If you spent your teen or adolescent years within the 80's, then Bruce Horsnby will probably be a household name to you. Hornsby is a piano and pop virtuous musician and songwriter with a knack for beautifully harmonious piano performances. Having big hits with his backing band The Range a la "The Way It Is," and past touring with the Grateful Dead, Bruce Hornsby is certainly a veteran at this point. With much achievement collectively cultivated by fans and critics alike, Hornsby can literally do whatever he wants at this point in his late career. And to this extent, he has. Contrasting other veteran players who seem to beat the same styles and songs over and over again to a bloody pulp, Hornsby continues to experiment, try new things, and make unlikely collaborations.
This time on his new album titled 'Flicted, Hornsby collaborates with a slew of indie musicians including Blake Mills' ambient production, Danielle Haim of HAIM fame, Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig, and even the renowned experimental chamber music ensemble yMusic. The album itself, despite being clunky and choppy in its overall presentation, is a refreshing and playful listening experience. Like many albums over the past couple of years, 'Flicted reflects on the recent isolating and painful times we've spent, specifically on tracks like "Sidelines." Many of the instrumentals themselves are quite odd, ghostly and experimental. The plucky and off-putting piano on "The Hound" could've benefitted a David Byrne or even Spoon's Britt Daniel on vocals. The drum machines and fluttering repetition of piano on "Maybe Now" and "Bucket List" are quite funky and club-friendly (I guess as club-friendly you could get on a Bruce Hornsby record). "Too Much Monkey Business," a personal favorite of mine, is a fun, jammy and sunburnt pop song with plenty of groove and charm. It's so happy and cheery that I could hear this on that Curious George soundtrack Jack Johnson did all those years ago.
"Days Ahead" acts as an accompanying track to "Sidelines" with its ambient washes of synthesizers and melodic pianos. I think I enjoy "Days Ahead" more due to Danielle and Bruce's pretty duetting harmonies. "Lidar" and "Is This It" have a pretty acoustic guitar tone that reminisces traditional Celtic folk music. "Point Omega" closes the album with some interesting jazzy percussion backing it up. Living up to its title, I feel a bit conflicted with 'Flicted. I found this album to be an interesting and unique potpourri of strings, synths, guitars, and (of course) pianos over Bruce Hornsby's dry but reassuringly sweet vocal delivery. There are things to appreciate here like the risk taking, collaborations, and production choices throughout the record. 'Flicted feels like a mixed bag to me. It's got fun and odd ideas but much of the songs themselves aren't grabbing me enough to return to in a full album's length. In 2022, it's still great to hear that Bruce Hornsby's still got it and that he's still striving at trying something new and different. That's an achievement in itself.
My Rating: 6 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Too Much Monkey Business," "Days Ahead," "Maybe Now," "Sidelines"
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