As Silk Sonic, Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars sound perfect together as the sparks fly off of the duo's charisma and charm. An Evening With Silk Sonic is a seamless and enjoyable listen that celebrates the funk and soul of the 70's rather than simply imitating it.
This sudden collaboration between superstars Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak is both unlikely and unsurprising. In one breath, it's kind of a shock that these two huge stars within their own lanes of R&B, hip hop and pop would collide. In another, it seems that the stars were meant to be aligned here. The two similarly toy with vintage R&B, funk, and pop sounds and they both have a lot of charisma and charm under their own names. The two light up their own rooms respectively, so why not together in one? The two teamed up as Silk Sonic and have been teasing their new debut album over the course of the year with teasers like "Leave the Door Open" and "Skate." Now the record is finally out and the hype is real. An Evening With Silk Sonic is the new album an it certainly feels like an evening with the two. The sound is very vibrant and close as if you're in the studio with them. Its 30 minute runtime is perfect. Sure, you could've thrown in one more song but its short and sweet runtime is much needed with this style of music. Otherwise it would've outstayed its welcome. This style of music being a completely unabashed throwback to the funk and soul of the 70's (think Curtis Mayfield and Al Green). The influences are very very on the nose but Bruno and Anderson do this sound and style justice. It's consistently funny, sharp, and it's pure fun.
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak bounce off of one another gracefully and consistently in a way that's seamless. The consistency within the track listing is fantastic and the flow is impeccable. The production, a lot of it being done by themselves, is impressive. It's not simply the two pretending to be Soul Train stars but the two putting their own spin on it. There are some surprising guests like Bootsy Collins bobbing in and out of the record and Thundercat providing bass and vocals on "After Last Night." But the spotlight shines on Bruno and Anderson on this record through and through. They pass the baton gleefully on tracks like "Skate," which is a huge favorite of mine. The grooviest track on the album is "777," one that definitely blasts the roof open with an explosive performance. "Leave the Door Open" is a pure classic ballad that needs no introduction at this point. It's definitely one of the best tracks of the year and highlights the two as talented artists. "Fly as Me" reaches back to the blaxploitation films of the 70's in a wild and rowdy manner. "Blast Off" closes the album in an epic and cinematic fashion that satisfyingly concludes the evening.
It's truly hard to find any issues with this first offering from Silk Sonic. I could see some people being displeased with the album's runtime but I think 30 minutes is plenty, especially with what they're trying to accomplish here. The vibes are very strong and I could see myself listening to this again and again. I can see coming back to this after a year or two to be really really fun. It's in fact so fun and infectious that I can't remove the grin from my face the whole time I'm listening to it. Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars are perfect together and the sparks fly off of the duo's charisma and charm. Since this was super successful for them, they should continue collaborating even if they attempt different styles next time. An Evening With Silk Sonic is a really seamless and enjoyable listen that celebrates the funk and soul of the 70's rather than simply imitating it.
My Rating: 8 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Leave the Door Open," "Skate," "777," "Smokin Out the Window," "Blast Off"