‘Midnight Crisp’ Is Takuya Kuroda’s Expertly Blended Mix of Jazz and Funk
Midnight Crisp shows that Takuya Kuroda is a master of knowing what parts to work with and how to assemble them properly. It’s a future classic.
funk
Brandi and the Alexanders View Present Through Past on ‘REFLECTION’
Whether the songs concern racism, family matters, or dancing, one feels the music as well as hears it in Brandi and the Alexanders’ REFLECTION.
The Torch Burns on at the High Sierra Music Festival
Four straight days of at least 13 hours of live music per day pushes even the hardiest festivarian to the limit, but the festival’s 30th annual edition demands nothing less.
Dopapod Craft Multidimensional Rock Luxury on Self-Titled LP
Dopapod is another fabulous creation solidifying Dopapod’s complex yet calming and colorful stylistic approach. It’s an energizing, imaginative, and stylish LP.
Phish Bring Enchantment Under the Sea to Madison Square Garden for Earth Day
Phish transform Madison Square Garden into an “Enchantment Under the Sea” party that takes the high school dance of Marty McFly’s parents to a whole new sensory level.
King Garbage’s Beautiful Mess of a Sophomore Album Is a Garage-Soul Classic
From marching band drums to gritty guitar lines to hip-hop beats, the dusty anything-goes soul-pop approach of King Garbage doesn’t have any contemporaries.
Electric Midnight: An Interview with R&B Trailblazer Rahsaan Patterson
From piloting the transcendent rhythms of house music with Quentin Harris on Heroes & Gods 2.0 to conquering music industry politics, R&B trailblazer Rahsaan Patterson thrives in his own groove.
Boulevards Returns As an ‘Electric Cowboy’
Electric Cowboy: Born in Carolina Mud, the new album by Jamil Rashad’s Boulevards, proposes funky music as catharsis for the troubles of life.
They Said She Was Different: The Late, Great Betty Davis
Electrifying funk singer-songwriter Betty Davis passed away last week at 77. Her music inspired everyone from Miles Davis to Janelle Monáe.
Luísa e os Alquimistas’ ‘Gang da Leoa (Vol. 1)’ Is a Brega Psychedelia Party
Inspired by hippie culture, psychedelic art, brega music, and Latin cultures, Luísa e os Alquimistas’ act is a complicated and brilliant promise of Brazilian pop.
St. Paul & The Broken Bones Chart Boldly Creative Paths in ‘The Alien Coast’
Not content to just recycle the formula, St. Paul & The Broken Bones’ The Alien Coast is a profoundly bold statement of their creative evolution.
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The 15 Best R&B/Soul Albums of 2021
In these challenging times, soul and R&B walked tall and carried a big stick, while also being a much-needed balm and source of warmth in 2021.