Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email

2023 December 06 • Wednesday

One of the Oxford American music issue CDs from a while back had a song called “Touch the Sky” by a band called Black Pumas. I loved it and got the record, which had another song, “Colors”, that I also loved. The whole record is great but those two songs are the hits for me.

Now their second album, Chronicles of a Diamond, is out and I wondered if it could be as good as the first one. It turned out to be much better, not a follow-up but a leap forward that lands on all four feet.

The production rewards close listening but it’s also crafted in a way that everything comes through no matter what ears you’re using. The grooves are deep, solid and unstoppable.

The lyrics can be thoughtful or playful or inspiring. It’s tempting to say that every song is my favorite but in reality it’s more like that there are only a couple that aren’t my favorites.

But let’s emphasize these few: “More Than a Love Song”, the opening track, with colossal backing vocals, brilliantly layered instruments (and perhaps some samples), fuzz guitar and impressive lyrics delivered in a 2023 meets 1973 sort of style; the title song, with heavy soul feel, thudding lower end and devastating reverb guitar; the hypnotic and relentlessly driving 6/4 “Rock and Roll”.

But it’s really the whole record. I’ve listened to it several times. It’s right here!