I spent my New Year's hangover listening to "Sky Mall" on repeat, when I discovered my new favorite bass player. "Fugue State" is what you get if the Muscle Shoals musicians took a break to noodle around on Bach and eventually became my wake-up alarm. "First Place" reminds me of that scene in "Clerks" where Randal walks into the adult video store. t0cktock
My spirits are immediately lifted when I hear the first track in this album. "Funky Duck" is one of few songs that slaps without a drum kit. The rest of the album is a cozy cushion of zen; funky, upbeat, low-volume. This was my chicken soup when I got COVID at the beginning of the year. t0cktock
I was initially drawn toward Vulfpeck's earlier instrumental tracks. This album effectively earned my respect for their vocal works. Listening to "Running Away" and "Baby I Don't Know" is like uncovering buried gems from the 1970's. "Hero Town" sounds like an instrumental outtake from Three Dog Night's "Hard Labor" album with deeper bass, earning my respect for Jack Stratton's mixing skills. I would love to see him do a masterclass for mixing in the Vulf Conservatory. t0cktock
Producer, rapper, and teaching artist at Young Chicago Authors Matt Muse creates a powerful and personal ode to black masculine self-love. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 18, 2018