Dear readers, the album we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. Ever since the release of “Leave The Door Open” back in March, I had been in absolute dire need of a full record. I can assure you, however, it was one-hundred-percent worth the wait. Before I could even finish my first run-through, I already knew that it would be featured on our 2021 Record Collection (read last year’s here!). I may even go on and say that this is my album of the year… who knows? Stay tuned.
I had been in quite the writing slump with pressures of school and work clouding my mind, but Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars have parted the skies and shown me the light again. I listened to the album in the car with two best friends of mine, aimlessly driving around the streets of Atlanta, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Even within the first few seconds of “Silk Sonic Intro,” we were already bopping our heads and letting out the occasional “Daaamn!” Genuinely speaking, I whipped my phone out of my pocket and started typing this up in the backseat after only three songs in.
Coming in at just nine tracks, An Evening With Silk Sonic cements the two singers in the industry as a duo to keep an eye on. The pre-releases (“Leave The Door Open,” “Skate,” and, my favorite of the three, “Smokin Out The Window”) gave listeners a peek into what was to come, and their accompanying songs undoubtedly keep the momentum going.
There’s something incredibly glamorous about this record. It just makes you feel lavish and expensive, doesn’t it? The prominent golden hues throughout their music videos and outfits add to that feeling, and my god, does it give an ego boost. The combination of Mars and .Paak is otherworldly, and each of their abundant musical talents transforming into one almost feels like a divine gift from the gods themselves.
Bearing that thought in mind, the features of Thundercat and Bootsy Collins in “After Last Night” catapults the track into another realm. With so many geniuses behind a single song, it’s impossible to not love it. Its not-so-subtle sexiness makes the track even more addictive, and it’s charming enough to make the line, “That gushy, gushy good,” sound profound. This is easily one of my favorites; give it a listen here:
“Fly As Me” is another track I’ve fallen in love with, and it’s not hard to understand why. The feisty instrumental matches the energy of the witty, yet bold and empowering, lyrics in an act of harmonious unification. It’s a song for when you’re walking down the street with your headphones in and your main goal of the day is to be the coolest person on every block. I guarantee that as long as this is what’s playing, you’ll find just the right amount of confidence to turn the world into your own personal runway. While you’re at it, listen to Anderson .Paak’s advice and sprinkle those truffles on your mashed potatoes, you little superstar.
With tracks like the explosive “777″ and the dreamy “Blast Off,” there’s truly not a dull moment in the album. As a matter of fact, I would say that the only dull moment is the ending itself. When it ended, I wasn’t even expecting it to end. I mean, I knew it had to end eventually, but it came as such a shock. It felt like I showed up to the party right before it got shut down; I needed more. I’ll graciously take these nine tracks, though, and make them well-acquainted with my eardrums—don’t you worry.
Alright, that’s enough from me. It’s time to let Silk Sonic steal your attention for a bit, don’t you think? So, I urge you to drop whatever it is you’re doing and press play; I promise it’ll make you a whole lot happier than Anderson and Bruno in “Put On A Smile.”
[…] “Review: An Evening With Silk Sonic” by Kylie […]