An Evening with Silk Sonic

グラミー賞を計11部門受賞している"音楽界の至宝"、ブルーノ・マーズと、グラミー賞を計3部門受賞しているアンダーソン・パークが生み出したスーパー・プロジェクト＝シルク・ソニック！全世界を騒然とさせた奇跡のコラボレーションの待望のデビュー・アルバム！70年代のスウィート・ソウルへのオマージュを感じさせるサウンドに、圧倒的歌ごころと21世紀のグッド・ヴァイブスを融合させた至福の音楽体験がここに実現！アルバムの幕開けを飾るイントロにはあのブーツィ・コリンズも登場！全米No.1シングルとなった「リーヴ・ザ・ドア・オープン」は勿論、セカンド・シングル「Skate/スケート」、さらにこちらのデラックス盤のアナログのみの「Love's Train」も収録の合計10曲！

Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars discovered a rapport in 2017 when the former, fresh off the release of Malibu, supported the latter on the 24K Magic tour. Mutual admiration and shared affinity for classic R&B predating their births, such as Motown and Philly soul -- and anything else with churning rhythm guitars, electric sitar, and flashy strings -- grew into Silk Sonic. The project was named by another favorite, funk legend Bootsy Collins, who hosts An Evening with Silk Sonic in expected cordial fashion on a handful of intros and featured appearances. The set would have to be left on repeat for at least six rotations to truly fill an evening -- its only half an hour in length -- but none of the time is wasted. Paak and Mars might have had Teddy Pendergass women-only concerts in mind as they made some of the ballads. Leave the Door Open, an unlikely number one pop hit six months before the LP was released, is the number that best meshes the smooth and tender style of Mars with Paaks nephew-of-Bobby Womack rasp and comparatively Lothario-like (sometimes pushy) demeanor. The funkier slow jam After Last Night might invite comparisons to Dick in a Box but has a bit of Bootsy-style fantasy sleaze with a lyrical theme similar to The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game. Put On a Smile provides more than mere entertainment with one of Mars finest performances, while Blast Off coasts and sways like a 1979 Earth, Wind & Fire derivative. The energy in the uptempo material is all feel-good, too. The strutting Fly as Me lets loose a hook that recalls late-60s/early 70s George Clinton ([I Wanna] Testify, I Wanna Know If Its Good to You). 777, the most arrogant and ballerific cut, is shrewdly followed by the dashing roller disco jam Skate, a Top 20 hit that preceded the album. The duos playfulness here verges on hammy at times -- more often than on their solo recordings. The trade-off is that they push each other into new levels of showmanship without pandering to the audience. Besides, theres some genuinely witty stuff here. Its a wonder how Mars was able to keep his face straight while grousing, Musta spent 35-45 thousand up in Tiffanys/Got her bad-ass kids runnin round my whole crib like its Chuck E. Cheese. ~ Andy Kellman

壮麗なスウィート・マナーで迫るデビュー曲"Leave The Door Open"にていきなり全米チャートを制したブルーノ・マーズとアンダーソン・パークのタッグが、最高のアルバムを完成。全体的には『24K Magic』の延長線上にあるブルーノのエネルギッシュな通常運転も貫いてバランスを取った感じで、"Fly As Me"や"777"でのファンキーに弾ける楽しそうな姿が印象に残る。とはいえ聴きどころはやはり中軸のスロウで、狂言回しを担うブーツィー・コリンズとサンダーキャットを迎えた麗しの"After Last Night"、ふとR&B王の影がよぎる"Put On A Smile"などの好曲揃い。華麗でノスタルジックなサマー・アンセム"Skate"からのエレガント&メロウな"Blast Off"であっさり終わる八分目の仕上がりも好ましい。絶品。
bounce (C)出嶌孝次