Album Review: Silk Sonic, An Evening With Silk Sonic

Silk Sonic

An Evening with Silk Sonic (released November 12, 2021)

A couple of weeks ago, when Twitter was back on its annual “RnB iZ dEd NoW” rants – a notion I continue to deny, by the way – I realized an important fact:

There is no real measure for R&B success.

Is success determined by soul singers topping Billboard’s charts again?

Is it an emphasis on great songwriting and passionate performances over cringey robo-whining and sloppy lyrics?

Is it a return to the era when R&B groups harmonized their way into our hearts?

Well, no matter the metric you use, look no further than those Silk Sonic boys. An Evening with Silk Sonic is every bit a time capsule as it as a defibrillator to jumpstart the heart of R&B.

I’m for real about that time capsule thing. Seriously, this album sounds like somebody let the Delfonics into the brown liquor cabinet.

I’m here for it.

While longtime fans know Bruno Mars’ funk ties run very deep (“Uptown Funk” wasn’t just a random song title, it was a declaration of his sound) it wasn’t until he turned heads with 2016’s 24K Magic that he firmly cemented himself as a player in R&B. Anderson Paak’s name may not be as well known in the mainstream but if you’ve spent any time on this site you know his resume – an infectious blend of soul and hip-hop that resulted in two of the best albums of the 2010s, 2016’s Malibu and 2019’s Ventura. Under the watchful eye of co-producer D’Mile (whose fingerprints have been all over the year’s best R&B records) and a co-sign from the Blaster of the Universe Bootsy Collins, there was no way An Evening with Silk Sonic was going to miss.

Spoiler – it didn’t.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a Dwayne Johnson the past year, there’s no way you escaped the massive success of “Leave the Door Open,” an immaculate slice of modern soul drenched in Motown swag. And while it’s easily one of the best songs of 2021, it’s far from the only winner here.

“Fly As Me” is as fun and it is funky, featuring Bruno and Paak spitting the most ridiculous lines ever and making them work. Between “Go head, sprinkle some truffle on your mashed potatoes” and “it’s showtime, tryna boo you up like it’s the Apollo,” they sound like they’re auditioning for Black Dynamite 2. They don’t take themselves too seriously, and that’s what makes this such a good time. Current single “Smokin Out the Window” is cut from the same cloth, oozing with energy and attitude as they cut off their trifling ex and “give her back to the city.”

But the biggest highlight just might be “After Last Night.” Big Boss Bootsy serves as narrator while Thundercat tightens his Dragonball Durag before helping to lay down one of the most sensual love tracks of the year.

If I still had my phone, I’d call every girl I know
And tell them goodbye
Cars, clothes, diamonds, and gold
Anything you want, any place you want
We’ll fly, fly, yeah

The irony of modern R&B is that a genre built on emotion spends way too much time refusing to be vulnerable. Meanwhile, Bruno and Anderson are willing to risk it all for just one more night. And here’s the key – lyrics are one thing, but it’s the pleading vocals and impassioned delivery that really ties this one together. It’s the marriage of songwriting and delivery that makes lasting music. See”Put on a Smile,” arguably the best vocal performance on this album and the template for how breakup records should be done.

Critics who blast Silk Sonic for cosplaying as 70s crooners are missing the point – they’re not “stealing” from a bygone era, they’re using the lessons of legends to create a new generation of greatness. That’s real growth the genre.

As great as the first half of An Evening with Silk Sonic is – and trust me, it’s incredible – the momentum wanes just slightly on the last half. Second single “Skate” was met with mixed reviews at the time and while it’s far from a bad song (and actually works much better in the context of this album) it feels like a step down from the album’s superior outings. Same for “777,” which is fun in a vacuum but doesn’t have the staying power of its predecessors. Album closer “Blast Off” is by far the most interesting of the final trio of songs, thanks to production that makes you feel like you’re drifting through the Milky Way.

With bloated, directionless playlists masquerading as “albums” these days, I appreciate Silk Sonic’s less-is-more approach to LPs. However, at just 30 minutes, that smaller real estate can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, An Evening with Silk Sonic is extremely tight with a strong, cohesive sound. But with a couple of extra songs on the level of the first half of the album, this could have easily hit the next gear, even surpassing Bruno’s 24K Magic – which this album will undoubtedly be compared to.

It’s not often I want MORE songs on an album these days but we could have used another gem or two on this one.

As great as this album is – as of this writing, it’s likely the best R&B album of 2021 – there’s no need christen Silk Sonic as R&B’s saviors in your next Death of R&B debate. The spotlight might not be as large but R&B never really left the building.

But with more albums like these, those evenings will get a lot brighter.

Best tracks: “Leave the Door Open,” “After Last Night,” “Smokin’ Out the Window”

4 stars out of 5