The band Silk Sonic is composed of global popstars Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. Bruno Mars is known for his hit singles, “When I Was Your Man” (2012), “Just the Way You Are” (2010), “That’s What I Like” (2016), and “Locked out of Heaven” (2012). Anderson .Paak is known for the critically acclaimed album “Ventura” (2019). The album “An Evening with Silk Sonic” was released in 2021 and the lead single, “Leave the Door Open,” had a winning sweep at the 64th Grammy Awards!
In the remainder of the article, I am going to explain why this is the best album of any genre or artist to date.
Starting with a very general layer, the album is short and sweet. Consisting of 10 beautifully crafted songs, “An Evening with Silk Sonic” is only 36 minutes long. This keeps the songs exciting; it doesn’t feel like the album is dragging on trying to become something more with the next song. Continuing, every single song on this album encapsulates the retro-funk vibes it needed to bring, without reusing the same sound. Each song sounds different than the last, but they all give a nod to that era of music. This album also exhibits very fun and lighthearted lyrics, which makes it an everyday listen – it is apparent that Mars and .Paak had a fun time while writing/recording.
The instrumentals in each of the songs are intentionally played to elevate Mars’ and .Paak’s voice, but also to elevate the sound of the other instruments. This instrumental harmony makes the songs more exciting because it adds an additional layer of music that is often missed. The instruments aren’t competing with one another for the loudest sound, but rather playing off each other to make the instruments overall more exciting and pleasing to listen to. This quality also makes the specific instruments more memorable and exciting. Furthermore, the instrumental harmonies intentionally elevate Mars’ and .Paak’s voices by furthering their natural talents. Mars and .Paak understood that jazz instruments would uplift the tone of their voices – and they used that to their advantage. Overall, the auditory appeal of this album makes it borderline addicting and forever relevant.
Moving to more specific songs, my top 3 favorites from this album are “Blast Off,” “Put on a Smile,” and “777.” “Blast Off” is a musical masterpiece; the vocals on the song are so soft yet full of passion and power and the instruments carry the melody incredibly well – I could listen to this song all day everyday with no regrets at all. “Put on a Smile” is such a captivating breakup song; the lyrics are relatable and absolutely gut-wrenching. Again, Mars, .Paak, and the band ate bad, but, in my opinion, it is the lyrics that bring this song up a level. This was the first breakup song from Mars since his album “Unorthodox Jukebox,” so it was very anticipated, and he brought the emotions. This ballad shows the extent of the talent from them both and the raw emotion elevates this song to a masterpiece. Lastly, the song “777” is the complete opposite of “Put on a Smile” – it is actually about hitting up the casinos. “777” brings a funky and upbeat vibe towards the end of the album and the lyrics are almost sarcastic. The vocals play off the instruments perfectly and truly make it a masterpiece.
This album scratches every fold of my brain and after listening to even just one song, I feel like my central nervous system has been washed with ice-cold water. It is a light-hearted, upbeat, and amazing listen (I’ve probably listened 1,000 times and I’m still not tired of it).