The British sampling master has returned with a collaboration-filled album inspired by a variety of vintage funk and soul elements.
Mark Ronson/ Uptown Special
Despite his three studio albums released over the last decade, to the general public (at least outside of the UK) the name Mark Ronson is still largely met with a quizzical look. The reason for this is that Ronson’s main strength lies primarily in his producing skills, as demonstrated by his work for artists like Amy Winehouse, Adele, Robbie Williams and Paul McCartney. Unless you are interested in learning who is responsible for a certain pop hit, the name Mark Ronson is likely to elude you. This is precisely why the 39-year-old DJ/producer has never quite managed to make a name for himself as a solo artist.
Be that as it may, Ronson still soldiers on, and as a result, we have Uptown Special, his fourth LP following 2010’s Record Collection. Here, he teams up with an eclectic line-up of multi-faceted collaborators including Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars, Kevin Parker of Aussie indie psych-rockers Tame Impala, Andrew Wyatt of Swedish electro outfit Miike Snow as well as his favourite author, Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Michael Chabon, who contributes most of the lyrics on the album. Already a runway hit, lead single Uptown Funk (featuring Bruno Mars) illustrates Ronson’s imitable flair for sampling a host of ’80s funk/R&B classics (Trinidad Jame$’s All Gold Everything, amongst others), and packing it all within four and a half minutes.
The rest of the album is built upon this very formula of repurposing nostalgic influences and incorporating them into a modern-day context — from a poignant whiff of wistfulness courtesy of Stevie Wonder’s signature harmonica (Uptown’s First Finale and Crack in the Pearl, Part II) to the soul-disco throwback of I Can’t Lose (featuring female vocalist Keyone Starr) that’s heavily reminiscent of seasoned gospel diva Chaka Khan. Elsewhere the mellow sway of Summer Breaking pairs Kevin Parker’s woozy croon with its psychedelic flourishes whereas his two other contributions trade in spacey funk (Daffodils) and hazy lo-fi pop (Leaving Los Feliz). Andrew Wyatt, on the other hand, channels a bit of Phil Collins (think In the Air Tonight) and Michael Jackson on Crack In The Pearl and Heavy And Rolling, respectively.
Overall, Uptown Special showcases what the British producer does best, which is taking vintage influences from various sources and then seamlessly meshing them with what’s en vogue in today’s mainstream music. Further backed by his personal roster of A-list connections in the business, the result is an accessible record that simultaneously evokes sweet nostalgia amongst older generations and appeals to the younger crowd. However, given such a guest-heavy record this is, whether or not Ronson will be recognised as a solo artist in his own right still remains to be seen. n
THE PLAYLIST
Moving and Cut/ Plob
Graphic designer-turned-musician Parin Korawis delivers yet another understated gem under his Moving and Cut project. As with his first two singles, Ploi Hai Tua Chan Pai and Chan Mai Keuy Roo, Plob (Consolation) prominently features wistful acoustic guitar and Parin’s airy vocals. The song talks about how tough it is to get over heartbreak. If you’re not in the lovey-dovey mood to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, go catch him live at the Dark Valentine 2015 concert alongside other quality indie acts like Yellow Fang and Stoondio at Siam Pikanet Theater.
TALA (feat. How to Dress Well)/ The One
How to Dress Well, aka Tom Krell, has been skirting the periphery of R&B since his 2010 debut Love Remains, and even more so on his latest, What Is This Heart? However, it is with music site Yours Truly’s ongoing series Songs from Scratch that we see the man behind the HTDW project unleashing his true R&B potential. A collaborative effort between Krell and rising British-Iranian singer/producer TALA, The One could easily pass as a legitimate R&B number, thanks to the former’s shrill croon and the latter’s lilting Middle Eastern beats. On a side note, if you dig this kind of sound, don’t miss How to Dress Well’s live gig here in Bangkok on Feb 17.
Bob Dylan/ Stay With Me
As some of you may already know, Bob Dylan’s 36th studio album, Shadows in the Night, is a collection of Frank Sinatra covers hand-picked by Dylan himself. Here, the 73-year-old folk crooner gives Sinatra’s classic 1964 ballad Stay With Me his own spin by replacing the original’s big band and orchestra with a stripped-down arrangement. What’s even more striking is the disparity in both the artists’ vocals with Dylan’s shopworn timbre marking a massive departure from Sinatra’s warm and tender coo.
Kelly Clarkson/ Heartbeat Song
Following her Christmas album last year and her recent pregnancy, the original American Idol has returned with a new single, Heartbeat Song. Taken from her forthcoming seventh studio album, Piece by Piece, the track samples the in-utero heartbeat of her daughter, River, but it’s actually a straight-up party anthem. “This is my heartbeat song and I’m gonna play it/Been so long, I forgot how to turn it up, up, up, up all night,” Clarkson sings on the infectious chorus, obviously itching to cut the rug after nine months of no debauchery.
Death Cab for Cutie/ Black Sun
Black Sun is the lead single from the American indie rockers’ eagerly anticipated eighth record, Kintsugi, the group’s first LP since 2011’s Codes and Keys and the departure of founding member Chris Walla. It’s a mid-tempo, psychedelic jam driven by some melodic bass riffs and moody synths over which frontman Ben Gibbard muses, “How could something so fair be so cruel?/When this black sun revolved around you.” Death Cab fans better sit tight because Kintsugi is slated to drop in very soon (March 31 to be precise). n
