Picks of the Week

This week’s picks include some brand new vintage soul and a rock band with orchestral ambitions. 

Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’ [Columbia]

Raphael Saadiq toured with Prince in his teens… co-founded the soul trio Tony Toni Tone! in his 20s… and spent his 30s producing hit R&B records. Now, in his 40s, he’s become the leading voice of a vintage soul revival. But, retro as it may seem, he’s not just throwing back.

“Stone Rollin’” refers to a rolling of the dice, a taking of chances. But it’s clear that every move Saadiq makes is carefully choreographed, down to his cool, fitted suits and tortoise-shell glasses. Still… it’s not style over substance. Like a proper soul album,  Saadiq addresses class struggle and hard luck, as in a duet with Taura Stinson called “Good Man."

Saadiq himself tracked many of the instruments heard on the record. But he made sure to get Larry Dunn, of Earth, Wind and Fire in for an epic Moog solo on the song “Just Don’t." Talk about vintage.

It’s Stone Rollin’, the new album from soul singer and producer Raphael Saadiq. [Available at Amazon] - Picked by Gretta Cohn

The band Explosions In The Sky plays big, epic, instrumental, almost cinematic rock music.  In fact, cut the “almost” from that last sentence – they do write genuinely cinematic rock music.  They did the soundtrack for the film Friday Night Lights, and their sound was copied by the TV series of the same name.  They’ve just released their first new album in 4 years, called Take Care, Take Care, Take Care.  And it shows the band in top form – creating almost orchestral amounts of sound from their three electric guitars and drums. 

The song “Trembling Hands” might just be Explosions In The Sky’s version of a “single.”  It’s just less than 4 minutes long, and there are actual vocals in there – sure, it’s just a kinda chanted syllable, but still, for this band that’s as close as they’re likely to get to singing.  Mostly, the new album revels in the long, cathartic buildup of sound.  Maybe it’s a rock band playing mini-symphonies, or maybe it’s a mini symphony orchestra playing huge rock songs.  Either way, it’s a welcome return for Explosions In The Sky. [Available at Amazon] - Picked by John Schaefer