Black Pumas Continue to Prove Themselves with 'Chronicles of a Diamond'
The Austin-based soulful, rock group Black Pumas burst onto the scene with the everlasting loveliness that was “Colors”, from their self-titled debut. Four years later, they return with their second studio effort Chronicles of a Diamond. Expect more loveliness.
The band fuses together a throwback sound that still sounds modern and clean. Everything about the album is just plain smooth. The grooves, rhythms, and melodies are diverse and flow through your ears on a flowing river of harmony. It could fit the soundtrack of a Spike Lee joint or the latest artsy Levi’s ad.
The band blends genres well and offers a wide array of sounds and timbres without ever leaving their lane. The lead track “More Than a Love Song” brings in gospel roots and a backing choir that soothes the soul. It provides one of the catchy moments and lyrics of the project. It may not be complex but the feelings it evokes are certainly nothing short of moving.
The second track “Ice Cream (Pay Phone)” is as sweet as the title leads on. The electric guitars blend together the perfect amount of distortion to keep their bluesy sound without ever sounding harsh. The guitars also provide the groove that gets the head nodding and the feet stepping.
The band shows off their musicianship and further experimentation with “Mrs. Postman”. The song is heavy on jazz piano riffs. There is even a brief psychedelic, instrumental bridge that could possibly fit as an interlude on a Tame Impala album.
Lead singer Eric Burton shows off his vocals on the title track “Chronicles of a Diamond”. The song chugs along like a Western locomotive but Burton’s vocals smoothen out the ride. There is a simplicity to this one that allows Burton’s voice to shine. The guitars from bandmate and producer Adrian Quesada provide a Khraungbin-esque vibe foundation behind Burton’s vocals.
Burton soars even higher on “Angel”. The duo shows off their range once again by dipping their foot into an acoustic rock ballad. Burton’s range from the strained, emotional anguish of his high notes to the harmonious ‘oohs’ on the lower end is damn near perfect. This is a love song in all the best ways. The electric guitar solo is pure psychedelic soul once again to remind the listener just how deep the band’s bag of tricks is.
The ride keeps on going as you get lost in the echoing vocal harmonies of “Hello”. The band sends you further down the joyful wormhole with distorted, psychedelic synths on the outro. And just as you may feel like Alice slipping closer to Wonderland, the band pulls you back with a groovy bass track on “Sauvignon”. The bass, soulful electric guitar, and subtle percussion send you skipping down the sidewalk with no end in sight.
The drums jump up to the front of the cabin on “Tomorrow”. They create the intro and set the rhythm but never fade to the background. Here some warped electric guitar riffs dance alongside Burton’s vocals while the drums keep everything grounded. The melody may be simplistic again but the drums provide the momentum to keep the song from ever feeling stale. That is until Quesada comes in and melts your face with an electric guitar riff that might make Jimi Hendrix proud.
The album finished strong with a pair of tracks that march to a more uptempo beat. “Gemini Sun” steps strongly with a faster tempo and a shifting chorus. It balances a sweet, soft vocal harmony with a gritty, synthy riff.
“Rock and Roll” could fit on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song steps along with the natural sounds of acoustic guitar rhythms and a stomping piano riff. However, the band blends together the electric guitar touches that drip with psychedelic sounds. There is also a Wurlitzer-type electric piano riff that adds a futuristic sound to the mix. It is the epitome of the Black Pumas' ability to bend and meld genres.
Every song takes its time without ever dragging. A rarity in today’s music world of tracks cut for the length of a TikTok. The album may be a wandering trip but it never gets lost.