Local crooner drops debut album
Here are five things worth knowing about Vancouver soul singer Adam Robert Thomas
Vancouver native Adam Robert Thomas released his self-titled debut on his own Pumpkinpie Music label this month. The Juno-nominated artist first came to recognition as the vocalist and bassist in the Dan Brubek Quartet.
His own material is profoundly different.
Working with some of the best local musicians, the album is ten soulful upbeat tunes that hearken back to classic seventies Southern California R&B/soul tinges.
Here are five things to know about Adam Robert Thomas:
1 SMOOTH GROOVES
Right from the opener Feel Alright, you will recognize that this is a singer/writer who knows his way around the work of artists ranging from Atlantic soul to classic rockers like Three Dog Night and Boz Scaggs. There are a lot of very funky shuffles on this recording, many based around vintage hits. Feel Alright works off the chord structure of I Got Rhythm.
2 KILLER KEYBOARDS
The Ray Charles-ish organ vamp in Freight Train is absolutely in the pocket. Who is the person killing it on the keys? That would be multiple Juno Award-winner Brad Turner. Thomas keeps good company.
3 SWEET SINGER
While a majority of the songs showcase Thomas’ ability to deliver a chugging blues shuffle tinged with a bit of soul, on Love’s Fool he proves he can get into the deep balladeering too. Then he lets his inner Ohio Players burn on the super-funky Hey Sugar. This is all so dead on.
4 GREAT SAX RIFFS
Much like Turner’s keyboards on the whole album, the song Letting Go features a big, fat saxophone riff that is courtesy of celebrated N.Y. saxophonist Seamus Blake (John Scofield, Antonio Sanchez, Mingus Big Band and on). Again, tasty playing from top-tier company.
5 HE’S ON THE CHARTS
The album is Top 50 on the Roots Music Report “soul” charts and available on most major music sites. But it’s clear that this is someone who needs to be seen live in concert to appreciate. He’ll be playing at the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival on Sunday, July 1, 5:30 p.m. at the Railspur District Stage.
OUT THIS WEEK AND WELL WORTH A LISTEN:
Boy Azooga: 1, 2, Kung Fu! (Heavenly Recordings)
This record totally rocks with an energy and abandon that doesn’t take any prisoners in its delivery. David Newington is the talent behind the project (he plays live with mates Daf Davies, Dylan Morgan and Sam Barnes), and he brings in everything from Krautrock such as Can and Neu! to African wild man William Onyebor and oh-so-English melodic charm to songs such as the addictive Face Behind Her Cigarette and Taxi to Your Head. The more upbeat material is far superior to the slower songs and a few more Loner Boogie-style songs would make for better overall listening experience. But certainly a name to watch for. Justin Brown: Nyeusi (Biophilia)
Drummer Justin Brown is seriously in demand as a backing player, gracing albums by everyone from Thundercat to Flying Lotus. On his first outing as a bandleader, he puts Nyeusi (Swahili for “black”) through everything from the space jams of Jupiter Red Spot or FYFO — which could be off classic P-Funk albums — to the punk/funk of Lots for Nothing and outside points beyond. The band frees its inner fusion-ista and big props go to keyboardist Sean Allen who really knows his way around some wicked fine vintage synth sounds.
serpentwithfeet: soil (Secretly Canadian)
Having worked with such outside luminaries as The Haxan Cloak, who produced 2016’s acclaimed Blisters, it’s only fitting that for his latest this N.Y.-based former Baltimore choirboy enlists experimental producer mmph, artists Katie Gately and Paul Epworth (Adele’s 21) and A$AP Rocky collaborator Clams Casino. It makes for some seriously mutant soul such as Messy, which starts with what sounds like an almost medieval harmonium riff before his quavering falsetto comes on and the loops of woodblock-like percussion begins. Moody, sexy R&B that gets better with every listen.
Sólveig Matthildur: Unexplained Miseries and the Acceptance of Sorrow (Artoffact Records)
Frankly, the title of this album alone almost insured a review. That this solo recording from singer/composer Matthildur — who is a member of Iceland post-punk act Kaelan Mikla — straddles terrain somewhere between the Cocteau Twins or Lisa Gerrard’s work blended with some seriously murky industrial backgrounds is so delightful and was a bonus. The seven songs are all slowbuild dirge pop, but not melancholy or sad as you might predict. It’s quite uplifting and beautiful. Just made for dark days. This is the North American release of the 2016 album which won the Kraumur Award at home.