San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Fantastic Negrito
Fantastic Negrito, the alter ego of singer-songwriter Xavier Dphrepaulezz, went from winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Contest in 2015 to performing at major music festivals around the world and picking up the Best Contemporary Blues Album Grammy for 2016’s “The Last Days of Oakland.” So what does he do for a follow-up? On his latest album, “Please Don’t Be Dead,” he turns up the volume, cranking up not only the guitars, but also his pointed indictments of life in America. From the Jimi Hendrix-style rumble of “Plastic Hamburgers” to the Parliament-style funk of “The Duffler,” he leans on the greats to shape his personal message of despair and injustice. It’s not only his most aggressive release, but also his most assured. — Aidin Vaziri