On their first album together under the name
Tuxedo
, neo-soul hotshot
Mayer Hawthorne
and in-demand producer
Jake One
delved deeply into their shared love for the robo-funk of
Zapp
, the shimmeringly slick R&B of
Billy Ocean
, the bouncing grooves of
the Gap Band
, and the sugary romanticism of vocalists like
Melba Moore
.
Tuxedo II
lives up to its title and sounds like a natural follow-up, packed to the bow tie with elastic dancefloors jams, deadly hot synth bass, a horn section tight as
Earth, Wind & Fire
, and lots of booty-bumpin' jams topped by
Hawthorne
's boyishly tender vocals. Like a super-slick modern update done with style and reverence, the duo takes pains not to let any traces of modern music into the mix. Close your eyes while "Take a Picture" or "Back in Town" spins and it's like a time trip back to the glittery, Mylar-covered '80s; "2nd Time Around" could be a lost
Ready for the World
track; "Livin' 4 Your Lovin'" adds some post-disco glam to the mix; and there are a couple ballads that have a sweet, late-night-dedication feel to them, with "Shine" -- a soft-spoken duet between
and
Gavin Turek
that gives off serious
Rene & Angela
vibes -- being the clear winner.
One
don't try much of anything new on
II
, and they didn't really have to. They are dialed in on a very credible, very entertaining sound and approach, and could probably keep cranking out enjoyable albums like this until the party gets shut down. ~ Tim Sendra