The newest studio album from multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriterSon Little finds the fluid artist touching on a wide range of genres. CITYFOLK uses synths, soft beats, acoustic strums, and much more as Little delves into his history, love life, and modern-day societal hardships for inspiration across the eleven tracks presented here.
Little was dealing with severe flooding in his Atlanta home, so he headed to Muscle Shoals, AL, to soak in that town’s famous musical history and work with Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes), who co-produced the record. The talented Little plays everything from mellotron to banjo as he refuses to be restrained by music industry expectations.
For most of CITYFOLK, the programmed beats and synths provide a mellow backing as Little lets his confidently smooth vocals shine. “Let’s Get Involved” drifts along in a smoky fashion, “It’s Your World” pushes pulsing beats and synths, layering them nicely, and “In Orbit” floats into modern R&B territory on the back of organ work/light percussion. That restrained, soft-textured instrumentation, while pleasant, can become aimless at times, seeping into the background and leaving no residue or feeling after they pass.
More intriguing is when Little puts a twist on some classic acoustic blues with “Rabbit” and “The Valley”, moving them more into pop territory with swirling synths and swelling keys. Little adds light Caribbean flair to the poppy “Whip The Wind”, but the love song runs on too long, as does the retro soul of “Cherry” and the warbling get down jam “Bottomless”; however, Little’s vocals are always soulful.
Things improve when Little moves to more expansive offerings. The most creative effort is “Paper Children,” which transcends love songs, targeting the downtrodden lyrically with Little’s most passionate singing and artistically deploying trap-influenced beats and distorted vocal effects. The legendary Mavis Staples seems to have inspired “Be Better,” which is plain spoken, successfully delivering music with a message, roots-based pop music that hits the mark.
The billowing sounds ebb and flow throughout CITYFOLK as Son Little keeps crafting his own musical path.
