Notes From Your BooksellerRenowned Grammy-nominated duo Black Pumas are back with their highly anticipated sophomore album, Chronicles of a Diamond. Eric and Arian continue to weave a rich tapestry of rock, soul and gospel into their sound that is irresistible and catchy. You may find yourself initially tapping your toes and humming along, but by the end of the album expect to be full-on dancing in your living room!
Arriving four years after the Austin duo's eponymous debut -- a period of time when they were repeatedly nominated for Grammys, including nods for a Deluxe Edition reissue of
Black Pumas and the concert set
Capitol Cuts - Live from Studio A --
Chronicles of a Diamond finds
Black Pumas orbiting the same sonic sun they created their first time around. Drawing equally from vintage psychedelia, producer/multi-instrumentalist
Adrian Quesada and vocalist
Eric Burton do achieve a certain kind of cinematic swirl, one that drifts in and out of focus due to shifts in textures and chords, not the melody. Often,
Burton appears to be riding waves created by
Quesada, murmuring, crooning, and testifying according to how the kaleidoscope shifts.
Burton's falsetto feels like part of the tapestry masterminded by
Quesada, never quite pulling attention to either his words or melodies. While this ultimately means that
Chronicles of a Diamond doesn't leave enough hooks behind to linger in the memory, the pulsating, colorful vibrations it creates as its spins are certainly an enjoyable way to get lost in the ether for a half hour or so. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine