Mixologist

What do you get when you cross one of music’s most acclaimed superstars with a legendary R&B musician and producer at the top of his game?

Fireworks.

Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak bring the heat in their 2021 collaboration album “An Evening with Silk Sonic.” Born out of what was essentially a “wouldn’t it be funny” situation while .Paak was opening for Mars on the road, this album revives an incredibly smooth ’60s/’70s sound that fits in shockingly well alongside the legends it emulates. From the first notes of the pair’s first single “Leave the Door Open,” you can tell you’re in for an audio experience unlike anything you’ve heard before.

Every song on this album is littered with energy, charm, and soul. “After Last Night” has the duo going on and on about their escapades the previous evening, while Skate brings in a bit of disco flair. The tracklist almost reads like a concept album detailing a weekend in Vegas; moving from seduction to wooing to breaking up then hitting the casino all in the span of 6 songs. We even end with 3 songs having to do with some form of transportation, which could be read as the pair taking their memories and experiences (and maybe a souvenir or two) with them back home.

You can tell this album was specifically designed to play live. From the count offs at the beginning of some tracks, to the witty back-and-forth Mars and .Paak have on others, to the bluntly asked question off of the intro track, “Who y’all came to see tonight?” The pair didn’t waste much time in bringing this album to life, announcing a Las Vegas residency a mere two months after release. I can only imagine how electric that crowd was being led by two of the music industry’s truly generational talents. (Really, all any of us can do is imagine. It was reported that Silk Sonic shows banned cell phone use during the show.)

One thing I love about this project is how effortlessly the two artist’s sounds mesh into something unique yet familiar. Mars has his rock-solid songwriting and killer voice, and .Paak brings his iconic percussion and swagger in his line delivery. There are definitely a few songs that you can tell were each artist’s passion project; Fly As Me fits right at home in .Paak’s discography with its spoken word-esque verses, meanwhile Put on a Smile’s soaring chorus feels like it was ripped from Mars’ legendary “24K Magic.” Then there’s their cover of Con Funk Shun’s “Love’s Train,” which feels right at home in the project with it’s sensual lyrics and instrumentation.

A criticism I’ve seen raised against this collaboration in general is that people aren’t sure how far the pair can take this specific sound. They say it feels a bit like they’ve fully fleshed out the retro ’70s aesthetic, and that any new project in the same style would just be retreading old ground. While I agree it’s a little hard to imagine where they can go from here, I think two artists are creative as this can find a way. There’s a massive pool of classic artists they can invite on as collaborators; I got to see Earth Wind & Fire last year and they’re still killing it. They could also experiment with new genres, bringing their R&B swagger into the ’80s or something.

Either way, I hope this isn’t the last we see of Silk Sonic. Few albums have caused me to Put On A Smile as much as this one has. If you’re needing some tracks to round out your summer playlist, Leave the Door Open for these ten bangers.