Silk Rhodes
(Stones Throw)On their self-titled debut, producer Michael Collins and falsetto-freakin’ singer Sasha Desree travel down a smooth if winding road, pedaling stripped-down funk and throwback boogie grooves. The origins of Silk Rhodes are alleged to have begun with recordings made on a desert sojourn in the back of a Honda CRV while a shared tab of acid and front-porch jam session birthed the disco-laced “Face 2 Face.” Fueled throughout by a Fender Rhodes and thumping bass, “Pains” sears with a slow warble, while a buzzing sitar and lush harmonies bottle the psychedelic vibe of Shuggie Otis on “This Painted World.” “Realtime” is a tip of the black hat to the King of Pop, and “Personal Use” morphs from a straight-up house tune into a stoned slow soul groove at the three-minute mark. Silk Rhodes clocks just shy of 30 minutes, making it an awfully quick trip but one of many delightful detours. (Fri., 9:30pm, Empire Garage)
This article appears in March 20 • 2015.
