Pre-Order Thread

Ghost said:
Were they tasty?! Just listened to my Black Pumas today, I’m always amazed by how great the pressing sounds. I wonder if all variants sound as good. I have the dark red translucent swirl and it’s 🔥🔥🔥
Click to expand...
My first copy of the red black split sounded like hot garbage. Plaid Room took care of me and the second copy sounded great.
 
Ghost said:
Were they tasty?! Just listened to my Black Pumas today, I’m always amazed by how great the pressing sounds. I wonder if all variants sound as good. I have the dark red translucent swirl and it’s 🔥🔥🔥
Click to expand...
I have the cream, LRSD tri-split and the deluxe splatter and they all sound great. Such a brilliant album even if they deserve every bit of memery around their milking of variants lol.
 
Kyuuji said:
I have the cream, LRSD tri-split and the deluxe splatter and they all sound great. Such a brilliant album even if they deserve every bit of memery around their milking of variants lol.
Click to expand...

Go see them live if you get a chance. I like the album, it’s good retro soul but I think it’s a little bit safe personally, there are other artists pushing the boundaries of that genre a bit more for me. But live is just wow, they are a killer live act, one of the best that I’ve seen in a long long time.
 
Joe Mac said:
Go see them live if you get a chance. I like the album, it’s good retro soul but I think it’s a little bit safe personally, there are other artists pushing the boundaries of that genre a bit more for me. But live is just wow, they are a killer live act, one of the best that I’ve seen in a long long time.
Click to expand...
Interesting! I can see the playing it safe for sure. It’s like a comfort food album for me. Nothing particularly challenging but an easy listen that always brings some positive vibes. Reliable might be a word I'd use. It's great to hear they're fantastic live. When this all dies down and we progress toward more normal times I'll definitely keep an eye out for tickets and shows near me. Would have been keen before but knowing they're that good makes me want to lock it in.

I'd be curious to know your suggestions for others in the genre too. It's not one I've (knowingly) explored at all so would be good to spread myself a little wider on it.
 
Kyuuji said:
Interesting! I can see the playing it safe for sure. It’s like a comfort food album for me. Nothing particularly challenging but an easy listen that always brings some positive vibes. Reliable might be a word I'd use. It's great to hear they're fantastic live. When this all dies down and we progress toward more normal times I'll definitely keep an eye out for tickets and shows near me. Would have keen before but knowing they're that good makes me want to lock it in.

I'd be curious to know your suggestions for others in the genre too. It's not one I've (knowingly) explored at all so would be good to spread myself a little wider on it.
Click to expand...

Oh I enjoy it, I just think they’re much better as a live act. The variant nonsense leaves a bad taste for me too, although that could be the label as much as the band.

I’m by no means an expert but even out of the acclaimed acts that you’d see everyone on here heralding Michael Kiwanuka and Moses Sumney (I know Moses is probably a bit less definable) are both making music in the same ballpark but I think that their albums are much more forward thinking, and are better for it.
 
Last edited:
Joe Mac said:
Go see them live if you get a chance. I like the album, it’s good retro soul but I think it’s a little bit safe personally, there are other artists pushing the boundaries of that genre a bit more for me. But live is just wow, they are a killer live act, one of the best that I’ve seen in a long long time.
Click to expand...
yeah. it's a good album but I'm not sure if I find it a bit humdrum or if all the hype around this album (especially 'round this neck of the woods) just makes it impossible to live up to for me.
 
Joe Mac said:
Oh I enjoy it, I just think they’re much better as a live act. The variant nonsense leaves a bad taste for me too, although that couple be the label as much as the band.

I’m by no means an expert but even out of the acclaimed acts that you’d see everyone on here heralding Michael Kiwanuka and Moses Sumney (I know Moses is probably a bit less definable) are both making music in the same ballpark but I think that their albums are much more forward thinking, and are better for it.
Click to expand...
yeah, Moses is in a whole different lane. I don't dislike Black Pumas, but Moses Sumney they are not. they're not Kiwanuka either, while I wouldn't necessarily compare Sumney to Kiwanuka their music is far more interesting than what the Pumas offer in my opinion. that said Moses and Michael have put out more music that has shown growth and evolution while the Pumas have a single album, time will tell if they too can grow into something bigger and better.
 
Last edited:
Joe Mac said:
Oh I enjoy it, I just think they’re much better as a live act. The variant nonsense leaves a bad taste for me too, although that couple be the label as much as the band.

I’m by no means an expert but even out of the acclaimed acts that you’d see everyone on here heralding Michael Kiwanuka and Moses Sumney (I know Moses is probably a bit less definable) are both making music in the same ballpark but I think that their albums are much more forward thinking, and are better for it.
Click to expand...
All the more reason for me to try and see them! Appreciate the variant criticism too as it's something that irritates me also. Hasn't taken me long to feel like there's little point going for more than that which seems distinct or offers something new. Staggered drops that aren't signalled beforehand feel particularly egregious.

Haha, well good recommendations there for what it's worth. I have the VMP version of Moses Sumney's Aromanticism and have been fond of Michael Kiwanuka's album for awhile. I can completely see where you're coming from with that context and agree that Black Pumas would be like blacmange in comparison lol, especially to Sumney.
 
Tillman said:
yeah, Moses is in a whole different lane. I don't dislike Black Pumas, but Moses Sumney they are not.
Click to expand...

Yeah I wouldn’t ever say they were close to either Kiwanuka or, particularly, Moses. Those two for me are making wonderful forward thinking music in a similar genre space. The Black Pumas are making good solidly crafted retro soul music, similar to Durand Jones & The Indications, Curtis Harding and Leon Bridges. What I will say is that I’ve seen both the Black Pumas and Durand Jones & The Indications live and both are on another level live, a long way ahead of what they are on record.
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah I wouldn’t ever say they were close to either Kiwanuka or, particularly, Moses. Those two for me are making wonderful forward thinking music in a similar genre space. The Black Pumas are making good solidly crafted retro soul music, similar to Durand Jones & The Indications, Curtis Harding and Leon Bridges. What I will say is that I’ve seen both the Black Pumas and Durand Jones & The Indications live and both are on another level live, a long way ahead of what they are on record.
Click to expand...
yeah man. there are just some bands that are incredible in a live setting but can seem rather lifeless on record. just as there are bands that are great on record but can't put on a live show. it makes those artists/bands that put out great albums and amazing live shows extra special.
 
Kyuuji said:
All the more reason for me to try and see them! Appreciate the variant criticism too as it's something that irritates me also. Hasn't taken me long to feel like there's little point going for more than that which seems distinct or offers something new. Staggered drops that aren't signalled beforehand feel particularly egregious.

Haha, well good recommendations there for what it's worth. I have the VMP version of Moses Sumney's Aromanticism and have been fond of Michael Kiwanuka's album for awhile. I can completely see where you're coming from with that context and agree that Black Pumas would be like blacmange in comparison lol, especially to Sumney.
Click to expand...

Yeah I don't want to kick them, they are clearly great musicians and their music is beautifully crafted and there is nothing wrong with making music that makes people happy, it’s just not particularly groundbreaking. Maybe they’ll kick on and morph into something special, Kiwanuka’s debut “Home Again” was a bit retro-soul too and the jump with his second “Love & Hate” was seismic, went from enjoyable to an artist who clearly had something very very special and that continued on with his third. Moses is a bit something different and special again. Have you heard Grae yet? It’s sprawling and magnificent!
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah I don't want to kick them, they are clearly great musicians and their music is beautifully crafted and there is nothing wrong with making music that makes people happy, it’s just not particularly groundbreaking. Maybe they’ll kick on and morph into something special, Kiwanuka’s debut “Home Again” was a bit retro-soul too and the jump with his second “Love & Hate” was seismic, went from enjoyable to an artist who clearly had something very very special and that continued on with his third. Moses is a bit something different and special again. Have you heard Grae yet? It’s sprawling and magnificent!
Click to expand...
Kiwanuka has no business being as far under the radar as he is over here. All of his albums are really solid and he just seems to get better.
 
Corycm said:
Kiwanuka has no business being as far under the radar as he is over here. All of his albums are really solid and he just seems to get better.
Click to expand...
I really don’t get it. It seems hardly anybody here knows him and as you said, he’s fantastic. The only kind of mainstream attention he has gotten over here was when one of his tracks was the Big Little Lies theme song and some of his other songs were on that soundtrack.
 
Kyuuji said:
Interesting! I can see the playing it safe for sure. It’s like a comfort food album for me. Nothing particularly challenging but an easy listen that always brings some positive vibes. Reliable might be a word I'd use. It's great to hear they're fantastic live. When this all dies down and we progress toward more normal times I'll definitely keep an eye out for tickets and shows near me. Would have been keen before but knowing they're that good makes me want to lock it in.

I'd be curious to know your suggestions for others in the genre too. It's not one I've (knowingly) explored at all so would be good to spread myself a little wider on it.
Click to expand...
Check out Neal Francis, his album Changes is that same sort retrosoul feel.
 
Tillman said:
yeah man. there are just some bands that are incredible in a live setting but can seem rather lifeless on record. just as there are bands that are great on record but can't put on a live show. it makes those artists/bands that put out great albums and amazing live shows extra special.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't call the album lifeless, I think they recorded it before they had really worked it all out... I mean this, right here is something:
 
Lee Newman said:
I wouldn't call the album lifeless, I think they recorded it before they had really worked it all out... I mean this, right here is something:
Click to expand...

I know this conversation is sort of centered around Black Pumas, but that comment wasn't really directed specifically at them. though if we're going to hold that comment against Black Pumas then countering with a live performance doesn't really vindicate the studio recording.
 
Last edited:
Tillman said:
I know this conversation is sort of centered around Black Pumas, but that comment wasn't really directed specifically at them. though if we're going to hold that comment against Black Pumas then countering with a live performance doesn't really vindicate the studio recording.
Click to expand...
Is it really live though? Also, it’s basically a different song now.
 
Also, my point was that I think they’ve evolved. They were basically brand new when they recorded the album. They’ve done quite a few new versions of things in the studio since and they’ve definitely taken what they’ve learned from the road and as they’ve evolved into a band instead of just a duo.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top