Review: Tuxedo Releases New Album “Tuxedo III”
Tuxedo’s new album, Tuxedo III, delivers the type of old-school funk that’s hard to find nowadays. Instead of diluting the genre to appease the masses, the band manages to respect the old while incorporating the new. This new 11-track record is a brilliant fusion of influences that breathe new life into the traditional soul. Stream the album here.
The album fittingly opens with “The Tuxedo Way,” a groovy single that introduces the band’s ethos before delving into the rest of their energetic lineup. The rest of the tracks glimmer with stellar production and unexpected incorporations of sound. “Gabriel Groove,” for example, is a psychedelic-funk daydream that showcases synthetic piano and a catchy, repetitive hook. Similarly, the more seductive messaging of “If U Want It” is paired up with an interestingly distorted guitar riff that gives it an edgier sound. Despite the experimentation and the different incorporations of outside genres, Tuxedo III stays true to the traditional integrity of funk.
One of the most impressive songs on the album is the slow ballad “Toast 2 Us,” which features stellar vocals by Benny Sings. It maintains the same vibrancy as the songs before it, but it does so less loudly. The smooth synths and lethargic drums are a sharp contrast to the rest of Tuxedo III’s regular groove. This deliberate ending to an otherwise upbeat album is the perfect reminder of the band’s undeniable flexibility across the genre.
Tuxedo has a way of making the old feel brand new, and their newest album is a distillation of this superpower. All of the tracks boast an impressively shiny production while retaining the meaningful weight of old funk. While the band’s skills and accolades are impressive on their own, their bottomless energy and the optimistic message behind their songs is what truly drives their success. With Tuxedo III, the two-piece has evolved into one of the most important powerhouses innovating in the modern landscape of their genre.
For more information: www.tuxedofunk.com
