Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

A debut record is an artist’s first chance to make a name for themselves. It is a chance for them to showcase their extraordinary talent or their charismatic character. With this in mind, it would seem pretty odd for an artist to title their debut record something that goes against this principle. Patrick Paige II did just this in naming his album Letters of Irrelevance.  At first, it seemed confusing why Patrick Paige II, the bass player and occasional producer of the popular neo-soul group The Internet, would associate his name with irrelevance so early on in his solo career. But after giving the record a couple more spins, it started to become more clear. Paige is not saying he himself is irrelevant but is merely suggesting that this collection of songs isn’t meant to be looked into too seriously. It is meant to just be digested for what it is: a groovy, yet sonically comfortable record.

Rhodes piano, tight hip-hop drum kits and emotive basslines make up the fabric of this record, which is made evident from the get-go. The wavy piano on “The Best Policy” provides an immersive experience for the listener, without distracting from Paige’s introspective lyrics. Syd, Thundercat, and Kari Faux provide soothing and homely contributions on the album single “On My Mind/ Charge It to the Game.” This track also features Paige’s sharpest poetry on the record and a very cool tempo change. “Voodoo” lives up to its namesake as the track delves in some D’Angelo-esque neo-soul grooves. With this being said, after “Voodoo,” lyrics take a side note to the instrumentals, and the lack of cohesion becomes a little more apparent. “Heart and Soul” and “Red Knife” are spacey, beat-focused tracks which feature psychedelic vocals and a wah guitar pedal respectively. In addition to this departure, “Do My Dance” embraces a party atmosphere rather than indulging in the sentimentality of the first half of the record.

At the end of the day, this record ends up straying from what you’d expect, but the results are surprisingly strong. In a way, these songs are footnotes and do not make up a cohesive work. But sometimes, a great collection of songs is really all you need.