Friends making music full of nothing but love
Seamlessly blending Urban HipHop with fuck and blues, G.Love releases his latest album, Philadelphia Mississippi. With a little help from their friends, G. Love pieces together one funky fresh record.
The Philly native began to piece together the group when meeting drummer Jeffrey Clemens in 1993. First, they began their musical journey as a duo then quickly became a trio when bassist Jim Prescott joined the chat. The group has put in the work building a large discography, as well as G. Love, ventured off to create solo albums of his own in 2004. Philadelphia Mississippi comes in as the band’s 10th album following their 2020 release, The Juice.
Right from the start, “Love From Philly” sets the stage for a funkalicious urban HipHop mixture. East Coast love flows through every word sung and every note played with ease. With a Beastie Boys flavor within the track, it vibes like the opening to a ’90s movie showing of the Philly hometown.
Southern blues beacons within the rich gritty guitars of “Mississippi.” Featuring Alvin Young Blood, R.L. Boyce and Speech, this track takes the musical soundscape from one of backroad blues clubs to the hard streets and everything in between. From top to bottom, this track is rich with moments that pay homage to the classic blues records, at the same time allowing a modern twist to the old school.
Bringing in the funk and country honky tonk, “Laughing in your Sunshine” takes a different turn from the rest of the record. Dropping the gritty blues and urban elements, it adopts a ’60s-style organ and hoppy country characteristic. This track stands out like a sore thumb against the rest of the record, however, not in a bad way. It’s funky and upbeat, allowing a great listen to lift the spirits.
“Shouts Out” featuring Trenton Ayers and R.L. Boyce closes out the record. This may be the first time hearing an album closed out this way, however, it makes the listener feel included in the making of the record. The whole song is a blues jam with G.Love and all the features shouting out and thanking all those a part of the record and sharing stories.
Philadelphia Mississippi is a carefree vibing record from start to finish. It carries elements for any listener, sharing nothing but love and music.
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