Funky gems

Producer Richard Russell’s collaborative project, Everything Is Recorded has released a new album Friday Forever. A concept album breaking apart a Friday night into twelve tracks features charming lo-fi production and off-the-wall features. Ultimately, they are songs that successfully create spontaneous energy Russell seems to be pursuing. The funky, beat-heavy tracks contain textures and rhythms from all across the music spectrum that comes cut and pasted together in pleasing ways.  

“THE NIGHT’s” guitars and syncopated beat carry the vocal sections that vary widely in quality. The vocals are rough and while the “lo-fi” polish adds to this album and its concept in a lot of ways, it can prove distracting at times. “PATIENTS ” is a highlight; the dry, topsy turvy drum machine grooves go great with Aitch’s cheeky, energetic rap verses. “Walk Alone” is a danceable pop-house banger. The dirty mix aids the zany energy and the structure and layering are on point. Flowing smoothly into “I DONT WANT THIS FEELING TO STOP.” This neck-bopping anthem comes fit with reggae motifs and a fun as hell beat. The FLOHIO’s verse is great and she kills the beat.

“CAVIAR” features Wu Tang’s Ghostface Killah; his verse is the best part of the song, but the mix and sound selection is not up to par. The production is ambitious but very messy. But “THAT SKY” makes up for it with a smooth jazz heavy instrumental featuring an eclectic mix of sampled drum loops, cheesy synths and freestyle spoken word rapping. 

There is a lot to be commended about this album. In the end, it has real shining moments that will be revisited and remembered, but the level of amateurism feels distracting. The mix feels “DIY.” It’s hard to make a cohesive mix of sounds and voices that have been recorded on different mics and in different rooms, but there could have been more of an effort made. Overall, people should give this album a shot because there are some funky gems.