Art and Soul comes just in time for the holidays (though it isn’t a holiday directed record). I know my ears become more keen to jazz and that soulful rock sound around this time of year – I know what you’re thinking though. Why is this chump talking about holiday season musical inclinations prior to Thanksgiving? Well. I need to ease myself into the mood. I can’t just flip a switch in my head the morning Turkey Day rolls around.
I could spend time commenting on lyrical themes and instrumental effects, but really it would be nothing that you couldn’t figure out on your own. So I’m not gonna do that! Art and Soul is actually a pretty adequate title for this record. A pun, yes. But I love puns! Probably more than the average person. One thing I appreciate is that each song seems to be exactly the right length. They neither end prematurely nor drag out an unnecessarily long jam section.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/174118271″ /]Art and Soul lends itself equally to passive listening, party music, and intense focus. The latter two will probably come up more often though – intense focus is reserved for super nerds like me.
I should also mention that Topher’s voice isn’t the best ever, but fits the vibe of what he’s going for. The subtle cracks (which are few and far between) can be slightly distracting, but make for authentic sound ultimately.
Art and Soul ultimately is just a straightforward classy album. It accurately reflects Topher James’ personality – confident, opinionated and carrying an affinity for the finer things in life. While some might interpret this confidence for arrogance in passing, any time spent with the guy ought to cause you to reconsider. Confidence does not equal arrogance. And neither should this record. The image of this new project is not pretentious – and neither is the music. But Topher James and Biscuit Brigade know exactly what they want, and have succeeded in landing in the sweet spot on the first try.
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