Cody ChesnuTT has returned at long last with more Headphone Masterpieces…

(After 10 years, one wouldn’t be called nuTTs for thinking Cody had disappeared “for-ev-vor”.)

The new record Landing on a Hundred isn’t, however, a return to the lo-fi mix of soul and funky folk that the preceding record was (and if you were hoping for more adolescent lyrical jockeying you might be a bit disappointed).

Instead, what we have is a supple selection of 70s-tinged [Marvin] Gay-[Stevie] Wonderdom fit for almost any occasion.  From the opening salvo of “‘Til I Met The” and “I’ve Been There” you know there is a good time to be had, and, with the latter number you’ll even have a brief overview of African political geography!

Definitely there is a strong “listen here, I’m going to tell you the story” type of attitude that ChesnuTT rekindles from his previous effort that returns, in a more mature form.  With Headphone sometimes the diction overwhelmed the message.  I am happy to say that this time, some of the cloying adolescent language that was occasionally a bit much to take doesn’t distract from how seductive this music is.

For example, in “What Kind of Cool…” there is a tender, completely anticipated string/horn section that eases even the most anxious listener right in.  (Let me also say that even though said string section is predictable, its interplay with the rest of the instrumentation and location in the mix is superb.)

Another strength that shines through with this record is the simple beauty and expressive power of ChesnuTTs voice.  “Don’t Follow Me” straddles the line between vulnerability, romance and paranoia.  This song in particular displays some real craft with production, maintaining the aforementioned atmosphere of paranoia without being alienating.  TV on the Radio could do the song, but, ChesnuTT keeps things buoyant enough to not bring the good vibes too far down.

Stretching past the 00’s contemporary/alternative/neo-soul from Cee Lo, Lupe or aforementioned TotR, with a number like “Love is More Than a Wedding Day”, Cody ChesnuTT proves wrong those mass of hipsters out there that claim traditional expressions in the Soul/R&B realm have gone fallow.

My favorite defense for this strong claim…  One trope from Headphone, “… I’m Broke” comes up here again.  The one thing you can always remember about the great Soul records is the narrative between songwriter and loved-ones about not having enough to make ends meet.  And whereas modern Rap/Soul/R&B records depict this fact of urban life as one damned by fate and hopelessness, even in difficult circumstances, ChesnuTT’s protagonist never just gives up and goes “… the other way”.

Maybe the biggest difference between this record and one of the alluded-to classics is that the instrumentation isn’t virtuosic via hired guns or prodigal personal ability.  But, in instances with a song such as “Chips Down”, if the piano had been over-arpeggiated, it might have taken away from its exuberance.

Before we walk off into a glowing sunset, to be fair, this isn’t a perfect record, and wouldn’t rank up there with any of its fore-bearer’s masterpieces.  The hooks could be bigger.  There could be more funk and explosive bass work.  In many ways, the lack of Headphone‘s ambition is missed here.

However, for those of us that have spent many hours culling the neo-Soul shelves for some of that classic style and feel, waiting for Kravitz to fulfill his full promise (although White and Black America was impressive) or Kay to mellow into some classic Wonder-flavored funky brilliance (so easily produced by ChesnuTT’s “Scroll Call”), I present to you Landing on a Hundred.

-MYH

Under the spell…

Landing On a Hundred released October 30th, 2012