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On ‘Encore,’ Anderson East Revisits the Rough Soul of Yesteryear On ‘Encore,’ Anderson East Revisits the Rough Soul of Yesteryear
(7 months later)
Drinking deeply from the past is a reliable form of nourishment — it can soothe, and it can comfort. Some singers lean on it like a chaise. But some see it as a challenge, a high-wire act executed while surveilled by the unforgiving eyes of history.Drinking deeply from the past is a reliable form of nourishment — it can soothe, and it can comfort. Some singers lean on it like a chaise. But some see it as a challenge, a high-wire act executed while surveilled by the unforgiving eyes of history.
Anderson East understands what’s at stake when channeling yesteryear. “Encore,” his second major-label album, is an often lustrous revisiting of raucous Southern soul, rousingly delivered and pinpoint precise. He has a voice full of extremely careful scrape and crunch, but his howls never feel unhinged.Anderson East understands what’s at stake when channeling yesteryear. “Encore,” his second major-label album, is an often lustrous revisiting of raucous Southern soul, rousingly delivered and pinpoint precise. He has a voice full of extremely careful scrape and crunch, but his howls never feel unhinged.
Mr. East, 30, is originally from Alabama. In addition to songwriting — over the last two years, he’s collaborated regularly with Miranda Lambert, with whom he’s romantically linked — he has been tinkering with heritage soul music. His 2015 album, “Delilah,” was a slightly more tentative take on the style, but on “Encore,” he blossoms.Mr. East, 30, is originally from Alabama. In addition to songwriting — over the last two years, he’s collaborated regularly with Miranda Lambert, with whom he’s romantically linked — he has been tinkering with heritage soul music. His 2015 album, “Delilah,” was a slightly more tentative take on the style, but on “Encore,” he blossoms.
“King For a Day,” written by Mr. East with Chris and Morgane Stapleton, is a rollicking history lesson, and “Surrender” is a nod to the exuberant stomp of Ike and Tina Turner. Mr. East extends his approach even to covers, like his muscular soul update of the bluesman Ted Hawkins’s “Sorry You’re Sick,” which is punctuated with bright horns.“King For a Day,” written by Mr. East with Chris and Morgane Stapleton, is a rollicking history lesson, and “Surrender” is a nod to the exuberant stomp of Ike and Tina Turner. Mr. East extends his approach even to covers, like his muscular soul update of the bluesman Ted Hawkins’s “Sorry You’re Sick,” which is punctuated with bright horns.
Executing at this level requires not just a vocalist who’s dutifully studied, but also a team of equally faithful students. “Encore” is produced by Dave Cobb, who has made tactile, glossed revivalism his stock in trade in recent years; it is performed by an exceptionally sharp band that is unshy and enthused.Executing at this level requires not just a vocalist who’s dutifully studied, but also a team of equally faithful students. “Encore” is produced by Dave Cobb, who has made tactile, glossed revivalism his stock in trade in recent years; it is performed by an exceptionally sharp band that is unshy and enthused.
The downside of this approach — at least for a singer — is that at times the music is so deeply reverent that it becomes the main character, the gasoline for the song’s emotional narrative, rendering the lyrics, and even the singing, immaterial. Such is the case on “House Is a Building,” which is a conversation between downcast piano and horns that Mr. East can’t penetrate, and on his sweet but level cover of Willie Nelson’s “Somebody Pick Up My Pieces.”The downside of this approach — at least for a singer — is that at times the music is so deeply reverent that it becomes the main character, the gasoline for the song’s emotional narrative, rendering the lyrics, and even the singing, immaterial. Such is the case on “House Is a Building,” which is a conversation between downcast piano and horns that Mr. East can’t penetrate, and on his sweet but level cover of Willie Nelson’s “Somebody Pick Up My Pieces.”
On these songs, Mr. East cedes his authority perhaps a bit too much, but they are the outliers. It’s worth noting, though, that the most jolting song here is the one least preoccupied with yesteryear. “Cabinet Door” closes the album, and does so under dark clouds. It’s a scorched song about loss, and Mr. East foregoes his shaky yelp for a tone that’s lush but hollow, pregnant with dread.On these songs, Mr. East cedes his authority perhaps a bit too much, but they are the outliers. It’s worth noting, though, that the most jolting song here is the one least preoccupied with yesteryear. “Cabinet Door” closes the album, and does so under dark clouds. It’s a scorched song about loss, and Mr. East foregoes his shaky yelp for a tone that’s lush but hollow, pregnant with dread.
The song is about losing your partner in life, and also your purpose, and it’s heavy with trauma:The song is about losing your partner in life, and also your purpose, and it’s heavy with trauma:
“We spent 52 years giving all we hadWe raised seven kids on that plot of landThere’s still your loose change and your buttons on your washing standYou left one big house for this lonely man”
For the first time on this album, he sounds deeply, affectingly, inconsolably uncomfortable.For the first time on this album, he sounds deeply, affectingly, inconsolably uncomfortable.