It has been a long time since Paolo Nutini last
released an album – nearly five years in fact. His debut album These Streets was a solid first release,
which established the young Scottish musician as a genuine talent with a voice
that was well beyond his years. I was a fan of the album; in fact it was one of
the albums I listened to a great deal around the time I was starting to learn
how to play the guitar. I remember being excited around the release of the
follow-up album Sunny Side Up in 2009
– more new songs to learn – and bought it the day it was released. At the time I
was surprised by how different it was from the first album, but it was a fun
and lively record that gained more than its share of accolades.
In the space of a couple of years Nutini had gone
from singer/songwriter to the lead singer of a jazz/soul band. It was a pretty
big step, but apparently it was the type of record he truly wanted to make.
Having therefore established his new style one would think he’d stick with it
for the third.
The upcoming album Caustic Love will likely see yet another dramatic change in
direction, as this lead single seems to suggest. The first few seconds of the
track seem to be suggesting a more electronic/trance music feel, but then the
drums kick in, accompanied by a funky bass-line and Nutini’s familiar voice
(sounding completely at ease within this new style).
The title "Scream (Funk My Life Up)" is as good as its word, as the tune
delivers both (soulful) screaming as well as a rhythm that is ‘oh-so funky’ it’s hard not to want
to move along with it. Nutini has become much more of a risk-taker with his
lyrics, as the song has heavy sexual overtones as well as a title that is just
begging to be misheard by casual listeners.
I’m not sure if I’m completely won over by this new
sound, but the song is very enjoyable and I have already listened to it several
times. Perhaps I’m just adjusting to yet another change. I’ll hold off making a
definite decision until I hear the full album.
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