Album Review: Life In The City

Title: Life In The City

Artist: Turkuaz

Record Label: Electric Habitat Music

Release Date: Sept. 28, 2018

Rating: ★★

One of my favorite ways to learn and talk more about music is by branching out a little bit to get out of my synthy-and-whispery-vocal comfort zone. In the BSR lobby, there is a bin of CDs that are sent to us by various artists and record labels. Sometimes, the music department likes them, but sometimes they don’t. I decided to grab a CD from the reject pile and see if I disagree because if there’s something I like to have opinions on—it’s music!

What initially attracted me to Turkuaz’s Life In The City, is the album cover. At first glance, I assumed it would be another basic indie pop album since indie pop bands are loving saturated colors right now.

I was wrong.

Turkuaz turned out to be a self-described powerfunk band but to me, it’s just funk. There was an overwhelming sameness to the album, and I really did enjoy the instrumentals and production of the album. The biggest part of the album that was so grating for me was the vocals. Personally, the tone of the vocals made me think of musicals, and there wasn’t anything really special about them.

“Make You Famous” had the most interesting instrumentation of the album, and the bass-line in that song is doing a lot to carry it, but it worked. It definitely contrasted with the mostly-soprano arrangements and normal rock instruments with a token trumpet tossed in there. 

I really did want to enjoy this album, and maybe I’m biased since my favorites of this genre are Vulfpeck and Lake Street Dive, who are powerhouses of modern funk. Unfortunately, this one didn’t really hit the mark for me and since I might go to Nelsonville Music Festival, where they will be playing, I’ll stop by because I do think their live shows would be tons of fun!

I mean, how do you not have fun at a funk show?

Click here to listen to the album.