Agency by William Gibson 
For fans of soul, I’d say Wolfgang Valbrun’s new one is a bit of a must.
It’s definitely soul but also sounds like – presumably reflecting music he likes – bands such as Black Keys and the likes of Robert Cray, as well as Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding.
“Sun Don’t Shine” opens with lovely fluid bass and a classic soul sound, which continues in the classic-years Motown flavoured “Cyclone”, complete with the famous opening drum shuffle. Valbrun has a silky-smooth voice and Cray comparisons are from that as much as the tight blues soul. “Love Yourself” is a more modern sound, perhaps Gnarls Barkley, opening with piano down the register, but nice keyboards and some great female gospel singers. “Keep Your Head Up” is the first of the Black Keys tastings, more the big sound and the echoey sections than the actual sound. Valbun’s voice is great, and there is also some neat guitar work throughout.
The lyrics look at human frailty, from lovin’ yourself to the dangers of living for money in “Almighty $$”. The quality control is high and the title track closes, opening on bass with a cinematographic sound – the Blues Brothers walking in slow motion to the Palace Hotel Ballroom would have done so to this, had the song been written.
See wolfgangvalbrun.bandcamp.com
JMC
