From the retro-fashioned album cover you know that Thee Sinseers’ newest release Sinseerly Yours will be a throwback in every fashion as the Southern California outfit delivers the soulful goods on this Colemine Records release.
The group (Joey Quinones on vocals and keys, vocalist Adriana Flores, Christopher Manjarrez on bass, Francisco Floreson on guitar, Bryan Ponce on guitar and vocals, Luis Carpio on drums and vocals, saxophonists Eric Johnson and Steve Surman, and Jose Luis Jimenez on trombone) opens the album with a familiar funky soul sound as excellent harmonies and a Daptone style groove pump out for “What’s His Name”.
The tone relaxes to a slower, less funky pace for the majority of Sinseerly Yours, as songs like the cruising “Keep On Calling” deploys theatrically big horn breaks while “Give It Up You Fool” has layers of sounds with bright key work. The same tempo and tone work for “Can’t Call Me Baby” and “It’s Such A Shame” both of which showcase Flores’ impressive lead vocals, flute breaks, and shimmering guitars.
The lyrics stay surface level, even a bit cliche, while the album can feel a bit one note overall with efforts like “Likely I Can Give”. “Hold On” almost falls into this trap, but the strong bass, string work, and dynamite vocals from Quinones, elevate the track winningly. Thee Sinseers are not trying for anything new here and they succeed with their easy-flowing, pristine, retro soul style.
When they hint at slightly different horizons, such as on the sax lead, instrumental party jam of “Talking Back” and the upbeat popping groove with tons of gorgeous vocals “Can’t Do That To Her”, the slight alterations are welcomed.
The album wraps up though with the title track which is squarely in the group’s wheelhouse with oh and ah backing, soaring lead vocals, and twinkling guitars, closing things strongly. Thee Sinseers relish that sweet singing soul sound, and you can almost see them laidback and cruising in the warm East LA night air with Sinseerly Yours rolling out the back of convertibles in both a bygone and modern age.
One Response
Every word, every melody, they are wonderful. I am a huge fan of ho.