Pleasure, the fifth album from transatlantic duo Young Gun Silver Fox, Andy Platts and Shawn Lee, is a lush, unapologetic love letter to the 1970s. Released through Blue Élan Records, it feels less like a modern record and more like a portal to a time when sunshine pop, soul infused disco, and velvety ballads ruled the airwaves. I found myself double checking the release year more than once. That is how convincingly they channel the sound. And while originality is not necessarily the point here, the execution is so tight and joyful that it rarely matters.
From the jump, the Bee Gees influence is unmistakable. Not subtle, not implied, loud, proud, and falsetto forward. “Stevie & Sly” and “Born To Dream” are so steeped in that late era disco glow that I half expected to find them buried on an unreleased Spirits Having Flown reel. They are polished, impeccably arranged, and delivered with the kind of precision that only comes from deep respect for the source material. These are not pastiche songs. They are crafted with care and full of little production details that make them pop. “Late Night Last Train” pulls things back a bit. I loved this one. The more restrained instrumentation lets the groove breathe, and for a moment, I caught hints of something more contemporary. It has a faint Americana undercurrent that reminded me of The War on Drugs, like someone spliced a faded highway ballad into a soul track. “Burning Daylight” is a standout. The bassline is thick and melodic, the harmonies glide across the top, and the arrangement is very well done. The song does not try to outshine anything around it. It just owns its space completely. “Holding Back The Fire” leans into that retro futurist funk space, somewhere between Daft Punk and The Jackson 5. It is glossy, fun, and full of energy. “Just For Pleasure” drops into a deeper, more sensual groove. The funk here is slower, stickier, and more introspective. Then “Put Up Your Dukes” offers a curious mix of vintage funk and something almost homespun. There is a warmth in the production that gave me flashes of John Denver, but filtered through an R and B lens. “The Greatest Loser” is the record’s most tender moment. A slow burning ballad with just enough restraint to avoid melodrama. It feels sincere and hits at just the right time in the tracklist. “Stealing Time” returns to the funk playbook but adds a little more bite. By the time we get to “One Horse Race,” the sun is fully up. This track feels like morning light pouring into a kitchen window. The vocals are bright and open, and the whole thing lands like a breath of fresh air. To be honest, Pleasure plays like a deliberate pastiche, and it is clear the band is fully aware of it. But that is also what makes the record work. It does not need to be wildly original to be successful. It is an homage with heart, and the songwriting, production, and performances are all dialed in. This is the kind of album that you can put on at almost any time and feel better for it. It is easy to love, easy to revisit, and proof that doing something familiar can still feel deeply satisfying when done this well.
1 Comment
Ricardo
5/25/2025 08:16:13 am
They are incredible and their songs are amazing! High quality
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