SON LITTLE - Cityfolk

There are many reasons why Son Little's (aka Aaron Livingston) discography is so compelling: it's not just the musician's smooth, fragile vocal timbre or his equally distinctive guitar style—understated yet full of clever instrumental touches—what really grabs the attention is the artist's deep creative connection between funk–soul and the finest musical traditions of New Orleans and Memphis. It's hardly surprising, then, that for the recording of "Cityfolk" the musician chose Muscle Shoals, albeit after plumbing problems ruled out the use of his home studio.

Ben Tanner of Alabama Shakes is once again by his side, an artist with whom Son Little shares a fondness for a musicality balanced between electric and acoustic, firmly rooted in soul, blues and hip-hop, while not shying away from forays into the best country and pop tradition. The result is a funky-soul that is as eclectic as it is reflective, rich in intriguing hybrids like the blues of "Rabbit", punctuated by banjo and laced with vintage synth textures and a full-bodied bassline, or the sensual mix of latin-soul and afrobeat lightly brushed by the synthesizers on "Whip The Wind", which wouldn't sound out of place on an old Stevie Wonder record.

At this point it might seem that Son Little plays his best cards in the album's opening stretch and then coasts along without further creative jolts, but the solid, modern r&b groove of "Cherry" and the sublime interplay between keyboards and daring guitar arpeggios on "Bottomless" confirm that "Cityfolk" is anything but ordinary. Used as we are to stylistically homogenized records, we might find Son Little's new album scattered, perhaps too varied, but the reality is quite different: every song is the product of a clearly defined lyrical and harmonic intuition, and its uniqueness lies in a musicality that remains singular and ineffable.

"Cityfolk" is a treasure chest brimming with wonders: the Muscle Shoals-style blues of "Be Better", ruffled by refined electro-acoustic textures, is a heartfelt tribute to Mavis Staples, an artist Livingston has collaborated with in the past; the aching delicacy of piano, guitar and drums on "It's Your World" slides into gospel tones; and even darker and more visceral is the gospel-rock-soul of "The Valley".

Son Little's decision to try his hand at every possible shade of soul music is decidedly winning and convincing: there are plenty of original ideas, some not even easy to appreciate on first listen ("In Orbit", "Breathe"), but it's hard to remain unmoved by the splendid gospel exhortation set to trap rhythms and filtered vocals on "Paper Children", with its indictment of those who exploit the poor and oppress the weak: yet another gem set into a record that, beyond confirming the American musician's artistic solidity, showcases his finest compositional instincts, offering at least a trio of songs worth holding onto dearly.

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18/04/2026