The Baldwin Brothers Preview

The Baldwin Brothers
Abbey Pub, Chicago
Sunday, November 5, 2006

Bespectacled, unrelated, Chicago-based electronic duo The Baldwin Brothers finally released their sophomore album in October, a sensual, melodic Euro-lounge romp called Return Of The Golden Rhodes (TVT).

Much like their debut, Cooking With Lasers, Golden Rhodes has guest stars (Mark Lanegan, rapper Julio Davi, Basement Jaxx vocalist Lisa Kekaula), but time off has produced a more mature album, one that isn’t so attention starved. Kekaula puts “Leave The Past Behind” in her handbag so TJ Widner and Jason Finkle can conjure the slow-soul track’s unbelievable warmth, before returning to the Thievary Corporation-ish international lite-funk that has increasingly become their specialty. While their Rhodes electric piano is once again the focal point, it’s used less as a retro gimmick and more sturdily incorporated as a core rhythm instrument. “A Matter Of Time” melds disco, Deee-Lite, big band, and some icky-wicky hip-hop with little else than the dancefloor in mind, while the more slippery “Incident At The Lab” turns Banana Republic Muzak into playful soul that would border on fusion if this really were from the decade it so obviously adores.

Swollen Members headline.

— Steve Forstneger

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly