Clean Bandit / What Is Love?

Mike Wood

The second full-length album from the British electronic trio digs into its own archives for inspiration, and even includes some of their biggest hit singles from as far back as 2016 (“Rockabye,” “Symphony,” “Solo”) on this winter 2018 release. These oft-played dance floor staples are weaved within newer material that does as the group has always done: Blend both classical music (yes, Mozart) and electronic dance, while featuring guest vocalists (this time you’ll hear Ellie Goulding and Rita Ora, among others) to add some star power to their let’s-top-the-charts push.

Clean Bandit is so successful at creating hit singles as one-offs that releasing an actual full-length album almost feels like an unnecessary formality. To help this all make some sense, the trio has suggested a theme, earnest as it may seem, to explore what love is – romantic love, motherly love, brotherly love, broken love … you get the idea. But a mere concept doesn’t make art, and as qualified as their guest vocalists may be, most of the songs are more “meh” than memorable.

When you’re singing about love in all its forms – whether innocent or lost – and all that connects the dots is “some kind of love” as a concept, it sounds more like an album idea cooked up by publicists, not the artists. The results on What Is Love? come off as recycled and glued together, not inspired or connected. With this effort ,Clean Bandit may have sealed their fate as one (at a time)-hit wonders … if they wisely remember to release those hits one at a time.

For more information, visit cleanbandit.co.uk.

Jeff Goldblum / Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra

Jennifer Russo

I am always appreciative of actors who delve into another realm of art. Sometimes, this works out well – Jared Leto and 30 Seconds to Mars, for instance. Sometimes it’s downright tragic, like David Duchovny, who should have just stuck to acting.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that Jeff Goldblum – yes, the same actor from The Fly, Jurassic Park and Independence Day – was also a jazz pianist. The album is aptly recorded in Hollywood at Capitol Studios, which was made into a pop-up jazz venue for the album and features a live audience. Though this may seem a bit kitschy, it actually works quite well, considering the actor is awkwardly charming as a rule. I was impressed to hear that Goldblum is also a very talented piano player, apparently playing weekly shows at a club in Los Angeles and performing at the London Jazz Festival (who knew?). On this album he does great renditions of songs original to Marvin Gaye, Nat King Cole and Miles Davis, among others.

I appreciate that Goldblum shines here, but that there is also room for others in the orchestra to solo and show their skills. It makes for a balanced album. American Idol sweetheart Haley Reinhart also lends talent to this album, with her sultry vocal doing beautiful justice to “My Baby Just Cares for Me.” In a surprising and funny twist, Goldblum takes on the Sinatra vocals of “Me and My Shadow” with comedian Sarah Silverman, who sings Sammy Davis Jr.’s part in a not-too-serious take on the Rat Pack classic.

The album can be purchased anywhere, but for a taste, you can find the sessions with the orchestra on YouTube.

The Brilliance / Suite No.1 Oh the Dreamer

Jason Savio

It can be hard to put together a collection of songs that is consistent and carries a theme of importance. The Brilliance’s Suite No. 1 Oh the Dreamer does so and does it with grace.

Suite No. 1 Oh the Dreamer is inspired by and focuses on the DACA Dreamers – young people who arrived in the United States as undocumented immigrants when they were children and have stayed here under the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, but now find themselves susceptible to deportation since President Trump ordered the program to end.

It’s heavy stuff, to say the least. And The Brilliance wants you to know that it’s very important.

This short collection of songs is as restrained and deliberate as any you are apt to hear. Somber piano melodies and haunting strings are the lone two instruments featured on many of the tracks, especially the three instrumentals, “Valte’s Dream,” “Ludwig’s Dream” and “Lilly’s Dream.” In the liner notes, the band explains how they met up with Dreamers and learned their stories, many of which come to life in the three instrumentals, capturing emotions that are both beautiful and sad.

“Don’t You Let Go” is perhaps the most uplifting song here, with David Gungor singing, “Don’t you let go of your dream today,” backed up by a choir. The band stated that with this album, they wanted to create music that inspired empathy. Job well done.

For more information, visit thebrilliancemusic.com.