Golden Mixtape

We all make assumptions based on first sight. Those who deny this are lying to themselves to appear uber PC. I ain’t no liar. I can fully admit that when I picked up Kudu Blue’s Shaded, I was fully expecting an indie rock record. Instead, I got something far from that. Unexpected, but a total delight.

Instead of indie rock, in came this sensual R&B sound that made my eyes widen at 8 am on a Sunday. While Clementine brings what Wendy Williams would call “the sex,” her boys Owen, Tom, and Creeda build up this very modern sound that fans of Bieber’s Purpose album would appreciate. Which was just about everyone because that album is perfection musically speaking. That’s actually an artist I’ve drawn comparisons to around here before, but I never thought I’d say someone delivered a very Deborah Cox-like performance. Then in came “Drink Alone.” A more uptempo track than the last, Clementine pulls out all the stops, and later does the same as she controls those vocals wonderfully in “Enemy.”

Surprises are usually something I just can’t with, but today I was happy to hear Shaded wasn’t what I expected it to be. This foursome from Brighton is doing it up. In the right hands, they could own 2017 with Shaded, out now.