Penguin Prison is by far one the brightest spots in the musical world and one of my favorite new artists. I have been completely, insanely hooked since I first heard ‘The Worse It Gets’, then only to become even more impressed and hooked by ‘Something I’m Not’ and ‘Golden Train’. Penguin Prison crafts sounds that are truly unique and completely unlike anything else in music, yet at the same time evokes deep feelings and emotional triggers that are tied the timeless sounds of legends that have, in some small part, had a hand in creating the skilled musician and impressive storyteller Penguin Prison has become.
At times the New York native has a voice and presence that echoes the cool of Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake. He consistently creates tracks thats are powerful lyrically, always able to explain the complexity of his emotion in easily relatable prose. He fuses disco, soul, funk and rock – drawing on a range of inspiration from Wu Tang to Nat King Cole – creating genre defying sounds in every track.
After the jump read about some of my favorite tracks and on an album I play on repeat over and over again, where no song is disliked, unwanted or skipped selecting a small few to highlight is a feat in and of itself.
‘Don’t F**k With My Money’
Slick, dancey, and cool this is sexy nu-disco at its very best. Chris’s channeling of Led Zeppelin‘s Robert Plant’s vocal imprint can be seen in the powerful and raw vocals with guttural growls, impressive falsetto wails and primal ugh and grunts to convey the soul and power of the song.
‘Golden Train’
The fusion of soul, lo-fi electro, nu-disco and funk to create one of the most irresistible songs I have heard in recent memory. Pair that with the effortless cool and confident delivery only comparable to 80′s area Michael Jackson.
‘Multi-Millionaire’
Biting social commentary wrapped up in a sexy, seductive and fanciful love song. Nu-disco reins supreme as Penguin Prison’s trademark funk and soul bleeds through creating a track that is as dancey as it is witty.
‘Something I’m Not’
Nu-disco meets a more atmospheric chillwave sound, paired with deeply relatable lyrics about battling the urges to conform and fit into a mold of something that is not meant to be.
‘The Worse It Gets’
This is Penguin Prison‘s ability to tell a story at its very best. ‘The Worse It Gets’ is the perfect musical embodiment of the yearning I get to leave the noise behind and get away to the freedom of the open road. I always get a melancholy feeling when the world becomes a bit overwhelming. Whether it is the stress of my personal life, term papers in college, or deadlines at work, the perfect escape is hitting the road with the windows down, sunroof open and music blaring, thankfully Penguin Prison tells the story far better than I ever could.
‘Fair Warning’
A wry, dry and surprisingly whimsical take on a song about love and the search for it.
‘Pinoccchio’
Different from the rest of the album in that the guitars and drums steal the show, the synths take a back seat, giving the song an organic and almost acoustic feel. It is again the perfect example of where Penguin Prison evokes legends of the past while creating something that is completely and wholly uniquely Penguin Prison. If Mac Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks were still crafting music together this is what I could only hope they would be creating.
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