PGS is back!

URL: https://www.projectgrandslam.com/

A somber radiance envelops every word that Ziarra Washington croons in her exquisite lead vocal on the track “Tree of Life,” one of thirteen incredible new songs to behold on Project Grand Slam’s new album PGS 7. She touches on the universal pains of a society that can’t seem to get it together, despite having all the tools readily at our disposal. It’s a stark contrast compositionally from the rhythmic “Funk Latino,” but it doesn’t feel out of place amongst the smorgasbord of emotion and melodicism that is this stunning record. The rebellious rock n’ roll grinder “I Don’t Know Why” showcases Robert Miller’s legendary bass skills, and next to the instrumental tour de force “Torpedo of Love,” utilizes all of the depth in this LP’s groove-centric structure. “The ‘In’ Crowd” is one of the more exotic pieces in the tracklist, and though its main focus is in Washington’s heart-melting voice, it doesn’t shortchange us in the music supporting her in the least. PGS 7 is a very involved listen from top to bottom, but it doesn’t demand much from its audience relative to the treasure chest of tenacity that it rewards us with.

“No One’s Fool” took me by surprise the first time that I sat down and gave this album my undivided attention, and it wasn’t because of its breakneck pacing alone. Much like the balladic jazz tune “With You,” it’s a very angular concept piece that is hard to categorize by typical genre standards. There’s a lot of R&B color here, as there is a menacing blues groove in “Get Out” (the unabashed star of the record), and it actually meshes with the consistent jazz overtones in the rhythm extraordinarily well. Along with “Python,” “Get Out” uses its evocative bassline to crush us with its broad-shouldered strength, and even though the former is devoid of any lyrics, it spins just as relatable a yarn as the latter does via its surreal instrumental harmonies. If you listen closely enough to any of these songs, you can hear all of the intricate details within every component of the music, and because of the slickly produced mix, we’re never robbed of the moving tone that each track has to share.

“Yeah Yeah” gets the ball rolling in PGS 7 on the back of a jazzy funk beat that will bleed into lead single “Redemption Road” and its blues-inspired swagger. One song that really stuck out to me as a muscle flex on the part of the band was “Take Me,” a track that feels much more like a live jam than it does a song that was recorded in the studio. It’s by no means filler, but it’s definitely the most eccentric exercise to be enjoyed on the album. You don’t have to be aware of the phenomenally engrossing catalogue of music that Project Grand Slam has released in their time as a unit to appreciate how brilliant a band they are in tracks like the charmer “At Midnight,” the sinfully sweet “Torpedo of Love” or the grand “Get Out,” but if you’ve been following these cats since their salad days, you’re most likely going to find this to be quite a splendid selection of songs.

Mindy McCall

The music of Project Grand Slam has been heard all over the world due to the promotional services offered by Danie Cortese Entertainment & Publicity. Learn more here – http://www.daniecorteseent.com/