Van Hunt “Use In Case Of Emergency” Review
Listening to Van Hunt’s 2004 self-titled debut, it would have been easy to lump the singer into neo-soul’s second wave along with the Dweles and Musiqs of the world. Featuring chilled-out grooves and sexy lyrics, the album had a number of catchy tracks (especially “Dust” and “Down Here in Hell With You”) and is certainly worth a listen, but it did little to differentiate itself from the other D’angelo-wannabe projects out there.
But 2006′s On the Jungle Floor took the tiny hints of weirdness on Van Hunt’s debut and made an entire album out of them. An ambitious, genre-mashing tour de force, the album featured tracks like the Nikka Costa duet “Mean Sleep,” transcendentally funky “Hot Stage Lights” and the high point (one of my favorite songs) “At the End of a Slow Dance,” a wildly catchy hybrid of ’80s synth-pop, psychedelic neo-soul and monster ballad. On the Jungle Floor proved that Van Hunt was much more than another pretty face recycling “Brown Sugar” he was an artist, capable of making fun, danceable music that also pushed pop boundaries.
Van Hunt’s new album is called Use in Case of Emergency. As the title suggests, it’s a collection of unused tracks, re-workings of older tracks and more meant to satiate fans before a proper follow-up is released (an album recorded in 2007 for Blue Note, Popular, looks like it’ll never be see daylight).
While a release like this could be a bunch of throwaway tracks meant only for the die-hard fans, the album has a few noteworthy songs. “Her Smile” is a bittersweet, working-class ballad, perfect recession music. “Sexy (I’m Not Known for Dancing)” succeeds despite its somewhat cringe-worthy hook (“sexy sexy love, sexy sexy love”) on the strength of the spare arrangement and Van Hunt’s space alien falsetto. The original version of “On the Jungle Floor,” “Hot Stage Lights,” here called “Man of the Year,” is a bouncy punk/funk mix that allows Van Hunt to showcase his inner-Prince.
Overall, Use in Case of Emergency lacks the strong singles of Van Hunt’s debut, and isn’t quite as fully-realized as On the Jungle Floor, but it’s a fun listen. Van Hunt fans will definitely want to check it out, and while newer listeners should probably start at the beginning of his short-yet-strong discography, they’ll probably enjoy this one too.
Van Hunt has ever been a D’angelo want-to-be, even on his first album. What does that make D’angelo, a Curtis Mayfield/Marvin Gaye/Prince wannabe? Ridiculous…
That is all.
In my opinion the reviewer pinpoints the interesting songs of Van Hunt. One’s really gotta get used to the sound, when sending it through the speakers for the first time. It’s different, funky, challenging and fresh. It simply influences your opinion about modern music in general. Only great artists can do that. I’ve heard all his songs at least a hundred times. Every time I hear new details. Hopefully he’ll provide us of great stuff in the future.
I agree with Bernie a million times over.
This article doesn’t give fair mention to Van Hunt’s album, Popular. Yes, I agree with the author’s (presumed) choice as the benchmark, On The Jungle Floor. Yet, Popular has some interesting moments. It was released a year and a half ago, I think. Some of those tracks have had to sink by now, Bernie.
I’ve just read this and I second Bernie’s view. Also, I think Van Hunt is more influenced by Prince, George Clinton, and Sly Stone, rather than D’angelo. Van Hunt and D’angelo are in the same playing field. I personally think VH is way funkier! Sorry, James River.