by Rick Anderson
Matthew Chicoine's third album under the name Recloose is like a fond look back at the more adventurous side of 1970s funk and soul, as seen through the lens of 1990s Detroit. He still has his sense of humor (each track on this album is exactly three minutes and 45 seconds long), and he still has connections with some very fine singers. Of all the influences that are audible on this very enjoyable program, the one that pops up most regularly is Parliament/Funkadelic -- you hear that Clinton/Bootsy echo especially strongly in the elephantine beat of "Solomon's Alive" and in the slightly frantic "Can It Be," both of which are OK songs built on spectacular grooves. What their predecessors had, and these songs lack, are really great hooks. Where the hooks appear, they're mostly courtesy of singer Tyna, whose excellent "Sanctuary" features a gorgeous juxtaposition of synthesized bass, a dense horn chart, and superb vocals, and whose "So Cool" features astringently smooth harmonies on the lovely chorus. Other highlights include the cool and complex funk of "Catch a Leaf" (featuring the very fine singer Rachel Frasier), the Latin-tinged "Robop," and the slow, shuffling funk groove that supports a quiet storm vocal reprise from Frasier on "Daydream," the final track.