ERIC COPELAND – BLACK BUBBLEGUM – DFA

Eric Copeland is one of those artists who skews pop music really well, and ‘Black Bubblegum’ takes a lot of familiar sounds but puts them together in a way that is wholly unfamiliar. Copeland doesn’t mess around, there’s no padding here, and in songs like ‘Cannibal World’ he thinks nothing of adding a touch of calypso to the mix. In this way he has an all-inclusive sound, bringing funk, a touch of blues, a bit of disco and even some ska to make an intriguing melting pot of beats and styles. As he moves through crunchy cross rhythms and chords, there is an endearing warmth to much of Copeland’s writing, and the odd hint of dark depths that add an extra layer. Typical DFA, always asking questions of the listener but giving them rewards at the same time!

4 out of 5

Reviewed by: Ben Hogwood