
Barring a surprise release from the likes of Jamie Lidell, you can rest assure that you won’t find a funkier album than Pink and Purple.
Release Date: June 16, 2009
Record Label:Wilcassettes
Rating: 87
For better or worse, EPs don’t often get the full review treatment around here. However, there’s a definite reason why Wilkis’ Pink and Purple is a notable exception– it is, through and through, a funky throwback that ultimately leaves a lasting impression despite being a mere 26 minutes.
The opening “Snuggle Up to Nail Down” is such a wonderfully executed pastiche of funk and soul artists of the 70’s and 80’s, that you’ll find yourself in an immediate groove that never lets up.
The centerpiece of the album is “Gotta Get You Back,” which is pure saccharine but never broaches the level of being trite. Instead it highlights Wilkis’ strength as a songwriter to not only compose a highly likable pop song, but to also underscore it with enough light-funk sensibility that it doesn’t diffuse the overall feel of the album. The title track, which immediately follows, serves as a nice contrast with its darker production but is just as enjoyable and danceable as anything else on the album.
Wilkis accomplishes so much on Pink and Purple that it’s hard to believe it is an EP. While his strengths lie in the more concise songs on the album, there’s no filler whatsoever. It’ll be interesting to see how Wilkis builds on this release, but if the next full length release is anything like this, expect there to be a lot of surrounding fanfare.
Alan Wilkis - “Gotta Get You Back”








