The Corner Office
Galtta, 2020
9/10
The Galtta label is never in short supply of outsider pop releases, and here the guitarist for Blue Jazz TV, Max Zuckerman, takes significant nods to the past with his jazz, disco, and psychedelic pop ideas on the flawlessly executed The Corner Office.
“Wakai Tsubame” starts off with soulful disco sounds that brings us back to the ‘70s with smooth vocals from Zuckerman, and “Gaijin” continues the throwback sounds with a dreamier setting of cautious melodies.
The back half of the listen offers us the rich, groove filled “Airplane Girl”, where bouncy bass lines help illuminate the stand out tune, though “Busy Day” is a close second with its dance floor friendly rhythm. The title track finishes off the effort, where R&B flavor unfolds with both grace and playfulness as spirited guitars highlight the charming exit.
Zuckerman handles guitar, bass, keys and vocals here, while 2 different drummers divide up the tracks and David Lackner offers strategic horns and EWI. Though there’s just 6 tunes, they all surpass 5 minutes as Zuckerman and company cultivate a sophisticated presence with a timeless appeal on this very limited cassette.
Travels well with: Billy N’ Dave- Share My Chaise; Alice Cohen- Artificial Fairytales