The It City is a Nashville based band consisting of artists DJ Phillips, Derrek Phillips, Rich Brinsfield, and Reed Pittman. They manage to draw from different genres like pop, soul and R&B to truly represent their hometown’s musical diversity and come together to create a funk-filled experience. “Tinderbox”, their latest album consisting of a mixture of original tracks and creative covers releases today!

“Tinderbox” starts off with the first track “Give Me That Sunshine”, which sets a very jazzy and upbeat stage for the rest of the album to follow. The horns on this track are phenomenal adding grandeur to the entrance as well as bridge. The spoken-word-like verses stand in juxtaposition to the very flowery instrumentation. This is followed by “Rhythm Nation” which takes the funkiness forward with anthemic percussion and a party-like ambience with the vocal harmonies sprinkled all over the track adding lot of texture to the. “Waiting For My Moment” makes use of acoustic guitars that make for a cheery atmosphere while the bass guitar adds elements of mystery to the song. I enjoyed the rather airy and spacey feeling this track brought along with it.

“Fire” features Alicia Michilli who gives a really bold vocal performance and manages to hold the listener’s attention throughout the song. This is the most chaotic track on the album in the best way possible and the experimental instrumental section brings to the forefront new sonic elements I enjoyed paying attention to. “Every Little Thing” feels like it is written from the point of view of an obsessive lover and the whispery husky vocals enhance this mysterious tone. The synth on the track is great and so is the whistle tone that acts as the backbone of the melody.

As the album progresses one realises the emphasis it places on the horns and “The Ocean” featuring Kiley Philips only reinforces the value of the instrument. The string work on this track is almost metallic with country music-like inflections. “You Could Break My Heart” is oddly soothing as it brings back nostalgia with its 80s sonic palette filled with ripple sound effects. The track switches sound midway to become much lighter and lyrically explores the feeling of a helpless lover asking for their heart to be broken. “Don’t Start A Fire” is the most retro cut on the album that uses claps as a part of the percussion, making you feel like you are actually around people. The background vocals and the string work keep things alive and upbeat on it.

“I Wanna Go Home” is a simple, soothing and sooth track which makes for a much-needed change of pace. The electronic synth in the bridge elevates what is already present in the sonic palette. The string work on “Put The Pistol Away”, especially the catchy electric guitar riffs are really well done and holds the track together, while the lyrical theme calling for peace is endearing. “Shatter” is an interesting spin on the song of the same title by Maggie Rogers. It is the most recognizable cover on the album and The It City mange to bring their own essence to it. The album ends with “Let It Burn”, a dance worthy party track with rebellious songwriting.

It is refreshing to see artists put out entire projects as an homage to funk music and it is safe to say that with their latest release “Tinderbox”, The IT City are bringing experimental funk back!