The Child of Lov – The Child of Lov
Double Six Records: 2013
Over-sharing on the Internet has gotten to the point where you have to block your parents on Facebook not for what you post but for what they post on the social networking site. This phenomenon of sorts has also led to there being so much new music readily available that you could have a new favorite every other week, if not every other day. So it means more than simply good PR copy that Cole Williams, better known as the Child of Lov, didn’t rush to get his product out to the world. Instead, he laid low with little more than some rough demos and a MySpace page to “promote” his music. No one knew about this guy until he was discovered—yes, that still happens—by Trey Reames, who brought together Cee-Lo Green and Danger Mouse to form Gnarls Barkley. Once Reames heard Williams and fell in love with his raspy, bluesy, soulful tunes, it was but a matter of time before the rest of the world fell in love, too.
That brings us to The Child of Lov, Williams’ self-titled debut that transcends genres and expectations. He’s clearly a student of his influences, be it J Dilla, D’Angelo, or James Brown, but he uses their combined touchstone not to replicate but innovate. He’s like a 2013 version of what we heard from Beck on Mellow Gold, a groundbreaking, albeit now overlooked, album in a vast, versatile, and consistent discography. The similarities between “Loser”-era Beck and The Child of Lov manifest themselves superficially at first, such as Williams’ penchant for layering his throaty vocals into an even raspier, just-touch-short-of-grating delivery. Compare his “Fly” to Beck’s “Soul Suckin’ Jerk”, for one.
Where the comparison to one of the finest ’90s albums (Mellow Gold) grows deeper is in the clear ode to blues, soul, and psychedelia. When Williams notes that he loves Dilla and Madlib, it’s primarily based on the former’s work with singers and the latter’s tripped-out instrumental grooves. This doesn’t completely dismiss a fondness for hip-hop, as the genre’s leading oddball, MF DOOM, makes a killer guest appearance rapping about god knows what (aka doing the DOOM) on “Owl”. Strong grooves and drums pay a huge part in the LP, too, which makes Williams’ affinity for Dilla and Madlib that much more convincing and apparent. This also becomes apparent on “One Day”, which creeps forward with a slight wobble and guest vocals from Damon Albarn. The Blur/Gorillaz frontman pinch hits on the second verse, adding his signature near-falsetto to the brooding organs and pacing percussion. “One Day” grooves, for sure, but it’s a slow, steady shuffle.
While hip-hop might play a strong role in The Child of Lov, the blues is the dominating force throughout the LP. You’ll hear touches of the greats, be it Otis Redding or John Lee Hooker, everywhere. Hell, it might even get to the point you think they’re being sampled, but it’s really just Williams. The sound and heart of the blues is at his core, even on TV On The Radio-esque jam “Warrior” or when he’s going more straightforward on hippie anthem/closer “Give It To The People”. This is the blues in 2013 by way of a guy who’s lived in London, Paris, and Amsterdam. And it’s great.
4 out of 5