Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak released their new song, “Leave the Door Open,” off their upcoming debut album for their new band, Silk Sonic, last month.
“Leave the Door Open” is a musical triumph with every chance of being a generational classic. Capturing the feel of a modern-day throwback, the song took just one day to reach number one on U.S. iTunes.
The all-star combination of its Grammy award-winning artists, Mars and Paak, is a dream come true. The stylistic matchup of these R&B superstars is perfectly depicted in their band name, Silk Sonic.
The name was given to them by musician, Bootsy Collins, the “special guest host” of the album, which is believed to be named “An Evening with Silk Sonic.” In an interview with Zane Lowe, Mars and Paak both agreed the band name was a “done deal” after Collins suggested it.
“He could’ve said whatever,” Mars said in the interview. “It would’ve been whatever he wanted.”
This was not the first name they had in mind. Silk Sonic topped names such as RoboCop Funk, The Conquistadors, The Atlantic Stars, The Lava Lamps and as Mars described, “some Spanish ones that didn’t work out.”
From the beginning of the song, the two artists are immediately identifiable. A voice as smooth as “Suede” is the first we hear as Paak leads off.
Soon after, Mars’ golden call takes the reins and leads us into the chorus. In one of the most sonically pleasing performances of recent memory, Mars’ and Paak’s chords, harmonies, key changes and turnarounds leave nothing to be desired.
The song tells the story of a wealthy man, presumably Mars or Paak, who is head over heels for someone and desperately hopes they feel the same way.
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s new band is called Silk Sonic.
Photo courtesy of Atlantic Records
In the second verse, Paak makes a bold claim to the girl.
“Ooh baby, don’t keep me waitin’ / There’s so much love we could be making (Shamon) / I’m talkin’, kissin’, cuddlin’ / Rose petals in the bathtub / Girl, let’s jump in / It’s bubblin’,” he sings.
Though more than likely this is nothing more than coincidence, one cannot help but think of Paak’s Grammy award-winning song, “Bubblin,” released in 2018.
Mars follows this and reaffirms to the woman, “I ain’t playing no games / Every word that I say is coming straight from the heart.”
This leads into the chorus where Mars makes the offer of the century.
“So if you’re tryna lay in these arms / Imma leave the door open / Hoping that you feel the way I feel and you want me like I want you tonight, baby / Tell me that you’re coming through,” Mars sings.
As satisfying as the song’s audio is, the music video has an equally smooth and easily enjoyable appeal. Successfully capturing the throwback aesthetic, it depicts a 1970s studio session.
In addition, the movement of the music is subtly reflected in the movement of the camera. With added humor from both Mars and Paak, it’s as enjoyable the tenth time as it was the first.
Paak’s drum playing has become an instantly recognizable aspect of his music. The incredible backbone that is the drums is the result of one studio take.
On March 14, the two performed at the Grammy Awards, marking the first-ever televised performance by Silk Sonic. They did not disappoint as the performance was nostalgic with the artists dressed in leisure suits singing their new song. Paak and Mars took turns at lead, while the other would join the two background singers and dancers.
The choreography was incredibly simple while simultaneously doing the most. Vocally, these heavy hitters did not hold back, displaying incredible range, runs and harmonies in an extended outro.
What made all of this even more perfect were the filters and edits from the video editors. From the camera quality to the effect given to the Silk Sonic logo at the beginning of the performance, it genuinely looked like a clip pulled from the 1970s.
The time-defying ballad and already intriguing performance are just the teasers of the album. Though Silk Sonic has not announced a release date, it cannot come soon enough.
