Following the success of his 2016 album, “In My Mind,” BJ The Chicago Kid, or Bryan James Sledge, looks to take his sound in a new direction with his latest release, “Gravy.” The album was recorded in the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, previously used by soul legend Al Green. Someone put a lot of thought into the structure of making this listenable as a whole album. The intro track really sounds like a proper introduction, and the outro really sounds like a breaking down of the musical elements to their absolute core, pulling further away from the audience while digging deeper into the influences of BJ the Chicago Kid. He mentions in the final acoustic track that “This song sounds like something my grandma would have liked to sing.” Personally, I love the tracks on the record, but the last song speaks to me in a special way.

Some notable collaborators on the album include Cory Henry, Robert Glasper, Freddie Gibbs, Andra Day, Coco Jones, Chlöe, and Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire. Not to forget his producer on this project, Yeti Beats.

BJ The Chicago Kid explained in an interview that the title “Gravy” refers not only to the savory topping for cuisine but also symbolizes the richness of Black heritage. He points to similarities in how gravy, like Black culture, enhances and makes everything better, with its unique flavor and essence. So his title is in celebration of a culture, hoping to give a sense of pride and hope for future generations within that culture.

This record was a collaboration between BJ The Chicago Kid and Yeti Beats. With this record, BJ said he wanted to learn the rules of pop music. It does sound akin to the massively successful Silk Sonic album “An Evening With Silk Sonic.” I am all for this wave of music. If you compare this song to previous releases by the artist, they do have a bit of a more upbeat feeling to them. This is probably because he wanted to try and experiment more with pop music, where “feel-good” songs with happy energy are very common. Some pop songs are forcibly happy, like they are holding you hostage to feel good. Walking on the line between actual feel-good and annoyingly happy is tough. But the tracks on this album definitely don’t fall into that last category for me. They have a really good blend of Pop/RnB/Soul, setting the mood just right.

With this record, BJ wants listeners to understand the broader messenger behind “Gravy.” That is, it is more than just the music. It is about a symbol for a whole culture including soulful living, food, fashion, and family. He wants the fans to use the songs to enhance everyday activities and make them a part of their life. Personally, I will use this record as an enhancer for cooking evenings, pre-parties, and perhaps even pre-show tracks to invite a crowd to gather around the stage, all in the name of feeling good!

Author: Peter Källman

Peter Källman is a writer from Sweden who loves playing in bands, writing reviews and going to live shows!