Oh, so Mark Ronson still does music! I thought he had been banished to tabloid references in articles about Lindsay Lohan. But apparently he’s rediscovered his work ethic , resulting in this catchy third album Record Collection.
Single “Bang Bang Bang’ features rapper Q-Tip and MDNR’s Amanda Warner and ushers in the retro ‘90s synth vibe of the album, which is perfected in ‘Lose It (In The End)’, a dizzying burst of rhythmic drums courtesy of The Drums’ Jonathan Pierce and slamming verses by rapper Ghostface Killah. Ronson himself provides vocals for the chorus, and though next to Ghostface Killah his voice is positively diminutive, that’s OK. He then takes a starring role on the title track, which proves that Ronson should stick to being a silent influence. Boy George shows him how it’s done, and is accompanied by Andrew Wyatt as he emotes on the great swirling Caribbean beats of ‘Somebody to Love Me’
A definite highlight is ‘Glass Mountain Trust’, a looping and undeniably fun dance-funk track featuring the crooning vocals of D’Angelo that’s sure to fill dancefloors.
There are misfires: ‘The Bike Song’ is painful, the mash-up of voices and sounds makes the album oddly disparate. Still, it’s a record worth collecting.
Key Track: ‘Glass Mountain Trust’