Album Review: Chris Lujan & Electric Butter — The Real Thing
A couple of months ago, I wrote a Metro Silicon Valley feature about Raza del Soul, a California record label dedicated to preserving old (and celebrating new) Chicano soul music. Headed by J.M. Valle, Raza del Soul does important work that also happens to bring wonderful music to today’s listeners. In addition to reissuing 45 r.p.m. singles, Valle distributes new recordings by current artists and labels like Black Diamond. One of the most recent – and best – among those is The Real Thing from Chris Lujan & Electric Butter (feat. Andre Cruz).
Anyone who appreciates Charles Bradley or Sharon Jones simply must hear this record. The production and arrangement values are so amazingly spot-on that you’ll swear the record was cut four or more decades ago. A real horn section, a taut and soulful band and impassioned vocals (with no Autotune) are just a few of the virtues of the music on the truth-in-labeling The Real Thing.
Vocalist Andre Cruz is out front, while bandleader Lujan – who writes or cowrites most of the material – is on hand playing multiple instruments (primarily bass). The band includes guitarist Charlie Hunter and keyboardist Adam Scone; the latter is a veteran of both Sugarman 3 and The Dap-Kings. Cruz adopts a sweet soul falsetto on “Somewhere Else,” sounding like an even more organic Mayer Hawthorne.
Valle may or may not have coined the genre term “souldies,” but it certainly applies here. This music is dripping with authenticity, but none of that would matter if it didn’t sound as great as it does. The sweet soul revival remains in full bloom, and with the support of Valle and distributing for labels like the Black Diamond, the future looks bright indeed. The Real Thing — just that — is essential.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.