Busty and the Bass - Forever Never Cares (2023) Hi-Res

For the Canadian-American soul-jazz collective Busty and the Bass, collaboration has always been at the forefront of their music. Formed at McGill University in Montreal over a decade ago, the group is now scattered across four North American cities from coast to coast. Yet, with a collaborative spirit at the heart of their third studio album, Forever Never Cares, the members have never been more connected.

After a founding member and primary songwriter left the band in 2022, the collective used the opportunity to re-approach their creative process for the first time in years. Songs would be brought to the group from individual members or smaller formations of two or three members writing together. Interestingly, more voices involved in the songwriting resulted in the group’s most refined output to date.

With soul and R&B as the album’s cornerstone, the record is sprinkled with cross-genre explorations. From the indie rock-inflected uptempo singles “All The Things I Couldn’t Say To You” and “Wandering Lies,” to slow-burn ballads like “Give Me A Smile” and “Never Get Enough,” to the celebratory pop-funk of “Starstruck” and “No Angels,” a touch of 70s singer-songwriter on “Smoke and the Pine” and “Holiday Drive,” and the psychedelic jazz explorations of “Far From Here” and “No Self Control” featuring saxophonist Terrace Martin, a frequent collaborator of Kamasi Washington and Robert Glasper.

The album sounds, at once, of a bygone era and completely modern, featuring dynamic live performances, expansive arrangements, and a wide array of vocal approaches including the heartfelt expressiveness of founding member Alistair Blu, the otherworldly falsetto of Jordan Brown, the smokey soul of Katie Tupper, the power of Son Little, and the playfulness of Magi Merlin. The moment you think you know which direction the album is going, it takes another unexpected turn, but you are always delighted by the eventual destination.