The Devonns Give Jamie Lidell's 'Green Light' A Righteous Workout

It's a horn-drenched, vintage soul cover...

Chicago funk and soul outfit *The Devonns* don't do things by half measures.

Steeped in vintage reference points, the group have worked hard to make sure that every single detail is exact.

But it's not just a throwback - the band have a certain spirit of their own, a taste of flavour that feels wholly original.

Working with esteemed crate-digger imprint Record Kicks, The Devonns will release a new self-titled album on June 5th.

A record informed by the rich heritage of Chicago soul - from the 50s right up to the Millennium - it's also dominated by their own peerless songwriting.

This time, though, we've opted for something a little different. The Devonns regularly cover 'Green Light' in their live set, overhauling Jamie Lidell's futuristic modern soul in the process.

Finally laid down in the studio, this is a gritty workout, one that pushes the band's own unique sound. Mathew Ajjarapu explains...

"I can’t take credit for this one since it’s a cover. But right after I dropped out of grad school, I was listening to three albums all around the same time: 'The Way I See It' by Raphael Saadiq, 'The Way I Feel' by Remy Shand, and 'Jim' by Jamie Lidell. All three sort of lean on vintage soul in similar but distinct ways, and all three were (and are) to me absolutely enthralling. Jamie Lidell, in particular puts out like great album after great album, all totally different stylistically than the last one."

"So I don’t know… when I was building our set list, I wanted to pay homage to at least one of these three artists, and that’s sort of how 'Green Light' worked its way into The Devonns’s live set list (and eventually the album). I will say, I would give a finger to sing and produce as good as Jamie, no hesitation."

Tune in now.

Record Kicks · Green Light

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