Since his inception working under the moniker Boulevards, musician Jamil Rashad has been at the forefront of a new wave of modern-funk. It’s Rashad’s latest opus, Hurtown, USA, that cuts through the fog and disco-ball sheen like a knife to get to the heart of matters.
That’s not to say that the forthcoming new LP from Boulevards isn’t chock full of groovy bangers. As sampled on the album’s title-track, Rashad still delivers with forbears like Prince, Rick James, and Earth Wind & Fire in the mix with his own devil-may-care-flair that comes with nothing to left to lose.
“‘Hurtown,” is about driving through pain and heartbreak and letting go of that hurt. Me, Adam and Laura wanted to create a song that is based around an emotional turmoil that is hard to come back from. Anxiety, fear, loss, depression are things the heart goes through while dealing with heartbreak. This is what ‘Hurtown’ sounds and feels like.”
Stream Boulevards’ “Hurtown,” below and pre-order Hurtown, USA out December 8th here.
Boulevards tour dates:
12/15 – Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY
1/20 – Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC
