The final two songs on Chris Dave’s debut album present a vivid argument for the drummer as modern bandleader. After a couple of minutes of the psychedelic “Lady Jane,” the Houston-born musician’s stickwork explodes, scattering percussive shrapnel all over the track before he takes command and slows the song to a stuttering halt. And on the space-jazz-influenced “Trippy Tipsy,” Dave’s rocket-fuel drumming lends momentum to celestial sax riffs. Together, they showcase the man behind the drum kit as the lead musical voice. But it’s telling that those two songs are instrumental affairs, because the 13 tracks that precede them are heavy on guest vocalists, to the point where Dave becomes cast as a backseat presence on what should be his journey.
Make no mistake, Dave’s credentials are fully in check. Drumming since the age of three, he’s subsequently played with D’Angelo and John Legend, while in the recording studio he’s contributed to Grammy-winning albums by the Robert Glasper Experiment (Black Radio) and Adele (21). Dave’s connections and reputation have allowed him to pack his self-titled debut with guests who roll with Kendrick Lamar (Top Dawg Entertainment’s Inglewood connection SiR and the singer Anna Wise), hip-hop turntable icon Jazzy Jeff, renowned underground MCs Phonte Coleman and Elzhi, and even former Timbaland collaborator Tweet. But the relationship between guests and hosts isn’t even. The sheer number of voices, which is around 50 once you factor in musicians, threatens to muffle Dave’s smart and soulful playing.
When the vibe is stripped down, the project works best, but it often feels like slogging through molasses to get there. Track six, “Spread Her Wings,” is exquisite: Bilal and Tweet’s sweet vocals are thoughtfully matched with Dave’s shimmering cymbals. “Who better than me to spend your whole lifetime?” croons Bilal at the song’s apex, before Dave’s drum kit erupts into a kaleidoscope of percussion. Crucially, as the song settles, you realize that it’s the drum work conveying the emotion.
That’s not to say the artists on the oversized roster of guests are clunkers. Anderson .Paak brings superfly swagger to “Black Hole” as he sings suavely about how “the cops gon’ bust me if my money too husky.” Phonte and Elzhi drop smart couplets over the clipped funk of “Destiny N Stereo.” Mint Condition’s Stokley Williams adds sultry slow-jam vocals to “Cosmic Intercourse.” (There is an overarching interstellar theme to the album.) But as each new voice emerges, Dave’s own role seems to minimize. It’s like a hip-hop producer’s solo album that ends up becoming defined by one or two stand-out guest turns—think of the way “Tru Master,” featuring Inspectah Deck and Kurupt, dominates Pete Rock’s Soul Survivor—rather than something that gels into a successful top-to-toe listening experience.
Curiously, the album almost seems to end with “Job Well Done,” which hooks onto Anna Wise and SiR’s back-and-forth over a dreamy groove embellished with lilting acoustic guitar. But as the track ends, the glorious “Lady Jane” and “Trippy Tipsy” emerge, sounding less like poignant codas than a hint of what might have been. Chris Dave’s accomplished chops demand that he should be the star of his debut—but too often he’s lost in the firmament.
