Lettuce – Cook (2-LP Vinyl) Vinyl Record

Review

If you are tempted to make food analogies about Lettuce's 10th studio album, Cook, then you are not alone. The funk sextet, with a unique leafy name to accompany their patented funk sound, created their latest project with the culinary arts very much at the forefront, signaling that music and food are intertwined. Much like following a recipe to create a meal, the right mixture of ingredients can make or break the sound of an album. After three decades together, the combo's current lineup—Adam Deitch (drums, percussion), Adam Smirnoff (guitar), Erick Coomes (bass), Ryan Zoidis (sax, synths), Eric Bloom (trumpet, horns) and Nigel Hall (vocals, clarinet, and keyboards)—dish a generous dose of flavorful offerings, drawing the listener to the table. With the studio as the kitchen, the album is a full-bodied tasting menu of funk, soul, jazz, rock and hip-hop. Cleverly divided into four parts, brief 30 to 40 second interludes titled Sesshins are offered as palette cleansers between courses. Each of the mini tracks prepare the listeners' ear for the new sounds to follow. Lettuce even plays around with serving different "cuisines," with the Middle-Eastern flavored 7 Tribes and the Latin-infused The Matador. Rising to the Top, originally recorded by musician Keni Burke, is a nod to the 80's R&B influences that shape the band's sound while The Mac is a spirited homage to famed sax player Maceo Parker, with whom the band has collaborated with in the past. Cool, laid back, but definitely funky, Cook brings the heat with the right recipe both musically and organizationally, and the result is a compilation of songs that woven together entice and enrich the listener's senses.

— Lauren Wiseman, Relix

Product Details

Lettuce serves up a full-course groove experience with Cook, a 16-track feast of classic funk, rich instrumentation, and deep-pocket rhythm. The album features 12 full-length tracks, including two vocal cuts, with a standout cover of Keni Burke’s “Rising to the Top” leading the charge at radio. More than just a record, Cook is a multisensory experience: the vinyl includes a recipe book of original dishes crafted by the band, each paired with a song and one of their two new wines launched alongside the album. From front to back, Cook is Lettuce at their most flavorful—soulful, funky, and made to be savored.