Kustan Adam: Pretty Black Suit Review
Hailing all the way from Hungary, Kustan Adam is an up-and-comer on the European blues rock scene. Following his 2021 debut album, I Ain’t Got a Car and a few years on the road, the bandleader took his power trio (plus a couple of guests) to the studio and returned with a brand new album titled Pretty Black Suit. His sound is deeply rooted in classic blues and ’60s rock with a sprinkle of soul adding to the flavor. “This release reflects my development as a musician, performer, and songwriter and my desire to push the boundaries of soul, blues, and rock music. I’m confident that it will resonate with listeners and leave a lasting impact” – says Adam of his new LP released on March 17th.
A fuzz-drenched guitar opens Pretty Black Suit with a dirty riff, paving the way for the rhythm section to join in and support the fast pulse of “Little Blue Man”. The album opener is a testament to the artist’s delta blues influences. In “I’m Above”, over a slightly gloomier and atmospheric instrumental, Adam sings about finding his peace and love giving him the strength to rise above anything life may throw his way. “We Were Born” introduces a tight funky groove, accompanied by the bandleader’s syncopated clean guitar adding a new shade to the overall album dynamic. The song also features samples of a crowd shouting heys and yeahs, indicating this is likely a popular choice for the band’s live sets.
Open chord strumming and slide guitar wails present the foundation for “Young Boy”, a downtempo tune setting a nostalgic mood, before firing it up again with “Travelin’ Man” – a true road-trip banger. Cherry on top of this driving blues rock tune are the amazing backing vocals in the chorus adding that soul vibe to the mix. The band dims the lights again for a darker number titled “Free” underpinned by a solid drum beat, a creative bass line, and some fine staccato picking that eventually grows into a fiery guitar solo.
The penultimate song is the title track – “Pretty Black Suit”. This laidback number is built upon a simple yet memorable chord progression, with dreamy guitar licks and crowned with a smooth trumpet solo midway through. The album is then wrapped up by another short and sweet delta-blues-style tune “Going Down to Memphis” once again putting an emphasis on Kustan Adam’s key influences.
Pretty Black Suit marks a new milestone in Kustan’s career. It is a concise and dynamic collection of 8 self-penned songs, taking the listeners on a journey through the realms of classic blues, rock, and soul. The album is indeed a solid piece of work, however, it does leave an impression that there’s more – that the artist’s best creative work is yet to come. Kustan Adam is a young gun with great potential and he’s definitely one to keep an eye on. It sure will be exciting to see what the future holds for this Hungarian-born bluesman.
The Review: 7/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– Little Blue Man
– Free
– Travelin’ Man
The Big Hit
– Little Blue Man
