Listening to singer Eric Burton step into the first verse of the Black Pumas’s hit Colors, one wonders what rock he has been hiding under for so long. Formed in 2017, with Burton on vocals and guitarist Adrian Quesada as producer, nothing much happened until they released Colors in 2019. The song’s reach built slowly, until it exploded during Biden’s televised inauguration concert. I love this track for its humanity and gimlet-eyed optimism. Their sound carries retro-soul elements, but the groove feels contemporary. The band is tight, revealing its origins as a studio project, but with this instant classic, the Pumas have transcended the studio, their humble Texas origins, and created a truly global smash.
