SuperBlue: Guilty Pleasures, Vol. 2

Singer Kurt Elling and guitarist Charlie Hunter reunite for their fourth album of collaborative funk-jazz on 2025s SuperBlue: Guilty Pleasures, Vol. 2. A direct follow-up to 2023s SuperBlue: Guilty Pleasures, Vol. 1, the set is also a companion to their full-length debut, 2021s SuperBlue and 2023s SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree. Where those first two full-length albums showcased their own original songs alongside a handful of covers, the Guilty Pleasures EPs find them focusing solely on cover tunes and working with different collaborators. Last time, they took a stripped-down approach, recording in a trio with drummer Nate Smith. Here, they are joined by the Brooklyn-by-way-of-Columbus, Ohio R&B ensemble the Huntertones (whose band name is a mere coincidence and not directly connected to guitarist Hunter). Together, they dive into a nicely curated mix of tunes, reworking songs like Electric Light Orchestras "Turn to Stone," ZZ Tops "Sharp Dressed Man," and the Eagles "Desperado." Also on board is singer Victoria Victoria, who offers warm backing vocals on their breezy take on Fleetwood Macs "Say You Love Me" and a swaggering, bluesy rendition of Steve Millers "Gangster of Love." With the Huntertones punchy horn lines framing Ellings resonant vocals throughout, the album has a gritty, throwback quality and pleasingly brings to mind the classic 70s horn-band sound of groups like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears. ~ Matt Collar