Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Fonda

Previewed for LA Weekly:

Unknown Mortal Orchestra at the Fonda Theatre

Heartbreak is the motivator for many an album. Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Ruban Nielson takes his a step further, mourning the departure of the extra person in his polyamorous relationship on UMO’s third album, aptly titled Multi-Love. As grieving as the lyrics on Multi-Love are, the well-crafted album—one of the unexpected standouts of last year—is none the less cheerful, shrugging off the isolation of previous works. The Stevie Wonder–channeling “UrLifeOneNight” brims with tripped-out soul, while the chuckle-inducing “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone” tempers that sentiment with a playful, upbeat groove. The foggy psychedelia of previous albums is revisited on the SteelyDan–inspired “Necessary Evil,” which features Nielson’s jazz-musician father, giving it a ’70s retro feel. Nielson carries this through to“Extreme Wealthand Casual Cruelty” with his bluesy falsetto.

Watch Unknown Mortal Orchestra perform “Multi-Love” on Late Night: Seth Meyers.