Possibly by coincidence, Ringgo Ancheta's third true Stones Throw LP -- after
Yawn Zen and
Bodywash -- shares its title with the name of an obscure '70s R&B band. It also happens to have a late-'70s sensibility. Whereas Rare Pleasure the band dealt out disco,
Rare Pleasure the album emanates breezy soul and tosses a couple neo-Brazilian fusion curveballs like it's under a lysergic spell cast by
Earth, Wind & Fire,
George Duke, and
Ronnie Laws in those artists' gentler moments during the same era. On that note, this is more band-oriented than
Bodywash. The returning
Kiefer (keyboards) and
Swarvy (bass), joined by Will Logan (drums),
Carlos Niño (percussion), and
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (strings), each bring steady and sensitive support with additional airy vocals from Anna Wise,
Fousheé, and
Devin Morrison. Ancheta as a singer won't draw comparisons to
Philip Bailey -- or even
Duke or
Laws, for that matter -- but his consistently mellow and sweet voice is an optimal match for the pacific benevolence of his messages. The drifting "Hope You're Doin' Better" best exemplifies the album's disposition with empathy and consolation. Those qualities are constant through other high points such as the romantic "Slowdance," the spiritual jazz-tinged outlier "Medium Rare," and the comparatively frenetic "3Hands/Divine Hand I." The last of those can be heard as Ancheta's "Put Your Hand in the Hand," if as a hybrid of bossa nova and psychedelic pop with rapid-fire GospelChops drums. Everything is addressed with care to a loved one who at various points is ailing and needs some coaxing and reassurance to live in the moment, free of anxiety. Much of what makes it so appealing is that Ancheta comes across as a genuine companion, not as a pushy partner or life coach. ~ Andy Kellman