MR LINEN – Stay Cool (2021)
You might think that the St. Bernard ‘Beethoven’ from Roll over Beethoven is cool, but you haven’t seen anything until you see MR LINEN. A five-year-old French Bulldog from Austin, Texas, he defines sassy, classy and trendy. The US-based pup was born in April 2016 and was adopted at only three months, named ‘Larry’ and relocated to Texas with his new family. He may have been a timid pup but he soon began showing his jovial nature when he started listening to music.
Exposed to all genres from a young age – his parents run a busy recording studio – Larry became infatuated with music and had a pretty good ear for what was awesome. He landed his first role in a music video at four months and was destined for big things. A new name in the industry, Larry does not yet have any reviews to speak of; however, this does not mean he is shy. No, it just means people are not aware of his awesomeness just yet. In his debut album he melds those human genres of pop, R&B and yacht rock to impress the people who give him snacks. Here’s what this human ear has to say about Stay Cool.
Collaborating with Dave Madden, David Messier and Andre Cantave, Stay Cool is MR LINEN’s tribute to funk, pop and R&B from the 80s and 90s. From the funk-tinted ‘Cindy’ and ‘Space Kung Fu’ to laidback reggae in ‘The Dirty Banana’, MR LINEN showcases his innovativeness and versatility as an artist. Highly reminiscent of Earth, Wind and Fire, this album is smile-evoking and emotive without being too overwhelmingly sugar-sweet.
To me, song placement is one of the most important features of any album. A misplaced song can either add discomfort or represent a greater complexity in the theme; however, MR LINEN hits the nail on the head with this. Upbeat and cheeky from the get-go, MR LINEN sets the foundation for sensuality, infatuation and heartfelt “warm fuzzies”. The thing is a specific distinction is made between 80s pop and 90s influences with the single ‘Mr Linen’.
It is difficult to choose a favourite among these songs but I think mine is ‘I Got You’. Unlike the previous tracks, ‘I Got You’ has a languid but soulful style with rock-influenced guitarwork throughout. The ballad among the upbeat tunes, it is a wonderful way to end the album listening to charming strums and moving backing vocals. The final words, “you got me baby” describes the feeling humans will have when listening to this debut album. I foresee lots of treats and cuddles for MR LINEN.
For more from Mr Linen check out his official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
