Black Pumas return to New Mexico

Eric Burton, a 2008 graduate of Alamogordo High School, returns to New Mexico this week when his Grammy-nominated band, the Black Pumas, play a concert in Santa Fe Thursday, June 13.

Defining the genre of the group, essentially a duo with Austin native Adrian Quesada, is the hardest thing about Black Pumas. Are they neo-soul? Are they Latin Funk? Are they psychedelic pop folk? Are they roots music?

Regardless how you label them, the easiest thing about Black Pumas is listening to Burton’s voice. It has a smooth roughness, kind of like an extra-fine 320-grit sandpaper.

Burton is the primary singer/songwriter and Quesada is the primary guitarist and producer, but both do a lot of things, and the group occasionally collaborates with other musicians.

Talking about Black Pumas’ most recent album, “Chronicles of a Diamond,” Burton had this to say: “With this album I felt very free in my vocal performance, which has a lot to do with Adrian hearing something in my voice and helping me to explore that.”

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Burton’s voice brings to mind such iconic soul artists as Otis Redding and Al Green, but it is clearly his own, and something he often credits to his musical and theatrical family members.

The duo creates much of its own original music, but also revisits older classics, such as Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” and going back even further, Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman.” Their take on “Fast Car” is largely true to the original, but their haunting version of “Wichita Lineman” makes you wonder if it’s even the same song.

Their original lyrics can also be a throwback. The song “Angel,” from their current album, was written by Burton and Quesada together. It features an example of turning lines backward, a la Stevie Wonder. The lyric is “May the stars lovely keep you … in this dream.”

Doors open for the concert at the outdoor venue Hipico Santa Fe at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 13. The opening act, Abraham Alexander starts at 7 p.m., with the Black Pumas scheduled to take the stage at 8 p.m. For more information, visit lensic360.org.