Chronicles of a Diamond

Black Pumas created a daring and enticing sophomore album that not only surpasses expectations but makes us feel silly for having any to begin with. .... These ten songs do more than avoid a sophomore slump, they cement Black Pumas as a creative force willing to risk it all if it means their vision comes to fruition uncompromised.

It's a singularly engaging soundscape you're strongly recommended to sample. [Jan 2024, p.80]

The album's whole second side rises to a bar set mile-high by the band's national breakout.

The production ideas and songs, however smart, won't change the world; they will, however, prompt large swathes to sing along. [Dec 2024, p.84]

You can’t help but hear Burton’s confidence growing across the album’s running time, his potential still untapped and with room to grow. In this latest soul revival, there’s no denying that Black Pumas are at the forefront and on the prowl for more.

It's still a bit distant and aloof — and ultimately too tame for its own good — but Chronicles of a Diamond finds the band heading in more interesting directions. It is, in every sense of the word, a vibe.

A cross-cultural heavenly palette of starry-eyed soul, psychedelic rock, jazz funk and symphonic pop, ‘Chronicles’ is the most expansive expression yet of Black Pumas’ frenetic creativity and limitless vision to date.

Burton's falsetto feels like part of the tapestry masterminded by Quesada, never quite pulling attention to either his words or melodies. While this ultimately means that Chronicles of a Diamond doesn't leave enough hooks behind to linger in the memory, the pulsating, colorful vibrations it creates as its spins are certainly an enjoyable way to get lost in the ether for a half hour or so.