Tory Lanez has been keeping it moving, having recently dropped off his new Playboy capsule at the beginning of March. At the time, Lanez broke down his inspiration behind the R&B project as follows: “This R&B Capsule ‘PlayBoy‘ was made off of pure pain, heartbreak, and hard liquor. Tread lightly listening.” Being so clearly a personal release for the Canadian melodist, it’s no wonder he opted to explore it further with a subsequent live version, officially released today.
Though generally similar to the studio version in many regards, Playboy Live has the advantage of being fueled by live instrumentation, which in itself breathes new life into an arrangement; new emotions can surface in unexpected places as unspoken camaraderie between musicians is explored. On the vocal front, Tory allows his vocals room to shine, his passionate cadence blending effectively over guitars, drums, bass, and keyboards. In some ways, it can be argued that this live Playboy variant is an improvement over its predecessor, as there’s a rawness throughout that captures the very pain that inspired its creation in the first place.
Should you be among those still loyal to Lanez’s cause, consider Playboy Live a welcome addition to his catalog, and an artistic showcase that finds him comfortably in his element. One has to wonder if he’ll consider bringing this project to the live stage once the world opens up again. What do you think of Playboy Live?