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youngboy-oldmind · 4 years ago

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ALBUM REVIEW: The Lost Boy

“Try to take a walk up in my shoes/A n**** rapping like I really got something to prove, Cause motherf****er, I do/I climb hills, n***** was sleeping, on Nyquil/ Paint a picture vivid, dawg, on everything, my life's real”

Overall Thoughts

Maryland rapper YBN Cordae plants a solid footprint in the rap game on his debut album The Lost Boy: a 45 minute masterpiece filled with excellent storytelling and production combined with a unique style that proves he’s definitely an up and comer to look out for in years to come.

The Lost Boy was my favorite rap/hip-hop release of 2019. Cordae’s first studio album is contender for one of my favorite debut albums ever. In my opinion, related artists’ (Chance the Rapper, Logic, Bas, J Cole, Kendrick, Amine) debut album’s fall to The Lost Boy. And at 21, his debut releases at an age younger than everyone in that group. To have an excellent project at such a young age is another feat on its own.

One commonality I notice with debut albums is that new artists tend to sound like their biggest influencers; the biggest culprit being Logic. But Cordae stands out with his own style that doesn’t sound too similar to any of his numerous influences. His delivery, word choice, and flow (while not always mind blowing), is not a carbon copy of a rapper from the 90s-00s. Here, Cordae’s sound is his own.

His pen game on this project is consistently above average, but rarely mind blowing. Tracks like “We Gone Make It” and “Thousand Words” exhibit his strongest lyricism. However, Cordae’s story telling abilities are consistently powerful. Tracks like “Bad Idea”, “Thanksgiving”, “Nightmares Are Real”, “Family Matters” all have Cordae illustrating his experiences. He emphasizes his perspective as a young man who’s finding himself through all these experiences. Even his most bragging and banger tracks still feature great humility and storytelling elements, the stand out being “Broke as F***”.

The features on The Lost Boy are all top notch. Cordae includes Chance the Rapper, Ty Dollar $ign, Pusha-T, Anderson .Paak, and Meek Mill, all of whom bring elite verses to their features. It’s even better that the guests don’t completely outshine Cordae. Cordae brings enough weight to each song that its not completely engulfed by the feature. Songs like French Montana’s “No Shopping”, Logic’s “Homicide”, Chance’s “Handsome” all suffer from a feature that outclasses the main artist. But Cordae goes toe to toe with each feature.

I should also mention the two skits, “Sweet Lawd” and “Grandma’s House”. Both are pretty good as far as skits go. I can’t help but assume they were influenced by Kanye West’s “I’ll Fly Away” from The College Dropout, both of which sound very reminiscent to. They display Cordae’s singing abilities and soulful sound. And its touching to hear Cordae’s grandmother on the latter track.

Overall, I can’t really find a weak spot on this project. The runtime, theme/tone, uniqueness, production, and lyricism are all excellent. As far as debut albums go, Cordae made has created one of the best I’ve ever heard.

Album Breakdown

The common theme throughout this project is Cordae’s experiences being young and lost in a chaotic world. I love this theme because it doesn’t limit the scope about his topics. He can make fun tracks, political commentary, and emotional deep cuts while staying tonally consistent.

1. Wintertime

"Wintertime” features a smooth, mellow, jazzy beat; The vibe feels like a instrumental off of J Cole’s 4 Your Eyez Only. Cordae introduces himself, compares where he started to where he’s at now, and discusses some everyday plagues that stress him (anxiety, maintaining success, pressure to appear problem-free) while also aiming for the top and hoping nothing he creates fades away. Great intro.

2. Have Mercy

This next track is lyrically nothing deep or profound, just a banger track with a dope instrumental. The echoy, bassy sound that develops on the last leg of the song is especially great. I also found Cordae’s music video technique interesting. He released two videos, Path A and Path B, that illustrate opposite tones. Path A brings more zainy, flamboyant visuals while Path B is much more dark and eerie. I personally think Path A is the more appropriate for the track. Overall, not a bad banger.

3. Sweet Lawd- Skit

This skit features Cordae singing the hook off “Have Mercy” over a church-like piano. As I mentioned early, strongly reminds me of “I’ll Fly Away” off Kanye West’s The College Dropout. Cordae’s voice is soulful and pleasant to listen to as well. The first gospel-esque track.

4. Bad Idea

Chance the Rapper and Cordae team up to create one of the best songs on the album. They both deliver great verses, Chance’s middle verse being the best. Here they talk about the downsides of Home and the impact those experiences had on them. They borrow the beginning chorus lines “It might not be such a bad idea if I never went home again” from Gil Scott-Herman’s “Home is Where the Hatred Is” and heavily styled like Kanye West’s “My Way Home”. Although Cordae is the main singer on the chorus, he layers his voice to make it sound like an ensemble of singers. A great stylistic choice. And the heavy piano X light strings perfectly end the track. Between the strings at the end, the Kanye West sample, and Chance’s (a huge fan, supporter, and protege of Kanye) involvement, I definitely smell influence from West’s sophomore album Late Registration.

5. Thanksgiving

“Thanksgiving”, the first deep cut on the album, has Cordae introducing a girl to his family during Thanksgiving. However, she’s fake and never stays around, making him question their relationship while remaining hopeful they can maintain it. Cordae demonstrates his powerful storytelling abilities. The overall mellow tone in the production allows his lyrics to fit perfectly in the instrumental; it doesn’t outshine but it doesn’t get over shadowed either.

6. RNP

Anderson .Paak has collaborated with Andre 3000, J. Cole, Rhapsody, Kendrick Lamar, BJ The Chicago Kid, Pusha-T, and Q-Tip, so I wasn’t surprised when I saw Cordae would be collaborating with the talented singer. However, I couldn’t prepare for the amazing back-and-forth chemistry between them. You wouldn’t think when listening to them trade bars that they have a 12 year age difference between them. Also fun fact: J. Cole produced the track.

Both these artists are just having fun over a bouncy beat, talking about the “problems” they’ve experienced being rich. Definitely be favorite fun track so far.

7. Broke As F***

This is tied for my favorite track on the album. Cordae’s lyrics aren’t necessarily the most complex and deep, but he brings such a indescribable energy to his storytelling. He basically tells the story from him being a baby, being in high school appreciating hip hop, where he came from, and where he’s going to go. The great thing here is that its not solely bragging about his possessions. Its a commentary on what he’s GAINED. This adds a touch of humility. And at the end, he comments on how he’s lost, still searching, and doesn’t “really have a lot of answers”, tying into the theme of the album. Perfect.

The spacey instrumental on the chorus, the beat drop after the first line of the first verse, and the beat change midway through makes this one of the best instrumentals on the album. And the ending drums transition to the next song perfectly.

8. Thousand Words

“Thousand Words” has some best verses on the album. Here Cordae talks about the toxicity of social media and how people create false perceptions to hide true pain. While already an intriguing topic, Cordae goes a step further by admitting he’s not holier than thou. He admits everyone lowkey wants to be a little famous, and nobody wants to be “nameless”. I love that. It’s easier to say Instagram and Twitter are toxic (Logic on Confessions of a Dangerous Mind). But to admit there is some validity and positivity to social media...very profound for someone so young. My favorite lines are:

“Living in this false reality that's in this picture gallery/ Based on a n***** profile, we guessin' salary/ The lifestyle you advertise was quite strategized/ Make a minimal amount and then we maximize/ These n***** cappin' with lies how they capitalize/ Creating they own perceptions, what a massive facade/ Digital marketing schemes even broader regime/ Live how you want on the internet, who thought of this thing?”

9. Way Back Home

Ty Dollar $ign stands out on the feature, talking about not letting fame and success pull him from reality. Cordae sings the chorus and most of his verse. Admittedly, I wasn’t a fan of Cordae’s parts; It felt underwhelming. But the instrumental and Ty’s verse carry a significant part of the song. I especially loved the high pitched melodic voice that pops in the beat throughout the song. I also love the sci-fi, techy “WORP” effect throughout the instrumental. But ultimately, this felt more like Ty’s song than Cordae’s.

10. Grandma’s House- Skit

Between “Grandma’s House” and “Sweet Lawd”, I prefer this skit. The harmonious vocals that echo Cordae’s grandma’s vocals give off an amazing gospel vibe. The simplistic yet soulful and intimate aura of this skit makes it one of my favorite interlude-skits off any rap album.

11. Been Around

Another mellow song on the project, “Been Around” has Cordae talking about the development of his career and how he’s going to keep moving forward and not let doubters or bad situations slow him down. I like the chorus more than the verses, but overall its not a bad track. It maintains the tone of the album and flexes Cordae’s pen game a little.

12. Nightmares Are Real

This was the most intriguing collaboration on the album. Pusha-T and Cordae have very different sounds and styles; Pusha-T brings much more aggressiveness whereas Cordae is softer. Cordae’s hardest verses don’t compare to Pusha-T’s baseline intensity. Although they don’t demonstrate strong chemistry, they both bring solid verses. Both tell stories of how they started in the rap game, however, Pusha-T’s wordplay and lyricism is a step above Cordae’s. He talks about dealing with selling crack while developing his skills in rapping. Particular set of lines had me shook.

“Asterisk, skipped school, recorded with The Neptunes/ We was makin' high school classics/ Before I took a kilo and I wrapped it, I rapped it/ Around the funeral with the casket/ Coke avalanche, like a landslide/ Only grew my hair this long because my man died/”

I don’t wanna go too far into explaining these lyrics cus genius will do better job. But Pusha-T brings fire to this track. The tone of the instrumental matches Pusha-T’s intensity as well. As solid of a collaboration this is, its not in my top 3 collabs. That goes to show how amazing this project is.

13. Family Matters

"Family Matters” is tied with “Broke as F***” for my favorite song on The Lost Boy. Cordae talks about the stress of witnessing family traumas and difficulties while experiencing his own success. He expresses feelings of guilt and selfishness when his family hides things from him so he can focus on achieving his goals. He talks about abandonment from baby daddies, aunt’s raising kids that aren’t theirs, a cousin in an abusive relationship, a cousin addicted to xanax, and another aunt who’s a prostitute. All of this is happening while he’s worried about “plays and streams”. It’s an interesting sentiment. Is it selfish to focus on yourself when your family has a load of obstacles and difficulties? Every time he succeeds he has to look back at where he came from and be reminded his family does not share his accomplishments. Nearly brought me to tears when I first heard it.

As I already stated, lyrically this is one of Cordae’s top songs. Arin Ray brings a choir on the chorus that sounds amazing, adding to the gospel sound sprinkled throughout the album. And the light violin strings at the end encapsulate the emotional turmoil Cordae expresses.

14. We Gone Make It

Another top track, “We Gone Make It”, features a collab with Meek Mill to make political/social commentary on todays world and encourage others to keep pushing to succeed. Unlike the other three collaborations “Bad Idea”, “Way Back Home”, and “Nightmares are Real”, Meek Mill’s verses are actually equal with Cordae. Although I’m not a huge fan of Mill, he brings in a succinct, powerful 12 bars and a hook so dope he, as Cordae puts it, had to “sing it twice”. Also fun fact: Cordae used a modified version of the first verse on H.E.R’s “Lord is Coming (Remix)”.

Instrumentally, the beat accompanies the message without overshadowing it. The piano melody and vocal chops throughout mix well with the verses. I personally love the piano keys in the final minute. It adds an aura of delicacy to a song with such an intense message.

15. Lost & Found

In the perfect closing track “Lost & Found”, Cordae displays pride, stating “I was lost boy, now I’m found”. Over a bumpy, bassy beat with epic trumpet harmonies, he comments on everything throughout the project. However, now he has assurance he’s not lost nor insecure from his experiences. And he knows things are going up from here. Like the rest of the album, he’s lyrically above average, reflecting on his life while introducing a fun, braggadocios vibe. Kinda like a “the balls in your court” to the rest of the rap game. Loved it.

Final Thoughts

I look forward to Cordae’s next album. This was a near perfect debut solo album. At 21 years old, Cordae displays strong lyricism and production skills. His ability to story-tell and introspect indicate incredible feats in career. The lowest parts of this project are still amazing, and the high points put this project as my favorite of the year. I don’t know how else to say it. The rap game better watch out for this Maryland born “Lost Boy”. If The Lost Boy indicates the trajectory of his future, Cordae will have the crown in no time.

Top 3 Tracks:

1) Family Matters

2) Broke As F***

3) Bad Idea

Overall Grade: A+

#music review #album review #hip hop review #hip hop #cordae

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onestowatch · 4 years ago

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Jimi Somewhere Dives Into an Angelic, Crisis of Faith on Latest Single "Jesus" [Q&A]

Jimi Somewhere is the brainchild of Benjamin Schandy, a 22-year-old artist hailing from Hokksund, a charming town in Norway. Jimi Somewhere's music is influenced by the imaginative work of renowned filmmaker Spike Jonze and the outstanding artistry of Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Abstract, and Frank Ocean. Jimi ties his contemplative lyrics with frenzy electro-pop, ornate hip-hop beats, trippy pop, and multi-layered vocals to produce his very own signature resonance.

Today, Jimi Somewhere shares his new single "Jesus” off his forthcoming debut LP, Nothing Gold Can Stay. We caught up with Somewhere for a quick Q&A about the track's grandiose and "larger than life" feel and the inspiration he pulled from the Christian summer camps he attended growing up.

Ones to Watch: This song has a very spiritual tone and is named after a spiritual figure. It sounds like throughout the song, the main character is going on a spiritual journey or crisis of faith. What is this song about to you, and how did this song come to be?

Jimi Somewhere: A crisis of faith is a good way to put it. That's what it's about to me: faith, doubt, and values. I grew up and out of the church myself, and after I stopped going, I kind of had to reflect on which one of these values to bring along with me in life. There was a lot I was taught in church that I didn't agree with, but then again, a lot of it is just about empathy and humanity. But I needed to have space to figure that out for myself without having any voices in my ears. That's what inspired me to write the song. I was just so frustrated with everything and needed to breathe. Music is also very therapeutic for me. I use it to get it all off my chest.

What was the creative process like for the single? What made you want to go for this very omnipresent, iridescent sound for the track? Were you inspired by anything in particular?

We kind of wanted it to sound like these Christian songs that we would hear at various summer camps growing up. They always had this "larger than life" feeling. You're in the crowd singing, and you feel like you are a part of this big thing. That's what we're chasing. A Hillsong type beat. Only felt right considering the themes on the song. Other inspirations for the song is Coldplay's early stuff, which has been very important to me. The emotional but pretty sadness they often present.

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Do you consider yourself a spiritual person?

I'm not sure. I don't think so. I can, for sure, say I feel very connected though. Like I'll be in nature, and I'll take it all in. But on a day to day basis, I wouldn't say I'm very spiritual. It's something I'd like to dive more into as I'm getting older because I believe the universe is bigger than just us and what you see.

I found myself deeply connecting with a lot of the lyrics, especially the line "I've never met Jesus, but you're the closest to Heaven I've ever come." Do you have a favorite lyric from this track or one that speaks to you? What is your approach when it comes to songwriting?

"For everything I never told my mother, always comes back to get me" is a line I really like. Because it's so true to me. Every time I go against my mother's advice, it ends up negatively affecting my life. So listen to your mothers! They do know best.

Songwriting to me is just kind of throwing up. Just everything I have pent up inside. I don't want to overthink it because if it becomes too conscious, it's usually not that good. The best stuff just falls out.

Kacy Hill's voice is so stunning and perfectly compliments the sonic chaos when she comes in halfway through the song. What was working with her like, and how did she get involved with this single?

Working with her was so sick. She's literally the sweetest person. I've been a massive fan of her for many years and suddenly found out I had a mutual friend. So after bugging him to ask her to come to the studio, she did! I was so embarrassed the first time she came to record but because suddenly our audio interface didn't work. We got all sporadic and were trying to fix it but couldn't. I was thinking like she would hate us for wasting her time and that we blew our shot. But she was so nice about it and came back the next week.

She really just went into the studio and did that. Me and Milo were in the other room, shaking and jumping around. It sounded crystal clear and angelic from the jump. I think her verse brings this comfort and hope that the song was missing. Because it's not all bad, you know. There's light at the end of every tunnel. It was important to me to have that emphasized in the song, and she did that perfectly.

I know "Jesus" is a single coming off of your upcoming Nothing Gold Can Stay. How does it fit into the album overall?

It's one of the first songs on the album, and I thought it would be cool to open an album with such an honest track. Keep the book open from the beginning. The album is also me reflecting on all these things ending in my life. During the ages of 16 - 20, there's a lot of moving out, losing friends, growing up, graduating high school, etc. Faith & wanting a sense of belonging has been a big part of my life during those years so it was important to me to talk about it on the album.

What can people expect to hear from the new LP? I'm sure there's only so much you can share about the album and want to keep a lot of it as a surprise for your fans. Can they expect the same emotional, nostalgic, summery themes from your previous work, or do you feel like you're going in a different direction? Or is Nothing Gold Can Stay going to be a healthy mix of something old and new?

There's for sure a lot the same themes as in the previous work. This is my debut album, so we wanted to make it as "Jimi Somewhere" as possible. Everything else has been building up to this, so we weren't afraid of being a little cliche with it. I just think that's fun. There's definitely some new directions on it as well though. Both sonically and thematic. We never want two projects or songs to sound the same.

Has the pandemic effected you or inspired you as an artist? If so, how?

It just gave us time to create a lot. I live with my producer, so when lockdown happened, we kinda were like, "Ok, let's just be here and work!" We've made so many songs this year. I also got to add that I live in Norway, and we handled it all pretty well in the beginning, so life has been a lot more normal here than what it looks like in the States.

Once the world comes to a state of a new normal, what's the first thing you want to do?

Go back to America! I had so many plans before the pandemic, so I'm trying to make them all happen once I can. But it's just not safe, yet so I'll stay on this side of the ocean until then.

When shows and concerts are back, who do you want to see, and who do you want to tour or play with?

I was supposed to see Taylor Swift live this summer, but it, of course, got canceled. Hopefully, I'll get another chance next year. Just so cool to see such a big production. There's always that dream of doing stadium shows in the future, so I would be in the crowd taking notes. I'm also a huge Taylor Swift fan, so it's the best of both worlds.

Dream tour would be with Lorde because she's been such a big influence on me, and I love her live show. Would not mind hearing 'Writer in the dark' live 30 nights in a row. I also feel like I could learn so much from her. She's only a couple years older than me but seems so wise. So yeah, Lorde, I'm here if you need me just call!

Who have you been listening to throughout the pandemic? Are there any Ones To Watch?

I've been going through so many phases. I had this big Jill Scott phase, where I just listened to "The Light" on repeat all day. Watched this movie "Weathering with you" and got obsessed with the soundtrack. When it comes to Ones to Watch, I wanna recommend this Norwegian band Veps. They're completely new, but my friend sent me their music during quarantine, and it's so good. My favorite song, "Do I Hear a Maybe," is this really sweet, garage rock track with a big hook that I've been screaming around the apartment ever since I heard it. Very fire.

Stream “Jesus” below.

#Jimi Somewhere #Jesus #Pop #Electronic #Indie

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benjaminjamestaylor · 6 years ago

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My Top 10 Albums of 2018

If you know me well, you know I do this every year. It’s not in the hope that people will read it; more a sort of time capsule that I can look back on in the future and fondly remember the music that soundtracked my year. Some years, there’s a clear and obvious number one (Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly in 2015, for example). Others – such as this one – are more of a close-run thing, with the top spots changing sometimes as late as the writing process.

Before I get to my top ten, I would be remiss not to mention a few albums that missed out but have nonetheless been regulars in my rotation this year. Firstly, I should tip my cap to the experimentation shown by Beach House, Ben Howard, and Low, all of whom showed a refreshing intent to break from their norm and make some greatly interesting music. I’m also acutely aware of the lack of representation for R&B and hip-hop in my top ten – I didn’t ignore these genres, it just so happened that they weren’t among my ten favourites. Kids See Ghosts and Earl Sweatshirt in particular came close, and Janelle Monáe was another that I enjoyed greatly. Here’s my honourable mentions list in full:

Beach House – 7; Ben Howard – Noonday Dream; Low – Double Negative; Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer; Brockhampton – Iridescence; Anderson .Paak – Oxnard; Villagers – The Art of Pretending to Swim; Jeff Tweedy – WARM; Matt Maltese – Bad Contestant; Kids See Ghosts – Kids See Ghosts; Pusha T – Daytona; Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs; Parquet Courts – Wide Awake; Kurt Vile – Bottle It In; The Beths – Future Me Hates Me; Jungle – For Ever; Courtney Barnett – Tell Me How You Really Feel; Mitski – Be The Cowboy; Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off Dog; Lucy Dacus – Historian.

Also, here’s a Spotify playlist of all my favourite tracks from the year.

Now on to the top ten…

10. Blood Orange – Negro Swan

I’ve got a soft spot for a true album – one that’s greater than the sum of its parts, and should be listened to as a whole. There are actually very few tracks on Negro Swan that hit home outside the context of the album. But there’s so much to like here: the way tracks flow into each other, punctuated by regular snippets of dialogue from the likes of transgender activist Janet Mock. The word that defines this album is ‘introspection’ – there are regular references to the desire to be loved and the fear of allowing oneself to be loved completely. At times the tracks feel frustratingly unfinished, and that’s all that keeps this at the back end of my top ten.

Highlights: ‘Saint’, ‘Charcoal Baby’, ‘Nappy Wonder’

9. Snail Mail – Lush

It’s been a hell of a year for young, female indie rockers (more on that later…), and Lindsey Jordan (A.K.A. Snail Mail) is perhaps the most prodigious of them all. The teenager’s debut, Lush, is a highly impressive record that showcases her signature sound: subtle, twinkly guitar melodies and foot-tapping drum beats. It tails off a little towards the back end of the album, as the novelty of her style begins to wear off. You wonder if this was a record she rushed into making, to capitalise on the considerable hype around her. If that’s the case, it’s a shame as a few more songs to the standard of ‘Pristine’ and ‘Heat Wave’ may have pushed this album up into my top five.

Highlights: ‘Pristine’, ‘Heat Wave’, ‘Stick’

8. The 1975 – A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships

This album is getting a lot of love, and I’ll admit that on first listen I didn’t get the hype. The 1975 are a somewhat controversial band – they face lavish praise and upturned noses in seemingly equal measure. There were moments of their absurdly-titled previous record that I liked, but their overly synthetic sound and Matty Healy’s unique vocal style are occasionally grating. ABIIOR has its flaws, but there’s also much to admire. They’ve incorporated a variety of styles, from stripped-back acoustic to arena pop and even jazz. The obvious themes of life and love in a digital age are well-explored and the production is, at times, gorgeous. Stick with it – it might just grow on you.

Highlights: ‘Love It If We Made It’, ‘Inside Your Mind’, ‘I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)’

7. U.S. Girls – In A Poem Unlimited

In many ways, this record is a better executed version of the 1975’s. Meg Remy looks at similar themes of our problematic modern world, though in her case she explores them through a lens of feminine anger. Songs like ‘Rage of Plastics’ and ‘M.A.H.’ are direct, furious tirades towards American politics in the Obama era. The instrumentation and production is staggeringly brilliant throughout, with each track demonstrating a different string from Remy’s bow. On ‘Rosebud’, she channels her inner Madonna to produce one of the finest, most listenable indie pop tunes of the year.

Highlights: ‘M.A.H.’, ‘Rosebud’, ‘L-Over’

6. Maribou State – Kingdoms In Colour

My favourite electronic album of the year, Kingdoms In Colour improves on Maribou State’s encouraging debut, 2015’s Portraits. The improvements lie in their balance between the dance-pop hits, where they utilise long-time collaborator Holly Walker on vocals, and the more experimental, sample-based pieces that make up the rest of the album. It’s the latter that leave the most lasting impression, no better than on ‘Vale’, with the sample of Melanie de Baliso’s ‘I Feel You’ dovetailing beautifully with the group’s accompanying melody. If you’re looking for an album to put on as a backing track at your next party, look no further.

Highlights: ‘Beginner’s Luck’, ‘Nervous Tics’, ‘Vale’

5. Big Red Machine – Big Red Machine

A collaboration between Bon Iver and the National was never going to be bad, was it? Big Red Machine doesn’t quite hit the heights you might expect from such a high-profile meeting of minds, but there are enough moments of genius here to make it an album worth revisiting repeatedly. For the most part, Justin Vernon leaves his trademark complex song structures at the door in favour of simpler, more lineal compositions. This leads to some tracks feeling repetitive at times, although even these feature a central hook strong enough to keep you interested. And on 'Lyla', with its polyrhythms and meandering structure, there are hints of the exciting fruits this partnership could eventually produce.

Highlights: ‘Lyla’, ‘Hymnostic’, ‘I Won’t Run From It’

4. Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

Perhaps Arctic Monkeys’ most divisive album since Humbug, TBHAC is also their bravest and most ambitious. It’s essentially a concept album – tales of a futuristic hotel on the moon brought to life by Alex Turner’s controversial switch from guitar to piano. It’s no surprise that the album has alienated some of the band’s more fundamentalist fans, as there’s a blatant lack of Turner’s usual indie dancefloor hits as well as a side-lining of outstanding drummer Matt Helders. Instead, we’re treated to songs without clear structures and, aside from ‘Four Out Of Five’, catchy choruses. Turner occasionally strays too far towards self-indulgence (‘Batphone’ is a difficult listen), but he’s still a remarkable lyricist and he’s produced an album that cements their status as the band of their era.

Highlights: ‘Star Treatment’, ‘American Sports’, ‘Four Out Of Five’

3. boygenius – boygenius EP

I may be cheating a tad here by including an EP, but given that there’s as much to enjoy here as on many fine albums released this year, you’ll excuse me. boygenius are a supergroup of sorts, featuring female up-and-comers Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus. Individually, all three are well worth a listen. But their collaborative EP propels them to new heights. Each has their own songwriting moments (two each from the six-track EP), and these intertwine through stunning vocal harmonies to form a completely cohesive collection of songs. The finest moments are Bridgers’, with her soft vocal timbre particularly captivating on ‘Me And My Dog’. We can only hope the success of this experiment results in a full-length album in 2019.

Highlights: ‘Me And My Dog’, ‘Souvenir’, ‘Ketchum, ID’

2. Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour

No album surprised me more in 2018 than this one. After a slew of out-of-this-world reviews, I decided I had to give Golden Hour at least one listen – if only to be able to confirm it as what almost all country pop albums are: ‘not for me’. The thing is, this record transcends genre, and even those who like neither country nor pop will appreciate its beauty and the quality of its songs. Everything on Golden Hour is well-executed: Musgraves sings beautifully; the instrumentation feels minimal yet rounded; the production is absolutely on-point; and the melodies are to die for. There are even psychedelic elements throughout – nods to Musgraves’ use of acid during the album’s production. Give this album a chance, leave your prejudices at the door, and you’ll be treated to a simply perfect collection of pop songs.

Highlights: ‘Slow Burn’, ‘Wonder Woman’, ‘High Horse’

1. Soccer Mommy – Clean

As I mentioned, this wasn’t a runaway number one. But the more I re-listened to my shortlist, the more it became clear that Clean was the strongest candidate for top spot. Snail Mail and boygenius have already taken spots in my top ten, demonstrating what a strong year it has been for female indie vocalists. But Soccer Mommy’s (Sophie Allison’s) album just feels like the finished product that both Snail Mail and boygenius are aiming to eventually produce.

Clean doesn’t just contain great songs with deliciously spiky lyrics (the opening line of ‘Your Dog’ is a belter), it also feels so well balanced. Laid-back, melancholy tunes like ‘Still Clean’ and ‘Blossom’ are countered by catchy indie numbers like ‘Cool’ and ‘Skin’. Allison’s voice seems refined too – perfectly able to handle those two ends of the spectrum. Considering the album centres on a feeling of teenage angst, the sound feels remarkably mature. It’s a worthy album of the year.

Highlights: ‘Cool’, ‘Skin’, ‘Blossom (Wasting All My Time)’

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queensofrap · 7 years ago

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Most Misunderstood: Iggy Azalea's American Dream

he early reality of Amethyst Kelly is difficult to imagine. There was once a small home in the tiny Australian town of Mullumbimby, made of red brick, cemented by mud and laid by her father's careful hands. Her mother would spend her days emptying trash bins at a motel as a vacation rental cleaner, a path Amethyst would eventually follow at age 14. Water didn't always run, clothes were never new, and bathrooms were separated from the home by a muddied path. It's a tale of immensely humble beginnings, a hemisphere away from the life she would come to inhabit as Iggy Azalea a decade later. And while her origins are unfathomable for some, it's Amethyst's American dream that remains universal.

I first witnessed a glimpse of that dream in the fall of 2011. It was through a cracked iPhone screen, held casually by my friend. "You have to see this bitch," she announced, flicking her perfectly coiled locs and turning up the volume. "She's every-fucking-thing!" There, on the screen, was a tall, curvy woman with ice-blonde hair and creamy incandescent skin. She was surrounded by two brown cheerleaders in matching green uniforms, strutting in towering heels and rapping furiously: My world, rhyme vicious/ White girl team, full of bad bitches. Immediately, I recognized her: this confident, eccentric girl who didn't fit into preppy white hierarchies. While others girls were quoting lines from Mean Girls, imagining themselves Regina George, she appeared as someone I knew. A girl unruly and self-possessed, always late to class, always blasting D4L. I could see her crafting beats with her knuckles and strolling into class hours late, another detention slip placed on her desk. We were sold.

If "My World" was the bait, "Pussy" was the hook, line and sinker. Iggy, Iggy/ Pussy illy/ Wetter than the Amazon/ Taste this kitty! Her accent was thick and affected, reminiscent of our cherished childhood favorite Diamond from Atlanta's Crime Mob. The "Pussy" video was a Boyz N The Hood homage with ATLien pastiche. There were ice cream trucks and babysitting, front porch posing and concrete runways, sherbet-colored pants and shredded shorts. And we weren't the only ones taking notice of Iggy and her ways. Seemingly overnight, our private cafeteria secret had become a viral phenomenon.

“ Here I am at the darkest period of my life, contemplating suicide, and I'm singing "Switch.“

Press came quickly, grand and bold. The New York Times suggested that "all this proximity to blackness characterizes Iggy Azalea as a person who is no stranger to black culture and communities, suggesting it's no anomaly for her to rock the mic." The Los Angeles Times described her flow as "brash and aggressive," while Complex decided that she was ready to "really make her mark on the game." Classmates had her image as their screensavers and sprawled across their Tumblrs, and were dropping her name in new music debates. She performed at small venues in Atlanta and cars across the city boomed with Never not better/ Law should ban it! A few months later, when "Murda Bizness" featuring T.I. dropped, her dream was actualized. She was not a one-hit wonder. She was a star, poised to rise.

There are many forgotten Iggy freestyles from that era. In one, she raps over Chris Brown's "Look At Me Now," prophesying her divisive nature. In another, titled "Home Town Hatred," she reflects on her time in Australia and her desire to leave. Over Kanye West's ominous "Hell of A Life" beat, she details how industry executives told her to dumb it down. But it was her 2011 "D.R.U.G.S." freestyle that first illuminated the parameters of her ignorance.

Reflecting the industry's tendency not to look at things too deeply, at first the song went unchallenged. (It would be a year before its lyrics were critically examined). In fact, Complex covered the freestyle, commending her craft and comparing her to fellow white rapper Yelawolf. The following January, Iggy signed to major label Interscope, tweeting, "Get used to me + Jimmy [Iovine] smashing shit, cause that's the plan."

In February of 2012, she landed the coveted cover of XXL's Freshman Class issue: an annual declaration of hip-hop stars poised to break big. Between up-and-comers French Montana and Future stands Iggy in a lush green fur. She was the first woman to ever grace the cover — a backhanded achievement. For many, XXL is a bastion of hip-hop excellence. To be a cover star and stamped with their approval was to suggest an imminent dominance. If Iggy could be shot, styled, and photographed for her buzz, where were the black women who broke the boundaries, paved the lanes, and inspired her craft?

It was Harlem-born musician and artist Azealia Amanda Banks who first articulated concern about Iggy's image and her space within hip-hop. On Twitter, Banks wrote, "Iggy Azalea on the XXL freshman list is all wrong. How can you endorse a white woman who called herself a 'runaway slave master'? Sorry guys, I'm a pro black girl. I'm not anti white girl, but I'm also not here for any1 outside of my culture trying to trivialize very serious aspects of it."

Media outlets immediately crafted Bank's criticism into a heavily publicized rap beef, thrusting Banks into the insidious stereotype of bitter black woman. The line Banks referred to was a re-interpretation of a Kendrick Lamar lyric on Iggy's "D.R.U.G." freestyle. In Kendrick's 2010 track "Look Out For Detox," he raps, When the relay starts/ I'm a runaway slave. In Iggy's version, she says, When the relay starts/ I'm a runaway/ Slave master/ Shittin' on the past/ Gotta spit it like a pastor.

Conversations surrounding the lyric lacked necessary context. Journalists missed questions and painted simple proclamations. In October of 2011, Banks had tweeted, "how sexy is iggy azalea?? It's kind of ridiculous…*tugs collar to let out steam*." In January, she wrote "Iggy Azalea's hair looks really great in her new video. How long do you all reckon that hair is? 40" in? By March 2012, the dream was dented, with Iggy being called out as misappropriating at best, racist at worst.

She issued a heartfelt apology, which fell on mostly unsympathetic ears. Two months later, Iggy was dropped by Interscope. Her debut album, The New Classic, stalled indefinitely. But still, there was room for redemption. In April 2013, Iggy signed with Mercury Records, a UK subsidiary of Universal Music Group. After recording new music in England, she returned stateside, armed with a completed album and a firmly set 2014 release date. During press runs she's tested: asked if she's an imposter; if her body is enhanced; if the cringe-worthy assumptions about her mentor T.I. are true. Old tweets were dug up, which made the disdainful murmurings worse. She's asked to freestyle on Sway, but instead inexplicably recites a line from her own album. Her music begins to change, becoming less lyrically explicit and trap-influenced, and more poppy and prim. Now a Complex cover star, she fumbles when asked about her divisive rapping accent. She's quoted saying, "This is the entertainment industry. It's not politics." Soon enough, that statement would no longer be true.

In 2012, political discussions had begun to dominate all forms of media. The slain lives of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis became proponents of combustible change. Movements like Black Lives Matter materialized, refusing silence or forgetfulness of the innocent and slaughtered black people, churning hundreds of American murders into global narratives. Each case, though singular and specific, represented the transgressions of America's not-too-distant-past and its perpetual present. If there was once a time when innocent victims could be smudged from history and their murderers left unscathed, that clock no longer ticked. Images of callous violence circulated more than music. Cellphone and camera footage displayed women being beaten, children being shot, and men being strangled. Language seemed to shift, relegating all ignorance to silence; expanding itself to capture the expansive feelings of others. And at the top of the same year, "Fancy" was released. Like lightning, Iggy's dream merged seamlessly with reality. She was now a star with a verifiable hit.

With her Clueless themed video for the inescapable track, 2014 became the year of Iggy's art. She held the number one spot on Billboard's Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks. She luxuriated in the second spot too, appearing as a featured artist on Ariana Grande's "Problem." Billboard claimed Iggy tied with The Beatles and attached her name to the legacies of Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, and Nicki Minaj. She was now booking prime-time television spots — appearing on Good Morning America with Charli XCX — and on the covers of grocery store aisle magazines. Forbes declared her "Hip Hop's New Queen of Rap" and she was nominated for four Grammys. Simultaneously, America's racial rhetoric and division began to feel claustrophobic. In early February, Yvette Smith was murdered on her front porch. In August, Michael Brown Jr. and Ezell Ford were shot and killed. November was the month Laquan McDonald and Tamir Rice became portraits of unfinished lives. In July, Eric Garner was placed in an illegal chokehold, his last words becoming a symphony of unbearable sadness. The dichotomy between a world callously slaughtering black people on one end and rewarding a white rapper with success and visibility on another was dizzying.

What is it like to attach oneself exclusively to a dream, to pursue it even as the odds are stacked against you?

By 2015 the dream dissolved completely. Iggy was accused of racism, cultural appropriation, minstrelsy, and ignorance, becoming the perfect conduit for whiteness and all of its horrors. Her silence during racist events was considered complicit. A world tour was canceled, and neither a follow up album or a Top 10 hit reappeared. In 2016, she announced Digital Distortion, her sophomore album that was ultimately held after three singles — "Team," "Mo Bounce," and "Switch" — and a leaked music video. This year, Iggy released "Savior" with hopes of a refresh.

To some, she was an untalented white supremacist Barbie, infiltrating a space crafted by black people and laughing to the bank. Her dream — an innocent one of music, money, and acclaim — had become grotesque. To others, she was an iconic legend who was just easily projected upon. Now a refracted mirror for public opinion, a line was permanently drawn: black or white — no in-between.

But for me, there's always been a gray area. In art, in music, and in life, there is a space where the eye can shift inward to ask and answer questions. What might it look like for a young girl in Australia to re-discover life through hip-hop? What did it look like to want to manifest a world of make-believe, to create art once unseen? What is it like to attach oneself exclusively to a dream, to pursue it even as the odds are stacked against you? What do you do when you can't separate criticism from hate? When each day you're bombarded with projections based on media machinations? What does it look like when your dream comes true, when it's finally real, only for it to be mocked? To me, it's a perfect portrait of America.

At The Roxy Hotel, in New York City, I sat with Iggy Azalea. We spoke about her life, her dream, her craft, and her upcoming music. She was thoughtful and articulate, eyes glinting with Gemini humor and intellect, deeply apologetic and severely misunderstood. This is what transpired.

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Can you take me back to your childhood? I read that your hometown is called "The Biggest Little Town in Australia." What was it like?

I still don't know why the fuck they call it that. It was a really small town, incredibly rural, but there's a looser, less stereotypical element to it. There were a lot of crystals and hippies, weed smokers, and horoscopes. The town was split between this hippie, carefree fairy spectrum, or conservative farmers and their crops. My parents were on the fairy spectrum, but I went to public school. Everyone there was straight-laced with names like Amber and Stephanie and there I was as Amethyst, with platform shoes, and immediately it was like, Okay, bitch prepare to get bullied.

What were the students like?

There were two schools. One was private and more artistic, and that's where all the people that could be considered carefree and more imaginative were able to go. The public school was very sterile, very conservative. The private school was expensive and my family had no money for that, so I went to the public school and I was miserable. These were the children of bricklayers whose parents drove tractors and guys who played football on the weekends. I got teased for everything. Literally everything, there was no winning with those kids.

I'm ignorant to Australia — I've never been — but there is the classic stereotype of the tanned, athletic, white Australian. When we think of whiteness, we often forget its specifications, even the types that are lauded and coveted. For instance there's the archetype of the popular blonde. You were tall, pale, and curvy…

Oh my goodness, yes! And I was never that girl. Not even anywhere near that girl's posse. I never fit in and there was a time I really tried to fit in. I remember getting teased because I hadn't shaved my legs yet. I was only in sixth grade and I had never even thought of something like that. They would call me "monkey" everyday. One day I got my mom's razor and shaved my legs thinking it would finally be over and it wasn't. There was always a new thing. My hat. My mole. My weight. All of these things now seem so dumb, but I didn't do anything like them and there was no appeasing those kids.

When did you first think of leaving?

I always knew I was going to leave because I knew I didn't belong with any of the people that lived there. I only decided I wanted to go to America when I visited the states with my grandparents. I was 11, and I remember seeing all the showgirls in Las Vegas, all their sparkles and rhinestones. They were the most fabulous girls I had ever seen. I had only seen something like that on TV, and it blew my mind. Then we went to Hollywood, and there were all these wig stores and the Star Walk, and just seeing all the ways people dressed, how they styled their hair, the color of their wigs, I wanted to be able to do all of those things. When I wanted to dress like this in Australia, I'd get shitted on. But coming to America and watching people put on a show, watching them being ridiculously fabulous, no one was doing that where I was from. Nobody was even wearing high heels in Mullumbimby.

When did you put the plan in action?

That happened when I really started to get into music. I was insanely confident, with the kind of deluded grandeur that I think you need when no else believes in you. I thought I was good at it even though in retrospect I was bad still. I was about 14 and that's when I started writing music. I'd go to open mic nights and take the bus all over the city. I'd go to battle raps, I'd get booed. There was a sound audio engineering school, called SAE, and the first music I ever recorded was there. From 14 to 16, that's when the plan formed. As soon as I started writing, I knew music was what I had to do. Even if I wasn't a rapper, I thought I could be a sound engineer or a writer. I just knew I wanted to be involved in music. And I knew I had to get the fuck out of where I lived. It was suffocating me. I wanted to live in a place where the sky was the limit, a place where my dreams weren't strange or weird, where others had even crazier ideas than me. I knew all of that was in America, and that's where I had to go and that's where I thought people were going to accept my wild thoughts. I tried Sydney and Melbourne and they just weren't it. Nothing else was.

"I wanted to live in a place where the sky was the limit, a place where my dreams weren't strange or weird, where others had even crazier ideas than me. I knew all of that was in America."

Why Miami first?

They had a SAE campus in Miami. I thought I would be able to get in and get a student visa. I saved up enough money to live there for a couple of months, but I didn't have enough to live and go to school, so I ended up not going.

Next was Houston. What was that like?

I only lived there for a year. This producer found my music through Myspace, and he said if I was ever in Houston to let him know. Then he told me all the people he produced for, and I was so excited because I really loved Rap-A-Lot records, so I went. I met him and he was really cool. We recorded a bunch of songs and we would go to Metropolis. It was in a strip mall and everyone would just hang out in front of their cars, and inside one side was reggaeton and the other was a Slim Thug record chopped n' screwed. The plan was to give the DJ your cd and hopefully he'd play it, which they never do. Then you'd hangout in the parking lot until someone has a fist fight and then you go home. Those were my nights there. Just absorbing everything. I made some friends and then Hurricane Ike hit. Most of my friends were moving to Atlanta because their homes were destroyed. I went too.

How were you making money?

Two of my friends introduced me to their sound engineer and his girlfriend would come to the studio and drop him off lunch. She and I ended up becoming roommates. I told her how I had gone to Thailand before and how fascinated I was with the hair. How you could get in bundles and stuff. She said we should save up money to go and then bring it back and sell it to salons. So we saved up and went on our last dime. She had just graduated college and was working at Bank of America and we went out there and got a bunch of hair. When we came back we sold it super quick, wholesale, to all the salons. It was insane. Technically, even though I didn't have a work visa it isn't illegal if you invest in someone's business. So she registered it as little corporation under her name and I invested in it.

There's this idea that there was "Fancy" and then boom — immediate success! But there were a lot of setbacks.

Obviously there are years that people don't know about. I was in Atlanta for nearly two years just writing for people. I was doing so many writers camps for other known artists, just trying to get my spot. That's why there were a lot of pop demo references that came out. Everyone accused me of wanting to be a pop star and that wasn't something I've ever been interested in. I would write pop music with other people and try to get it placed. I've always rapped. Even the video that came out of the pop song, that was just some shit I did with my friend. We were playing.

The wildest thing is that there are so many reports that I used to be a model and that's always been strange. Just last week on my Spotify profile my bio says, "Iggy Azalea was a high profile model before she became a rapper." When?! I would have loved to be a high profile model, but last time I checked I'm a fucking size eight. What the fuck runway or editorial model do you know that size? There's so much of those kind of rumors that have a mind of their own now.

How did you end up in LA?

The music I was making in Atlanta, I started putting a couple of songs online. They didn't have anymore than 300-400 views. I still don't know how the fuck they found me, but an A&R at Interscope messaged me. He told me he had asked his girlfriend at the time, "Who do you think is cool?" And she played him my music. I was skeptical but he ended up being legitimate. He said I should move to LA and as soon as my lease was up, I went.

When I moved there they put me with a bunch of people. They were trying to help me make connections, but they didn't really understand what I was doing. I met these guys who make up "D.R.U.G.S." about a year after I moved to LA. We'd record in their garage. YG was there. Mustard was there before he was DJ Mustard. Ty Dolla $ign was there all the time. That's where I made Ignorant Art and put out "Pussy."

That song was such a success, Interscope must have been happy.

I had gotten to the end of things with Interscope and was at the point where I felt like since they didn't understand me, this would be a "fuck you." As soon as I put out "Pussy," they called me and said they totally understood the vision. It was a "what the fuck" moment. For nearly a year I had been trying to explain it to them, and suddenly when I did it on my own they want me? I don't think they truly got it, I think they just saw the numerical element to it.

Were you signed to Interscope yet at that point?

I finally had my meeting with Jimmy Iovine after that, and they wanted to sign me. The problem was my A&R wanted to manage me. Interscope, at the time, was working on an in-house management team with LMFAO. They wanted me to sign a document that literally detailed how signing would be a conflict of interest. They gave me two options: sign or leave. I had so many potential deals with other labels but in the end I chose Interscope. We got all the way down to the agreement and, the day of, the deal was dead. Completely done. I had bigger offers, better offers, and I stayed to be loyal to the people who helped me when I was in Atlanta.

What happened?

That was a Jimmy situation and it had a lot to do with Azealia Banks. They wanted to sign her and it became a conflict of interest. Once that happened, everyone wondered why I wasn't signed, why Jimmy didn't want it, and it brought into question my worth as an artist. No one wanted to fucking touch me at all. I couldn't get a deal anywhere after that. Before this I could've asked for a fucking elephant, a Ferrari, four monkeys, and a million dollars — after there was nothing. People wondered, What was wrong with Iggy Azalea? That's how it works with these things. I was done.

What'd you do next?

I had to go to England. I got new management based out of the UK and went and recorded a bunch of music in Wales with a few producers from America. I recorded "Work" and most of The New Classic there and went and shopped a deal in England. They were the only place that didn't give a fuck about what had happened in America. I signed to Mercury Records and after putting out my music there, I came back to America to get upstreamed through Universal Records. I put out five singles through Def Jam before I ever had "Fancy." I toured with Nas before "Fancy." I toured with Beyoncé before "Fancy." I toured my own tour in Europe and North America before "Fancy." I had done five tours before I ever made "Fancy." "Fancy" was truly the last attempt. Not for me to quit music, but for the label to quit me. They had given me four video budgets, none of them exceeded their expectations, and "Fancy" was their last hurrah. For them it was like either this works or it doesn't, but we're gonna put the album out and see if it sells. I decided to do something left and do Clueless, and it worked. Luckily, we had so many attempts before that with the label and this one worked.

What was that moment like?

I was really happy and surprised. I've always known the art I make is pretty left. I didn't expect it to connect. Music has changed a lot from when I first started, but at the time, my music was considered left. There was a lot of monumental success from "Fancy" that I didn't anticipate. All these people were discovering my music and suddenly I'm doing shows with 6,000-7,000 people. It was way more than I ever imagined. I thought I'd be doing basement shows or college parties and even that was so cool to me. I thought I had fully made it! I didn't think beyond that. To see brands that I knew, magazines, all of these mainstream fixtures, people, and media embrace my music, I never could have dreamt that.

When "Fancy" gained such visibility, the media seemed to adore you. Billboard said you tied with The Beatles and bested Michael Jackson. Forbes declared you "Queen of Hip Hop." What were your thoughts during that time?

It was very strange. I never said I was the queen of rap, I've never even thought that. I truly think it was like a great white hope, similar to the film Rocky. All of these people were championing me and branding me these things because of their own projections and not only were they outlandish, they were all incredibly premature. I had just started and there was this influx of, "Queen of rap! Queen of the world! Best record ever! Song of the century!" And so everyone starts saying, "No she's not, fuck her! She has some fucking nerve!" And all of those are things I never said.

What were your thoughts when you were then nominated for four Grammys, including Best Rap Album and Best Record of the Year?

I remember sitting at the Grammy's praying to God I didn't win, literally crossing my fingers, hoping there was no media frenzy. I didn't ask to be nominated. I don't even think I deserved nominations. People were so frustrated with those headlines and all those articles became attached to me personally. People assumed that's how I saw myself, or how I thought of my music. It's never been that. There was this element of trying to humble me, a moment where it seemed like, "Oh this bitch thinks she's this? We're gonna fucking show her that she ain't shit."

Did you ever anticipate that side of fame?

I've always known that I'm controversial. I love to move the needle. Things like "Murda Bizness," yes — I'm going to put toddlers and tiaras in a music video and I know many won't understand it. Or with "Pussy," yes there is a child and I know it pushes buttons. But I think that the best things in pop culture are polarizing. I knew I would always come with controversy, but that was a different kind of controversy. I didn't anticipate that. I didn't even anticipate the success. I didn't think that would be the thing that made it all come crumbling down.

"I think that the best things in pop culture are polarizing."

What is your biggest regret during that time?

I wish that I would've handled criticism better in the beginning. I knew I was polarizing. I aim to be polarizing, sometimes too polarizing where I've pushed the limit too far. When I first got here, there was so much I thought I understood that I really didn't. I've really had to learn a lot of things by being here and having friends and seeing things play out in real life. Especially in the last few years in culture and how far conversations have come, I look back and cringe.

Like what?

Things like the Kendrick lyric, something I profusely apologized for and have learned from. That wasn't okay. It was insanely ignorant. That wasn't an experience to toy with. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way, specifically with that line, like fuck, I hate that I said it. There was so much criticism that came with "Fancy" and I wish I would've handled it better, but it felt very thick.

Everything was coming from every angle. My success. Being worn out. Having lawsuits. I had five different court cases and all of that factored into my responses. It was hard to decipher what criticism was valid and what criticism was just hate. Even with Azealia, we've since spoken and in retrospect, I'm sorry that I trivialized the way she felt about her experience as a black woman navigating the music industry. She and I have our own history and beef about other shit, but when she went on the radio and spoke there was validity to it. Those were her experiences that many others could relate to and I can't take those away, but at the time I thought it was her saying 'fuck you' and trying to hate on me.

You felt what she said was valid in the end?

There were so many critiques she made that were valid. I wish I hadn't been so defensive and emotional, but it invalidated important conversations that shouldn't be overlooked. It created a situation where it looks like I'm unable to be accountable, or I'm unable to accept criticism, that I'm tone deaf, and a fucking idiot. I felt like I had to defend myself against everyone, and that attitude didn't work in my favor. I wish I didn't give impulse responses and say things that made it worse. I was just popping off shit, and I wish I would've thought before I spoke. The problem got so big that I didn't know how to handle it, and I just thought I'll just go away and wait until it blows over or gets better. But it won't just get better, I have to acknowledge it and have conversations about it because otherwise it seems like I don't give a fuck or I'm not ready to take accountability.

Why do you think you weren't able to hear the criticism at the time?

I think when you're an artist and you're just starting out, especially as someone who isn't American, there's a difficult line to walk. I came here when I was 16 and people don't seem to understand that that time period truly defines who I am. They don't get that a lot of these things are my genuine influences, the same way they were informed and influenced by their surroundings. I really did live here. I lived in apartment full of people from Jamaica and after work we'd battle rap by the pool. I really did have friends that were involved in illegal activities. I was actually in the south, recording with Dem Franchize Boyz, listening to Outkast, Dungeon Family, Field Mob, Crime Mobb. And that seems incredibly hard for people to swallow. People think I should rap about Australia in an Australian accent but I'm 28-year-old woman now. I can't rap about being 10 and living in Australia. That never inspired me. My time in America, my time in those cities, were when I really started having life experiences that were worthy of going into my music. It all happened here in this country.

"I wish I hadn't been so defensive and emotional, but it invalidated important conversations that shouldn't be overlooked."

On some of the leaked tracks for Digital Distortion you didn't seem afraid to acknowledge it. Tracks like "Middle Man," "7Teen," and "Elephant" were incredibly aggressive and direct. What happened with that era?

For the record I love Def Jam, there are a lot of people that I truly respect and like. The problem I had during this time was that I was preparing to address how I felt. I had gotten so pop, and when you have success as a pop artist it makes the label a lot of money, so they pushed me to keep churning out hits. They pushed for more branding money, more endorsements — that's their job. And I made the conscious choice to go along with it because I was making a lot of fucking money.

But in doing that I think I isolated a lot of my original supporters. I also stifled myself creatively because I wasn't making the kind of music I wanted to make. If I wanted to make endless hits, I would have been making pop music from day one. I just lost my passion. I didn't feel motivated in the studio. When I told them I was going to make an album, I sat there with the president of the label and told him that his 10-year-old daughter is probably not going to like the songs. I said, "She's not gonna want to come to the concert," and I could see a look of pure horror etched on his face. The expression of, "Fuck, the money maker is going to make some weird, non-radio album."

They weren't backing you up.

There was no support in my decision. They couldn't understand it unless it fit into a radio format, but I knew I would never have success again unless I connected with my original fans. That's what I knew I needed for me to have authenticity and for me to feel passionate. Not only that but for me to just endure life. Everything was falling apart and I need to love the music I'm making and truly believe in it. When I delivered the album, they wanted to know where the radio hits were. All they wanted to create were songs like "Switch." And those songs are great, but pop records don't work without a foundation. Those big songs are supposed to be cherries on top, not just a roof with no house. Pop records are like Skittles, they taste really good but if you eat too many you'll feel sick. They're not a creative meal. Here I am at the darkest period of my life, contemplating suicide, and I'm singing "Switch."

Can you tell me a bit about this new era — Surviving The Summer?

Releasing "Savior" was incredibly therapeutic for me. It felt good to have a record where I can talk about depression, and just let down all my cards. It's completely different from a lot of the other tracks which are heavily rap.

Who are you collaborating with?

I'm working with Detail. I'm working with Pharrell. There's still going to be those unexpected Diplo elements like my early mixtapes. I'm really taking it back to that place. I started with Digital Distortion, but that was really aggressive and angry. I'm not in that place anymore. I'm happy. I know my fans want me to rap and I want to give them that. I want to give them the hard shit that they love, the shit that's different, that moves the needle. I hope people will support it.

From your rapping accent, to your pop accolades, you're constantly criticized for being inauthentic — specifically within the hip-hop realm. What do you think, ultimately, of those debates?

The way I've always felt about music is that I never approached anything as partial to a genre. There's never been a sense of this is a pop record, this a rap record. Even with the way music is today, there are so many melodies and variations to any song, any genre. I think a big part of the judgement in those things — not exclusively for me, but for most women in the music industry — is misogyny. Do you know how many men are on pop records? When they do it, it's rewarded and they're considered smart for reaching a bigger audience.

People like to pick and choose the rules. We bury things that don't give our theories sense. Everyone does it, it's human nature. I feel like with me, there's a lot of reasons why people are trying to invalidate me. Is it not authentic because I make pop music? Or is it because I'm from Australia? What about the fact that I've been here for 12 years? What about white rappers who are saying the most absurd things about hip-hop, but in the club everyone's singing their songs? Other rappers are allowed to do the things that I do — even things I would never even think of doing — but it's okay because they have likability, or a different perception attached to their image, or a fucking dick. People are misogynistic. It is what it is.

"Fuck what I was doing before, I'm doing new shit. It's exciting."

Do you feel like you're a new artist now?

Yes, 1000 percent! It's almost harder now because when you're new people have no preconceived notions about what you are or what you represent. When you become mega successful and you go mainstream, no longer is the sky the limit. It becomes, "Oh she's mainstream, she's had a Steve Madden deal, she's on Cosmo," and the art becomes dissected in a new way with more eyes. But I like it. Sonically, when I'm in the studio, it's fun approaching music as a new artist. Fuck what I was doing before, I'm doing new shit. It's exciting.

#a really insightful and great read #iggy azalea #rap #rapper #female rap #female rapper #hiphop #hip hop #paper magazine #paper mag

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ratingwithears · 6 years ago

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U2- Songs of Experience REVIEW

U2’s newest album is a sequel of sorts to their 2014 album, Songs of Innocence. Taking the titles from poet William Blake, but the titles are more conceptual than expected here. Innocence looked back at a younger group, and how they've evolved since their start back in the late 1970’s. It was an album that fit nicely into the story that U2 have been building since the start of the millennium, being a great (but basic) rock group. Songs of Experience can't help but fall into some of the same traps as any late period U2 album, with a few ballads that just sit there, but a good chunk of the album backs up it’s title, with U2 shaking up their usual formula just enough. This album is easily the most direct sequel to another work that U2 has ever done. The band has played with the concept of sibling albums before (Achtung Baby and Zooropa, All That You Can’t Leave Behind and How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb) but this time there’s song ideas that show back up, and even the cover is a call back with a son and daughter on the cover (the previous album had Clayton’s son on the cover), and the girl wearing a helmet (a call back to War). The delays that prevented Experience from coming out sooner was frustrating at first. It's been a while since U2 has put out an album that hasn't been an event, and here is another one. While it's a more muted release than usual for the group, they're still trying their hardest to put out relevant songs for their fans, themselves and rock music. Lead singer, Bono had a bicycle accident that put him in the hospital. It’s an event that Bono doesn't directly discuss on the album or interviews (part of this plays into the self-mythology that U2 have been building since 2001 (it does have shades of Dylan’s motorcycle accident)). “I shouldn't be here/I should be dead” Bono sings on “Lights of Home”, it's tiny moments like this that make Song of Experience stand out. The opening track, “Love is All We Have Left” is the most mellow opening of any U2 album, and it perfectly sets the stage for everything else that follows. A flourish of light strings and horns swirl around as Bono practically whispers/croons the song (Bono described the song as “Frank Sinatra singing on the moon” and the description is apt). “You’re The Best Thing About Me” and ballad “The Little Things that Give You Away” are both really good U2 songs that have the typical Edge guitar jangle, but it's Bono’s deeply passionate vocals that keep these songs afloat. Bono’s voice is just as strong as ever and he keeps other songs alive that shouldn't have worked. The back half of Experience is messy at times. “Landlady” is strikingly honest, it would have fit in well with their previous album, but some of the lyrics fall flat, and not even Bono’s vocals can save lines like “I’ll never know what starving poets meant”. America has always loomed large in U2’s mythology, back to The Unforgettable Fire, their criticism of it’s worst commercial aspects on Pop, and one of the most important post 9/11 albums, All That You Can't Leave Behind. Songs of Experience works much better than it should because U2 is the last American rock band, and they've once again offered a collection of hopeful songs in a dire political situation. The band purposefully delayed and redid some of the album after the US election. They head back to California on “Summer of Love” (its like a direct sequel to “California (There is no end to love)”, it's an upbeat song that coasts along, and lifts during the reprise (“when all is lost/we find out what remains”). “The Blackout” is a powerful, propulsive throwback rock song, much like “Volcano” (the bass on this song is perfect) but this time it's all about America, and persisting in dark times. Optimism is the theme here, and it's a much needed one too. “Love is Bigger Than Anything in It’s Way” brings an obscure version of brightness (compete with bird chirps towards the end). Last year, Kendrick Lamar put out DAMN, and on “XXX” Bono pops up, and sings about America. It's a powerful moment that fit perfectly with the song. Bono sounds distant, an elder statesman. U2 showing their age, and respectfully handing the torch to a younger generation. “It's not a place/this country is a sound of drum and bass”, Bono sings and he brings back the exact same lines on “American Soul”. That song is fused with “Get Out of Your Own Way” to create the most advanced U2 song in quite some time. “Get Out of Your Own Way” continues the theme of optimism, and America (Lincoln’s ghost is even brought up) and the song flips “XXX”, this time a U2 track that puts Lamar towards the end. Lamar’s lines move from the end of the track into “American Soul”, a song that also directly uses the riff from “Volcano”. This isn't just U2 cutting and pasting onto a new album. It's self-aware statement by the entire group. Sometimes, a song is so good, that it deserves to brought up again. And sometimes, a newer, scarier world has accentuated certain aspects of songs that have no other choice than to be redone. “13 (There is a Light)” closes Songs of Experience by redoing “Song for Someone”. By having a more mellow sound than “Song for Someone”, it's a great way to close the album and serves a mirror to the opening track in mood. By placing the song into a new context of American political unrest, Bono has taken a deeply personal song and left it open to America. “There is a light you can't always see If there is a world we can't always be If there is a dark that we shouldn't doubt And there is a light don't let it go out” Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

#U2 #songs of experience #album review

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thebandcampdiaries · 4 years ago

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FATBOYDUPREE is back with a brand new studio album: Hawaiian Trumpets

Six songs with a distinctive hip-hop flavor!

May 2021 - FATBOYDUPREE is an artist who just came up with a brand new release, a brand new album titled Hawaiian Trumpets.

This particular release is a huge milestone for the artist, and it definitely marks an important step forward towards further solidifying his sound and vision. To put it in a different way, this release is pure fire, and it definitely burns a lot of the competition out there when it comes to up&coming rap music! The first song, “2021,” kicks off with a classic sample, and it dives deeper into a more modern hip-hop production. In addition to that, “Savin Me,” also has a pleasant old-school vibe, with a nice sound of crackling vinyl and some beautiful guitar melodies in the background, perfectly matching the jazzy vibe of the beat. The third song on this release, “Bestfriend,” has a bit of a boom-bap vibe and a pleasant lo-fi tone, which reminds me of artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, J Dilla, or earlier Nas stuff, only to mention a few. The fourth track on this release, “Light Of Mine,” is a really diverse and dynamic number, with a different touch. Melody is more prominent here, and the beat has a cool swelling motion that makes it more interesting and atmospheric in some ways. The vocal lines are very articulate, matching the production to perfection. The fifth track on this release is titled “Fibbing,” and it has a beautiful and dynamic melodic touch, with elements of funk and jazz in the instrumental. This one has a perfect 90s feel, and the beat is really chill, the kind of song you want to have in the background to set the mood! Last, but definitely not least, “Vox 5” serves as an amazing conclusion to this astonishingly well-produced album. The song has a positive attitude and a lot of energy, leaving the audience wanting more!

One of the best things about the songs on “Hawaiian Trumpets” is definitely the fact that these tracks are actually incredibly well-defined and one-of-a-kind when it comes to the quality of the production. The instrumentals bring a diverse sound to the release, because each track explores a slightly different style, highlighting the variety that this artist is capable of bringing to his sound. There is something quite special about how everything comes together here, and FATBOYDUPREE seals the deal with a fantastic lyrical flow. He is always on top of his lyrics, and he never skips a beat, perfectly matching the tempo and groove of the songs with his vocals, which are so interesting and one-of-a-kind. What’s even more special is the fact that the artist managed to tip the hat off to the golden age of the hip-hop genre, giving the audience a more in-depth listening experience that might remind you of legendary artists such as A Tribe Called Quest, as well as The Notorious BIG or even Tupac Shakur, only to mention a few.

This record is definitely a breath of much-needed fresh air, particularly in a genre such as hip-hop. Everyone seems to be stuck in the same old cliches, and as a result, this particular music scene is becoming a little bit stale. However, every once in a while something fantastic and full of heart comes up, just like FATBOYDUPREE’s new release.

This release is a phenomenal example of a piece of music that displays a lot of personality and a very powerful creative vision, as opposed to chasing trends and following the same old trends ad infinitum.

FATBOYDUPREE’s strong vocal delivery makes me think of artists as diverse as Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole, making for a really powerful and dynamic feel.

In addition to that, FATBOYDUPREE is particularly attentive to the details of his productions, making for a focused and dynamic sound. The instrumental album is perfectly balanced, allowing the vocals to really stand out and pop to the forefront of the mix. There are many contributing factors that make the sound truly excellent: partly, it is due to the expertly crafted mix, and partly due to the clever arrangements and spontaneous performance. This release is a combination of passion, focus and vision, and it combines instinctive artistry with true technical expertise, bridging the gaps between the best of both worlds.

If you enjoy punchy hip-hop music with a hint of R&B, this is most definitely going to be right up your alley. Give it a shot and find out more from the links below!

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/mAPCdAhnXgyPXyKbA

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therappundit · 7 years ago

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Welcome to Rap Music, First Quarter 2018...

Q1 2018 is a (w)rap, folks.

Since late 2014, I have been saying that the quality of rap music is trending upwards. Yes, of course there are dips here and there, but what happened in the fourth quarter of 2014 was a shift back towards a skill-set which speaks more to the components of what had traditionally been the key ingredients of good rap music for much of the 1990′s: lyricism, soul, creativity, and message.

Even though the first quarter of 2014 had kicked off with Freddie Gibbs & Madlib’s critically acclaimed Pinata, that release felt more like a bottle of water in a desert oasis, a project intended to keep an increasingly niche underground audience alive rather than an album that was indicative of where hip-hop was going at that point. That year went on to be dominated by catchy but vapid fare like Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” or Young Thug and Birdman’s “Lifestyle”, until there seemed to be a palpable swing of the pendulum when Run The Jewels 2, DJ Premier & Royce Da 5′9′s PRhyme and J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive all dropped at the tail end of 2014. What we were witnessing at that point was another Big Bang in hip-hop, the shattering of the genre into a series of sub-genres, meaning that for better or worse, rap music was never going to be the same.

I continue to believe that this trend is a good thing, and the best case scenario for a genre that has gone from being the sound of the boroughs of New York City, to an incredibly lucrative global phenomenon. The diversity of rap styles, the constant shifting of the wall between underground and mainstream (and what those terms really even mean anymore?) continued through 2015, 2016, 2017 and now through early 2018. While we can only speculate on where rap music will be by this time next year, I can tell you some of the storylines that make rap music so special right now:

- Kendrick Lamar has ascended to the Mt. Rushmore of rap legends

- After being on life support for years, classic underground hip-hop is en vogue

- And after losing track of the initial message, trap music seems to have plenty to say

In some capacity, the above threads all played a role in making the first quarter of 2018 one of the strongest that rap music has ever seen. It was far from easy to narrow down my favorite songs of January through March, but here are my picks for the top ten rap records of 2018 so far...

1. “Respected” - Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LirimXNqnxA

(You won’t find a better rap intro than this one. Very short, but tightly written, this verse defines Roc Marciano as an artist, and overall this track could be used as a template for how to define the mood of an album in less than 30 seconds. From Roc’s opening bars of “fox furs on my evening coat...I gave these heathens hope”, you know exactly what you can expect with Rosebudd’s Revenge 2. And boy does he deliver.)

2. “King’s Dead” - Jay Rock feat. Kendrick Lamar, Future & James Blake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwAnsAUYnw4

(The Black Panther Soundtrack is a legitimate album of the year contender. The impact of the film has been tremendous, but the force of the music inspired by it is of equal quality. Don’t overthink this rambunctious single...just kick back and enjoy it - because that’s clearly what Jay, K Dot and Future did!)

3. “Tent City” - Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go7n9-JefoQ

(”Walkin’ in the clooooouds”…Roc’s bars simply knock this one out the park: “...can’t hit reverse and pay for things that I ain’t earned / I heard the herb was dipped in sherm, bitches’ vision blurred / the German engines purr like leopards / couldn’t get a gig at Eckerd, they said my past was checkered / my ghetto pass is good, I never had to check it…”)

4. “Sell Me This Pen” - Evidence feat. Alchemist & Mach-Hommy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EWrReYix08

(This is just a perfect Alchemist cut, am I right? Ev, Al and Mach work a sinister sample oh so well.)

5. “Roaches” - Maxo Kream

https://soundcloud.com/maxo-kream/roaches-prod-wlderness?in=maxo-kream/sets/punken

(If you slept on Maxo’s Punken tape, let this track be a reminder that you made a mistake.)

6. “Expensive Genes” - Phonte

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_nvRMuOaUs

(Phonte is so strong on No News Is Good News, but his writing on “Expensive Genes” feels better than great. “Expensive Genes” may be a career defining song in the catalogue of an already hall of fame bound lyricist.)

7. “Era” - PRhyme (DJ Premier & Royce Da 5′9 feat. Dave East)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ONsRbOuos

(I don’t care if you weren’t feeling it, it’s just unfortunate that you slept on a great rap record. DJ Premier, Antman Wonder, Dave East and Royce Da 5′9″ tried to unite eras with their first single off PRhyme 2, and in spite of conflicting opinions I would say they were successful. They tried something different here, and I enjoyed the final result.)

8. “Paramedic!” - SOB x RBE feat. Kendrick Lamar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2_A89qTgwM

(This one just kept growing on me. SOB x RBE is a crew to watch, and if they are capable of cranking out more energetic west coast bangers like this one, their future is looking bright.)

9. “Proud” - 2 Chainz feat. YG & Offset

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nUW3nIOOOg

(2 Chainz is poised to have a huge 2018. And if his EP is indicative of how good his next album is going to be, we’re all in for a treat.)

10. “Dedication” - Nipsey Hussle feat. Kendrick Lamar

https://pitchfork.com/news/kendrick-lamar-joins-nipsey-hussle-on-new-song-dedication-listen/

(Victory Lap is not the classic many dubbed it to be when it dropped, but it is a very, very good album. On the surface level this song is not a remarkable one, but once you absorb the words, and the vibes from these talented young men who both survived harrowing situations during their childhood to become older, wiser and more successful for it, it really takes the music to another level. “Dedication” is a strong record.)

So to Roc Marciano, 2 Chainz, TDE, Black Milk, Skyzoo, Evidence, Royce Da 5′9″, Conway, 38 Spesh & Benny, Cozz, Willie The Kid, Rome Streetz, Rigz, Nipsey Hussle, Maxo Kream, Phonte, SOB x RBE, Jamal Gasol, Earth Gang, Elzhi & Khrysis, Chuck Strangers, Murs, CZARFACE & DOOM, Jean Grae & Quelle Chris, Valee and plenty of other talented artists, too numerous to mention...thank you for making the early months of 2018 so special. Salute!

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stephenmalkmusofficial · 7 years ago

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Top Ten Albums of 2017

It’s that time of year again folks, I’m here to count down my top 10 albums of 2017. This year fucking sucked but there was some great music to help us along. Before I start the countdown, I’m gonna list some honorable mentions:

Car Seat Headrest - Beach Life-in-Death, not a record per-say, but the final beautiful realization of one of Will Toledo’s most potent songs

Gold Connections - Gold Connections - EP Will Marsh, a good friend of Will Toledo worked closely with Will to introduce a new era of jammy guitar-oriented indie rock, I’m really excited to hear what’s next from him!

Crashing Sunset - The Warmth of the Glow - Gotta give myself a pat on the back, I’m excited to share more music with you all in the new year!!

LCD Soundsystem - American Dream - let’s just call this number 11 on my list, a great, jammy and fun album full with introspective thoughts and clever one-liners that make me love LCD so much in the first place

10. Los Campesinos! - Sick Scenes

I was definitely really late to the Los Campesinos! party, but they’ve become one of my favorite bands over the past few months. This comeback record is proof that this band can still rock and churn out dancey, emotive tunes with genuine feeling and emotion.

9. Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory

This was definitely one of the more fun records of the year, the fun and introspective beats really know how to get the party started, even if it’s a party for the end of the world...

8. Diet Cig - Swear I’m Good at This

This record knows exactly what it is, it’s a fun, sloppy, guitar pop record, and it does a damn good job at it. In an age of ingenuity, it’s great to see a band not try to be something it’s not.

7. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

Despite clocking in at nearly an hour, this definitely feels like Kendrick’s shortest, most succinct record, and it pays off. The album flips back and forth between more straightforward, aggressive beat-oriented songs like “DNA”. and “HUMBLE.”, but also takes a step back to become introspective, like on my personal favorite, “PRIDE.”. The way Kendrick blends ideas of debauchery and sin with the idea of piety is what makes him one of my favorite rappers on the scene today.

6. Japanese Breakfast - Soft Sounds From Another Planet

Japanese Breakfast was definitely another band I was late to, but man, better late than never. This record has such rich replay value, you can keep coming back to it and play through the whole thing without skipping any tracks. The way Michelle blends pop sensibilities with shoegaze and electronica made songs like “Diving Woman”, “Road Head”, and especially “Machinist”, some of my favorite songs of the year.

5. Big Thief - Capacity

For Big Thief, the sophomore slump is non-existent. The fact that the group followed up their first record, aptly titled Masterpiece, so quickly with another crop of fucking excellent songs. I saw Big Thief early in January, and they played mostly new songs that ended up on this record, one that stuck with me was the simple chorus of “ooh, baby, take me” which ended up being “Shark Smile”, and I was so glad it ended up on here!

4. Priests - Nothing Feels Natural

This outstanding debut from the D.C. punk quartet really grew on me as the year wore on. Priests easily boasts one of the tightest rhythm sections in the scene today. One thing in particular that I admire about this record is that each song is a little different, but that doesn’t affect the flow of it whatsoever. My favorites would definitely be the more dance-y tracks that hark back to 80′s post-punk and New Wave like the title track as well as “Suck”.

3. Rozwell Kid - Precious Art

Rozwell Kid are easily one of the most authentic bands out there, but you might not here that at first listen with singer Jordan Hudkins singing about The Simpsons, Weird Al and hummus. Nevertheless, this record is a shining tribute to a sort of endearing off-kilter sentimentality, and just trying to make the best of one’s life. This is perfectly displayed on songs like “UHF on DVD” and the epic closer, “Michael Keaton”. On top of this, it fucking shreds, which is always a plus for me!!

2. Remo Drive - Greatest Hits

Another party I was kinda late too, but man I don’t regret it at all. This record is seriously infectious, and once it clicks for you, like it did for me, it’s hard to stop listening. Between the slick riffs and clever, often heart-wrenching lyrics, with amazing delivery, this is a band taking what’s great about emo and punk and making it their own. The quick stops and starts sprinkled throughout the songs show that this band is tight and ready to take on the world.

1. Sorority Noise - You’re Not As ___ As You Think

This record seriously means a lot to me. This album takes everything Sorority Noise has done up to this point and blows it out of the water. It’s definitely an emotional listen, and I have to be in a certain mindset to listen to it, since I can’t even get through “No Halo” without tearing up. But that’s the point I think, Cameron Boucher and company have honed their craft to emulate the tearjerking emo of old with a fresh face and more descriptive pain. This record hits home for me in terms of my struggle with religion, and the band hits on all the points that have troubled me for years, making this record really special.

Thanks for reading if you got this far! Here’s to a better 2018 :)

#me

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jmsa1287 · 7 years ago

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A Year in Review: The Best 25 Albums of 2017

Having recorded my listening habits for a decade now, this is the first time since 2007 that I could not make a top 50 albums list. Usually listening to over 100 albums in a year, this was the first time in many years that I listened to a very small number of albums. Perhaps this has to do with turning 30 and being busy, having less time to spend time with music. Nevertheless, I enjoyed what 2017 had to offer more than last year.

Unlike the last few years, 2017 was not a consensus year for music. There was not a single album that critics and music fans championed; this year was more fragmented, where pockets of people lauded various albums. Artists like Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Bon Iver, Run the Jewels, Beyonce, and Frank Ocean ruled year-end lists over the past decade but no musician or album "popped a wheelie on the zeitgeist" in a staggering way in 2017.

Albums by big pop stars failed to be an event this year. Katy Perry's exhausting rollout of "Witness" was a train wreck (and the music wasn't great either), Miley Cyrus's back-to-basics album "Younger Now" was an unfortunate flop and Kesha's comeback record only made a small splash. And then there's Taylor Swift, who didn't do her typical media bombardment to promote "reputation." She instead opted for a reserved albeit calculated attempt to get the word out there about her new music, which included cryptic snake videos on social media, ads on UPS trucks and not a single interview.

The winners of music in 2017 were men: Billboard published its year-end chart/top artists of the year list this week and the first 14 spots go to men, including Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Placing 15th is Ariana Grande, whose latest album "Dangerous Woman" dropped last year. Female pop stars who had albums debut in 2017 are further down on the list, including Halsey (24th), Taylor Swift (25th) Demi Lovato (39th), Katy Perry (49th), SZA (57th), Miley Cyrus (64th), P!nk (78th) and Kesha (95th), which points to the interesting state pop music is currently in; perhaps a bleak reflection of our political climate.

That men dominated music in 2017during President Donald Trump's first year in the White House may not surprise those keeping an eye on culture. And whether or not you enjoyed albums by Sheeran, Lamar and The Chainsmokers is obviously completely subjective. But this list features several women musicians of varying genre, including pop, indie rock and experimental.

25. Yumi Zouma - Willowbank

24. Taylor Swift - reputation

23. Julia Michaels - Nervous System EP

22. Sampha - Process

21. Real Estate - In Mind

20. Paramore - After Laughter

19. Ariel Pink - Dedicated to Bobby James

18. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Echo of Pleasure

17. Charlotte Gainsbourg - Rest

16. Terror Jr - Bop City 3: The Girl Who Cried Purple

15. Jessie Ware - Glasshouse

14. Broken Social Scene - Hug of Thunder

13. St. Vincent - Masseducation

12. LCD Soundsystem - american dream

11. The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

10. Destroyer - ken

Since his breakthrough 2012 album "Kaputt," Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Bejar, who performs under the name Destroyer, has continued his brand of smooth indie rock that's one part scuzzy rock and one part romanticism. On his 11th album "ken," Bejar is most clearly inspired by New Order, basking in the glow of thick synths, heavy guitar riffs and thumping bass. Bejar's take on new wave is at its best with the stellar melodramatic track "Tinseltown Swimming in Blood." Tying the music together on "ken" is Bejar's unmistakable voice, a husky and beautiful sound that only gets better with time.

09. HAIM - Something to Tell You

The sisters who make up the California indie pop trio HAIM perfected their sound with their long awaited sophomore album "Something to Tell You." Distilling their Wilson Phillips meets Fleetwood Mac meets Sheryl Crow meets Amy Grant inspirations, HAIM's latest effort is a breezy, melodic album with groovy highlights, like singles "Want You Back" and "Little of Your Love." "Something to Tell You" is a well-crafted album, proving the HAIM sisters are growing as artists. "Something to Tell You" is an effortless album; one of the most-fun listening experiences of 2017.

08. Dirty Projectors - Dirty Projectors

Once a band consisting of several members, David Longstreth's Dirty Projectors project is now a solo one. After a tumultuous breakup with former Dirty Projector's singer Amber Coffman (who put out her own solo record this year, too), Longstreth details the end of their relationship with self-reflective precision. Over experimental songs, Longstreth examines himself and where he went wrong while re-contextualizing Dirty Projectors' discography, like on "Up in Hudson," a sweeping epic that chronicles the ebbs and flows of his relationship with Coffman. Or like "Keep Your Name," which samples the band's 2012 song "Impregnable Question" (that song prominently featured Coffman). Despite it being an extremely personal album, "Dirty Projectors" offers some of Longstreth's snappiest and catchiest music, including "Cool Your Heart," featuring R&B chanteuse Dawn Richard. The album is as revealing as it is assessable.

07. The xx - I See You

The xx's third album "I See You" is the U.K. trio's most vibrant effort. The band injects their quiet and minimal sound with some big surprises, thanks to Jamie xx, the band's producer who released his house-inspired dance album in 2015. Here, he brings his dance floor-ready sound to the band's new album while Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim pen some of their most personal songs. "I See You" features introspective tracks detailing addiction, death and queerness. It's a polished album finding the xx at their most confessional - and most exciting.

06. Charli XCX - Number 1 Angel

Considered a mixtape, "Number 1 Angel" by pop princess Charli XCX is a 10-track party. Produced by experimental avant-pop musicians from the PC Music crew (A.G. Cook, Danny L Harle, Life Sim and Sophie), Charli's mixtape is full of unrelenting bangers. From the rapturous "3 AM," featuring singer MØ, to the euphoric "Roll with Me" and marvelously glitch-y "ILY2," "Number 1 Angel" is an addictive collection of jams. What makes the tape one of Charli's best works to date is because it's a collaborative effort. Not only does Charli work with some of the most interesting producers today, but she also enlists the help of alternative pop/rap stars like Raye, Abra and Cuppcakke, making "Number 1 Angel" simply a good time.

05. Jens Lekman - Life Will See You Now

It's been a decade since Swedish musician Jens Lekman broke through with his lush album "Night Falls Over Kortedala." Lekman has bounced back-and-forth from lo-fi singer-songwriter records to vibrant albums that draw from tropical sounds (with varying success) but his fourth album "Life Will See You Now" finds him back in a sweet spot. Known for his diary-like and personal songwriting, Lekman is at his most confessional here, penning songs about faith, tragedy, breakups and a 3D molding of a tumor. Lekman always adds a dose of comedy to his music, and "Life Will See You Now," full of warm melodies and dazzling production, is a lovely album carved out of earnest emotion.

04. Terror Jr - Bop City 2: TerroRising

Terror Jr has been quietly making some of the most interesting pop music of the last few years. On their second album "Bop City 2: TerroRising" - a sequel of sorts to their excellent debut "Bop City," the mysterious band shares their dark and twisted take on Top 40- hits. Provocative and forward thinking, Terror Jr explore addiction, sexuality and romance on introspective songs with blunt lyrics a la seminal avant-garde band Xiu Xiu. The combination of radio-friendly production and confessional lyrics makes Terror Jr's "Bop City 2" a tour de force.

03. Lana Del Rey - Lust for Life

Lana Del Rey was perhaps the most aware artist of 2017. Not only was she self-reflective of her place in the world, her status and what she, as a musician and celebrity, means to her fans, but Del Rey also documented herself reacting to today's political climate: Threats of nuclear war with North Korea deeply concerned her. The way in which women are treated in Hollywood, or Hollyweird as she'd call it, was at the top of her mind (she revealed she'll no longer perform her song "Cola" at her shows because it references Harvey Weinstein). Donald Trump elected to office sickened her - so much so that she joined witches around the nation in casting a spell on him and later banned the U.S. flag from her live shows; a shocking move from an artist who built a career at honoring Americana. All of Del Rey's tumultuous and agonizing feelings about 2017 are weaved into her beautiful fourth album "Lust for Life." It's Del Rey at her most Del Rey; an album that looks back at her debut "Born to Die" with its sweeping string arrangements and nods to hip-hop, while being completely fresh, finding Del Rey concerned for her fans but still full of hope.

02. Phoenix - Ti Amo

Indie singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens provided the music to this year's Oscars frontrunner, the coming-of-age gay romance "Call Me By Your Name." But it's the French indie rock band Phoenix that created the soundtrack to summertime in Italy. Their sixth album "Ti Amo" is simple and pure; exploring love, desire, lust and food while being inspired the Italian disco. The fuzzy single "J-Boy" is slick and cool like gelato, the title track dazzles with sparkling synths and fizzes like cream soda, "Tuttifrutti" is a sweet banger and highlight "Fior di Latte" is as rich as the cheese itself. Each song on "Ti Amo" is exciting as the last, with closing track "Telefono" being one of the Phoenix's catchiest songs to date. The album may not be the band's most innovative but that's OK - "Ti Amo" is an undeniable delight, perfectly capturing a sound and feeling unlike any record in 2017.

01. Lorde - Melodrama

Not long before he died, David Bowie apparently said Lorde is "the future of music." Wise beyond her 21 years, the New Zealand musician would be make Bowie proud with her impressive sophomore album "Melodrama," a stunning and cohesive concept album that subverts pop expectations of pop music. Tracking the ups and downs of a house party, Lorde's "Melodrama" explores every facet the emotional impact a breakup can give you. With her odd lyrical phrasing, jarring whispers and precise production from Jack Antonff, "Melodrama" is a radically raw album that exposes itself with each listen. It is also an achievement for Lorde herself; she sheds the teenage persona she created on her massively successful debut "Pure Heroine" (and that song's "Royals") and announces herself as an adult. With "Melodrama," Lorde is more profound than she's ever been.

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buzzfeedreader · 7 years ago

Photo

Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images

SZA’s Ctrl is a black girl’s Tumblr come to melodic, vibrant life.

SZA, who is 26 years old and grew up in New Jersey, is speaking in a specific vernacular that will be familiar to black women who spend chunks of their time in certain corners of the internet. It is apparent right from the opening song, "Supermodel," which begins with a recording of the singer’s mother speaking on the grand theme of the record (“That is my greatest fear. That if, if I lost control or did not have control, things would just, you know. I would be be...fatal”). It’s not that the lyrics come in the form of some impenetrable fancy language, necessarily — it is standard (African-)American English, after all — it is the attitude with which she throws out the lyrics that catches the ear, and then makes the words linger on the mind.

When she plaintively sings “Why can’t I stay alone just by myself / wish I was comfortable just with myself” on that opener, for example, you can almost taste the minimalist Tumblr theme; if you close your eyes you can picture an ironic Blingee lighting up on a loop behind your eyelids. Ctrl is covering much of the ground that fills my own dashboard up every single day, the hundreds of posts that essentially boil down to a quest for self-determination — self-determination in a world that seems hell-bent on pushing us into predesignated roles and situations. And that is expressed in pithy but heartfelt text posts about black girl magic in all its forms, mood boards and videos of hair and fashion inspiration, and the men and women we fancy and love, alongside photo sets and GIF sets of nostalgia-nourished TV shows and age-relevant quotes about life and love and self-care. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that SZA was for a good long time an active Tumblr user (I have followed her on there for years). Even now, via her million-follower Instagram, her preferred platform these days, SZA is still doing much of what her Tumblr used to do (minus the direct contact afforded by her Ask box). Last month she posted a screenshot of a Tumblr post about awkward flirting with the caption: “who dragged me like this?”

SZA’s reputation has been building for years via a couple of well-received EPs, See.SZA.Run and S, and her first studio album Z. In 2013, she signed with indie label Top Dawg Entertainment, the home of Kendrick Lamar and the rest of the Black Hippy crew — the first woman to do so. Three years later, she appeared on and co-wrote Rihanna’s opening Anti track, “Consideration.” Collaborating with the likes of Jill Scott and Chance the Rapper, she’s been making atmospheric, lush, and moody R&B that is as much throwback as it is forward-looking, and it is a combination that has made listeners consider her a safe pair of hands (3.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify is no small feat, after all) — the evidence of which lies in her label’s ease with releasing Ctrl in the same week as Katy Perry’s latest.

Music like SZA’s found its first home on Black Girl Tumblr. Or, at the very least, gained loyal followings there. Artists like SZA, H.E.R., Jennah Bell, Jhené Aiko, and so on were the much-cherished discoveries of like-minded girls and young women who were also yearning for their own reflection to come back undistorted. And so perhaps it is inevitable and fitting that listening to SZA’s Ctrl often feels like reading a series of all lowercase, punctuation-free Tumblr text posts. Those posts are often telling a version of the truth, comically bemused but with an arched eyebrow. SZA is earnest, yes, but that doesn’t mean her eyebrow isn’t raised throughout Ctrl.

You can almost hear that eyebrow creak upward on "Garden (Say It Like Dat)” in which she sings engagingly about self-doubt and anxiety: “Lie to me and say / my booty gettin’ bigger even if it ain’t” is a funny, relatable lyric. And even before she expands it into something more plainly stated, it carries undertones of a little sort of sadness. The latter half of this second-verse lyric, for example, is tongue in cheek and on the nose: “I know you'd rather be laid up with a big booty / body hella positive ‘cause she got a big booty” (her ad-lib — an incredulous “wow” — is pitch-perfect). But then the emotion pinballs quickly again with the quiet admission that comes by verse’s end: “You know I'm sensitive ‘bout havin' no booty / havin' no body / only you, buddy / can you / hold me when nobody’s around us?”

In many ways SZA is singing about the things we have come to expect from our indie-slash-folksy white female singer-songwriters, but what Ctrl is delivering comes as experienced and reported through a firmly black girl lens. Like another young musician who has developed an ardent following, British singer-songwriter Nao, SZA makes pop that's sincere — almost painfully so — but she is also playful and smart and funny. Even when she is not in control (of her gravity, of her ex, of the size of her booty), she’s still "finding herself" while remaining refreshingly self-aware — she knows who she is and roughly where she wants to end up. I thought a lot about Nao’s For All We Know while listening to Ctrl and had a clear thought: Where Nao’s constructions sound something akin to black girl church, SZA sounds like the aftermath of a black girl night out (one in which you might have found yourself crying in the club). It perfectly encapsulates that keyed-up post-club, pre-sleep 3 a.m. feeling when feelings are close to the surface.

There is also a firmness in SZA’s persona on this record, best exemplified by her grandmother’s short, spirited interlude at the end “Love Galore”, addressing SZA by her given name, Solána Imani Rowe: “But see, Solána? If you don’t say something, speak up for yourself, they think you stupid. You know what I’m saying?” It’s a nod and a wink to the listener. SZA knows who’s listening, and who that message is for. Another noteworthy and matter-of-fact exemplification comes straight out the gate on “Doves in the Wind”: “Real niggas do not deserve pussy.” Which is self-explanatory.

On “The Weekend,” a soon-to-be sidepiece classic, SZA is funny: “My man is my man is your man / heard it’s her man too,” she coos dismissively before telling her paramour to make sure he’s at her place “by 10:30 / no later than / drop them drawers / give me what I want.” And on “Drew Barrymore” (a geniusly titled song, effortlessly conjuring as it does images of '90s teen rom-coms and coded norms of suburban insecurity and acceptance), she is sharp: “I’m sorry you got karma comin’ to you.” When she sings wistfully about the titular character from 1994 film Forrest Gump (first in cinemas when she was 4), SZA’s being cute but also serious — imagine a world in which pussy was given to only deserving men! “Where's Forrest now when you need him?” she intones almost solemnly on "Doves in the Wind.” “Talk to me.”

The dip into the '90s oeuvre of Robert Zemeckis notwithstanding, Ctrl is very much of the now. Even with its dizzying array of producers, the entire record sounds cohesively and fluently like 2017: Peep the references to Netflix show Narcos (which also got a shoutout on Stormzy’s 2017 LP Gang Signs and Prayer) or the aforementioned “body positive” (a term whose overuse has given it an unearned negative reputation on Tumblr and beyond). On “Normal Girl,” SZA borrows liberally from Drake’s 2016 single “Controlla” (“You like it / when I be / aggressive”). Even the nostalgic TV Ctrl harks back to is curiously very current again: that period in the '90s that young people have rediscovered and which they quote liberally from, thanks to streaming. SZA refers to comedy sketch show MadTV on “Doves in the Wind,” and on “Go Gina” she uses one of Martin Lawrence’s catchphrases from his sitcom Martin.

Ctrl is a mishmash of so many influences, which will continue to reveal themselves as it beds in with listeners. Its pop DNA is evident in its many catchy hooks and choruses (“Prom” sounds like a 2017 update of Gwen Stefani’s “Cool,” for example), and her guest stars — Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, James Fauntleroy, Isaiah Rashad — add weight but are never overwhelming. SZA has an ear for what is aurally pleasing and commercial: Upon my third listen to the record, I was struck by how happily pretty much every song would sit on the soundtrack of a teen show (won’t someone invite her to score a black girl coming-of-age movie, please?).

What sells the record best, though, is SZA’s own conviction. Like the black girls who live their multi-adjectived lives on Tumblr, she is the best chronicler of her own life. It’s an expansion of self-identity that stretches beyond Strong Black Woman (which is not entirely discarded as one facet) and travels into the territory we have always known was in us. SZA’s music is vulnerable and sweet, self-questioning and self-affirming, all at the same time, in a way that is performative, yes — but also intimate and tender. It is a snapshot of one 26-year-old’s life right now, much like all those Tumblrs are moments in amber. Ctrl feels “Dear Diary” real, which is to say it is Black Girl Tumblr writ large. Control, in all avenues, is the defining characteristic, and it is powerful. “I belong to nobody / hope it don’t bother you / you can mind your business / I belong to nobody” SZA sings on “Go Gina.”

Listening to Ctrl, you don’t doubt it.

—Bim Adewunmi on SZA’s new album

#sza #blackgirls #r&b #carefreeblackgirls #sadblackgirls #music #reviews #photos #bim adewunmi

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appreciatedinretrospect · 7 years ago

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Kendrick Lamar DAMN Album Review

“The best way for me to put it, To Pimp A Butterfly would be the idea of the thought of changing the world…DAMN would be the idea that I can’t change the world until I change myself.”

- Kendrick Lamar speaking to Zane Lowe.

My first impression of DAMN was how Mike D of the Beastie Boys described A Tribe Called Quest in their documentary ‘Beats Rhymes & Life’ saying that there were “party records but with a consciousness.” It’s the core element of hip hop to have both ends of equation without it being contradictory.

Lamar speaking to Lowe, goes on to explain how he is a vessel of God, relaying the message of life by making it honest. By depicting each of these human emotions through the lens of his personal experience makes the relative into the absolute. You have to be able to look inward to approach the bigger picture. It's about discussing both ends of the spectrum contextually rather than being schizophrenic in subject matter. In fact it's the opposite of it. There are few records more focused. That’s where the concept of the album comes in. There’s duality within all of us.

DAMN takes multiple listens creating an experience in an age where the LP is under attack by the way we consume music. Conscious of that, Lamar made something that would combat passive listening by making something you have to pay attention to. Every step of the way heightens the experience. That within itself makes this album a classic.

Lamar always finds a way to progress his sound as well as the concept or weight of an album. Each bar on each track on each album represent all of us as well as Lamar with a level of genius and calculation that’s refreshing in the year 2017. Anyone who’s a fan of Section.80, good kid, m.A.A.d city, or To Pimp a Butterfly won’t have an issue getting into DAMN. The goal was to make it raw Hip Hop but with a grand purpose. “Party records with a consciousness.”

Ain’t nobody praying for me.

Blood-

"It's a new life” Lamar stated speaking to Zane Lowe.

Features lush instrumentation and harmonies that are like a mournful Marvin Gaye song. Kendrick describes a situation of helping a blind woman but ends up losing his life in the process. It’s the calm before the storm. In true rebel music fashion, the track ends with Eric Bolling and Kimberly Guilfoyle from Fox News ignorantly discussing the lyrics of To Pimp A Butterfly’s Alright. Punk rock and telling of various degrees of human interaction.

DNA-

This is an immediate and energetic drop into the album taking on an array of themes over a sample of a live version of Rick James’ Mary Jane and Ha by Juvenile. More of an ambiguous socio political statement rather than a direct message while still having a proclamation of authenticity. DNA does everything you want a hip hop song to do to you. When you hear punk you know how you want to feel viscerally. This is what Kendrick is doing with hip hop.

Heavy bass and drums at 130 bpm and ending it with a sample from Geraldo Rivera, another punk rock jab at the right wing media. "Me recognizing the world around me, the lifestyle... from a famous perspective…"

Yah-

Yahweh, a Hebrew name for God in the Bible embodies the theme of the track. Using reverse loops Lamar curates a vibe that its energetically the poor opposite of the previous track.

Covering religion, racial identity and improper right wing media with the agenda to spread hate and hypocrisy. A consistent beat gives Lamar the platform to express his inner thoughts without being in a hurry.

Element-

Featuring production from James Blake, Sounwave, Ricci Rivera, a contribution from Kid Capri and a sample of Fleurie’s Don’t Let Me Down.

The first lines of this track give me chills every time I hear it. They’re some of my favorite lyrics of all time. "I'm willing to die for this shit, I done cried for this shit, might take a life for this shit." A proclamation blatantly stating love for the art. “I don't do it for the gram I do it for Compton." This isn't about vanity and arbitrary social constructs. This is my life and the lives of others. The power of music and knowing where you come from. Lamar tells tales of self sacrifice, on the cross for a grander purpose. Piano and beat driving the track over 808 style drums.

*(Element was one of the first ideas for the album)

Feel-

Ain’t nobody praying for me.

Another lower dynamic track features a sample of O.C Smith’s Stormy and production from Sounwave, as well as contribution from Thundercat. Lamar discusses themes of isolation, feeling alien, questioning life and your surroundings. Inner dialogue in moments of solitude. Your mind can be evil when you're alone but it can also clear the smoke when there's clearly a fire. All you can do is express yourself after that. Sometimes it's finding catharsis and other times it's exploding. I'm supposed to be the Savior but ain't nobody praying for me. Lamar references I Am Legend to depict his loneliness and acknowledgment of being at the top of the game with little competition with the pressure it comes along with.

Loyalty-

One of the few tracks to have a feature beyond a contributor to the production. It shines a light on artistry and representation of women by having Rhianna give her perspective of Loyalty.

You have to maintain honesty and loyalty to yourself and those you love. Ride or die mentality. You can be compromised or bastardized by external factors including temptation or fame.

Pride-

Lamar consciously made Pride more of a slower, lower dynamic track than what follows giving the album that introspective juxtaposition. Pride can be dangerous, but it can also be a tool to use. Lamar correlates those concepts of Pride to religion while still observing the self and his surroundings. For people of color pride has a very different connotation. It's not arrogance but knowing you're beautiful and you belong when society constantly makes feeble attempts to tell you otherwise.

Humble-

This banger is about duality and authenticity. It’s fun, socially conscious and a perfectly constructed hip hop song for any context. In case any of you were questioning it, yes this brotha is your savior. Who else presently can stunt and keep it real over piano and drums at this level of excellence?

Lust-

Lust is trying to fill a void with a biological need. We all seek out something to fill that void even at the point of it being unhealthy or even mundane. Mundanity might be even worse in this context. If we’re not actually seeking real human connection tot the point that it’s becoming redundant, are we really living? Like a junkie looking for a fix. Lamar brings the vibe back down to make his point as clear as possible over reverse loops and harmonies.

Love-

Featuring Zacari, Lamar dives into Lust’s alternative counterpart rather than its polar opposite.

The concept of love and the feeling of love in the midst of the madness of the album.

If we’re looking through the lens of Kendrick Lamar to observe these human qualities love has to be featured in that. Love explores the biological and innate feeling of giving and receiving love in its purest form as well as analyzing that love.

XXX-

Features a sample of James Brown’s Get Up Off That. Without feeling schizophrenic, Lamar makes a hip hop song with stark movements. Each of them sounding vastly different than the last while still being inherently cohesive like an opera. Harmonies reminiscent of Blood’s intro open the track leading into 808 drums and heavy bass while Lamar spits almost almost whispered lyrics before a siren effect brings him up to his upper register depicting what would happen if he lost his son in a conversation with a friend struggling with that exact reality.

"Can you pray for me? If someone killed my son that mean somebody getting killed.” Then a not so out of character feature from U2 accompanies a blunt political commentary describing the world we live in right now. "Homicidal thoughts Donald Trump is in office. We lost Barack and promised to never doubt him again." We're all human and capable of evil as well as good. Coping with spirituality and life as a venn diagram. Sometimes they fall under the same category and sometimes they don't. Both are valid because it's apart of the human experience. Bono’s lyrics imply that America isn't a destination but a feeling or a concept.

Fear-

Features production from Alchemist and a sample of The 24 Carat Black’s Poverty’s Paradise.

Fear takes you to a very specific place that many human beings can relate to. And if they can't Kendrick conveys that scene by painting the picture. The anxiety of living on the edge and uncertainty. Especially as a child and the pressure it puts on you throughout your life. It shapes you. Each verse takes you to the specific fears that come with the ages of 7, 17 and 27.

Physical fear, fear of dying young and being a number, fear of losing what you've built, etc.

God-

God serves as the penultimate of the album. What could sound like a nostalgic care free party song in the distance is actually a personal telling of mortality and success. The grandest achievements can actually feel like the power of God. It can feel like you are God yourself. But the reality is, according to Kendrick, that we are all vessels of God and should be humble enough to remind ourselves and others of that fact.

Duckworth-

Features a sample of Ted Taylor’s Be Ever Wonderful.

Duckworth is 360 reflection of where you began to where you are now to where you're going. The track opens with those same harmonies and Kid Capri stating “what happens on Earth stays on Earth.” DAMN’s final track might actually serve as its most important. The decisions you make with a stranger will not only change their life and yours but maybe create something outside of the two of you. A man is so self destructive that he goes back to the same restaurant a year after he robbed it to do the same thing. Because of understanding the circumstances of that life Lamar’s father he offers him food instead. 20 years later they find out they know each other because he was Lamar's manager. This is divine intervention. If you treat people with humanity, magic can happen. Try to understand why people are in the situation they’re in and respond instead of reacting.

I would recommend this for just about anyone. I don’t care if you’re a fan or not, or if you listen to hip hop or not. (I judge you if you fall under either of these categories.) There’s something on DAMN for everyone.

You can watch Kendrick Lamar’s interview with Zane Lowe below:

youtube

I feel Like something’s missing here...

#kendrick lamar #damn #album review

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theholidaytracklist · 5 years ago

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50 Tracks 2019

Welcome!! This is your annual installment of 50 Tracks, the musical greeting card to all of my favorite people both near and far. I hope that you and yours have been enjoying the holiday season, the brightness of the lights in the cold of winter, and the warm comforts of steady tradition. May you carry this joy into the boundless opportunity of the new year!

2019 was similar to its predecessor in that it was short on truly great music but deep in really good music, though I think there was actually more depth in album quality this year than last. As I say every year, music continues to be a mirror for where we are individually and as a world, so it’s no surprise that many of the artists I chose to select here are echoing the dynamics I find myself exploring in the twilight of 2019: feelings of uncertainty, existential dread, hedonistic joy, comic apathy, anger and catharsis, obstacles of love, wavering currents of hope. As I age I recognize more and more the way that music can act as a prism through which my emotional thought is refracted and colored, and I am both unsettled by the distorting impact that may have on my perspective, as well as being in awe of the tidal force that it plays in my understanding of the world around me. I hope at least one of these songs or artists can have that level of impact on you as well.

As always, the list is limited to one entry per artist. It was frequently challenging to choose one song to represent the impact that many of these cohesive albums had on me this year, so when the featured artist had multiple songs that were among my favorites of the year, those additional songs will be denoted below the main entry in [Brackets]. Click on the bolded song titles to open the accompanying YouTube video. Enjoy!

Honorable Mentions:

Chromatics - Closer To Grey

We’ll start things off with the washed out driving electronics of Portland quartet Chromatics, who dropped a surprise seventh album in October, also titled Closer to Grey. Always good to set a mood, Johnny Jewel and company deliver another gem here, perfectly scoring my snowed-out back road wanderings this winter.

Clams Casino - Rune

Now almost 10 years into a career that has already seen a remarkable amount of both commercial and critical high notes, New Jersey producer Clams Casino continues to be central in forming hip hop’s next waves. Returning with only his second proper studio album, November's Moon Trip Radio was another dive into his ambient side, ripe with both churning anthems like Rune and delicate moments that feel like watching butterflies flutter about in the sun.

[Twilit]

Crumb - Fall Down

Crumb is a wonderful indie-psych quartet of Brooklyn-based musicians who formed while attending Tufts University right in my backyard. The band quickly received some strong buzz with 2017’s Locket, and followed that up with their first full-length project Jinx this June. That record is stocked with fuzzy little tunnels of sound, with Fall Down being my personal favorite.

JPEGMAFIA - Jesus Forgive Me, I Am A Thot

I've been aware of the artist affectionately known as Peggy for the last couple of years, and while I didn't see last year's Veteran as the achievement some felt it was, I definitely respect the creativity, individuality, and force of the man as an artist. With the attitude of a punkster, a sample folder of the Gods, and a sound born in the deepest cockles of the internet, one of JPEGMafia’s greatest strengths is just how much he attacks you with his musical vision. It’s never worked as well as it does here on the whip-tight energy of Jesus Forgive Me I Am A Thot.

Mannequin Pussy - Drunk II

I'm not even going to try to defend this band name, it's one of the worst I've ever come across. That said, the Philly foursome are proving three albums into their young career that their music can be just as affecting, with lead singer Marisa Dabice delivering a powerhouse turn here with her desperate musings on Drunk II.

Mariah The Scientist - Beetlejuice

I still know very little about Atlanta R&B singer Mariah The Scientist, and the lack of overall noise about the 21 year-old fits with the somewhat strangely elusive feel of Beetlejuice off her August debut Master. On the one hand her age, the look of this video, and her connection to Tory Lanez paint the picture of an R&B B-level flash. And yet the measured power in her voice here, the patience of the production (those drums wait until 1:40 to kick in), and the way her jaded lyrics feel decidedly genuine all point towards a much more promising young artist.

Sir - Mood (ft. Zacari)

A stand out from Inglewoed singer and TDE artist Sir’s latest Chasing Summer, Mood is the well-balanced poolside cocktail for your taste buds. Here the hook comes from label-mate Zacari, who provided a similar garnish for Kendrick on 2017’s Love, and had his own song in contention with Don’t Trip from back in the spring.

Smino - Klink

It feels like Smino’s hip-hop sensibilities are all very relevant to the collective sound in 2020, which might be part of the reason (writing killer hooks always helps) the St. Louis rapper is as well-connected in the community as he is. With ties to Dreamville and everyone in the Chicago scene, Smino blends influences like Nelly, Outkast, Ludacris, and Bone Thugs with his own cartoon flow to create something unique on every feature. I’m stoked to see him and 50 Track alums No Name and Saba join up for more music together as Ghetto Sage in 2020.

Spirit Family Reunion - Come Our Way

Spirit Family Reunion gave us another fulfilling entry into their version of the American Songbook this year with August's Ride Free, the Brooklyn band’s third stellar LP of traditional folk/bluegrass/gospel music. This album saw Nick Panken and friends share a little more of themselves and their view on the state of the world in 2019, with some of that slow entropy leaking into the easy country road malaise of Come Our Way.

Zsela - Noise

Zsela is 24-year old Zsela Thompson, half-sister of actress Tessa Thompson and currently unknown darling of the music/fashion world, releasing hauntingly composed folk ballads and then playing sets on runways, in moody bars, and in quiet churches. Both Noise and Earlier Days made a strong impression on me this year, and if Thompson can approach the heights of current tour mates like Cat Power and Angel Olsen, she’ll be doing just fine.

[Earlier Days]

50.) 03 Greedo & Kenny Beats - Disco Shit (ft. Freddie Gibbs)

03 Greedo hasn't necessarily done much to make me take notice to this point, but as a fan of Kenny Beats (check out his YouTube show The Cave if you haven't) I gave their collaborative album Netflix & Deal a listen, and while this is one of the lone standouts, Greedo might deliver the hook of the year right here. The way his voice hits this beat is butter, and with the bonus of hearing an auto-tuned Gibbs, this one is too good to deny.

49.) Girlpool - What Chaos Is Imaginary

LA duo Girlpool have graced this list a couple of times before, but February's What Chaos Is Imaginary was the first record they've released an album since founding member Avery Tucker's voice became profoundly impacted by hormone therapy. Tucker entered the gender flow in 2017 and has had to cope with the impact that flow has had on his voice, once a huge part of the band’s sonic identity The title track of that record is proof enough of the band’s resilience, with Harmony Tividad’s voice wielding much of that restorative power.

48.) Rich Brian - Yellow (ft. Bekon)

After being somewhat of a meme throw-in in this area of the list with his song Dat Stick (as Rich Chigga) back in 2016, Brian Emmanuel has steadily become a legitimate artist in hip hop, following up 2018’s solid Amen with The Sailor this July. Lead single Yellow is a creative revelation for Brian, introducing a wave of psych elements, the prominence of his singing voice in new ways, and a more direct window into his pain.

47.) Sacred Paws - The Conversation

Indie rock duo Sacred Paws won the Scottish Album of the Year Award with their 2017 debut Strike A Match, and returned with more noodly goodness with May’s Run Around The Sun. The Conversation was just one of a number of tracks on that record with a similar 90s sunshine sensibility that feels so blissfully hopeful and welcome in this era of existentialism in music.

[Almost It] [Brush Your Hair]

46.) Danny Brown - Dirty Laundry

With uknowwhatimsayin, his first record in the shadow of 2016’s Atrocity Exhbition, Danny Brown says his goal was to create a hodge-podge of sounds and ideas, like how when people tack ‘you know what I’m saying?’ to the end of heir sentences they’re usually not saying much. The record comes off sounding much more New York than Detroit, but Danny keeps his manic energy, hitting his spots with a range of humor, wit, and tenacity over Q-Tip led production.

[Best Life] [Change Up] [Combat] [Savage Nomad]

45.) Boy Scouts - All Right

Boy Scouts is Oakland singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Taylor Vick, and her record Free Company made it across my desk relatively late in this process, as her stellar track Get Well Soon graced some other end-of-the-year lists. But it was the chugging blues and golden refrain of All Right, complete with space confetti synths, that really permeated my being. One of those relatively soft songs you can still head bang to.

[Get Well Soon]

44.) Brockhampton - Dearly Departed

Ginger was a step forward for the boys of Brockhampton, even if it failed to reach the same dizzying heights of any of the Saturation trilogy. Still trying to find their footing in the wake of traumatic transition, BH have oscillated between an R&B sound (giving Bearface and Joba more reps and streamlining production) and a gritty oddball sound (more bombastic Romil production with Matt, Meryln, KA, and Dom front and center). Dearly Departed is the emotional centerpiece of Ginger and sees the group confronting the anger and pain that Ameer’s absence has left them with.

[Sugar] [If You Pray Right]

43.) Oso Leone - Virtual U

Virtual U is a sticky ode to modern distance from Barelona-based band Oso Leone, who broke a 5 year fast with their third record Gallery Love back in March. Striking a similar tone as modern bedroom bands like Rhye, with influences from the world of jazz, fusion, and 90’s pop, this one ripples with a meditative swagger.

42.) Pivot Gang - No Vest (ft. Mick Jenkins)

2019 was the year where we finally got a handful of “Crew” records from some of the most vibrant gangs in hip-hop (with Travis’ Jack Boys project only releasing in the days before this was published), and the three big ones all made the list. First up is Pivot Gang, the west-side Chicago clique who have been putting out diverse independent hip-hop for the past ten years. The group lives on without founding member John Walt, who was memorialized in group leader Saba’s tour de force Prom/King from last year. Their first studio album You Can’t Sit With Us is littered with standouts, but here’s the Mick Jenkins featured No Vest, where you get to see all three core members turn a verse.

[Bible] [Mortal Kombat] [Hero]

41.) Kanye West - Follow God

It’s a strange time to be a Kanye fan on the eve of 2020. While he’s (thankfully) not following through on his promise to run for president this coming year, Kanye has continued to thrust himself into the social/political consciousness in recent years, and in increasingly destructive ways. I’ve always been a Kanye defender, partly because I understand the bond bond between art and artist to be inherently tumultuous, and because I’ve seen Kanye as an impulsive, narcissistic, and emotional, but ultimately harmless musical savant, who consistently reinvents himself and pushes genre forward. I thought The Life of Pablo was a flawed masterpiece, and furthered the notion of Kanye as a towering artist, both in reality and inside of his head. His decision to scrap Yandhi and replace it with Jesus is King will become one of the more bizarre ‘what ifs?’ in hip-hop history, and the combination of his pseudo-religiosity and Trumpathy (just made that up) are signs of a man cracking under the weight of his own ‘icon’ obsession. To Kanye, Trump represents the pinnacle of ego achievement, I don’t think he so much endorses the politics as much as he is blinded by the raw power of Trump’s being. As documented in the Jesus is King videos, Kanye is building a rural kingdom in Wyoming, Kardashian clan fully in tow, his personal brand of middle-age dad paranoia melding with the existential paranoia sitting heavy in the 2019 air. But even with all of the baggage he brings these days, Kanye can still make remarkable music. Even at 1:45 Follow God is the standout moment from JiK, but if you want an indication of what the record may have sounded like in the Yandhi alternate timeline, and what this man is still capable of, check out the OG version of Selah linked below or revel in the power of Use This Gospel’s solo (whether you prefer Mike Dean or Kenny G).

[Original Selah] [Use This Gospel]

40.) Gerry Read - It’ll All Be Over (DJ Koze Remix)

This is the second straight year that DJ Koze has made a loop-heavy dance floor smash that begs for repeat plays. Last year it was his Gladys Knight sampling shake of Pick Up and this year it was his re-work of his label signee Gerry Read’s equally groovy It’ll All Be Over that nustled into a warm place in my subconscious.

39.) Dreamville - Costa Rica

Here’s the second crew record to make the list, with the exuberant Costa Rica from Dreamville’s third Revenge of the Dreamers compilation. The last installment of this series was all the way back in 2015 however, and even though label-head J. Cole remains the leader of Dreamville, III is a different monster purely in scale. With a swollen features list, swollen track list, and a stable of new talent since 2015 that includes J.I.D and Earthgang, III is groundbreaking in its consistency and it’s commercial appeal. Alongside posse cuts and introspective bangers, Costa Rica is notable in that it jams 9 artists into three and a half minutes and none of them are named J. Cole.

[Wells Fargo] [Sacrifices]

38.) Joji - Sanctuary

Another memer gone good, Joji made this list for the first time last year with the understated sleeper Test Drive but in 2020 he left twitch subtlety behind for the quiet grandeur of Sanctuary. Appropriately laid over the backdrop of space opera and ruminating on the soul’s solace in love’s intimacy, Sanctuary is a stunning 180 for the man formerly known as Filthy Frank.

37.) Kevin Abstract - Joyride

It’s easy to feel like Brockhampton have been taking their sweet time with their music over the past two years, but the you remember that’s only because they put out three classics in 2017 alone, and then you realize that Kevin Abstact’s Arizona Baby is basically a BH companion record, and they probably scrapped at least two albums worth of music post-Saturation, and you realize the sheer pace these boys are moving at. I personally felt Arizona Baby was a better record pound-for-pound than Ginger, and I think a lot of that is because Romil’s production really shines through, with the horns and atmosphere of Joyride being a great example.

[Baby Boy] [Georgia]

36.) Tame Impala - Borderline

I'm not sure whether or not Kevin Parker is feeling the weight of expectation, but the uncertainty in the rollout for his fourth studio album (appropriately titled The Slow Rush and now scheduled for February) has been interesting to watch. It’s not like an artist of Parker’s caliber to cave under public reception, but it seems like that’s ultimately what happened as he chose to delay the album after playing SNL and initially releasing two singles from the project back in April. While the lead single Patience did feel a bit uninspired, the salt-breeze pop of companion Borderline has been in rotation ever since.

35.) Earthgang - Proud Of U (ft. Young Thug)

It was hard to pick an Earthgang track largely because it’s always hard to pick a Young Thug track. I could have just as easily used this as his entry as well (more from him later), but Thugger and Earthgang deserve their own spot this year, with the latter releasing their major label debut with September’s Mirrorland, a refraction of their vibrant funk-rap. While it may not be the best showcase of the style of Atlanta duo Johnny Venus & Doctur Dot, Proud of U was undeniable this year. More samplings from Mirrorland are linked below, and Venus is featured prominently on Dreamville’s terrific Sacrifices.

[Bank] [This Side] [Top Down]

34.) Florist - Time is a Dark Feeling

Florist graced the list back in 2017 with the serene reflections of What I Wanted to Hold, a collection of polaroids, winter scenes through cold kitchen windows, dreams of warmth. They’ve done it again this year with Time is a Dark Feeling, a contemplation of the void out ahead of us, and the way it clings to your bones with a hollow chill.

33.) Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Crime Pays

5 years after Pinata, the initial studio collaboration of Gary Indiana heavy hitter Freddie Gibbs and legendary producer Madlib, the duo returned for the highly anticipated follow-up Bandana in June. Freddie has been a favorite of mine the past several years and the flow is extra nice over Madlib production, like on the twinkle-laced ‘making it’ anthem Crime Pays. Freddie and Danny Brown both share a love of Midwest disco style, and use their videos to play characters, act goofy, and explore their aesthetic.

[Half Manne Half Cocaine] [Palmolive]

32.) Grace Ives - Mirror

This DIY pop number feels like it just shook itself into existence. It certainly shook itself into my brain this year, and to watch Brooklyn musician Grace Ives perform it, with sudden barks and stops and starts, it feels like it shakes her pretty good too.

31.) Maxo Kream - Meet Again

With his second studio album Brandon Banks Houston MC Maxo Kream shows off one of the best voice/flow combinations in the game, as well as a growing storytelling ability, both on full display here on Meet Again. Maxo uses prison correspondence to paint a picture of his life’s traumas: how money, drugs, and the judicial system have systematically destroyed those around him. You’re left almost as amazed at the story as you the skill with which he tells it.

[Change] [8 Figures]

30.) Daughter Of Swords - Dawnbreaker

Man, the delicacy of this song is so wonderful. Daughter of Swords is the solo venture from former Mountain Man member Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, and the tenderness she crafts both in her finger picking and in the gentle lilt of her voice is so striking that Dawnbreaker is demanding of your attention on every play.

29.) Young Thug - What’s The Move (ft. Lil Uzi Vert)

I told you that it’s hard to pick just one Thugger song. His best albums (So Much Fun is a good one) sort of flow into each other both in sound and in quality, so that every beat, ad-lib, and vocal cadence hits like a familiar friend, with no one song standing out. You’re not a fan of just one Thugger song, you’re a fan of the whole Thugger experience.

[Surf] [Light It Up] [Ecstasy] [Circle Of Bosses]

28.) Bedouine - Bird

I was just going on about how the tenderness of Daughter of Swords felt so strikingly apart, but Azniv Korkejian (who records as Bedouine) specializes in those tender songs that grab you by the collar and hold you close. The Syrian-American singer-songwriter recollects titans like Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, as well as contemporaries like Jessica Pratt and Tobias Jesso Jr., and Bird is an entry equal to those masters.

27.) ScHoolboy Q - Numb Numb Juice

Even though CrasH Talk was something of a flop for TDE stalwart ScHoolboy Q, he still managed to produce one of the best pure rap songs of the year with dizzying lead single Numb Numb Juice. Packed with raw attitude along with memorable lines and cadences, it’s a song that feels a lot longer that its two minute run time and has crazy replay value.

26.) Davido - Disturbance

For those like me whose knowledge of world music trends is limited, you should know that Afrobeat (and more specifically Naija-beat from Nigeria) is having a moment right now. With so much similarity to the more melody-driven hip-hop sound that’s so prevalent stateside, and the role the Toronto cliques have already had in incorporating island sounds to the masses the past few years, it makes sense that modern Afrobeat would have so much crossover appeal. There’s a lot of artists primed to take advantage of that wave, but most agree that Davido is the current living legend of Afrobeat, and with perfect little songs like Disturbance from A Good Time, it’s easy to see why.

25.) Angel Olsen - All Mirrors

Perhaps one of the current living legends of alternative music, St. Louis native Angel Olsen first graced this list all the way back in 2014 with the sorrowful May As Well. Things have changed a lot in the past 5 years, with Olsen eventually evolving to a much more expansive, almost gothically theatrical sound throughout the crest that was her 2019 album All Mirrors. The title track, along with the soaring Lark, are the best offerings.

[Lark]

24.) Toro y Moi - Who I Am

Who I Am is off of Toro Y Moi’s terrific electronic/dance record Outer Peace from early January, whose lead single Freelance was one of my favorite songs from 2018, clocking in at #14 on last years’s list. The rest of the record was equally strong, especially in Chaz’ ability to craft minimalistic chill electronica that still gets stuck in your head. Most of those more laid back tracks are those below, because Who I Am is another upbeat party song in the same throbbing vein of Freelance.

[New House] [Baby Drive it Down] [Monte Carlo]

23.) Nilufer Yanya - Melt

I had thought this may be the third time on the list for the low-key London songbird Nilufer Yanya, but in checking the record I’m reminded that she just put out a bunch worthy of inclusion back in 2017 when I first caught wind of her, starting with Golden Cage and culminating with Baby Luv. Returning this year with March’s Miss Universe Yanya gives us another strong collection to choose from. I’m partial to the jazz-club sound of Melt, but you can’t go wrong with these other three either.

[Heat Rises] [Tears] [Safety Net]

22.) Denzel Curry - Ricky

One of the more consistent and unique young voices in hip-hop, Dade county’s Denzel Curry has been on the map for over 6 years despite not being 25 yet. Starting with 2013′s cloud rap classic Nostalgic 64 (released while Zel was in high school) and graduating to critical emo-rap darling with last year’s Ta13oo, Curry decided to just hit us with some straight bangers in 2019 with Zuu.

[Carolmart] [Speedboat] [Wish]

21.) FKA Twigs - sad day

The bulk of Magdelene (co-produced by 50 Track alum Nicolas Jaar) may not be the kind of music that I’m dying to listen to again and again, but I can’t deny the artistic plane that FKA Twigs (also an alum with 2014′s Two Weeks) is operating on throughout the record inspired by her tabloid breakup with actor Robert Pattinson. Tracks and videos like Cellophane are a remarkable testament to Twig’s raw emotive power (like bright liquid flowing from a freshly cracked melon), but it was the melodic flutterings and glitchy atmosphere of sad day that got lodged in my brain.

[Cellophane]

20.) (Sandy) Alex G - Gretel

This song, from Philadelphia indie artist Alex G, bounced around a lot throughout the process of this list, from the cutting room floor to the honorable mentions and ultimately all the way up to kicking off the top 20. Gretel might sound somewhat inauspicious at first, but there’s a lot to unpack here, and it benefited from being in rotation since the summer, making it a Maine-house stargazing staple. With elements of acts like Elliot Smith, Broken Social Scene, and even the late Lil Peep, Giannascoli has carved a beautiful little space between genre.

19.) Frank Ocean - In My Room

Mostly in hibernation since the dual releases of Endless and Blonde back in 2016, Frank Ocean slowly begun sticking his head out of the cave in late 2020 with a trail of singles from a supposed forthcoming third studio album. Two of the tracks were released across all platforms including the mumbly DHL, and three others (Dear April, Cayendo, Little Demon) that were released as vinyl-exclusive singles. These four songs range from puzzling to promising, but despite the shipping reference Frank really only delivers on the final cut, the dualistic In My Room. On the first half of Room Frank gives one of his more cohesive and well performed rap verses to date, exploring themes of bravado, ambition, and hate, while the second half blossoms into his familiar melodic coos, both halves hopefully a harbinger of things to come in 2020.

18.) Beast Coast - Coast Clear

The third and final crew record on our list is from the collective known as Beast Coast, long an informal tag for the combination of three prominent Brooklyn groups who finally hybridized for a full-length project Escape From New York in 2019. Beast Coast is Pro Era (Joey Bada$$, Kirk Knight, CJ Fly, Nyck Caution, Powers Pleasant, etc), Flatbush Zombies (Meechy Darko, Erick Arc Elliott, Zombie Juice), and The Underachievers (AK The Savior, Issa Gold). All three of those groups have been featured individually on the list before so the hype was definitely real for me, and I was so thankful that Escape turned out so great. Coast Clear was my personal favorite and served as the encore when I saw these guys in August (which was wild), but check out the video for Left Hand if you need a more formal introduction.

[Left Hand] [One More Round] [Bones]

17.) Aldous Harding - The Barrel

Aldous Harding hails from Lyttelton NZ, a small town near Christchurch that lies on the same peninsula where I would often take the bus to have a day at the beach. The Barrel, a strange little dance/folk number, only found its way to me as I was combing other year-in-review lists this past month making sure I didn’t miss anything, which always makes for trickiness when ranking them among other songs I’ve been listening to for months. But the uniqueness of this track (magnified by the music video), the seamless way the backing vocals are integrated to the latter half of the song, and the Grateful Dead-esque guitar part combined to give me the sense that this one might endure into 2020 and beyond.

16.) Daniel Caesar - Cyanide

Toronto’s Daniel Caesar has been one of my personal favorite R&B artists since I heard his track Death & Taxes back in 2015, his neo-soul/gospel sound culminating with 2017′s terrific Freudian. His second album Case Study 01 out this past June drifted away from that gospel influence and introduced more electronic and island sounds, as exhibited on the effervescence of Cyanide.

[Entropy] [Frontal Lobe Muzik] [Restore The Feeling]

15.) Frankie Cosmos - Rings on a Tree

The evolution of Frankie Cosmos from minute-long journal-entry-style lo-fi bedroom recordings free on Bandcamp to full-band alt princess has been one of my favorite artist trajectories to witness, and she returned with her fourth studio record Close It Quietly this September. Now her fourth appearance on 50 Tracks, Rings on a Tree was featured as a full-band song on that record, but a stripped down piano version that was included on Kline’s Haunted Items EP from March is the version I’m giving you here. A hopeful little yarn about love and death and suicide.

[Actin’ Weird] [41st]

14.) 2 Chainz - Money in the Way

I can’t tell you that I expected a 2 Chainz song to be in the top 15, especially above artists like Frank, Twigs, Angel, and Denzel. I mean what is this, 2011? That my friends is the joyous power of Money in the Way: a triumphant, brass heavy victory lap and one of the most fun rap songs you’ll ever hear. I challenge you to not bop your head with a goofy ass smile to this one.

[NCAA]

13.) SALES - Rainy day Loop (Parent’s House Remix)

SALES may not have put out a record in 2019 (they’re still touring 2018′s forever & ever) but they still managed to get a song on the list, as they released a remix of Rainy Day Loop from that record this past March. Keeping the core melody, but accelerating the pace and swirling in the drum kit, SALES create an entirely new song on the remix, so much so that I didn’t recognize it on first listen. The beat billows and bends through the atmosphere, with lines like ‘watch me fade away’ ‘stuck in a rut’ and ‘watching everything around me come undone’ supplying you with the chillest depressive episode ever.

12.) Tierra Whack - Only Child

Looking back with hindsight on 2018′s list there were at least three major acts I missed. The first was the self-titled album by one of my favorite electronic arts Chrome Sparks (see O, My Perfection), the second we’ll get to in a bit. The third was Philly’s Tierra Whack, who put out one of the most unique, fresh, and ambitious projects I’ve ever heard with 2018′s Whack World, a 15-track album with a run time of less than 16 minutes due to each song being ~1:00 snippets that were deliberately made to sound incomplete but cohesive. She then shot a 16-minute video for the album, which showcases different sounds, flows, characters, and lyrical foci. One of the best things I heard this year by far. She followed Whack World up with some loosies early this year, including Only Child which was promptly stuck in my head for a month. This girl is so god damn creative it blows my mind. But as she says on Wasteland, ‘There’s a long line, there’s a wait.’

[Wasteland]

11.) Tyler, the Creator - A Boy is a Gun

Speaking of fascinating trajectories to witness, who would have seen IGOR coming from Tyler back in the early OF days? Taking his patented in-your-face persona, applying it to his newly open queerness, and splashed against a canvas of neo-soul maturity, heavenly samples, and his trusty voice mods, Tyler put out one of the more complete and personally meaningful albums of 2019, like a vicious snake shedding his beautiful skin.

[Earfquake]

10.) Jai Paul - He

One of the most influential artists of the past ten years that you’ve probably never heard of, Jai Paul was on the precipice of music stardom back in 2012 on the strength of singles BTSTU and Jasmine. Those two tracks were hugely responsible for breaking the levee of the modern electronic/pop sound further popularized by people like James Blake, whose output over the past decade has itself had wide-spread influence that spans genres. Jai Paul was readying his full-length debut for 2013 when it got mysteriously leaked online, putting a series of events into motion that resulted in Paul essentially withdrawing from the music industry and eventually starting his own institute/label with his brother in his native UK. Then, 6 years later and without warning, Paul re-surfaced with an official release of the originally leaked album as well as two new singles, one of which is He, the lovechild of Prince, Michael Jackson, and Bon Iver.

9.) Bon Iver - Hey Ma

Speeaaking of whom, Justin Vernon also returned with only his second record in the past 8 years and his first since 2016′s sterling 22, A Million. Forever taking the vocal tech advancements he helped create and popularize and pushing them further into the future, I,I twists and contorts those sounds and places them on new sonic landscapes. Lead single Hey Ma may be the most generally accessible of the album’s songs but it’s also the one that stuck the most. Check out iMi for a taste of what the rest of the record sounds like.

[iMi]

8.) Vampire Weekend - 2021

By far the most difficult song selection on the list this year, I would ask that you just view this as the Father of the Bride spot as opposed to just 2021, because as you can see below, I could have basically taken anything from the whole album (in fact, with the exception of #3 we’re basically in best album mode from here on out). A brilliant return from the biggest band in the world with assists from people like Haim, Steve Lacy, and Mark Ronson, FotB is a dizzying and vibrant record with a singular feeling despite its wide diversity of sound. 2021 was the second song I remember hearing from the record (after Harmony Hall) and despite its minimalism compared with the rest of the record, it was the one that took up the largest residence in my brain and also illustrates that half-dread/half-hope feeling that I’ve been trying to communicate throughout the list as a whole.

[Sympathy] [Flower Moon] [Harmony Hall] [Bambina] [This Life] [Stranger] [Sunflower]

7.) SAINt JHN - Monica Lewinsky (ft. A Boogie wit da Hoodie)

Man, I can’t express how much this album took me by surprise and subsequently dominated my listening cycle for much of late summer. SAINt JHN, the Guyanese-American former pop songwriter turned star who hit #44 on this list last year with his spacey party anthem I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night destroyed any idea of one-song wonder with August’s Ghetto Lenny’s Love Songs. Monica Lewinsky is my personal favorite but this album is crazy deep throughout; different moods, different flows, love songs, bangers, strip club jams, yell-it-out-the-car-window shit, Lenny fucking Kravitz people.

[High School Reunion] [Who Do you Blame?] [5 Thousand Singles] [All I Want is a Yacht] [Trophies] [Borders] [Wedding Day]

6.) Whitney - Giving Up

Three years after their debut album Light Upon the Lake splashed onto the indie the Chicago’s Whitney returned in August with the equally satisfying Forever Turned Around. This record will forever be imprinted with images of back road New England foliage, oranges and yellows and browns. The build that starts after a moment of silence at 1:45 of Giving Up and continues for the next minute or so is one of my favorite moments in music this year. The way the brass and guitar take turns with that little riff is orgasm in music form, complete with the afterglow.

[Valleys (My Love)] [Friend of Mine] [Used to be Lonely]

5.) Twin Peaks - Lookout Low

First off I want to complete my earlier thought and say that the final act I missed out on from the 2018 list was a duo named Grapetooth, the side band of Twin Peaks singer/guitarist Clay Frankel. Along with producer Chris Bailoni and inspired by 80′s Japanese New Wave their self-titled record was full of in-your-face tunes like Violent. Clay re-joined his fellow Twin Peaks dudes in 2019 and with Lookout Low they’ve continued to hone a mature sound that owes more to classic rock and bands like the Grateful Dead than their former DIY days would have suggested. This record made me sing along, play more guitar, and man did they put on a killer show when I saw them last month. Sweet noodly goodness.

[Sunken II] [Better Than Stoned] [Casey’s Groove] [Dance through It] [Ferry Song]

4.) Caroline Polachek - Door

I was a fan of Caroline Polachek’s voice and style via her duo Chairlift, who broke up in 2016 but had great songs like I Belong in Your Arms and Amanaemonesia, so when I heard she was putting out a solo record I was intrigued. Then I heard Door and it blew my gosh darn sock off. Then I heard the rest of the album and shucks howdy if it didn’t blow the other sock clean off too. Polachek has such an amazingly etherial voice, and she’s learning to fully wield it it almost Caroline Shaw-like ways on October’s incredible Pang, which like SAINt JHN before her demonstrates so many different beautiful incarnations of her vocal talent.

[So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings] [Go As A Dream] [Caroline Shut Up] [Look At Me Now] [Ocean of Tears] [Pang] [Hit Me Where it Hurts] [New Normal]

3.) Big Thief - Cattails

Big Thief released two very different albums in 2019 (U.F.O.F. and Two Hands) en route to their most successful and critically acclaimed year as a band. And while I didn’t connect with either of those projects quite as much as I’ve dug their work in the past, they still managed to re-claim the same #3 slot they occupied on this list two years ago. In 2017 it was on the back of the stunning Mary, and this year it’s with the equally affecting Cattails, a song that weaves together pain, joy, grief, and freedom and hits me right in the heart.

[Orange] [Not]

2.) James Blake - Can’t Believe The Way We Flow

I mentioned the influence that James Blake has had on the past decade in music while talking about Jai Paul earlier, and while I‘ve seen and understood that impact for some time, that hasn’t always translated into my enjoyment of his output as a solo artist. That changed with Assume Form, the fourth record from the London producer which saw him find new channels to explore the use of his voice (both his natural voice and distorted with endless layers of effect) as an instrument atop his skeletal creations. Can’t Believe The Way We Flow rose to the top of a handful of great tracks from the project, with an Animal Collective-like sound and a refrain that’s probably about love, but could just as easily be about humanity tumbling down the flowing ribbon of time.

[Into The Red] [Don’t Miss It] [I’ll Come Too]

1.) Bibio - Curls

This was the first year in a while where I really had not idea what the #1 song might be until I really started getting into the list this past month. The past several years there’s been a clear leader (Amen Dunes, Brockhampton, Ultralight Beam, Mural), and while Bibio made the list back in 2016, it was with the decidedly electronic Light Up The Sky. Ribbons, out this past April, was my first exposure to Bibio as a folk artist, and this record perfectly incapsulates what I was talking about in my intro as far as music that acts as a prism to shape my understanding of things. Ribbons was the lens through which I saw the world this spring, and this album is full of written songs and instrumental tracks that create mood, that create feeling, that can brighten or provoke fear. Curls is one of those rare songs that acts like a pensieve: gaze into it and feel it cradle you, watch as it paints dream-like pictures from your memories, feel its nostalgia, feel its sadness, feel hope, feel joy, and feel love.

[It’s Your Bones] [The Art of Living] [Before] [Old Graffiti] [Patchouli May] [Watch The Flies]

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jbonesy · 6 years ago

Text

Music of 2018

Top 10 Albums (No Particular Order)

Death Grips - Year of the Snitch

Even though it’s had some time to settle, I’m still not 100% sure where to place this album in Death Grips’s discography. Regardless, Death Grips continues to reinvent themselves more and more with every continuous album, and continues moreso to be more unpredictable than ever. The departure from their earlier hip hop sound and more toward experimental punk and rock suits them better than ever. While I’m a bit shaky on the predictability of the sound of some songs (Flies & Streaky notably), the songs of which do fall flat, I absolutely love the direction the majority of the album trends toward - songs like Death Grips is Online, Black Paint, and Dilemma perfectly embody the direction I’d hoped they’d go into after The Powers That B. Meanwhile, songs like The Fear and Little Richard continue to be as odd as ever - in the best way possible. My one complaint is that I’d wished they’d have departed a bit more from the predictable hip hop songs I’d mentioned above, but overall, the rest of the album is so great it’s hard to complain.

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy (Rerecording/Remaster)

Car Seat Headrest’s original Twin Fantasy is a kind of cult classic bandcamp album which garnered a lot of notoriety, so the 2018 reissue garnering just as much should be a surprise to no one. While it’s true that the original rough quality added to the charm and in the re-recording process certain elements of the original don’t have the same effect, the strengths of the album shine through regardless. What can I say about this album that hasn’t already been said? This is the best indie rock album about depressed gay furries on tumblr I’ve ever heard.

Teyana Taylor - K.T.S.E

The Kanye Wyoming sessions were definitely a spectacle at the time, and because of all the chaos surrounding the releases, and the incredible amount of hype that was generated during the time, KTSE was unfairly overshadowed by a lot of the other albums that came out at the end - and it being the last to release, further mucked by delays and technical problems, didn’t help its case. Listening to the album in full though, it’s pretty sad this was the case, but in my opinion it’s the best album to come out of the Wyoming sessions. It’s an amazing call back to Kanye’s ability to still sample soul, and some of the instrumentals took me right back to the early 2000s, like a time machine. Teyana Taylor might not be the strongest voice in R&B or the most well known, but her performance alongside these instrumentals is definitely something to be lauded. In addition, Gonna Love Me is one of my favorite songs of 2018.

IDLES - Joy as an Act of Resistance.

While I have to admit I’m not as hot on some of the social critiques this album delivers in its music, its done in a way that I can definitely appreciate it. That said, the music on this stuff itself is some of the best punk I’ve heard in forever - maybe this decade. There’s some points of contention in the bluntly direct, sometimes annoying lyrics , but overall, a lot of the politics can probably be seen as a callback to the roots of punk with a modern spin. That said, the instrumentation and vocal performances on this thing are great. As a punk fan at heart I have to say this if there’s one punk or rock album you listen to this year, it should probably be this one. It’s amazing.

Parquet Courts - Wide Awaaaaake!

Continuing on from the last entry above, Parquet Courts smashed it earlier in the year with this post-punk revival album. While post-punk may continue to be influential to a lot of artists, I admittedly haven’t heard a lot of straight up post-punk revivalism, especially not as enjoyable as this, in a long time. While the themes of the album are honestly pretty similar to the above album as well, this is probably the closest you’re gonna get to a Talking Heads or Joy Division album in 2018 - and damn is it good.

Hermit and the Recluse (Ka & Animoss) - Orpheus vs. the Sirens

Two darlings of the real hip hop underground link up for one of the best hip hop albums of the year - and probably the best written. Ka continues to push for his well deserved title of one of the best lyricists to ever enter the genre - which is near insane given his very underground status. A lot of the instrumentals on this thing perfectly suit Ka’s style - lots of looping, eclectic beats, with a hint of eeriness or vintage shine. There’s some soul-like samples mixed in as well for good measure, something I’d never complain about on a hip hop album. Ka’s writing is arguably some of the best in his career as well - which given his portfolio up until this point, is really saying something. His densely layered, metaphor and thematically driven calls to mythology and poetically-inspired style of rapping are the perfect complement to the instrumentals over this album.

J.I.D - DiCaprio 2

J.I.D is one of my favorite newcomers in hip hop, and definitely one of the acts in the genre I’m hopeful for the future - not that this is an uncommon opinion. At this point, he’s got cosigns in coming from every direction - enough that people are already calling him overrated - and he hasn’t even really gotten started yet. The Never Story was an interesting debut album when it came out last year - a case study in an eclectic hip hop album that manages to encapsulate much of the modern trends in the genre while also incorporating some fantastic rapping and some oddly enchanting music choices. DiCaprio 2 - in J.I.D’s own words - is not his magnum opus, or his GKMC - an album comparison common in those already comparing him to a young Kendrick Lamar (despite JID being almost 30, surprisingly). However, despite that, this is a fantastic album regardless; the rapping is some of the best of any newcomer to the genre. There’s punchlines and flows that make callbacks to Lil Wayne, and technical skill to match many currently lauded acts. It’s a great mix of technicality, fun, and skill. While not every song is perfect - Tiiied and Westbrook were a bit underwhelming in my opinion - when this album reaches highs, it reaches REALLY high. Songs like Off Da Zoinkys, Skrawberries, and Despacito Too to name a few are hints that J.I.D isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and I’m certainly excited for his future.

MGMT - Little Dark Age

A lot of what I’ve heard from MGMT has been hit or miss for me, but their synth heavy album from earlier in the year is one of those times where when they hit with me, they really seem to hit heavy. The psychedelic vibes on this album are pretty entrancing, and while I can see the vocals as being love or hate, personally I’m a great fan of them on most of the songs. There’s a few low points where they feel a bit robotic - perhaps on purpose - but outside of those few grating moments, the album’s highs are too high for me to ignore otherwise. Mark it up as a win for psychedelic pop.

Pusha T - Daytona

As I said earlier, Kanye’s Wyoming sessions were one of the biggest music spectacles this year, especially for those in the hip hop genre. Combined with the massive hype circling Pusha T’s supposed release of King Push - an album up there with Detox and Doomstarks in probably never coming out - most hip hop fans were posted up for hours each night in anticipation of what would actually release (and what wouldn’t). While I can’t say I enjoyed this as much as KTSE, it’s still a great album regardless. The instrumentals are gritty and tight - there’s no room for mistakes, and there’s rarely any lows. Pusha raps as great as always, minus some slip ups with some poor or awkward lines. Overall, it’s a great album, but it’s short nature and lack of experimentation or boundary pushing leave a bit to be desired. Kanye’s fantastic production shines more than Pusha does at times - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it never feels like Push really leaves his comfort zone; especially after hearing songs in the past like Lunch Money, it makes me wish he did. Regardless, I can’t really thrash this album; it’s a perfectly compressed hip hop album, and one of the best of the year.

Blood Orange - Negro Swan

Devonte Hynes, better known as Blood Orange, is one of those musicians I’m suprised we don’t hear more about. I have to admit - his voice can be a bit grating at times - but overall, it’s one of those albums whose highs far overshadow subjective lows like that. The instrumentation is varied and lush; overall, Hyne’s production is some of the best its ever been. There’s a nice dip in pop, r&b, hip hop, funk, and other genres throughout the album. While I may have said his voice can be grating at times, I will say when it works - it works. Songs like Charcoal Baby are great examples of his voice working in tandem beautifully with his instrumentals. There’s some great vocal performances on this, and again, I think there’s some amazing production. It’s also more impressive when you realize Hynes alone produced the vast majority of this album, along with singing on basically all the songs. Other complaints? I do wish he brought back Despot because Clipped On from Cupid Deluxe. is an amazing song.

Honorable Mentions / Albums I Found Interesting but not Amazing

Lil Peep - Come Over When You’re Sober Pt. 2

COWYS2 isn’t a perfect album. None of Lil Peep’s albums are perfect - his music has largely remained controversial; it seems to piss off both rock and hip hop fans.There’s a lot of complaints I’ve seen about this album - “it’s overproduced” seems to be the biggest one. Is it? Maybe. But man, this album appeals to my love of emo music like no album has in a long time. His writing might not the best, and the instrumentals might be a bit weak at times, but overall, as a posthumous album, you can only complain so much. It’s not perfect, but neither have any of his other albums been. For what it is - a mix of hip hop and early 2000s pop punk and emo - it’s great as it is. Runaway is one of my favorite songs of the year.

Lil Peep - Goth Angel Sinner EP (Unofficial Leak)

I was debating if I should include this at all since it’s technically unofficial, but given I included COWYS, I figured it was worth it. Peep’s death was an untimely shock, and while his music might not have always been the best, I think his interesting blend of music and notably recognizable voice was something he’ll be remembered for regardless. He was growing in his sound, moving away from hip hop and more into that musical sphere of punk and emo - and GAS is a sad hint at what could have been. It’s some of his best music by a wide margin, and it’s profoundly depressing that we’ll never see him at his true potential. RIP Peep.

Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts

One of the hipster darling albums of the year, I wasn’t as impressed as everyone else. It’s not bad by any means, but I didn’t think it was amazing. There are some great points the album - the production is pretty good throughout, and Cudi and Kanye both deliver some great performances, but overall, I feel like it fell a bit short. The 7 song length didn’t help either; unlike Daytona, it doesn’t feel as tight, and sometimes it sounds more muddy than anything. Cudi’s vocals can be a bit lazy at times as well, and some of the insistent repetition on the songs doesn’t work well in an album so incredibly short to begin with. All that said, it’s a good album - I don’t want to disparage it too much. It has some of Kanye’s best rapping in ages (regardless of whether he wrote it), and it’s a fun listen. Kids See Ghosts and Cudi Montage are my favorite songs.

Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs

Some Rap Songs is an album I’ve gone back and forth on quite a lot, which is impressive considering it’s barely been out as of writing this. It’s a short album, so I’ve managed to listen a few times, but even so, I’m torn on a lot of it. Earl’s writing is good, and some of the production is eclectic and interesting, but there are times the album dips in severe quality. Regardless of if it was intentional, the muddy (if not straight poor) mixing, lofi recording quality, and lack of variation are some of the few complaints I have on the album. It feels incredibly lazy at times - whether on purpose or not is a different question - but whether it “works” isn’t. There are some songs I do really like - I think Peanut and The Mint are some of the more interesting cuts, but songs like Nowhere2Go among others feel unimpressive, if not falling flat completely. If anything else, it’s an interesting listen, and especially emotional for those already fans of Earl.

Frank Ocean - ENDLESS (2018 Remaster/Reissue)

Frank Ocean is one of those artists who deserves the vast majority of his widespread acclaim. While his less than ideal music release schedule and mysterious public persona (or lack thereof) certainly play into that, his music really is what takes the trophy at the end of the day. When Endless originally released, Blonde definitely overshadowed it (and for good reason), but on its own, Endless still shines bright. The 2018 reissue adds a few new points to the album as well, which overall manage to improve it to a great degree. I was considering placing it in my top 10, but it felt unfair considering this album didn’t “really” come out in 2018, and the changes aren’t big enough to warrant considering it a new album. Still though, it deserved a mention.

Kero Kero Bonito - Time ‘n’ Place

I’m still a bit disappointed at KKB’s artistic choice to change their image and focus - it feels a bit cheap and insulting to some of their audience - but I can’t really disparage their music. While their artistic and musical growth seems more artificial and inorganic than anything, at the end of the day, it’s still growth. On its own, Time ‘n’ Place is a good album. It’s a good mix of their own brand of fun, experimentation, and genre hopping. While the pop fans they courted with their debut might still be disappointed, I did enjoy the album quite a lot, even if the aesthetic felt a bit annoying and - again - artificial. Taken on its own in isolation though, again, it’s a good album.

Anderson .Paak - Oxnard

There’s not a ton I can really say about Oxnard. It’s a good album. There’s a few points in which it falls flat, but even then, it’s not really bad. Okay, maybe except for the last song, which feels completely out of place. It’s no Malibu, no Yes Lawd!, and no Venice, but it’s a good album. Paak’s talent shines through no matter what. Dr. Dre’s influence really does shine through on this album though - it’s very reminiscent of some of Compton to me. I can see hardcore fans of Malibu or Yes Lawd not really liking this album, but the exploration of hip hop and funk more than r&b and soul really do suit Paak during a lot of this album. I say this as a massive fan of Malibu as well - it was one of my favorite albums of the year it came out. He’s branching out and experimenting, and it’s not a bad thing - especially when you look at his entire musical history. It’s worth checking out.

Leon Bridges - Good Thing

I haven’t seen his album talked about, like, basically anywhere. I’m surprised, because it’s a really good neo-soul album. It feels a bit repetitive at times, but the quality is consistent throughout. It’s an enjoyable listen if anything else. It’s not experimental, it’s not super varied, but it’s a tightly strung together, quality listen. The instrumentation is rich and catchy, the Leon’s vocals are great, and overall, much of the album is what I’d expect a neo-soul singer who isn’t D’Angelo in 2018. That said, there are a few weak points in the album where it’s a little week - and trends a bit more towards pop disappointingly, but the pure soul parts of the album are where Leon really shines the best.

Playboi Carti - Die Lit

Carti really can’t write music if his life depended on it, but he doesn’t need to. This thing, as a mainstream trap album, is weird. The instrumentals are odd, definitely not the type of thing you’d expect to hear on this type of album for the most part. They’re reminiscent of cloud rap at times, and at other times so incredibly minimal you can’t help but praise Carti for making the song still get stuck in your head. Overall, the instrumentals are entrancing, hazy, sometimes even bordering on possibly experimental. There’s a unique usage of samples that’s just instantly entrancing on a lot of these songs. That said, there’s still a lot of pop sensibilities, and these songs kind of water down the album a bit by departing from these aforementioned traits. It’s also just incredibly long at 19 songs; while this may work for some albums, for the type of music Carti is making, it kind of suffers from its length. Carti’s performances are the point of contention with most people. His writing is, again, basically nonexistent. Still, he manages to somehow steal the show over the production on a lot of this album. Whether it’s just his excessive usage of adlib ridden, partially lazy flows, or half-sung, half-slurred delivery, he just manages to carry a charisma that’s hard to ignore - even when he is saying literally nothing. It’s catchy, and in this type of music, that’s what matters. For hip hop fans especially, it’s an interesting listen.

Biggest Disappointments & Least Favorite/Worst Albums (No Particular Order)

Kanye West - Ye

I’m a massive kanye fan, and I recognize that a lot of his more recent work can be panned a bit before growing into place. Yeezus and TLOP were two albums which were more growers than straight out the pan classics or similar. Ye, however, is no TLOP or Yeezus. It’s disappointing because a lot of good music came out of the Wyoming sessions, but for as much of a spectacle as it was, its centerpiece really fell flat. There’s some good songs on it - I really do like No Mistakes for example. Overall though? It’s length does it no favors, and at the end of the day, most of the album is incredibly medicore - which is exemplified even further by the fact that it’s Kanye producing it. Certain songs like Violet Crimes, which were at least meaningful, completely lose their meaning once you realize Kanye didn’t even write them, or given his recent associations with certain people, even mean the words written for them. It’s a mess, but not the good type of mess like TLOP. It’s just a mess.

Nas - Nasir

It’s a throw up between this and Ye for what’s the worse album out of the Wyoming sessions. I mean, in the very least, at least Kanye brought his efforts to this record. The production is honestly not bad, and at times, pretty unique. Cops Shot the Kid is a pretty good song, albeit a little bit annoying because of the repetition. The real problem with this album? Nas. For someone with such a reputation for being a legendary rapper - I mean, he wrote Illmatic - what the hell is this? It sounds like he put this together on the taxi on the way to the livestream release party (which unsurprisingly, didn’t even work). Even beyond, the uh, downright insane anti-vax and 5%-er conspiracy shit on the first song, the writing’s just straight up lazy, and Nas sounds like he couldn’t care less. It’s hard to believe a Nas and Kanye collaboration turned out this awful, but here we are.

Denzel Curry - Taboo/Ta13oo

I know people are going to kill me for putting this on the list, but I have to be completely honest. I really like Denzel Curry, and I’ve been cheering for him since before he even made Ultimate. I’ve known him since he was on Raider Klan and working with LUM on Twistin’. I really like him and his music, which is why I’m so disappointed by this album. It’s not as bad as a lot of the other stuff in this list, but it’s not really that good either. Coming off of his last few projects, it feels like a massive step down, and a failure to utilize his best skills while, for the most of the project, capitalizing instead on most of his weaknesses.I won’t say it’s a bad album, but it falls short of expectations. His lyricism is incredibly weak, and when doing a supposed concept album, that’s pretty important. His rapping - and conveying the concept - is subpar at best. He has some good tracks on this, but not enough that it overpowers the vast amount of mediocrity on it. Denzel isn’t a super impressive singer, and he overdoes it a bit with considering this one of his strengths. There’s a lot of boring songs that say very little but masquerade as being deeper than they actually are. There are lots of instrumental choices that destroy the replayability of otherwise good songs too - for example, the high pitched background noise and odd gargling/scratching on Sirens. Overall? It’s not as bad as other albums on this list, but I’m incredibly disappointed with it. Probably the most overrated album of 2018.

Gorillaz - The Now Now

Not sure what to say about this other than it’s about 40 minutes of mediocre, forgettable electropop and synth funk. It’s uh, better than Humanz at least I guess.

Princess Nokia - A Girl Cried Red

Oh my god, Princess Nokia, why? I love your music, and you were one of my favorite artists to be recently receiving more acclaim - definitely one of the best upcoming women in hip hop too. But this is...awful. I mean, I get it. It’s a fun side-step project that calls back to her roots as a goth kid, something that’d been prevalent in her music. I like emo a lot myself, as I’ve said earlier, but this is just straight up bad. I hope she had fun making it, because I didn’t have any fun listening to it. It takes the absolute worst parts of Lil Peep’s music and exaggerates it; the emo-inspired instrumentals are cheap and unimpressive, and her singing is...awful. It’s like, parody level of bad. Incredibly unpleasant and grating to listen to, and her lyrics are parody level as well, which I assume is at least purposeful. Might honestly be in the running for not just one the most disappointing albums, but one of the worst in general this year.

J. Cole - KOD

J. Cole is a skilled rapper and producer who’s really overrated in social media and music spheres. While I’m glad it’s gotten a bit better, I have to say, the album he put out altogether this year is pretty unimpressive. I’m happy he’s trying a bit better to be accessible, but it’s just not a great attempt at what it could be. His rapping is still pretty good, and I’m glad he’s trying to reach out and make a bit more “accessible” music, but I think a lot his attempts at things on this album fall flat. The production is subdued and forgettable, which can be alright, but combined with his repeated use of repetitive, uninteresting hooks and little progression in each song, it’s just an overall forgettable album. It’s sad, because he touches on some important topics on the album, but it’s just not that well done - and not nearly as profound as J Cole himself seems to think it is. It’s also a step down from 4 Your Eyez Only, which was already quite polarizing. He took the worst parts of that album and carried them to this, while not having the rest of the elements of the album be strong enough to really carry it. Props to J. Cole for his amazing run of features this year though.

A$AP Rocky - TESTING

Testing sounds like what someone who’s never listened to anything experimental would think experimental sounds like. It’s the type of hollow artsy album whose sole artistic merit is constantly reminding you how artsy it thinks it is. There are some decent tracks on here, it’s not awful or anything, but god, it’s just so mediocre. Nothing on here is really memorable; tracks come and go, and features seem incredibly tacked on at times, such as FKA twigs on Fukk Sleep. Rock has flow, but he’s just such a mediocre rapper still. It’s a bit of a mess, and again, not the good type. There are a few good tracks, and a few catchy moments, but with the wait and rollout leading up to this, I can say none of the hype was worth it.

6ix9ine - Dummy Boy

One of most controversial figures in modern music abandons the style he embraced along his come up to further embrace watered down pop music. There are a lot of features, and some of them are good, and some of them aren’t. It’s a compilation of singles made to chart, and any listener can tell on one listen. Sometimes it’s fun, and sometimes it’s downright awful. Did I really expect anything else? Well, I liked a lot of his pre-fame music to be honest, back when he was still signed to FCK THM and repping Scumgang. Stuff like Yokai for example. Unfortunately, this album just isn’t good at all. Formulaic, drab, and watered down pop rap with little identity or variation; and when it does vary - see the latin trap songs - it’s beyond horrible. Sad!

JPEGMAFIA - Veteran

Not gonna say this is the worst album in the world or a necessarily bad album or anything, but it doesn’t deserve the hype. It’s experimental, sure, and impressive at times, sure, but it’s one of those albums which people say they love to appear a certain way more than they actually will ever listen to it. I know peggy couldn’t give a shit what I or anyone else has to say about his music or his messages, and all the more power to him; even though I disagree, I respect it .That all said, I appreciate experimentation, and some songs are okay, but I’m never listening to this again.

Travis Scott - Astroworld

Rodeo-era Travis Scott is never coming back, and that’s a hard thing to deal with. The album has some highs - Stop Trying to Be God is great for example - but its lows are quite low. Again, it’s not a bad album by any means, but when Rodeo is in your discography...meh. It feels like album release schedule is a Fibonacci sequence, because this album is a collage of his last two - Rodeo and Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight. There’s some impressive directing and musical choices on this, but a lot of that super hollow pop sensibility and pop musical direction of the latter shines through as well. Artists grow, and as Travis has gotten bigger, he’s trying his best to keep his entire audience satisfied. With hits like Sicko Mode doing so well, he’s accomplished that. I can’t really sit here and disparage him in full for doing that, but I also can’t lie and say this album wasn’t a little disappointing knowing what highs he could reach if he wanted to.

Yung Lean - Poison Ivy

I love Yung Lean and will defend him and his music no matter what, but this isn’t one of his better ventures. Coming off of Stranger, Lean showed immense growth and experimentation in one of his best and most personal albums yet. He had a few singles in between that and this which were alright, a bit more reminiscent of Draingang and Bladee’s work. When I saw the album cover for this, I assumed it would be in the direction of his punk band, Dod Mark, maybe with a mix of elements from Stranger. Unfortunately, Poison Ivy falls flat on that. It feels like a massive step back for Lean stylistically, especially given he just released one of his best albums prior. The production is pretty great though on its own, just not really in greater context. It’s more of a Draingang-styled album, which is a niche I’m not a massive fan of comparatively. I’ll still be looking forward to his next album though.

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter V

This isn’t a bad album, and before anyone says anything, I’m not a hater of Lil Wayne. In fact, I think there’s an argument for him being one of the best rappers to exist in the genre. That said, the album’s massive wait and hype just wasn’t worth it. People really didn’t know what to expect, and the massive saga that lead up to this couldn’t possibly have met expectations. The music is from an older era, and on a lot of it, you can really tell. Wayne’s rapping is pretty fantastic, and his punchlines and verses are on point as usual. He isn’t really the problem as much as the rest of the album is; dated production, hooks, and features are just a few of the problems I found on the album. It’s a bit sad that this came and went with such an air of general mediocrity around it, because after the saga and the all the shit Wayne went through, he deserved better. Again though, there’s no way this could have met expectations, so in a vacuum - it’s a good album. If this has released when it was originally supposed to years ago, it’d probably be amazing. It’s just in the current musical climate, it feels out of place and dated.

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