Yes, this post will include a review of Beyonce's new project, Lemonade, as well as new reviews of A$AP Ferg, Deftones, and Royce da 5'9. I haven't yet had time to listen to PJ Harvey or J Dilla, so those reviews will not be included here. But hey, Views From the 6 is coming soon! Lots of music to be excited about coming up soon!
NOTE: At the time I had started writing this review, Drake's new album, Views, had not yet been released! It is out now!
NOTE: At the time I had started writing this review, Drake's new album, Views, had not yet been released! It is out now!
A$AP Ferg has always been my favorite member of the A$AP Mob. His music had personality that his fellow cohort A$AP Rocky didn't really have; though I will admit that Rocky's song "Wild For the Night" is one of my favorite songs at the moment. Such personality was demonstrated on his 2013 debut Trap Lord, with party bangers like "Shabba", "Work", and the Waka Flocka-featuring "Murda Something". Indeed, Ferg got a good verse from Flocka. Maybe he really is the trap lord?
After a 2014 mixtape and some waiting, we now have this album. While it's not bad, there are certainly several songs that are a departure from his previous style. He even goes EDM on the song "Strive", produced by none other than the king of generic beats, DJ Mustard. The song is saved thanks to Ferg's verses and a killer guest verse by Missy Elliott. While there are songs like "Strive" on the album, there are also bangers, including the Skrillex-produced "Hungry Ham", a track about Ferg's childhood neighborhood Hamilton Heights in Harlem, NYC.
While Missy Elliott and, surprisingly, Rick Ross, make up some of the great guest verses on this album, there are some that are just pointless, such as the Big Sean feature on "World Is Mine". The Future guest spot on "New Level" isn't bad, but Future has never been known for great guest verses... has he?
Really, it's not a bad album, but there seems to be more filler on here than there was on "Trap Lord".
Overall: 6/10
Favorite tracks: Hungry Ham (feat. Skrillex and Crystal Caines); Psycho; Let It Bang (feat. ScHoolboy Q); Uzi Gang (feat. Lil Uzi Vert, Marty Baller)
After a 2014 mixtape and some waiting, we now have this album. While it's not bad, there are certainly several songs that are a departure from his previous style. He even goes EDM on the song "Strive", produced by none other than the king of generic beats, DJ Mustard. The song is saved thanks to Ferg's verses and a killer guest verse by Missy Elliott. While there are songs like "Strive" on the album, there are also bangers, including the Skrillex-produced "Hungry Ham", a track about Ferg's childhood neighborhood Hamilton Heights in Harlem, NYC.
While Missy Elliott and, surprisingly, Rick Ross, make up some of the great guest verses on this album, there are some that are just pointless, such as the Big Sean feature on "World Is Mine". The Future guest spot on "New Level" isn't bad, but Future has never been known for great guest verses... has he?
Really, it's not a bad album, but there seems to be more filler on here than there was on "Trap Lord".
Overall: 6/10
Favorite tracks: Hungry Ham (feat. Skrillex and Crystal Caines); Psycho; Let It Bang (feat. ScHoolboy Q); Uzi Gang (feat. Lil Uzi Vert, Marty Baller)
Beyonce - Lemonade
Beyonce needs no introduction at this point, but I've never really talked about her on this blog, so I'm gonna give this an intro anyway.
Regardless of how you feel about Beyonce or her music, you can't deny that she's one of the most iconic artists of the current generation. Everyone knows at least one of her many hits, be it "Irreplaceable", "Crazy In Love", or "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)". Personally, I've never been a fan of her albums, but I've always appreciated her talent. She's an awesome singer and dancer, and nobody except people who really, really, really hate Beyonce can deny that.
Earlier this year, after a showstopping Superbowl guest performance, she generated a little bit of controversy by paying tribute to the Black Panthers with her song "Formation", which some saw as racist and anti-police. Personally, I wasn't thrilled with the song, but for entirely different reasons. I thought the song sounded a little too much like Rihanna, and people who know me know that I'm not really a RiRi fan. But I was still willing to wait for an entire album to be released.
I will say this: If you honestly thought the song was racist, you are too sensitive and need to get over yourself. But I digress.
When the album was announced a few weeks ago, I saw the guest features and immediately became excited. I mean, a pop/R&B star collaborating with Jack White? James Blake? My favorite rapper Kendrick Lamar? The Weeknd? That's an awesome enough guest list, but even that didn't leave me prepared for how the album itself would be.
Beyonce is all over the place on this album in the best ways. She crosses many genres, from the slow R&B on the opener "Pray You Catch Me" and the Weeknd-featuring "6 Inch", the rockin' 'n' rollin' Jack White feature on "Don't Hurt Yourself", which features a genius sample of Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks", to the country-rock of "Daddy Lessons", to the hip-hop of "Freedom", which features none other than Kendrick Lamar himself. In case you were wondering: Yes, Kendrick absolutely kills the verse.
The James Blake feature isn't huge, but it is still a huge part of the album. I've always been a huge fan of Blake's voice, as it gives a wintry sort of feel.
Let's talk about Beyonce on this album a little more here. First of all, her voice goes through a lot more dynamic ranges here. My favorite vocal performance on here is probably "Sandcastles", on which she sounds very emotional, almost like she's crying. I've always heard that emotional vocal performances are the best, and this song is no exception.
It would be remiss of me not to talk about the elephant in the room here: This album is almost like a confessional. This album is supposedly about Jay Z cheating on her. One particular lyric that seems to have everyone talking is the "Becky with the good hair" lyric, which everyone has been seeming to try and guess who Beyonce is talking about. Really, I'm just going to wait until "Becky" herself comes forward.
This album could very well be an art-pop album. Sure, there are 72 songwriters credited, but the key word here is "credited". A good chunk of those credits are sample credits, such as crediting all of Led Zeppelin on "Don't Hurt Yourself" and crediting Animal Collective's Panda Bear, Avey Tare, and Geologist as well as Burt Bacharach and Hal David on "6 Inch". Plus, Beyonce is credited as a writer and producer on all twelve songs, including one that is just her and James Blake on "Forward".
In short, I can say that this is so far my favorite album of the year, as well as one of only a few that have actually blown me away with how good they are. Sure, "Formation" isn't a great ending to the album, but it's not even a bad song. Just my least favorite.
Overall: 10/10
Favorite tracks: All of them!
Regardless of how you feel about Beyonce or her music, you can't deny that she's one of the most iconic artists of the current generation. Everyone knows at least one of her many hits, be it "Irreplaceable", "Crazy In Love", or "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)". Personally, I've never been a fan of her albums, but I've always appreciated her talent. She's an awesome singer and dancer, and nobody except people who really, really, really hate Beyonce can deny that.
Earlier this year, after a showstopping Superbowl guest performance, she generated a little bit of controversy by paying tribute to the Black Panthers with her song "Formation", which some saw as racist and anti-police. Personally, I wasn't thrilled with the song, but for entirely different reasons. I thought the song sounded a little too much like Rihanna, and people who know me know that I'm not really a RiRi fan. But I was still willing to wait for an entire album to be released.
I will say this: If you honestly thought the song was racist, you are too sensitive and need to get over yourself. But I digress.
When the album was announced a few weeks ago, I saw the guest features and immediately became excited. I mean, a pop/R&B star collaborating with Jack White? James Blake? My favorite rapper Kendrick Lamar? The Weeknd? That's an awesome enough guest list, but even that didn't leave me prepared for how the album itself would be.
Beyonce is all over the place on this album in the best ways. She crosses many genres, from the slow R&B on the opener "Pray You Catch Me" and the Weeknd-featuring "6 Inch", the rockin' 'n' rollin' Jack White feature on "Don't Hurt Yourself", which features a genius sample of Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks", to the country-rock of "Daddy Lessons", to the hip-hop of "Freedom", which features none other than Kendrick Lamar himself. In case you were wondering: Yes, Kendrick absolutely kills the verse.
The James Blake feature isn't huge, but it is still a huge part of the album. I've always been a huge fan of Blake's voice, as it gives a wintry sort of feel.
Let's talk about Beyonce on this album a little more here. First of all, her voice goes through a lot more dynamic ranges here. My favorite vocal performance on here is probably "Sandcastles", on which she sounds very emotional, almost like she's crying. I've always heard that emotional vocal performances are the best, and this song is no exception.
It would be remiss of me not to talk about the elephant in the room here: This album is almost like a confessional. This album is supposedly about Jay Z cheating on her. One particular lyric that seems to have everyone talking is the "Becky with the good hair" lyric, which everyone has been seeming to try and guess who Beyonce is talking about. Really, I'm just going to wait until "Becky" herself comes forward.
This album could very well be an art-pop album. Sure, there are 72 songwriters credited, but the key word here is "credited". A good chunk of those credits are sample credits, such as crediting all of Led Zeppelin on "Don't Hurt Yourself" and crediting Animal Collective's Panda Bear, Avey Tare, and Geologist as well as Burt Bacharach and Hal David on "6 Inch". Plus, Beyonce is credited as a writer and producer on all twelve songs, including one that is just her and James Blake on "Forward".
In short, I can say that this is so far my favorite album of the year, as well as one of only a few that have actually blown me away with how good they are. Sure, "Formation" isn't a great ending to the album, but it's not even a bad song. Just my least favorite.
Overall: 10/10
Favorite tracks: All of them!
Now, on the opposite side of the spectrum, we have Deftones, an experimental rock/alternative metal band from Sacramento that has been at it since the late 80s, when frontman Chino Moreno was just 15. Since then they've carved out their own niche of music, ranging from nu metal to experimental rock, and have garnered much critical acclaim in the process.
I've always thought that Deftones were a very cool band of skilled musicians, though I particularly admire Moreno the most. He is known for vocals ranging from harsh screams to smooth, laid-back tenor vocals, and he can switch between either of them at a moment's notice.
With this new album, they remain fairly experimental, but also add in a touch of space rock. The result is... well... not great. It's not a bad album by any stretch, but it's enjoyable at best and drab at worst. With Beyonce's album, I could tell where one song ended and another began. On Gore, the ideas all seem to just mesh together, as if they brought on Mac Demarco to compose all of their music (anyone who knows my opinions on Demarco knows this isn't really a compliment).
Overall: 5/10
Favorite track: Prayers / Triangles
I've always thought that Deftones were a very cool band of skilled musicians, though I particularly admire Moreno the most. He is known for vocals ranging from harsh screams to smooth, laid-back tenor vocals, and he can switch between either of them at a moment's notice.
With this new album, they remain fairly experimental, but also add in a touch of space rock. The result is... well... not great. It's not a bad album by any stretch, but it's enjoyable at best and drab at worst. With Beyonce's album, I could tell where one song ended and another began. On Gore, the ideas all seem to just mesh together, as if they brought on Mac Demarco to compose all of their music (anyone who knows my opinions on Demarco knows this isn't really a compliment).
Overall: 5/10
Favorite track: Prayers / Triangles
Because I've never really had an interest in Royce da 5'9, I'm going to keep this review short.
This album really wasn't bad at all. It's nothing special, but nothing bad. The beats are nothing special, the rapping's pretty decent, it's just a decent rap album. I guess that's the album's biggest crime. It's just good. I can't talk about it because there's nothing to say.
Overall: 6/10
Favorite tracks: Tabernacle; Pray; America
This album really wasn't bad at all. It's nothing special, but nothing bad. The beats are nothing special, the rapping's pretty decent, it's just a decent rap album. I guess that's the album's biggest crime. It's just good. I can't talk about it because there's nothing to say.
Overall: 6/10
Favorite tracks: Tabernacle; Pray; America