The Weeknd "My Dear Melancholy," EP Review

Ohhhhh yeah, this is something I’ve been excited for; it’s time for a review of the newest EP from The Weeknd, titled “My Dear Melancholy,.”

This is the latest project from Toronto R&B star Abel Tesfaye, otherwise known as The Weeknd, who is coming off of a 2017 spent promoting his 2016 album “Starboy,” an album I personally loved. In fact, 2017 started with the title track from that album reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “I Feel It Coming” also reached the Top 10 (peaking at #4), and the two singles reached #20 and #34 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100. He also spent the year on his “Starboy: Legend of the Fall” tour (I should know, I saw him twice!), and he received features on several noteworthy albums in 2017, such as Future’s “HNDRXX,” NAV’s…"NAV," Lana Del Rey’s “Lust for Life,” French Montana’s “Jungle Rules,” Lil Uzi Vert’s “Luv is Rage 2,” and Gucci Mane’s “Mr. Davis.” He also opened 2018 by collaborating with Kendrick Lamar for the track “Pray For Me” from the “Black Panther” soundtrack, a track that, as of this writing, is still in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 despite the film “Black Panther” being well over a month old.

It’s clear the Starboy has been on fire, and I’ve been very excited to see where he would go from that album, so here he is with a surprise EP, and given the EP's short length and lack of singles, I get the impression that this isn’t all we’re gonna get from him this year. Perhaps it's a holdover for a new full-length album he'll drop later this year? Maybe he's pulling another "Trilogy" and he's gonna release two more EPs during the year? Who knows, but regardless, there’s been a lot of rumors about this project, and his new album, for that matter, taking things back to his roots, so let’s listen and see what it’s like, shall we?

Call Out My Name: A very light ballad, I can already see what people were talking about with Abel going back to his older sound. This definitely sounds really close to the things Abel offered during the “Trilogy” days, but that doesn’t mean it’s not successful, because it really is. Abel croons on this track about his struggles to let go of a relationship he previously had, and with the heavy but slow drum beat here, I feel like it’s the perfect compromise between his old and new stuff. It’s got the feel and the vibe of the old stuff, but it also has the vocal maturity The Weeknd has shown since the “Trilogy.” Really great start to this EP.

Try Me: This one is really interesting to me because it’s got a very somber feel to it, but it’s also a bit more uptempo than the last one. I feel like it’s a really great, emotional track with some really beautiful vocals from Abel, as he talks on here about how a girl he used to be with should come back to him, instead of being in an unhappy relationship with her current man. The 808-drum beat on this one is head-noddy and fun, and it’s got a really great vibe to it. Another great track!

Wasted Times: A very introspective cut, The Weeknd appears to bare it all on this track by allegedly talking about his two high-profile relationships that he had with Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez. You can kind of infer from his lyrics here that, as he thinks back to his time with Bella, he realizes that his relationship with Selena was a waste of time. All speculation, but that stuff aside, I actually get some neat, somewhat old-school R&B vibes here, and parts of the song feel like a throwback to “Angel” from “Beauty Behind the Madness.” Abel’s vocals, while filtered throughout, are very smooth and pretty, and I like the click-clack percussion on this track. Definitely gonna come back to this one in the future!

I Was Never There (ft. Gesaffelstein): Another track that feels like a lot of Abel’s old-school stuff, I really love his vocals throughout this one, as he croons about how he can’t have a regular relationship with a woman, how his lifestyle at this point simply revolves around sex, and how it will almost feel like he wasn’t there because there was no feeling between him and the girl he talks about. Gesaffelstein helps produce this one, and he makes a track that’s dark and moody with some cool feel changes here and there, and of course, Abel's vocals are fantastic as always. Really enjoyed this one a lot, definitely want to come back to it in the future.

Hurt You (ft. Gesaffelstein): Gesaffelstein also helps to produce this track, as Abel sends out a warning on this one about his struggles with relationships and how he’s not looking for a commitment like that. I feel like I get so many vibes to other Weeknd tracks on this one, and I mean that in a good way. It kinda feels like he mixed his older style with “As You Are” and “Pray For Me” and they hyper-collaborated to make this happen. I feel like it’s a track with that same dark feel of his old stuff, but a head-noddy and fun enough feel to satisfy people like me that got into The Weeknd with his new stuff. Another track I really enjoyed!

Privilege: This final track seems to be a final goodbye from Abel to Selena Gomez, as he alludes to The Matrix’s “red/blue pills” by using the red pill to describe living in reality to take away the false-hope that is provided to him by the blue pill. Given the very dark instrumental here, this continues to remind me of Abel’s old-school stuff. It’s very ethereal, moody, and nocturnal, and while it’s the most minimal track on this project, it’s still a really beautiful cut that leaves me excited to see what comes next from him!

Overall, The Weeknd’s “My Dear Melancholy,” might just be a short EP, but it’s an extremely enjoyable one! Abel goes back to his roots a bit here, but instead of simply resting on his laurels and making something that sounds old-school to shut the “hardcore XO fans" up, it feels like he tries to make something that acts as a perfect “best of both worlds” experience, where we get that dark, moody feel that the “Trilogy” provided, but we also get that head-noddy, fun production, and vocal maturity that Abel has shown throughout his latest albums. It definitely feels like there’s a lot to like about this project, regardless of whether you consider yourself an old-school Weeknd fan or a new fan. And while it’s a really short project, there’s a lot of good things going on here that make me very excited to see what Abel has in store for the rest of this year. Is this the first part of a series of EPs that will combine together much like the “Trilogy” did back in 2011? Or is this a simple holdover until Abel releases one, full-length album later in the year? It’s hard to say, but at least what we’re given here is some damn good stuff.

And you know what? For a man who comes alive in the Fall time…he does pretty damn well in the Spring, too.

Favorite tracks: ALL OF THEM

Least favorite tracks: NAHHHHHHHHHH

Rating: Excellent

Bruno Mars "Unorthodox Jukebox" Album Review

Alright, moving things right along, it’s now time to take a look at Bruno Mars’ 2012 sophomore album “Unorthodox Jukebox.” This second album comes sandwiched between the solidly-enjoyable “Doo-Wops & Hooligans” and the fantastic “24K Magic,” and it also features some of Bruno’s biggest, most well-known singles to date. Let’s see if the rest of the album lives up to those singles, shall we?

Young Girls: A slower, more lovely ballad, Bruno talks on this track about how attracted he gets to the more wild girls. Though some critics have found the lyrics somewhat problematic, I think this song is nonetheless very grand and it’s a good showing of Bruno’s vocal range. The hook is really beautiful, and the very bright, pretty sound keeps this one really interesting. I don’t know why I was ignoring this one for so long, it’s a great track!

Locked Out of Heaven: One of his most iconic singles, Bruno channels The Police on this track, and being the first single he released after “Doo-Wops & Hooligans,” it’s vastly different from pretty much anything on that record, and it’s clear Bruno evolved his sound a bit with this one. The result is an upbeat, pumping track with smooth vocals from Bruno and an ear-wormy hook. Originally, I didn’t take to this song all that much, but I don’t know what I was thinking because it’s just so damn great!

Gorilla: Already, this one also really feels a lot different from Bruno’s older stuff, as he spends the track talking about him and a girl making love like gorillas over a 1980’s soft-rock-infused instrumental. It’s a really interesting transition from his other stuff, and while the lyrics are a bit explicit here (I got a chuckle out of hearing Bruno say “give it to me, motherfucker” and then literally saying he and this girl would be “fucking like gorillas”), I love the old-school vibe I get from this one, Bruno’s vocals are quite nice, and the hook was very ear-wormy. Another really enjoyable track!

Treasure: Forget “Uptown Funk” and the entire “24K Magic” album, THIS was the first sign that Bruno was trying to bring back the funk! This disco-infused track is another standout from Bruno, with some very punchy production, a really strong vocal performance from Bruno, a hook that just gets stuck in your head for all the right reasons, and a great vibe that kind of reminds me of old-school Michael Jackson. This one originally cooled on me because of repeat listens, but after coming back to it for this review, I find myself just falling in love with the track more and more. It’s soulful, it’s energetic, and most importantly, it’s brilliant.

Moonshine: Another track with a very retro vibe, I love the really sweet guitar intro on this one, and dammit all, the hook is damn hypnotic on this one! Bruno’s vocals are smooth, as he once again injects a really cool, Michael Jackson vibe onto this song, as he talks about his drinking of Moonshine to help take him away from everything that’s going on. There’s a reason the tour for this album was called the “Moonshine Tour,” and it’s because this song is amazing!

When I Was Your Man: A track that shows us a more vulnerable, emotional side of Bruno, this ballad features Bruno singing over a piano melody about his regret in letting the woman he loved get away, and his hopes that her new man does all the lovely things he just wasn’t able to do. Blame it on me being a hopelessly-romantic 19-year old, but just thinking about the song hits me emotionally. It’s such a beautiful track that really shows off Bruno’s vocal chops and his more sad side that we don’t see much behind the sunglasses. Definitely one of Bruno’s best songs.

Natalie: Here, we have Bruno telling us a revenge story of a gold-digging woman who he wants to pay for her crimes, even if it affects him negatively in the end. He does this over a very uptempo track with some really sweet percussion, and he continues to demonstrate just how great his vocal range is. The hook is also pretty hypnotic and fun, and the song as a whole is head-noddy fun. Definitely really enjoyed this track a lot.

Show Me: A more tropical song, Jamaican producer Supa Dups to help Bruno create a samba-infused track that doesn’t feel watered-down at all. This is Bruno really respecting and appreciating the genre and making something really great out of it. The tropical instrumentals are very beautiful, and the song brings us more of Bruno’s very nice vocals. Part of me wishes he had released this as a single back when this album was making the rounds because it feels different enough that it could’ve been an interesting hit. Even so, it’s a really great track all things considered.

Money Make Her Smile: Another track that feels very throwback-y to me, I love the very pumping percussion on this track and the more electronic feel of it. Bruno’s vocals are lovely as always, the hook is hypnotic, and it kind of feels like Bruno’s creating something that feels like “Michael Jackson meets Black Eyed Peas,” and is all the better for it. Once again, why was this not a single? It’s an amazing track, and it had all the makings of a hit song! Even so, it’s really an incredible song.

If I Knew: Bruno takes on a slow-jam feel on this track, one that finds him speaking to one of his ex-lovers, and basically proclaiming that, had he known that his girl wanted to come back to him, he wouldn’t have done all the things that he did to her (presumably cheating). I don’t know why I used to skip this all the time when it came on Pandora, because wow, it is gorgeous! It’s not a traditional Bruno song, there’s no real hook to it, but it’s another showcase of his really beautiful vocals, and it’s got a really fantastic bass-line to boot. Definitely an amazing end to the album.

Overall, Bruno Mars comes through with something really special on “Unorthodox Jukebox.” It’s once again abundantly clear that Bruno can handle a lot of different styles, but it's also clear that he's evolved his sound here: after much of his debut album featured lighter ballads, this album is filled with tracks that not only feel like throwbacks but they show Bruno’s appreciation for so many different genres. And beyond that, it’s another great showcase of Bruno’s gorgeous vocals and ear for production. I used to say that “24K Magic” was Bruno’s best album by far. I don’t know, though, if this isn’t better than that, it’s definitely the strongest second. “Unorthodox Jukebox” is an amazing album, and if you made the mistake I did and didn’t listen to it when it first came out, do that now!

There’s a lot of stuff I have planned to review in the future now that the Bruno reviews are done, so stay tuned!

Favorite tracks: EVERY SINGLE ONE

Least favorite tracks: NOPE, NOT DOING THAT TODAY

Rating: Excellent

Bruno Mars "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" Album Review

There’s not much I have to review at the moment in terms of new albums, so why not take some time to review some older albums? Starting things off, I want to take a look at Bruno Mars’ 2010 album “Doo-Wops & Hooligans.”

Bruno Mars needs no introduction, he’s a pop superstar, possible future pop icon, and this was his debut studio album. Now, I’ve obviously covered Bruno Mars in the past; as many of you may remember, “24K Magic” remains one of my personal favorite albums. However, outside of some of his bigger singles, a lot of my Bruno knowledge rests with that album, so I figured it would be a cool idea to look back at his past records to see what he had to offer beyond those huge singles. Let’s see, let’s see.

Grenade: Ohhh, I remember when this track was EVERYWHERE back in 2011! And while I definitely loved it then, it’s certainly cooled quite a bit for me. Still, I do think it’s a very emotional track, and it’s definitely a great showcase of Bruno’s vocal chops. That, and after the super sweet first single that was “Just The Way You Are,” it’s interesting seeing him try something more emotional here. Might have to throw this one back in the rotation and re-listen to it, a very good single.

Just The Way You Are: And ANOTHER track that I DEFINITELY remember hearing all the time in 2010 and 2011, this one also cooled on me a bit. Once again, though, re-listening to it made me realize that, sure, it might come off as a bit cheesy to some, but in its own way, it’s definitely a very sweet song that features some really beautiful vocals from Bruno. Overall, a very feel-good, nice track that might return to my usual rotation.

Our First Time: A slow-jam about sex, originally this one felt a bit too rough and demo-esque for me, but after a while, I eventually started to really fall for the song. Sure, you can still tell as you listen to it that Bruno’s grown from this and he’s definitely created songs sexier than this one, but I do like the vibe I get from this, and I think Bruno is still given more than enough room to show off his vocal chops. Will we look back on this as one of his best songs ever? Probably not. Is it still head-nodding fun that I’ll come back to multiple times in the future? Yeah, most likely.

Runaway Baby: A far more up-tempo, rocking track, this one has Bruno basically warning a girl to stay away from him because he’s not looking for something serious in a relationship. I’m not sure how I feel about the lyrics, but I do really like the hook on this one, and I think it has a very ear-wormy charm to it. Might need to give it a few more listens to see if it really clicks with me, though.

The Lazy Song: Another huge Bruno single (and one that he apparently isn’t too fond of, given some of his press comments, as well as the fact that he didn’t perform it during his 24K Magic tour), I can kind of see why he’s not too fond of the track. Yeah, it’s got a nice, ear-wormy hook, some funny lyrics, and a nice vibe, but I feel like it might be a little TOO laid back to the point where it just doesn’t go anywhere interesting for me. An ode to laziness is a cool concept, but it feels like it’s a little out of Bruno’s wheelhouse. Not a terrible track, and it might even get a repeat listen or two out of me off of the sheer power of being head-noddy fun, but I see where the problems lie here.

Marry You: Here, Bruno talks about just how in love with a girl he is that he just wants to immediately marry her in a kind of rebellious and daring way, over a kind of 60’s pop-inspired instrumental. Once again, it’s not one of Bruno’s best songs, but it does have a very sweet vibe to it, I love Bruno’s vocals throughout this one, and it’s nice to see him appreciate an older style of music. Still might need a few listens to see if it grows on me.

Talking To The Moon: A much more stripped-down ballad, this one features Bruno talking of a long-distance relationship, and it features plenty of the same pretty vocals that Bruno has provided throughout the last few tracks. The more stripped-down feel of the track also works to the more emotional feel of the song. I’m shocked it took me this long to really listen to this one, it’s a really great track!

Liquor Store Blues (ft. Damian Marley): One of the few tracks on this album to have a feature, this album sees Damian Marley join Bruno for a more reggae-inspired song that sees Bruno provided more really great vocals, as his voice meshes perfectly with the aforementioned reggae-flavored instrumentals. Damian Marley sticks firmly in his comfort zone on this one, but his short, sort of cameo appearance still injects a little extra dose of fun into the track. It might need a few more listens to grow on me a bit, but I definitely think it was interesting seeing Bruno try something more reggae-inspired, and it works.

Count on Me: Here’s another one that really brings me back, because after hearing this on several commercials, I definitely found myself giving it plenty of repeat listens. And while it’s definitely cooled on me a bit, I definitely enjoyed the smooth acoustic guitar plucking on this one, and the nice bongo-lead percussion, and Bruno’s very nice, charming vocals. Sure, it might again feel just a little bit cheesy, but it’s a really sweet, nice track that might end up returning to my usual rotation.

The Other Side (ft. CeeLo Green and B.o.B.): Rounding things out, we have a track that features B.o.B. (who Bruno previously collaborated with on “Nothin’ On You”) and CeeLo Green…who Bruno hadn’t collaborated with beforehand. Bruno, CeeLo, and B.o.B. all talk on this track about how they’ve crossed over to the “other realm,” which is essentially stardom, and how others won’t really understand what this other side is like unless they’ve been on that same side. I liked Bruno’s vocals throughout this track, the hook is quite ear-wormy, and B.o.B.’s verse has some great flow (even if there are a few cheesy lyrics), but I think CeeLo Green’s verse is the real standout here. I loved his vocals throughout here, and even though his presence isn’t big here, he still does great with what he’s given. Not my favorite track, but it’s an appropriate finishing cut, and it’s a pretty good song that might grow on me in the future.

Overall, Bruno Mars’ debut record, eight years later, still remains a very fun, sweet record. There are plenty of great vocal performances throughout this record, as Bruno shows his knack for a lot of different styles here; from lighter, more acoustic tracks, to more heavy and emotional ballads, to even reggae, Bruno covers a lot of ground on this one. My only big glaring problems are that, for starters, the album may come off as a bit too sweet and too cheesy to a few people, and a lot of the tracks will need to grow on me a bit. It probably helps that I listened to this after “24K Magic,” so I might be thinking too much about how much Bruno has grown since this, but it is nice to see that I can still nod my head and vibe to a lot of the songs on this record. It’s not Bruno’s best, but it’s a very nice album overall.

And yes, I will be looking at “Unorthodox Jukebox” next. Stay tuned!

Favorite tracks: Grenade, Just The Way You Are, Our First Time, Talking To The Moon, Count on Me

Least favorite tracks: Runaway Baby (if I had to pick one)

Rating: Good

Judas Priest "Firepower" Album Review (80th Review)

I know what you’re thinking, I can hear it already: “Matt, you said before that you didn’t want to cover rock albums! And this is a metal album at that! Shouldn’t that make it even worse? And especially as your milestone 80th review! Are you sure you want to do this?” Trust me, I’ve got a good feeling about this one: it’s time for a review of the new Judas Priest album “Firepower.”

Judas Priest is a heavy metal band that has been around for almost 50 years! That’s damn impressive in and of itself. and this is their 18th studio album. EIGHTEENTH!!! That’s really crazy. Now, outside of “Painkiller,” a song I wouldn’t know if not for Guitar Hero and Rock Band, I don’t really know much about the group’s work, and I can say that about a lot of heavy metal bands. However, this album caught my interest because I saw it being described as one of the group’s best albums, and maybe one of the best metal albums of the decade. And, even as someone that has little to no interest in metal music, I listened to snippets of it and really enjoyed myself throughout. Let’s see if those snippets translate into something amazing.

Firepower: This song, to me, is what metal music should be. Thrashing drum beat, incredibly smooth, beautiful guitar melodies and solos throughout, and charismatic, exciting vocal performances that don’t just feel like needless shouting for the sake of shouting. There are also some very neat feel and tempo changes throughout this track that keep it interesting and fun throughout. Really great song, definitely an awesome start to the album!

Lightning Strike: This track leads in perfectly from the last one, and it has a very different feel, which is very nice. I also really loved the hook on this one, I fell in love with the drum beat, and there’s some really great, thrashing guitar riffs as well. Lead singer Rob Halford also once again provides very exciting, powerful vocals on this one, and doesn’t feel like he’s just screaming his head off the whole time. Great track!

Evil Never Dies: A track that has some clever lyrical allusions to “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” this one features a kind of slower and more basic, but still very powerful and exciting drum beat, and a really solid hook. Halford’s vocals once again remain energetic on this one, and the guitar instrumentals and solos are very cool, too. Not one of my personal favorites on the album, but it’s definitely a solid track.

Never The Heroes: I love the way this one starts off! It kind of reminds me of an electronic song from a very futuristic film. After the intro, the song ends up being quite a bit slower than the other tracks on this record, but it has some very beautiful, smooth guitar melodies, and Halford’s vocals remain smooth and gorgeous on here. There’s a lot of great things going on on this track, and it’s definitely one of the most memorable ones on the album.

Necromancer: Taking things back to something closer to what the first track offered, I don’t love the hook on this one, but I do once again really dig the amazing guitar solos, the great drum beat, and Rob Halford’s typical fantastic vocals. It’s not one of my personal favorites on the album, but I feel like this one could grow on me with a little bit of time, it’s still quite good.

Children of the Sun: Slowing things down just a little in comparison to the last song, I found the very beautiful, smooth guitar riffs on this one to be easy to nod your head along to. The drum beat is also pounding and emphatic, and as always, I LOVE Halford’s vocals. He’s got a really strong, deep voice with plenty of range, and I feel like this track once again allows him to explore that, transitioning amazingly between his falsetto and his growl. Great track for sure!

Guardians: Now this is just a one-minute-long instrumental interlude, and while it does feel a bit at odds with a few of the other tracks on the record, I feel like I’ll want to come back to this one in the future because I love the very grand feel of it and the beautiful piano melody, and it transitions so perfectly into the next track. Great interlude!

Rising From Ruins: I love the intro to this track!!! I love the pounding drum beat and the really head-noddy guitar melody on this one. Rob’s vocals once again remain beautiful and very smooth throughout this track, as he continues to provide plenty of energy and excitement on this one! The track as a whole takes thing just a tick slower than some of the others on here, but there are so many really great intricacies to the track (like, the cool drum fills and beautiful guitar solos) that make this one so amazing!

Flame Thrower: Once again, Judas Priest brings the energy on this track and, while it’s again a slightly slower track than some of the others here, it’s no less pounding, and I also really love the hook on this one. There’s some really cool drum fills throughout this one, the guitar melody that leads it is beautiful (as is the guitar solo here), and Halford’s vocals remain as strong as ever. Not a favorite of mine, but I feel like this one has a lot of potential to grow on me with a few more listens.

Spectre: We have another more mid-tempo track here, one driven by some really cool guitar melodies throughout, and some really exciting, charismatic moments from Rob Halford. The solos are also pretty amazing here, and even if the drum beat here is a little more basic, it’s still thumping, head-noddy stuff. I really enjoyed this track a lot, and I definitely think it’ll get plenty of repeat listens from me.

Traitors Gate: I like the rather suspenseful intro to this one, and even though it leads into something that’s far more pounding and loud, I love it for the amazing guitar melodies throughout! The drum fills on this one are some of the best on the album, and I love how Rob jumps into his falsetto throughout the track on this one. Even as one of the longer tracks on the record, it never loses its energy thanks to the really fantastic instrumentation here. Definitely a really amazing song!

No Surrender: One of the shorter tracks on the record, I once again really loved the very bright guitar intro and solos throughout this song. And while I haven’t talked much about the lyrics throughout this record, I have to say that hearing Rob Halford say on the hook that he’s “ready to fight with no surrender” is pretty awesome. That’s just a really great line to me, and his vocals remain really fantastic on this one. Really love this track, too!

Lone Wolf: Once again, I like the way this one starts, as it feels kind of mysterious on the intro. Eventually, though, the song kicks into its more throbbing feel, but that doesn’t make it worse. In fact, the song, while not as uptempo as some of the others here, is really exciting and energetic. The song feels very drum-driven to me, and the fills on here are really awesome! I also have to appreciate that the song has a bit of a cool, swingy feel to it, too. It’s not a favorite of mine, but it’s a really cool, really enjoyable track overall.

Sea of Red: The final track on this album starts off much lighter than any of the others on here, and the guitar intro is really beautiful. The song itself takes a very down-tempo feel in comparison to some of the other songs on the record, but Rob Halford’s vocals are absolutely gorgeous on this one! This definitely feels very slightly stripped back in comparison to some of the other tracks on the record, but that doesn’t stop it from being an absolutely beautiful song! Great guitar solos, beautiful vocals, a simple but pounding drum track, this one has it all, and it’s the perfect end to this amazing album!

Overall, Judas Priest shows with “Firepower” that, even after almost 50 years and a boatload of albums, that they know how to make emphatic, exciting metal music. This album, at least to me, is what metal music should be: energetic and exciting with great drum beats, beautiful guitar melodies, and charismatic vocal performances that don’t just feel like mindless screaming for the sake of mindless screaming. I’ll put it to you guys like this, I’m not even a fan of heavy metal music, and this thing just made me want to headbang the entire time. Of course, I didn’t, or else I’d have gotten a headache, but even so, the album really is that fantastic that it made someone like me, that doesn’t even listen to metal music, really get into it.

To that point, I feel like this is a record that you should listen to, even if you’re not a metal fan. Because I get that there seems to be a reputation that metal music is just “loud, scream-y music about people shouting at the devil.” This, I can tell you, is not that. This is an album that is exciting, not overly scream-y, and filled with so much beautiful instrumentation that the whole “loud” factor shouldn’t really matter. This is metal music done right, and this is the kind of thing that’s easy to get into even if you aren’t a metal fanatic. I walked in not sure what to expect, but I can more than appreciate an album like this; I can also headbang to it.

Well, not really because I’d get a headache, but still, listen to it!

Favorite tracks: Firepower, Lightning Strike, Never The Heroes, Children of the Sun, Guardians, Rising From Ruins, Spectre, No Surrender, Sea of Red

Least favorite tracks: Uhh…can’t really pick one. They all were pretty good to me.

Rating: Excellent

Wendy's "We Beefin?" EP Review

I don’t review EPs as often anymore since they’re so short, but this is a very special exception because it’s a magical time: it’s time for a review of the new Wendy’s EP “We Beefin?”

Wendy’s needs no introduction, they’re a wildly-popular fast-food chain often known not only for their delicious food and their fresh, never-frozen beef but for their delicious social media posts and their fresh, never-frozen Twitter beef. Wendy’s is not only one of the bests in the fast-food game, but they’re one of the best things Twitter has to offer. And I really mean that, I really do love Wendy’s food, but I also love their tweets. The fact that they’ve decided to release an EP is just a glorious moment in music, so let’s see what this thing has to offer, shall we?

Twitter Fingers: An overly-autotuned banger, Wendy’s comes through with hot fire on this trap-flavored track, and while some of the lyrics are hard to decipher, it doesn’t matter because Wendy’s is still ending careers with this track and they’ll come at anyone that tries to tell them otherwise.

Holding It Down: Another upbeat, trap-flavored cut, this track doesn’t really differentiate itself much from the last one, but that doesn’t matter because Wendy’s continues to end the lives of McDonald’s and Burger King on this song. Don’t even try to come back, Mickey D, because it’s not gonna work! And don’t you try, BK, because Wendy’s is over here spitting fire, don’t even try with that!

Rest in Grease: Wendy’s dabbles in some neat, kind of different instrumental sounds on this one, and the rapid-fire flow is really working on this one! And the lyrics are amazing, as you’d expect. Always cool seeing them talking about the ice cream machine always being broken. Dope shit.

Clownin: I shouldn’t need to say it again, but I will because it’s true, this track is hot fire. Wendy’s reminds us here to be careful who to diss, and that’s the most truthful statement, because Wendy’s really isn’t afraid to come at anyone, and that’s what makes them so great. Keeping it real, and keeping it fresh (NEVER FROZEN).

4 for 4$: The final track on this legendary EP is Wendy’s discussing their 4 for $4, which comes with a sandwich (there’s a lot of choices in that one), chicken nuggets, fries, and a drink, all for $4. Done best at Wendy’s, no one can ever do better. And you know what? Even if Wendy’s put the $ after the 4 in the title of this track, it doesn’t matter, because they still spit some insane bars on this one.

Overall, this is some of the hottest fire you’ll ever hear in your damn life. Wendy’s is over here putting these other rappers to shame, and it’s clear their beef is still fresh, and NEVER, EVER EVER EVER frozen! Wendy’s will out-rap Kendrick Lamar, J-Cole, Nas, B.I.G., 2Pac, Eminem, Jay-Z, Rakim, Kanye, and pretty much any other damn rapper that’s ever existed, and no one can tell me otherwise!

But in all seriousness, this was a pretty funny idea. I know it might seem strange to count something like this as my 79th review, but I’m gonna do it. Clearly, as an EP, this is meant to just capitalize on Wendy’s amazing Twitter beef, and as a result, it works. It’s a funny concept, and even if it’s not really the stuff of legends, it will play well into their social media legacy.

Milestone #80 is coming up and it’s…Judas Priest?

Favorite tracks: THE 4 FOR $4 MEAL AT WENDY'S

Least favorite tracks: BURGER KING

Rating: FRESH, NEVER FROZEN

THINK PIECE: Strangest Features From Albums I've Reviewed

Features exist all around music. Artists work together in collaboration to make a really incredible song, it happens all the time. And while there are plenty of great features out there, some of them come off on paper as being so off-the-wall and strange that you wonder what kind of voodoo the artists’ record companies engaged in to get them together on a track.

This list will discuss twelve specific examples of strange features in songs. Each song here is one from an album I have reviewed, and that’s basically the only qualification. These features aren’t here based on how good or bad they are, they are here because they may seem strange at first glance. Whether or not they stick the landing is irrelevant to whether or not they make the list, this is just all about how much sense they make (though I will at least point out if the songs are good or not). With that said, let’s discuss.

KENDRICK LAMAR FT. U2 - XXX.

Kendrick Lamar, one of the biggest rappers out there today, collaborating with a rock band that’s been around since the 70s, and was popular when my Dad was a kid? Something felt really strange about that to me! Hell, even in my review, I mentioned that Kendrick collaborating with U2 was “a strange combo.” The fact that the song also feels so un-U2 to me only makes it an even stranger collab. Even so, the song is definitely one of my favorites off of “DAMN.,” so kudos to Kendrick and U2 for making it work.

THE WEEKND FT. ED SHEERAN - DARK TIMES

Okay, here’s the thing: The Weeknd and Ed Sheeran are pretty much my two favorite artists, so a pairing like this should be a match made in Heaven for me. And, to an extent, it is. However, the thing is, they’re two COMPLETELY different artists, which makes this strange for me. And, truth be told, I wasn’t all that crazy about the track. I felt like Ed and Abel’s vocals lifted the song entirely, as the track generally struggled as a result of some less-than-stellar sonic elements. Still, a part of me kinda wants to see them try again, and see if they can make something more interesting.

BRUNO MARS FT. CARDI B - FINESSE (REMIX)

Okay, I’m kind of cheating a little bit since this wasn’t included on the album, but that doesn’t make it any less of a crack pairing. Cardi B and Bruno Mars couldn’t be any more different as artists, so the idea of her jumping on one of my favorite tracks from “24K Magic” had me saying “what?” The fact that Bruno’s own work doesn’t often have features didn’t help me think differently of the track, either. And certainly, while Cardi B feels kind of tacked-on to the beginning and the end, and not used as well as she could be, I definitely think this is a great remix, and I’m glad it happened because, having loved the original track, it’s nice to see this finally doing well on the charts.

CHANCE THE RAPPER FT. TOWKIO & JUSTIN BIEBER - JUKE JAM

No, I’m not talking about Towkio here. I hardly know who he is, so I wouldn’t know if this is out of his comfort zone. I’m talking about Bieber here, and not because he’s working with a rapper, because he’s definitely had plenty of hip-hop collaborations before (remember “I’m The One?” That had Chance in it, too!). Hell, even in the days of “Baby,” he was collaborating with Ludacris! I’m not shocked he’s WITH a hip-hop artist here, I’m shocked that his appearance just feels like a cameo. You’d think he’d use his popularity and fame to get a little more out of his guest feature on this track. His cameo DOES work here, and I think it does show a willingness to take a backseat despite his heavy popularity, which is great, but part of me kind wishes he got a little more of a chance to prove himself here.

RAE SREMMURD FT. LIL JON - SET THE ROOF

It’s no secret that Rae Sremmurd has had plenty of big features before. Even going back to the days of the first “SremmLife,” the duo was able to get Nicki Minaj and Big Sean on tracks, and “SremmLife 2” saw them grab artists like Gucci Mane and Juicy J, and their recent song “Powerglide” off of the upcoming “SR3MM” also had Juicy J on it, so it’s not like the boys can’t get big features. It came as a shock to me, though, that they got the Party Man himself, Lil Jon. Being kind of “old-school” at this point, I wondered for a minute how they got a veteran like him on this track. However they did it, they should pat themselves on the back for it, because it’s one of the best tracks on “SremmLife 2,” and it’s absolutely infectious and fun. If anything, I just wish they’d released it as a single. I feel like it would’ve done great, but alas, they didn’t, so now we’re just stuck waiting for “SR3MM.” One of these days.

ED SHEERAN FT. BEYONCÉ - PERFECT DUET

Again, this is kind of a cheat because it wasn’t included on the album, but given that it’s a chart-topping single, I feel like I have things to say about it. Beyoncé has proven to me that she can handle several different styles, so she’s definitely not my real surprise here. The reason this came so far out of the blue for me is that none of Ed’s previous songs had any prominent features. While he has been a feature on songs from artists like Taylor Swift and the aforementioned The Weeknd, “+,” “X,” and “÷” all catapulted to success without the aid of features. For Ed to hook up one of his own songs with a prominent feature, and someone as big as Beyoncé, no less, is pretty incredible. And not only does the song totally stick the landing (and honestly sound even better with Beyoncé), but being a song I absolutely love (it’s my future wedding song), I’m happy that this remix helped catapult the song to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 because it deserved it (and also because I said back in my review that it needed to be a chart-topper).

LIL PUMP FT. 2 CHAINZ - ICED OUT

2 Chainz’s feature list reads like the telephone book, so it may not seem weird that he’s a feature on any song at this point. What made this appearance a shock to me is that 2 Chainz is one of the most popular rappers around, and he’s a pretty big name, so it was crazy to see him co-sign a young rapper like Lil Pump so early in his career. While it definitely wasn’t one of my favorite songs on the mixtape, it at least showed me that big rappers aren’t ready to count Lil Pump out just yet, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see him grab even bigger features later on. If he was able to land 2 Chainz before he had a hit, imagine what he can do now that he has “Gucci Gang” under his belt.

MAROON 5 FT. KENDRICK LAMAR - DON’T WANNA KNOW

You know, I could talk about more than a few Maroon 5 tracks with strange rap features. With Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar, and Future having appeared on some of the group’s tracks, they are no strangers to having random rap features. I specifically zeroed in on this one because, by the time this was released, Kendrick Lamar was fresh off of “To Pimp A Butterfly.” Perhaps, after that album was so unconventional, this was his first attempt at getting back into more mainstream music before he expanded upon that effort (to an extent) with “DAMN.?” It’s hard to tell, but either way, I’ve admittedly gotten a little bit of longevity out of track even though it doesn’t use Kendrick or Maroon 5 to their fullest potential. Kendrick’s definitely had better features, though.

TAYLOR SWIFT FT. ED SHEERAN & FUTURE - END GAME

It should be obvious, but I’m not talking about Ed Sheeran here. The two of them are close friends, and Ed has been on one of Taylor’s songs before. You guys already know I’m talking about Future. This is the only song with any features on “Reputation,” and even though Kendrick Lamar helped catapult “Bad Blood” to success before, she doesn’t work often with features, and Future just seemed out of place, another attempt by Taylor to radically change her sound on this album. Admittedly, it worked; this song did grow on me quite a bit, and Future’s verse is one of his most listenable to me, so I have to give credit where credit is due.

EMINEM FT. X AMBASSADORS - BAD HUSBAND

Come on, was there any doubt something off of Eminem’s latest album would make this list? Everyone remembers the general reaction when Eminem released the tracklist for “Revival” and the features list included Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Alicia Keys, Kehlani, and X Ambassadors. It was, uhh, not very positive, to say the least. The X Ambassadors feature was the one that arguably received the most criticism (sure, Ed Sheeran did, but in his defense, he has rapped several times before, so for me personally, it wasn’t shocking), and for good reason, because the song itself is one of the album’s worst. Their hook in particular is pretty weak and, much like a lot of the other songs on the record, the production on this one is less than stellar. I’m not opposed to Eminem trying to add in some more unconventional features, but I just hope they stick the landing a bit better next time.

LORDE FT. KHALID, POST MALONE & SZA - HOMEMADE DYNAMITE (REMIX)

Lorde’s “Homemade Dynamite” is a song I absolutely adore but was anyone else just a little bit surprised that the remix featured Khalid, Post Malone, AND SZA? That’s some BIG star power right there, and it’s even more shocking given that Lorde’s “Melodrama” was incredible without any features! But hey, Lorde, Khalid, SZA, and Post Malone all on one track? I’ll take that any day of the week, and I honestly tend to gravitate towards the remix just a little bit more than the original version! Even if it was just a way to give the song a boost on the charts (which it deserved because it’s an amazing song that more people need to listen to), I think all four artists bring some really great performances to the table here to keep it extremely interesting. This could’ve ended up being a bloated, star-studded turkey, but instead, it’s a star-studded gem on an album that’s already chock-full of gems.

CAMILA CABELLO FT. YOUNG THUG - HAVANA

It doesn’t necessarily shock me that Camila collaborated with a rapper. After all, during her time with Fifth Harmony, the group collaborated with artists like Kid Ink, Ty Dolla $ign, and Fetty Wap, and even after her departure, 5H collaborated with Gucci Mane. Seeing her join forces with a rapper is no surprise, but this shocked me a bit more in the context of the rest of the album. “Havana” is one of the few dance-y tracks off of what was primarily a ballad-driven album, so seeing that Young Thug was her one feature was a bit of a shock, especially since she apparently worked with artists like Sia and Ed Sheeran on songs that didn’t end up making the cut. It’s still a great song, and luckily, the Young Thug feature does stick the landing, but I still think it feels a little bit out of place.

So, those are some of the strangest features to me. I ended up going with twelve instead of ten because there was quite a bit to talk about! What are some of the weirdest features you’ve heard in a song? Sound off in the comment section below!

THINK PIECE: Songs I Love From Albums I Don't Love

It’s no secret that I’m generally not the most analytical or harsh music critic in the world. It doesn’t take all that much for me to really dig an album or a mixtape most of the time. However, there are those occasional moments where not even I could salvage a certain record. Even then, though, regardless of how bad the record is, I can generally find at least one song worth taking away from each project (“Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy” is a rare exception).

This list will focus on just that: songs I enjoyed from albums I did not. For the songs to qualify for this list, they have to have come from an album/mixtape/EP that I reviewed and gave a rating of or lower than “okay.” That means a few “okay” projects will make the cut (think of them as the “low okays,” if you will), but generally, these all come from “bad” and “awful” projects.

Also, ideally, if the songs listed here were released as singles, I will use their single covers. If not, I’ll just use the album covers. And again, sorry if the images are of different sizes. Blame Google. That said, here we go.

THE WEEKND FT. DRAKE - LIVE FOR

I’ve made it known quite a few times before that I am not that crazy about The Weeknd’s debut album “Kiss Land.” While I certainly see the appeal of it and don’t dislike it, I feel like it’s just not for me, and I didn’t really connect with a lot of the songs on it. Perhaps I just need to go back to some of the songs and try to re-listen to them, I’m not sure. What I do know, however, is that even if the album wasn’t entirely to my liking, “Live For” clicked with me from the jump. I loved the song’s fast pace, The Weeknd’s vocals are on point as always, and the hook remains very fun and catchy to me. Drake’s performance and rapid-fire flow also add an extra layer of enjoyment to the song. Maybe I might do what I did with this song (go back to it and let it grow on me) for the rest of the album.

FERGIE - TENSION

I could’ve also used “Just Like You” or “A Little Work” here, but since this was the song that clicked with me first, I’m picking it. Fergie’s long-delayed second album was definitely a disappointment, and with her recent performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, she has been the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons lately. However, I have to give her credit for “Tension,” because God, is this song infectious! On an album where Fergie tried to take a new route and “modernize” her sound with some less-than-stellar rap tracks, “Tension” felt like a pleasantly old-school Fergie song, with an infectious, pumping instrumental, a charismatic performance from Fergie, and an ear-wormy hook. Did it single-handedly save the album it was on? Well, the damage was done with “M.I.L.F. $,” but all in all, at least we got this out of it.

TAYLOR SWIFT - NEW YEAR’S DAY

Taylor Swift’s latest record “Reputation” was definitely a major disappointment, even for someone like me that’s generally not into her music. However, “New Year’s Day,” the final song on the album, damn near saved it entirely for me. It’s definitely one of the more “minimalist” songs on the album, given that it’s just a piano, some minor guitar plucking, and Taylor’s vocals, but it’s a track that just feels so raw, subdued, and sincere in comparison to a lot of what else comes off of the record. Where songs like “Look What You Made Me Do” and “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” felt so mired in Taylor’s recent controversies, this felt like old-school Taylor in the best of ways, as she sings so beautifully about finding a New Year’s love that you have a great night with, but also stay with the next morning when you’re cleaning up after the party. She yearns for someone that will hold on to these memories, but also not become a stranger after the ball drops. It’s such a beautiful track that I’ve definitely held onto, even if I was largely unimpressed with the rest of the album.

POST MALONE FT. QUAVO - CONGRATULATIONS

While I’ve generally found Post Malone to be a decent person from the videos I’ve seen of him, I wasn’t really impressed by the collection of elevator music that was “Stoney.” However, one song that I particularly took away from the record was “Congratulations.” Though I wasn’t crazy about it at first, this one grew on me with its ear-wormy hook, upbeat production, and a solid guest performance from Quavo. While I definitely think it’s not Post’s best song to date, especially after how good “Rockstar” and “Psycho” were, I definitely dig this track, and I think it was one of the stronger songs off of “Stoney.”

EMINEM FT. BEYONCÉ - WALK ON WATER

There’s no two ways about it, Eminem’s “Revival” was a colossal disappointment. Even if you were one of the album’s defenders (like I was), there’s a good chance you found that this record wasn’t up to Eminem’s usual standards. And while the remix of “Chloraseptic” definitely did a great job letting us know that Eminem heard us, was angry, and had his fire back, it didn’t change my thoughts on the album. Regardless of how I felt about the record as a whole, though, I definitely have returned to “Walk on Water” several times before and since reviewing the album. Beyoncé’s angelic vocals make the hook on this really memorable, and the very minimal instrumental goes well with Eminem’s performance, as he raps in a sort of spoken-word style about his anxieties and fears as an artist who has something to prove, given the high expectations placed on him. It’s a song that shows a side of Eminem we don’t see much of, and beyond that, it’s just a great song.

NAV - LONELY

Honestly, I could possibly add a few examples of NAV songs because, while I haven’t really enjoyed either of his projects on the whole, there have been quite a few songs off of both mixtapes that I’ve regularly returned to. In fact, with how much I listen to NAV songs, you’d think I loved both projects, but I didn’t. It just happens that the songs I did like, I REALLY liked, and enjoy coming back to often. “Lonely” is an example of that; with its moody, sad R&B feel, decent vocals from NAV (even if his performance is right in his comfort zone, and his lyrics leave a lot of questions in my mind), and a hook that gets stuck in your head too easily, this is a song I’ve definitely returned to over and over again.

NAV & METRO BOOMIN - CALL ME

See? Like I said, another “NAV” song. Once again, while NAV and Metro Boomin’s collaboration project “Perfect Timing” was a step back from NAV’s self-titled debut mixtape, there were definitely some tracks I took away and threw into my regular rotation. In fact, I was trying to decide between this song or “Held Me Down,” because I do love both of them, but in the end, I went with “Call Me,” because again, it was the track that clicked with me first (since I heard it before reviewing the tape). Once again, a rather moody instrumental compliments NAV’s crooning, as he talks about how the fame made him miss his old life when he didn’t have to worry as much if others were there for him. It’s something I’ve definitely enjoyed a lot, and have continued to return to over time.

MIGOS - OUT YO WAY

It’s pretty clear at this point that I’m not exactly a “Migos fan.” If it wasn’t established by my “bad” review of “Culture,” which went way against the general norm, I just can’t get into their music. However, “Out Yo Way” was a song that ended up really growing on me. Beyond the pretty charismatic vocal performances throughout this song (specifically Quavo’s), it was pretty cool to see these guys end their first album with a song that talks about the women that have stuck with the Migos since starting their music career. It’s a kind of different take on women that’s not seen enough in the industry today, and it feels refreshing for them. Even if I’m not a huge fan of theirs, “Out Yo Way” is a song that I definitely kept coming back to, and will continue to come back to.

MIGOS - STIR FRY

And speaking of Migos, “Culture 2” was an album that, for me, was a huge step back from the first one, but despite the album making me slip slowly into madness, I found myself returning quite often to “Stir Fry,” and I actually consider it potentially my favorite Migos song (though, admittedly, I also really liked “Gang Gang” off of this album). Quavo, despite being the least interesting part of “Culture 2” to me, actually had a pretty fun performance and an ear-wormy hook on this one, Offset’s verse was filled with really fun and exciting flow, and Takeoff proved to be no slouch on the song. On top of that, the production is far more bright and vibrant helped this to not feel like “just another Migos song,” like a lot of the other tracks on the album. Was “Culture 2” still a weak record? Absolutely. Is “Stir Fry” an extremely enjoyable song on its own? Yes indeed.

LIL YACHTY FT. PNB ROCK - SHE READY

Let’s end things off with a very recent example! While Lil Yachty’s latest album “Lil Boat 2” felt like largely wallpaper trap with less-than-stellar performances and lyricism from Yachty, “she ready” felt refreshing in comparison to what most of the other songs on the album provided. The flute-driven, kind of video game-like instrumental called back to some of the more vibrant, fun, oddball tracks Yachty has been involved with (like “One Night,” “Broccoli,” and “iSpy”), Yachty’s autotune-driven crooning also hearkens back to those tracks and injects that character and kind of odd innocence that the other songs on the album failed to provide, and PnB Rock’s performance only adds more fun to the song as a whole. Great track that definitely felt more in Yachty’s wheelhouse than most of the other stuff on the album.

And that’s all I’ve got! Once again, a nice even blend of songs here; five from albums I considered “okay,” and five songs from albums I considered “bad” or “awful.” Always nice when you get that even blend. What are some examples that you have? Think deep into an album, mixtape, or EP that you did not like, and tell me one song that you have kept with you from said project. Comment your examples down below!

THINK PIECE: Albums That Have Either Grown On/From Me

Sometimes, you just need to add something OTHER than music reviews to your blog. Some think pieces, some lists, something or other to keep things from getting stale. I wanted to make my first musical think piece, and it's a topic I've wanted to talk about for quite some time now: albums that have either grown on me or grown away from me.

For this list, I will primarily be focusing on albums that I reviewed in 2017. 2018 has just started, and a lot of these new albums haven't had nearly enough time to settle with me and talk their talk beyond one listen. All of the records on this list are records I talked about during 2017, and all of them are albums I have slightly different opinions on than before. This doesn't necessarily mean I would change my ratings for them or anything, it just means that I've either come to appreciate them a bit more or maybe I just haven't dug them as much as I did during my first listen. Let's look at them and discuss.

Oh, and each record will be pictured below, but I apologize if the scale happens to be inconsistent on them. I couldn't find all ten of them at the same resolution, so I just had to make do with what I had. Either way, let's get into these albums (and mixtapes, in some cases).

LIL UZI VERT - LUV IS RAGE 2 (GROWN ON)

Sure, prolific SoundCloud rapper Lil Uzi Vert's debut album is a wildly inconsistent mess, filled with some of his highest highs, and his lowest lows, and for every "Dark Queen" or "The Way Life Goes" on the record, there's a "444+222" or a "Pretty Mami." However, I've pretty much consistently come back to all of the tracks on this album that I listed under the "favorites" in my review (some have even grown to become favorites with multiple listens), and I'll point out that I listed 8 of the 16 songs as my "favorites" on the album. While this record may be a bit bloated and inconsistent, if you can get me to regularly come back to and enjoy half of it, you're at least doing something right. Kudos, Uzi.

THE WEEKND - HOUSE OF BALLOONS (GROWN ON)

You can actually apply this to the "Trilogy" as a whole, but I specifically want to zero in on "House of Balloons" because, as you guys may know, I rated this the lowest out of the three original mixtapes. And while I still honestly stand by that, I have to give it credit for having two of my all-time favorite Weeknd songs, "House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls" and "The Party & The After Party." Repeat listens to the later mixtapes also yielded some new favorite songs as well, such as "Life of the Party," "Next," and "Till Dawn (Here Comes The Sun)." Sure, I feel like I'll have to go back and listen to some of the other songs on this thing to see if it REALLY grew on me, but I have to give it credit for giving me two of my personal favorites from him.

RAE SREMMURD - SREMMLIFE 2 (GROWN ON)

I know, I gave this one a good review when I first looked at it, but here's the thing: while I enjoyed both of Rae Sremmurd's albums, I at first wasn't too sure whether or not I enjoyed this more or less than the first "SremmLife." This one still felt a bit too inconsistent to me, and the album really starts to slow up at the end with songs like "Came A Long Way," "Take It Or Leave It," "Do Yoga," and "Over Here." However, repeat listens to a lot of these tracks have helped me to enjoy this thing even more than the first. It's a nonstop party, it's extremely fun and, while the album does still slow to a crawl near the end, I can't deny it's a really fun record that shows some maturity out of the boys. It's another one of those albums where I never hit the skip button on any of the tracks I listed as "favorites," which not even some of my "excellent" albums can do, so Rae Sremmurd deserves some credit there. Now, if only they'd release SremmLife 3 already...

MACKLEMORE - GEMINI (GROWN AWAY)

This is gonna be a rare case on this list where an album I already didn't enjoy grew even further away from me. When I first heard this album, I felt like the only real fun I had with it was with the songs that didn't sound like typical, formulaic Macklemore affairs. In fact, you know I had a rough time with the album when I had blanked pretty much everything I had just heard from it out of my head immediately after writing the review. However, I didn't give it an "awful" because, at the time, I felt like there were at least a few solid tracks that would be worth coming back to. Given that I haven't even tried to come back to them since then, and haven't really cared for them when I did come back...yeahhhhhh...

MILEY CYRUS - YOUNGER NOW (GROWN AWAY)

You ever listen to an album and not exactly comprehend why you liked it? Something about it just felt right? That was me with the latest Miley Cyrus album, "Younger Now." Going into the album, I didn't really care much for country music, nor did I care much for Miley's music. Yet, this record happened to strike a chord with me when I listened to it. I'm not sure what it was, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit more than I thought. However, since listening to it for my review, I can't really say I've gone back to it much, nor have I had the motivation to return to it. And it's not a case of "I'm not going back because I don't like it," because hearing it again, I do still think it's good, but I guess it's just that I like it in the context of the artist and the genre, and just don't really find it all that exciting as a comfort listen.

SHANIA TWAIN - NOW (GROWN AWAY)

Here's another example of an album I already didn't like that I've grown even farther away from. This was one of my personal biggest disappointments in the art world in 2017 because I love Shania and I still listen to her old music. However, as I mentioned in my review, it felt like Shania, on this album, wasn't sure whether to modernize her sound or stick to what made her big, and the album just comes off to me as very bland, robotic, and formulaic. But again, I didn't give it an "awful" rating at the time. And each time I tried to go back to it, I found myself disliking it more and more, and I have to say, I think I should've given it an "awful," all things considered.

NIALL HORAN - FLICKER (GROWN ON)

Another example where an album grew on me even after I wrote my review. The thing is after my first listen, and after I posted said review, I had a gut feeling I wouldn't come back to this thing much, and that as light and nice as it was, it wasn't gonna have the lasting appeal that, say, an Ed Sheeran record has had on me. However, this is another one of those albums where all of the songs I have listed under my "favorites" have become unskippable to me. There's just a certain charm and beauty to Niall's songs that help him stand tall among the many artists comparable to Ed Sheeran.

KANYE WEST - THE LIFE OF PABLO (GROWN ON)

Another album where you pretty much won't find me skipping out on any of the songs I have listed as "favorites," I actually remember that this album made me tired after my first listen. Maybe it's because I tried to take extensive notes, maybe it was overly long, maybe it was the time of the day, I have no idea, but either way, I felt extremely tired after listening to it, and part of me believed that would impact whether or not I regularly came back to this thing. It didn't, and while it's an album I joke about (how does Kanye go from singing about a God dream to wishing his penis had GoPro so he could rewatch his sex in slow motion?), it's an album I still enjoy listening to and come back to on the regular.

FOO FIGHTERS - CONCRETE AND GOLD (GROWN AWAY)

I think I established in my review of this album that I should keep my nose out of the rock music scene and just stick to the pop, hip-hop, and R&B stuff I usually review. However, in my younger years that were spent playing "Guitar Hero," I loved me some Foo Fighters, so surely a new album could get me back into the group's stuff, right? Well, no. It's not that it was bad to me, I just couldn't really get into it. And this isn't a case where repeat listens caused me to see issues in the music, it's a case where I haven't felt motivated to give it those repeat listens. This is actually one of those cases where I wish I had either given it an "it's not for me" rating, or just no rating at all.

U2 - SONGS OF EXPERIENCE (GROWN AWAY)

If there's one album review I've written where people will look at and say that I "overpraised," it's probably this one. Most of the reviews on this thing were pretty average, and a lot of people just didn't really care for it. Maybe it's because of it just sounding like everything they've done before? I don't know, but for some strange reason, I found myself enjoying it when I first listened to it. And even then, oddly enough, upon my return to some of the songs on the album, I still found myself having a pretty good time! The main reason I say "grow away" though is because those times where I return to it are few and far between. I feel like, of all the albums I've given high ratings to, this is the one that had the least lasting appeal to me. I still acknowledge that I did like it, and still do, but I just don't feel any urgency to come back to it at this point.

So, there you have it, ten albums I’ve either grown to appreciate more or haven’t enjoyed nearly as much as when I reviewed them. Oddly enough, I listed five albums that have grown on me and five that have grown away from me. Funny, huh? Either way, what are some albums that have either grown on or away from you? Leave yours down below in the comments!

Logic "Bobby Tarantino II" Mixtape Review

Alright, heading right back to Logic, it’s now time to take a look at his new mixtape “Bobby Tarantino II.”

This is the latest project from Maryland rapper Logic, who had a big 2017 with the release of his album “Everybody,” which contained his first Top 10 single “1-800-273-8255,” a song that peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and ended the year at #31 on the Year-End Hot 100. I just reviewed said album and found that while the message throughout is a bit inconsistent, there are quite a few enjoyable tracks on there, specifically the aforementioned “1-800-273-8255,” among several others.

However, this mixtape here is not a follow-up to said album, it’s a follow-up to his 2016 mixtape “Bobby Tarantino,” which is not only a project I really enjoyed, but it was a tape that (so I've been told) established Logic with a newfound sense of braggadocio in comparison to some of his earlier releases, so much so that even Rick and Morty joke about the differences between “album Logic” and “mixtape Logic.” So, having enjoyed his past few releases, I’m heading into this tape pretty excited, especially if “mixtape Logic” is gonna be coming out in full force. The first single off of this thing, “44 More,” only helped get me even more excited. Let’s see if he delivers, shall we?

Grandpa’s Space Ship: This is the same skit, word for word, that Logic posted on his Twitter to advertise this mixtape, where Rick and Morty argue about “album Logic” and “mixtape Logic.” I’m not a Rick and Morty superfan, and I obviously won’t listen to this much in the future, but it’s still a pretty humorous intro.

Overnight: Returning to the more braggadocious feel after “Everybody,” Logic talks on this track about how people think he got famous overnight, and he does that over a very bright, old-school video game-esque instrumental with more of the same great flow that we’ve come to expect out of him. I also really love some of the lyrics on this track, and there are also some really cool-sounding vocal melodies throughout. Really good first song for the mixtape.

Contra: I’m sure it should come as no shock that Logic named this track after a classic video game (anyone remember “Super Mario World?”), and it should also be no shock that Logic has some really great flow as he flexes over a kind of darker-sounding instrumental about how he has been blowing up and getting more mainstream attention. As you’d expect, Logic oozes with the braggadocio feel that he came through with on the first tape, and he has a lot of fun on this very good track!

BoomTrap Protocol: Logic details on this track how to become classified as a “BoomTrap” (an artist that mixes a boom-bap style with a trap style), and he does that over a slightly more jazzy 808-driven beat. His rapid-fire flow remains strong throughout this one, and his autotune-assisted vocals throughout the song help to add an extra layer of character and fun. The hook is also really memorable, and the song itself is really head-noddy and energetic. Really fun track!

Yuck: A song where Logic talks about anyone that may have beef with him, only to tell them that he’ll let his success do the talking, this track features a really dark, kind of string-driven instrumental melody to accompany the 808-drum beat. I once again like his rapid-fire flow, confident performance, and pretty solid lyricism, where he brags about his success while maintaining that theme of PLP that he brings to the table. It’s cool to see him refer back to Rick and Morty’s idea of “album Logic” versus “mixtape Logic” on this one, and while it’s not one of my favorites on the album, I do think it’ll grow on me in time.

Indica Badu (ft. Wiz Khalifa): Leave it to Logic to make a song that is 4:20, features Wiz Khalifa and talks all about the joys of smoking weed. The beat, while drum-heavy, is a bit more chilled and laid-back, obviously, to create the feeling of being on a weed high, and despite the laid-back feel of the song, Logic certainly isn’t laid-back here, maintaining that usual, rapid-fire flow that he’s most known for. The hook also has some really fun vocal performances, and Wiz Khalifa’s performance also features some really great flow. I’m no smoker but damn it all, this song is too much fun!

Midnight: Logic stays true to himself on this more nocturnal, synth-driven track that feels more vocal than some of his other tracks, and it’s all the better for it. Logic’s vocals are smooth, the instrumental is minimal, but it’s a very smooth, glossy track. The feel changes on the second part of the song, and while it’s still minimal, it feels much harder and less vocal, as Logic returns to his more rapid-fire feel here. His flow throughout the entire song is really strong, and the song is head-noddy and extremely fun! Great track!

Warm It Up (ft. Young Sinatra): Logic brings back his “Young Sinatra” persona on this track that feels like it’s kind of dominated by the kind of abrasive and overpowering drum beat. Logic continues to provide great rapid-fire flow, and his lyricism is quite clever, but I just kinda wish the beat wasn’t so overpowering here. Still, Logic’s vocal performance goes up against the beat very well, and I like that he has a few subtly-political lyrics on this one. This track might grow on me a bit in the future!

Wizard of Oz: Comparing himself to the Wizard of Oz, Logic talks about how far he has made it in his career, and he does that over another overpowering, but not as abrasive, trap drum beat, and while the hook on here isn’t the strongest, I do like Logic’s vocal performances and his autotuned-crooning is smooth and fun. A little too short, and not one of my personal favorites on here, but with a few more listens, this one might grow on me a bit.

State of Emergency (ft. 2 Chainz): Logic collaborates with 2 Chainz on this track, as the two brag about their success, with Logic clapping back at the haters that aren’t happy about him becoming a Grammy-nominated rapper. They do this over a hard-hitting, but not really too uptempo, trap beat that accompanies a very cool, dark instrumental. 2 Chainz’s verse once again reaffirms why he’s such a solid rapper, as he brings some clever bars, solid lyricism, and great flow, meshing well with Logic’s typical strong flow and decent lyricism. Another great track!

Wassup (ft. Big Sean): Once again talking about his success, Logic is joined by Big Sean, as the two of them discuss how they’ve become big enough to make their own requests. Logic and Big Sean provide some great flow as always on this one, and the instrumental has some cool moments, but I do feel this one doesn't have the best instrumental melody or drum beat, and the hook isn’t one of the strongest on the mixtape. Might grow on me in the future, though, specifically because of the amazing flow from both rappers.

Everyday (ft. Marshmello): Logic talks on this single about how hard he works and how he hasn’t given up, over a Marshmello-assisted instrumental, and I love the energy this song provides! It feels like a perfect pump-up song with a really fun and exciting hook, I love Logic’s vocal melodies on this song, and I know I’m repeating myself once again, but Logic reminds us that his flow and technicality is among the best in the game. Definitely enjoyed this one quite a bit!

44 More: Something of a sequel to the track “44 Bars” from his last mixtape, Logic brings out the braggadocio in full force on this cut, talking about a lot of different things, from his family issues to the industry as a whole, and he does that over a really bright, 808-driven instrumental. With this braggadocio comes some really strong flow, a really charismatic performance, and some extremely clever lyricism. This is probably one of Logic’s best songs yet, and it’s a great song to end this record off on.

Overall, “Bobby Tarantino II” reaffirms Logic’s talents as a rapper, and his return to more braggadocio-styled rap after the more socially-conscious “Everybody” is a welcome one. As always, Logic reminds us that he has some of the best flow of any rapper in the game, and he also reminds us that he is a great lyricist with a solid ear for production. It’s definitely not the political or social statement that “Everybody” was, but that doesn’t matter in this case, because Logic is instead coming through on here and displaying his rap talents without feeling like he has to be held back by a message he is trying to deliver. Furthermore, while he does include that Rick and Morty skit and the beginning, this isn’t like the Atom & God storyline from “Everybody” where it appears and feels wholly unnecessary, it’s humorous and it sets the stage well for the rest of the tape. This is definitely an enjoyable project from Logic, and it makes me really excited to see where he goes with what he claims to be his final studio album. Guess we’ll have to wait and see, but for now, “Bobby Tarantino II” is a great listen.

Welcome back, Bobby.

Favorite tracks: Overnight, Contra, BoomTrap Protocol, Indica Badu, Midnight, State of Emergency, Everyday, 44 More

Least favorite tracks: Uhh, I don't know, I thought all of them were pretty solid. None of them really.

Rating: Excellent