Alessia Cara "The Pains of Growing" Album Review

It’s finally time! One of my favorite artists has graced us with her sophomore album, and now I finally get to talk about it! It’s time for a review of the new Alessia Cara album, “The Pains of Growing.”

As I said, this is the second studio album from Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara. I shouldn’t really need to introduce her all that much, as I already covered her debut album “Know-It-All” last October. That album dropped in November of 2015, and her star has only continued to rise since then: in 2016, one of the album’s bigger singles “Here,” after a slow climb, ended up peaking in the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Alessia ended 2016 by providing the “pop version,” if you will, of “How Far I’ll Go” from the Disney film “Moana” (great song and film, by the way). 2017 was easily her biggest year as an artist: she started off by seeing her fantastic single “Scars to Your Beautiful” peak at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and she ended up being featured on a pair of Top 10-peaking singles for the rest of the year: Zedd’s “Stay,” which peaked at #7, and Logic’s “1-800-273-8255” (also featuring Khalid), which has had Alessia’s highest peak so far at #3. All three singles even ended up not only making the Year-End Hot 100, but also landing in the Top 40 (“Stay” ranked #17, “Scars to Your Beautiful” got to #30, and “1-800-273-8255” was right below it at #31).

Now, I’m sure it goes without saying at this point that I love Alessia: she’s one of my favorite celebrities, and I think she’s really inspiring in how she’s proven that you don’t need a big personality to be a star and that it is possible to earn fame by just being an average everyday person (and I mean “average” in a great way). Alessia shows me that an “everyday person” can become big, and beyond her amazing personality, her music is great fun to listen to as well. “Know-It-All” is one of only a few albums where I have every song from it in my Spotify playlist because there are so many greats on the album, and so far, judging by the pre-release singles, it’s looking the same here. “Growing Pains” and “Trust My Lonely” have been very fun songs, and “A Little More” and “Not Today,” both of which were just promotional singles, are some of Alessia’s best songs. And just based on those few tracks, it looks like she’s gonna be doing a lot of experimenting and changing with her style here. I can’t wait to dig into the rest of the album, let’s do that now:

Growing Pains: Kicking things right off, Alessia talks to us about growing up (obviously, it’s called “Growing Pains”). She talks all about the scary jump one faces as they enter into their 20s which, as someone that just recently entered into their twenties, I definitely understand. She handles the topic very maturely over some very fun, poppy production and throbbing percussion. As always, Alessia’s vocals throughout this song are gorgeous, and even if the “hey, hey, hey yeah, hey yeah” hook might seem a bit boring to some, she really sells it with her vocals. It’s one of her most personal cuts yet, and there’s no shortage of fun to be had with it.

Not Today: A track that deals with what Alessia describes as the “in-between phase,” between something good ending, and then healing. The one day you have where you just feel miserable and, even if you know that it will get better, you just need a day to lay in bed, feel miserable and bask in your own pity. I’ve definitely had days like that, for sure. We’re already two songs into this album and I feel like it’s gonna end up telling my life story. Anyway, I love the swingy feel of the instrumentals, and the bassline is extremely groovy and vibrant. Alessia’s vocals are beautiful, as you would expect, and the chorus, though it may take a minute to hook you, is very memorable. I adore this, it's great!

I Don’t Want To: I’ve said this about previous sad Alessia songs, but I read the lyrics to this one and my first words were “WHO HURT MY ALESSIA?!” This one sees her talking in her loneliness about how, even if she doesn’t want to show it, she really misses someone and just wants to have them back because she’s having that much trouble letting go of them. The song takes on a much slower feel than most of Alessia’s stuff, with a light, minimal instrumental that consists merely of a slow-paced acoustic guitar. I love the relaxed feel of the song, though, and I think Alessia’s vocals sound equally pretty and broken, carrying a lot of emotional edge to them. I really love this!

7 Days: Alessia gets a little political on this track where, with the frustrating and angry social climate that we live in, she turns to God and asks Him if He is angry with the world and whether He can help us. And as someone that takes a lot of time to question my religion, I ask a lot of these same questions. And the song takes on a more pumping, throbbing feel that reminds me a bit more of something like “Four Pink Walls,” but with some xylophones added in for good measures. I like the somewhat brighter feel of the instrumentals adding with the somewhat slower, emotional feel of the song, the religious references in the lyrics are fascinating, and Alessia sounds lovely as always. Her vocals really help sell the song, but it also doesn’t hurt that the hook is one of the album’s catchiest ones. Another amazing song, I love this!

Trust My Lonely: One of the big singles that dropped before the album’s release, Alessia talks here about trusting your own loneliness and trying to feel good, even in your loneliest and most insecure moments. Once again, as someone that goes through anxiety, this was much-needed. And the production on this one is fascinating, in that it goes for a slightly more electronic feel. I like said feel, it’s vibrant and fun, and the cowbell-driven percussion is catchy as well. Alessia sounds great, the hook is a lot of fun, and the song takes some interesting sonic twists and turns. I loved this when it came out, and I still love it now!

Wherever I Live: Interestingly, this song is listed on Spotify as “Wherever I LIve” with an extra capital letter for some reason. Wondering if there’s a meaning behind that or if it’s just a typo. Either way, with this song, Alessia seems to find contentedness in being on her own and living with her, herself and…she? I guess that’s how it would be said when someone isn’t saying "me, myself and I," but she talks about being by herself and being at home. I like that a lot, as someone that spends a lot of time at home, and once again, the song takes a more raw, emotional feel that is once again led by just an acoustic guitar. I love the minimal feel, though, as it not only gives Alessia a lot of room to give us her very beautiful vocals but also because the light acoustic riffs really add to the song’s emotional feel and make it one of Alessia’s best cuts.

All We Know: Not to be confused with that song by The Chainsmokers, Alessia once again tackles themes of growing up on this track, while also talking about just how strange the world is. She does this through references to Oz, The Beatles, Santa Claus, and much, much more. The song itself moves a bit closer to the upbeat feel of something like “Trust My Lonely,” with fascinating percussion and some really sweet guitars as well. Alessia sounds wonderful as always, and I think she really does a great job on the chorus, which is again one of the album’s more captivating hooks, talking about how we just go “round and round” and how the world is so out of our control. It’s such a pretty song that gets stuck in your head so easily, I really love it!

A Little More: Here, Alessia talks about wanting to have a deep connection with her lover. Genius.com seemed to report that this was about her boyfriend, though apparently, she revealed in an interview that she’s single and focusing on herself. You do you, Alessia…and if any boys hurt her, gloves are gonna drop…I’m sorry, where was I? Ah, right, the album. Anyway, this is another song that takes a different feel for Alessia: it’s a lighter, acoustic, folk-driven track with more delicate vocals. I love the song all the more for that direction, as it feels very raw and somber, and even if it’s a shorter cut, it’s still absolutely gorgeous.

Comfortable: With this track, Alessia talks about being in a comfortable love, where the honeymoon is over, the flame dulls and the partners have learned everything about each other (she asks several questions that I, too, ask about love), but how these moments remind her that the two have gotten past it and are at a point of comfort. The production here is more akin to that of a slow jam, with a rather jazzy feel to it and very groovy instrumentals. Alessia takes this different feel and handles it with aplomb, thanks largely to the fact that her vocals fit so well for the song. She sounds lovely up against the jazzy instrumentals and handles the song as well as, or better than, almost anyone else can. Really dig this, it’s different but that’s a good thing here!

Nintendo Game: Alessia finds another thing to make me love her and her music by comparing love to Nintendo games: she talks about how they treat love like it’s a game and how nobody ends up winning it in the end. She also throws in references to Zelda and has a clever line about how the trash talk is getting old and she’d like to challenge her lover on Rainbow Road. One, excellent reference. Two, I’m one of the five people on the planet that willingly challenges people to Rainbow Road so…yeah, it’s fun! And this is another song with really sweet production, with somewhat dark but still catchy piano-driven production and a fun, catchy beat. I also like the subtle sound changes that make the song feel like a video game, and Alessia’s vocals sound smooth and gorgeous. This was one of the tracks I was most looking forward to, and I can say it doesn’t disappoint at all. I love it.

Out of Love: Keeping with the album’s theme of heartbreak, Alessia talks here about how she can no longer confide in a lover and have their embrace, and she goes on to ask when her lover fell out of love. I haven’t even heard the song yet and just from reading the lyrics, I’m all in my feelings. Damn. And then Alessia deciding to make it a piano ballad, too. She’s trying to get me to cry hard, isn’t she? But real talk, this is a really sad cut, as Alessia’s very powerful vocals fit very well over the gorgeous piano keys (and other minimal instrumentals that come in later on), and even if the “piano ballad” thing might seem overdone, it’s something that gets me almost every time. Yes, I also love this one.

Girl Next Door: Another one that I feel I can relate to in several ways, Alessia talks about how she’s always been the everyday “girl next door,” but how you won’t forget her despite that. I said it earlier, Alessia inspires because she proves that a normal, everyday girl can be famous. And this is another interesting case with the production because, while it starts off seeming like just another acoustic track, it ends up becoming a bit more upbeat with a really catchy drum beat, and it even takes on some light feel changes throughout that make it really fun to listen to. I also think the hook is one of the most beautifully sung, emotional, and sticky choruses on the album. This is amazing, I can’t help but smile when I listen to it.

My Kind: Alessia reflects on her childhood here, and talks about how she wishes someone had told her in her youth that she would be alright and that she’d be where she is now. And this is another song that takes on a slightly darker feel, with eerie guitars and even some surprising 808 drum beats as well. I think it’s really catchy, and the short snippets of children’s dialogue throughout the song are really sweet as well. Alessia sounds great as always, the hook is sticky, and I think it’s another really fascinating piece on growing up and reminiscing on childhood, especially for someone like me that tends to be very nostalgic and sentimental. Really great cut!

Easier Said: The last wholly original song on the album, Alessia discusses the people in life that try to help you feel better when you’re wallowing in your own self-pity, but how it’s not that easy to get the sad face away. She basically concludes the album by saying that it’s okay if you take some time to have your own pity party and feel bitter when recharging from a sad moment and that recovery just takes time. I don’t know about you guys, but I only read the lyrics for this album and I have already been put through the emotional wringer, and I mean that sincerely: Alessia’s songwriting is hitting my emotions in more ways than one. And the production is also hitting me, as it’s a synth-driven, slightly slower track with a throbbing drum beat (there are some cool fills here, as well!), and it just sounds lovely all around. Alessia’s vocals also mesh well with the production and sound wonderful, and when she’s singing lyrics like these, I really dig it even more! Alessia did that with this album. She did that.

Growing Pains (Reprise): A reprise of the opening track, Alessia talks about how she is her own best friend here, and whether or not the blame is placed on the growing pains, or just on herself. There’s not as much to say about this one since it’s only a minute long, but I love the very heavenly vocals from Alessia, the light pianos, filters, and synths add a layer of fun to this short track, and it’s just got such a lovely vibe to it. It might seem weird to rave about a track that’s just a minute long, but Alessia really cared for it even with its short length, and it’s a wonderful closer to the album.

You guys had to know that I was gonna love this. Still, I have to say I’m surprised I ended up enjoying it even more than “Know-It-All.” I think what lifted this over that album (which I still loved) was that Alessia went down so many different sonic routes here, bucking some of the modern pop trends in favor of a more unconscious album that mixes themes and ideas just like the lyrics themselves. I also think that, by going down the acoustic routes for a number of the songs, we get a look at Alessia’s very beautiful vocals even more than her last record: this one is just filled with gorgeous vocal performances, and with no features to take the show from her, this is all her all the time. Actually, the lack of features adds to the album: this is a really personal record for Alessia and it’s really special to her, and I think letting her tell the story on her own is the best move, as features could’ve killed that.

Speaking of telling the story, Alessia’s storytelling is fantastic as well: I think she forgoes a lot of cliché imagery in favor of a very honest approach to telling her stories (which, as a poet myself, I appreciate), and she’s putting out some very strong, relatable content. I know some people probably scoff when people bring up “relatability” in music, but these songs do feel very genuine, honest, and easy to latch onto. Alessia herself might feel some growing pains, as we all feel as humans, but her sophomore album shows no pains in relation to her debut. It’s an album that’s raw, honest, and beautiful, and it not only sees Alessia in top form vocally, but it sees her experimenting and exploring her sound, to truly wonderful results. Do yourself a favor and listen to this album, I think you’ll love it.

Favorite tracks: ALL OF THEM

Least favorite tracks: NOPE. ZERO.

Rating: Excellent

Jaden Smith "The Sunset Tapes: A Cool Tape Story" Mixtape Review

*long, exasperated sigh* I can’t even laugh at this one like I did before. We’re doing this again, and I’m not excited. It’s time for a review of the new Jaden Smith mixtape “The Sunset Tapes: A Cool Tape Story.”

I shouldn’t need to reintroduce Jaden to you guys because I’ve covered the guy twice in the last year: the actor, rapper, son of Will Smith, and Twitter philosopher is back with a new mixtape. I previously covered his full-length debut “SYRE” around this time last year and…yeah, I hated it. I don’t even feel the energy to laugh at the jokes I made about it before, like when I said not to come in contact with it, tell store managers to take potential physical copies off of shelves, and talk to your doctor if the album has negative effects on your mental health because those jokes are still funny, but the fact that Jaden is back with more music is not. Hell, earlier this year, I even covered his “SYRE: THE ELECTRIC ALBUM” EP, and even if it went for something different and rather interesting, Jaden washed, rinsed, and repeated the sound on every track, and it was just dull and monotonous.

It should be obvious, but I’m not a Jaden fan. Maybe occasionally as a feature, but as a lead artist, I don’t really care much for his music. The only reason I’ve continued to cover him is because I’m hoping and begging for some kind of improvement out of the kid. Plus, he’s had a few surprise features lately on BROCKHAMPTON’s “iridescence” and Logic’s “YSIV,” and both records, “NEW ORLEANS” and “ICONIC,” the songs on the respective albums that he appears in, are among my favorites tracks from each of them. Naturally, I would hope that if he was getting better as a feature, he’d get a bit better as a lead artist. Apparently, given that a lot of people are giving this scathing reviews early on, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case, hence my negativity going into it, but hey, let’s see what we get out of it:

SOHO: What apparently is a track that sees Jaden spilling out his feelings about his girlfriend, Odessa Adlon (or, ex-girlfriend, I believe, given some of the lyrics here), this song feels a little bit to me like Jaden jumping on the typical trend of modern-day rap. Heavy autotune, the somewhat fast-paced 808 drums, and the really moody, ethereal instrumentals make this feel like a lot of what others have done before. Oddly, though, I kinda like what it’s doing. Yes, it sounds rather standard, but it actually has a pretty fun vibe, being equally emotional and woozy, and actually being a pretty good, relaxing listen. So yeah, I actually do like this. Believe me when I tell you, though, that each of Jaden’s last two projects started decently but quickly fell off hard, so that doesn’t mean I’m excited to hear the rest of this.

A Calabasas Freestyle: And we’re back, everybody. As it says on the tin, Jaden spits about his lavish lifestyle, and apparently the pretentiousness of people that live in Calabasas. Fascinating for his fans, I’m sure, but you know it’s bad when one of your bars is “rap is just one of my fetishes, like a dragon that’s pregnant.” Pardon my French but what the fuck? That might be my first time using the word “fuck” outside of quotes, but seriously, what in the world? It’s even worse when the Genius.com annotation for that bar at the time of this writing is “Bruh tf, Jaden stay on some weird shit / He a furry cuh” (though I actually can’t stop laughing at that annotation, I hope it never changes). And yeah, the production is murky, Jaden sounds really uninterested here and lacks any emotional edge or charisma in his voice, and on this one, he’s in his typical zone: spitting cheese bar after cheese bar without anything interesting to say. As I said, Jaden is known for having projects start strong and then fall off quickly, and it looks like we’re at that again. Yayyyyyy…

Play This On A Mountain At Sunset: If only there was a mountain nearby that I could go play this on at sunset, maybe I’d get something different out of it. Alas, I instead play it in my bedroom and hear Jaden rap about his heartbreak. I know it’s tough but Jaden, protip, when I hear the bars “Carve those letters in my leg, tryna feel your pain, girl,” I really hope you aren’t carving her name in your leg because uhh…just don’t. Bad idea. And honestly, while I like the moody, piano-driven instrumental on this one, I’m really not fond of how Jaden’s flow just feels so off from the instrumentals. It’s not even like it sounds interestingly fractured or anything, it just feels like he’s not properly staying in time or riding the instrumentals all that well, and even if the autotune filters actually make his vocals sound kinda pretty, nice vocals mean nothing if they mix poorly with a song. Not the worst thing the mixtape has to offer, but at nearly six minutes, it’s just not compelling enough.

Plastic: What seems to be something more ambient and anxious, Jaden raps with the help of autotune and distortion about wealth and luxury, inaccurately stating that every time he raps, it goes Platinum (though his closest certification was “Icon” which earned merely a Gold plaque). And again, I hear this song and think of it just sounding like too many trap-rap songs we hear today: when it started, I almost thought he was doing a Desiigner impression, which you should never say you’re doing. Still, I can see why people would like this because it is pretty energetic and Jaden’s vocals do get a bit cutthroat at points. It’s not something I really want to come back to, but it’s definitely not a bad track.

Distant: Another song about love and wanting a girl, it’s got an emotional feel, though I don’t really know if Jaden crying over a girl while saying that he imagines having sex with her a hundred times really mix well together. What’s worse is that the song is over six minutes in length, and obviously, you need to hit hard if you’re making a song of that length. Jaden unfortunately doesn’t come through here, either, making a track that just feels like another version of “Play This On A Mountain At Sunset.” It’s similarly moody (without the pianos), and Jaden croons a bit throughout this one. His vocals are again rather uninteresting, even as he tries to filter himself and sound different, and the moody, slow-paced feel of it just feels really boring. It’s almost a chore getting through the song, given its length, and it’s really not all that good. At least the rest of this tape is mostly shorter songs.

Better Things: Another track about Odessa, there are moments here where I get mixed signals out of Jaden. He mentions her moving on to better things, which honestly seems like it upsets him, but he also mentions that she didn’t answer his text because she was working and didn’t have time to check it. Umm…is he supposed to be chastising her for that? Because that sounds like a valid reason to not answer back. Either way, this is another generic trap-rap-sounding song that just seems like everything out there. Hell, I hear this and I start to wonder if Jaden is trying to make a Migos song which, if he is, he needs to stop because no one should be trying to make a song like Migos, since they have at least 30 songs that all sound the same. We don’t need rip-offs of Migos of all groups. Ugh, this one’s just ugly, next?

Yeah Yeah: Right, just what I wanted out of Jaden: a dancehall song. Sure, it’s nice that he’s talking about a relationship that’s going well here, but…Drake, what have you done? Ugh, regardless of what Drake did, I liked some of the production on this one, it’s relatively bright and moody, and Jaden’s vocals sound smooth enough here. I know it might sound a bit silly to hear Jaden do something dancehall-driven, but I’ll be honest, I kinda like it. It’s got a very relaxed, danceable vibe to it, and it’s a pretty chill but intoxicating track that I can actually see myself coming back to in the future. Does it save the tape? Probably not, but I can honestly say I do think it’s nice enough.

SYRE in Abbey Road: What apparently alludes to Jaden’s adventure potentially recording music in Abbey Road Studios in London, there’s not much to this one lyrically. Given its length, it almost feels like an interlude and, given the lyrics, it almost feels like an extension of the last track. Unfortunately, I don’t like it. You might think it would be good given that it just builds on the catchy hook of the last track, but Jaden’s filtered vocals are just way too overbearing, and in some ways, it actually kills the catchiness that the last one created. Sure, the lack of an instrumental might seem cool, but it just hurts my ears to listen to it.

Ten Ten: I can’t tell if Jaden is turning up here, or if he’s talking about a girl switching up on him. Are the two supposed to relate in some way? I don’t get it. And unfortunately, Jaden just does what he’s been doing throughout most of this mixtape: jumping on the typical trends of trap-rap with similar, generic, 808-driven beats, heavily autotuned vocals, and really generic flows. Actually, most of the song just sees Jaden straight mumbling, and it kinda makes me wonder how people can really say that Jaden is an interesting artist when it almost feels like he’s not even saying words. Yes, I know mumble rap has gotten bigger these days, but it seems like mumble rap has changed meanings lately: mumble rappers aren’t just rappers that don’t annunciate their words, it’s just rappers who don’t actually consider wordplay or lyrics as heavily. Mumble rap is rap without substance, essentially. In Jaden’s case, though, he is literally slurring his words to the point where they are near-indecipherable, and it’s just hideous.

FALLEN Part 2: The sequel to the song “Fallen” from Jaden’s first album “SYRE,” this one is Jaden’s apology to Odessa for “fucking up their relationship.” Admittedly, the lyrics do mostly seem genuinely sad here, and I admittedly kinda feel a few of the things he says. Well, at least the words that I understand because, again, the guy is literally mumbling several parts of the song. Jaden, open your mouth, please! And while you’re at it, find a more interesting instrumental, because this song is produced in a way that’s just so sleepy and dull. If not for the rather smooth sound on his vocals, this track would be completely unredeemable, and even then, with the fact that he’s slurring even more words, even that’s a debatable redeeming factor. This song is five minutes, and again, it’s just a slog. I just want this to be over.

Rollin Around: Okay, the finisher also seems to be about Odessa, and honestly, now some of the bars feel repetitive and…kinda stalker-ish (he talks about how he’s parked outside of her house, but honestly, wouldn’t it be better to give her space instead of constantly going to see her? Just saying). Either way, the instrumentals are a bit bouncier than usual with some rather cool production, but again, Jaden’s vocals, though smooth thanks to the autotune, just sound really boring and monotone, lacking any real charisma or emotional edge to keep them interesting. He just sounds flat and unenthusiastic, and even with the slightly bouncier instrumentals, this song just lacks anything sticky enough to hook you in. Really weak finish to the mixtape.

Okay, did you really think I’d say this mixtape was good? Come on, really? I mean, in his defense, there were TWO WHOLE SONGS from this tape that I actually liked, which is actually a new record for Jaden, but for the most part, this thing doesn’t take any massive steps forward. Instead, it actually feels like he’s taking some steps backward by making a project that sounds like everything else the new-school trap rappers are making. I’ve heard a number of Jaden’s defenders tell me that he’s a distinct, interesting, and different artist than most of what we hear today. Well…the only thing that makes him different to me is that he sounds more bored than most of the other guys. Beyond the production, Jaden’s often monotone delivery is just dull and repetitive, and he doesn’t have a lot of great instrumentals to back him up.

To be honest, I don’t know where Jaden’s gonna go from here. I know I’m a bit late to review this, but I’ve seen too many harsh critiques of this tape, even from reviewers and reactors that typically enjoy Jaden’s stuff. I know he still has to drop his new album “ERYS” sometime soon, since he’s been hinting at that for so long, but at this point, given how underwhelming this mixtape has been for his fans (and how lackluster it seems to be for non-fans like myself), I’m sure it’s not unlikely that this will put a dent in some of the excitement that could’ve been building for “ERYS.” For me? I mean, this is three “Awful” reviews for him in a row, he’s lucky I’m not a “three strikes and you’re out” kind of reviewer because I’d just roundabout ignore “ERYS” after this mess. As it is…yeah, I’m sure I’ll listen to that when it comes out, but after seeing Jaden fail on the album, EP, and now mixtape front, I’m not holding my breath on that album being anything special.

Oh, and to all the fans of his that end up not liking this tape…I hope that we’re on the same page now.

Favorite tracks: SOHO, Yeah Yeah

Least favorite tracks: A Calabasas Freestyle, Distant, Better Things, SYRE in Abbey Road, Ten Ten, FALLEN Part 2, Rollin Around

Rating: Awful

Trippie Redd "A Love Letter To You 3" Mixtape Review

Let’s get these new reviews out of the way now before we chop down on the backlog: it’s now time for a review of the new Trippie Redd mixtape “A Love Letter To You 3.”

This is the latest mixtape from Ohio SoundCloud rap sensation Trippie Redd, who I don’t really need to go too deep into introducing because this is not the first time I’ve covered Trippie’s music: back in August (almost three months ago at this point, wow!), I reviewed his debut studio album “LIFE’S A TRIP.” While I certainly found a few songs on there worth gravitating towards (like “Dark Knight Dummo” and “Wish - Trippie Mix”) and I liked that Trippie had a rather interesting, distinct style, he was just a bit too inconsistent in his approach. Much like I had said about another SoundCloud rapper, Lil Uzi Vert, in August 2017, August 2018’s Trippie Redd album saw the artist giving us some very emotional and fascinating tracks that blended multiple genres rather nicely, but unfortunately, his vocals were still all over the place, his lyricism needed some work, and the album as a whole was just too long and inconsistent. I still gave the record an “Okay” because there were definitely some good songs there, and I really felt that Trippie could improve off of it, it just needed some fine-tuning.

So, okay, here we are less than three months later, and Trippie surprisingly just dropped this new mixtape on us, the third in his “A Love Letter To You” series that I’m pretty unfamiliar with, but it seems to be the series of tapes that helped Trippie get to the point of popularity that he’s reached now. Now, having just felt like the last album was just “okay,” normally I wouldn’t really go into this thing with very high or low expectations; I’d mostly be neutral to it. Not only that but having not really listened to the previous mixtapes in this series, it’s hard to really come to a strong conclusion. That said, though, my interest was piqued a little bit thanks to the leadoff single “Topanga.” I initially wasn’t crazy about it and found it weird that Trippie was combining gospel instrumentals with trap drums, but slowly, the song started to grow on me because said production was actually quite lively and nice, as were Trippie’s vocals. So, alrighty then, with that good leadoff single, this mixtape ended up stopping me in my tracks. Will it entice me past track one? Let’s go find out:

Topanga: As I said, I initially wasn’t super big on this leadoff single; I thought it sounded weird that Trippie was singing about guns over a gospel beat, and that initially confused me. The song definitely grew on me with a few more listens, though: I really like said gospel instrumental, Trippie’s vocals are very smooth and pretty, and the hook is really catchy as well. Obviously, it’s very different than a lot of the stuff Trippie has given us in the past, so it might take a few listens to get used to it, but it’s still a very enjoyable track and it was definitely a good leadoff single for the mixtape. Let’s just hope the rest of the tape follows suit and stays strong.

Fire Starter (ft. Emani22): Lyrically, Trippie keeps it hard on this one by talking about how one should “proceed with caution” or else it will “end in flames.” The track is much darker than the last one, seeming to take things back to some of the familiar sounds of Trippie’s music. I like some of the hazy production, and Trippie’s vocals remain pretty emotional, but the song just doesn’t really have a hook or moment that really makes it stick. It’s certainly listenable, and it’s far from being a bad song, but it honestly just doesn’t really do a whole lot to leave a lasting impression.

Toxic Waste: Another Diplo-produced track, like “Wish” from Trippie’s last album, this one talks about Trippie wanting love, even if it means giving in to a toxic relationship. Trippie’s vocals are a bit smoother, and they kinda give me some R&B vibes. The beat is also pretty nice, and the instrumental has a really cool, light, ethereal vibe to it. It’s something of a chill song in comparison to the previous tracks (and in comparison to some of Trippie’s biggest singles like “Love Scars” and “Dark Knight Dummo”), but it’s got a great sound and vibe. I really dig it!

Negative Energy (ft. Kodie Shane): A song where Trippie talks about wanting to disassociate from the people in his life with “negative energy,” Trippie finds himself in somewhat goofy territory here when he says things like “Bitch, I’m the shit like my butt stink.” What is it with rappers today calling themselves “the shit” and comparing themselves to diapers, farting, stink, and all that jazz? It’s not clever, it’s just gross. Or like when he says that he thinks a girl's “pussy” is “pus-y.” *crowd boos* Yeah, I’m right there with you guys. But outside of those cringey lyrics, the song itself doesn’t really stand out all that much. Trippie and Kodie Shane’s vocals are nice throughout the song, but the trap production just feels very ordinary in comparison to some of Trippie’s best singles. It’s not completely unlistenable, but it’s certainly one of the least sticky tracks on the tape.

Can’t Love: What appears to be a track where Trippie delves into his breakup with his girlfriend AYLEK$ (who’s been somewhat controversial for having “switched up” on Trippie Redd with his rival 6ix9ine even though Trippie helped her get “clout”), this song takes on more of an alternative rock vibe, with a moodier guitar melody playing alongside the trap drums. I like Trippie’s very emotional vocals, and the instrumentals give off a very cool and chill vibe and even take some really fascinating twists and turns throughout. The hook is also rather catchy as well, and while the song doesn’t sound too different from a lot of the “emo rap” that we hear today, it still sounds great.

Love Scars 3: The third installment in the series of “Love Scars” tracks that Trippie has released (the first of which was something of a breakout single for him, and one that I enjoy a bit), this is another song that takes on a darker feel, but with a somewhat uptempo beat to it. I once again dig Trippie’s very emotional, rather smooth vocals, and I like the very woozy and nocturnal instrumentals as well. The hook here is also solidly catchy, too. A pretty good track, and one that I can see myself coming back to plenty of times in the future.

A.L.L.T.Y. 3 (ft. Baby Goth): Here I was sitting around for days wondering what the hell these letters stood for, only to find that it’s just an abbreviation of the title of this mixtape. *long silence* Wow, I need sleep. Anyway, Baby Goth joins Trippie on what’s essentially the mixtape’s title track (and one of the few songs on the tape that’s at least three minutes), and while some of the dark production is cool, I also think it sounds rather generic, and Trippie’s vocals are not quite as good here: sometimes he just sounds silly, and his rather off-kilter rhythm that doesn’t stay on beat just isn’t that captivating to me. And while Baby Goth’s vocals have a kind of creepy vibe to them, they just aren’t enough to save the song, unfortunately.

Emani Interlude (ft. Emani22): This is a very short interlude featuring Emani22, who was apparently Trippie’s girlfriend at a point in time after he broke up with AYLEK$. The song has a very moody vibe to it, kinda reminding me again of R&B music, and while the bright production is nice, I think that it’s just a little bit overbearing, and it overpowers Emani’s rather nice vocals. It’s to the point where I couldn’t even tell what she was saying at several points because the production was so overpowering. There’s not much to say about it since it’s just an interlude, but I wish it was a better one.

Elevate & Motivate (ft. YoungBoy Never Broke Again & Nel-Denarro): It’s a flex song. Trippie’s talking about shooting things and going higher and higher up. You know how these ones go. It’s got a rather catchy beat to it, I’ll say that much. The click-clack production is pretty fun, even if the instrumental itself just sounds rather standard. Trippie’s vocals are also rather nice, even if some of his flow feels rather generic at points. YoungBoy Never Broke Again has some decent vocal interplay with Trippie as well, and Nel-Denarro’s verse has decent flows, even if he sounds like quite a few other artists we’ve heard before. It’s not one of the tape’s best songs, but I can certainly see this one growing on me in the future.

I Tried Loving: What seems to detail the feeling Trippie went through after breaking up with AYLEK$, this is another dark-sounding song, with a rather standard but still fitting drum beat to it. Trippie’s vocals are very smooth as well, and he definitely comes through with some sticky flows and emotional edge on this one. The hook is also one of the most fun choruses on the mixtape, and Trippie’s melodies on said hook are very immediate and catchy. Didn’t think this one would be one of my favorites at first, but I actually really like it.

Wicked: Roll up, because this is the song about smoking weed. Always a fun time, I presume (I don’t smoke). And to keep with the idea of being on a weed-high (again, I presume), the song takes on a much slower feel than some of the other tracks on here. I kinda wish the production was a little weirder to go with that as well, but regardless, I do think it sounds very hazy and laid-back. Trippie’s vocals are smooth as well, though I do think the verses here aren’t quite as interesting as the chorus. Even so, I can see this one growing on me with a few more listens, it’s definitely a solid cut.

Loyalty Before Royalty: Basically, Trippie takes the time on this track to say “bros before…dough?” I suppose that works. But yeah, Trippie would rather be loyal than be rich. Same, dude, same. The song takes on a more uptempo sound after the last one, and some of the click-clacking percussion here is kinda fun. Once again, I think some of the production slightly overpowers Trippie’s vocals, which is a bit of a shame because I think he sounds great here. Honestly, I hear his vocals and I’m getting throwbacks to a lot of punk rock/hard rock I used to hear when I was younger. Ultimately, though, even though the instrumentals do overpower him a bit, I have to say those vocals really sell the song for me, and they make me want to come back and hear more.

1400 / 999 Freestyle (ft. Juice WRLD): Apparently a “long-awaited track,” this one sees Trippie Redd collaborating and freestyling with on-the-rise rapper Juice WRLD. Guess it’s long-awaited because the two have a similar style? Regardless, right from the jump, I was a little bit disappointed. Yes, Juice WRLD and Trippie have good vocals (even if Juice WRLD has moments where he succumbs to mumble rapping), but I’m just disappointed that the murky trap production here feels so standard. And it’s a shame because they both sound nice here (and Trippie’s more fast-paced and varied flows are fun as well), it’s just that the instrumentals don’t really stand out to me all that much. It’s not a bad song, and it’s far from the worst the tape has to offer, but it’s not one of the most memorable cuts, either.

So Alive: A love song about how Trippie feels alive when he’s with his significant other, there’s not much to this song lyrically (though I do like how he references Kanye’s “How Sway?” freakout in the song), and it features a dark, slow-paced instrumental that feels very much like a number of the other songs on here. And yes, Trippie’s vocals are, again, smooth and very pretty, but I just feel like nothing that he says here really sticks out, and none of the production really sticks to me, either. It’s not absolutely terrible, it’s just kind of forgettable.

Diamond Mines (ft. Tory Lanez & Elliott Trent): Remember the “bros before dough” song from earlier? Yeah, well just because Trippie prefers his bros, doesn’t mean he can’t talk a little about the riches, because he likes being rich. I get it. And maybe it’s just me, but I’m not too fond of him saying how they will “shoot shit like Columbine” in this song (even on a track like “Broccoli” by D.R.A.M. and Lil Yachty, I wasn’t fond of the Columbine bar). Even so, I do like some of the more intoxicating, slow-paced, vibey instrumentals on this one, they’re laid-back and moody, and Trippie sounds solid here as usual. Elliott Trent’s vocals are also nice and smooth, and even if Tory Lanez’s autotune filters can be a little much at points, he still sounds pretty solid here and fits with the vibe of the song. I really like this cut.

Camp Fire Tent: To close things out, Trippie talks about his success and how he just wants to enjoy life around him, even though so many things are happening. I feel that. And once again, the song takes on a more acoustic, alternative rock vibe, with just the guitar and even an owl hooting to create the feel of sitting around a campfire. It’s pretty unique, and it’s a song that’s really easy to vibe to and relax to. Trippie’s vocals are more unfiltered and somewhat broken here, but luckily, it doesn’t feel like he’s screeching or yelping at all and said vocals carry good emotional weight to them. Good finisher to the tape.

Overall, I’m a tiny bit surprised to say it, but I like this mixtape, even more than his debut album “LIFE’S A TRIP.” I think that, for the most part, Trippie has cleaned up his vocals to the point where they don’t feel quite as yelpy or growly, and they still carry that emotional weight to them that made some of the stronger cuts on that album so solid. It’s honestly to the point where, on a number of tracks, Trippie’s vocals alone can do all of the selling. I also think that there’s a lot of really solid songs to vibe to on here, Trippie takes on a lot of different styles and makes a number of them work, and even if he still spits a few cringe bars on the album, I don’t think they really impede on my enjoyment of the cuts, most of the time. Trippie as a whole is one of the more unique and interesting SoundCloud rappers, and I think he shows that nicely with this tape.

Now, I still won’t say it’s quite “Excellent” because, while there were a handful of songs that I liked (and even some of the songs that were neither “favorites” or “non-favorites” were pretty solid), I still think that this album was a bit of an adventure in regards to production. Even some of my favorite songs on the mixtape didn’t really have the most sticky production in the world and were either carried by Trippie or his features. Furthermore, for some of the tape’s less memorable cuts, it took some solid vocals to really make them interesting. Still, even if Trippie Redd’s latest mixtape has its faults, I think it’s a better project than “LIFE’S A TRIP,” and it’s worth listening to at least once. It might not be the best project a SoundCloud rapper has produced, but it’s a good listen, and fans of Trippie should definitely get some good enjoyment out of it.

Favorite tracks: Topanga, Toxic Waste, Can’t Love, Love Scars 3, I Tried Loving, Loyalty Before Royalty, Diamond Mines, Camp Fire Tent

Least favorite tracks: Negative Energy, A.L.L.T.Y. 3, Emani Interlude, So Alive

Rating: Good

Quavo "QUAVO HUNCHO" Album Review

Oh God, whyyyyyyyyyy? Well, I guess I’ve gotta finally face my fears, it’s time for a review of the new Quavo album “QUAVO HUNCHO.”

This is the debut studio album from one-third of the popular rap trio Migos, Quavo. The trio began the year with their latest album “Culture II,” which I hated. Not mincing words, what were they thinking making a 24-song, hour and a half long album when 90% of their songs sound the same? Ugh, I’m diverging. Anyway, while the Migos have been a contentious group, Quavo has easily been the most successful out of the three members in terms of features. Not only have I talked about him as a feature in what feels like 90% of my reviews, but last year, counting two Migos songs, Quavo had the most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hits, being featured on “Congratulations” with Post Malone, “Portland” with Drake and Travis Scott, “Strip That Down” with Liam Payne, and “I’m The One” with DJ Khaled, Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne (which even hit #1), and this year, all of those guys (except Lil Wayne) collaborated again and got “No Brainer” to reach the Top 10.

Now, while Quavo is the most featured star of the Migos (probably thanks to his more melodic sound in comparison to Offset and Takeoff), and while I’ve liked some of his features in the past, I was not looking forward to this album. Sure, Quavo is more melodic than the other two (thanks to his “drowning in autotune” vocals that fit with what’s on the charts now), but I personally think he’s the most boring. His technicality, flows, and overall performances are dull in comparison to his family members, Offset and Takeoff. And as if him being the most boring member of the Migos wasn’t bad enough, this album is an hour long! First of all, who wants to listen to an hour of Quavo? Secondly, why do all of the Migos think that bigger is better and that a longer album is equal to a more enjoyable album? Ugh, I feel like this thing is gonna suck, so let’s just try to get through it:

BIGGEST ALLEY OOP: Kicking things off, Quavo talks about…you know what, I’m probably not even gonna discuss the lyrics that much because knowing what I know of the Migos and Quavo, the lyrics are gonna be devoid of anything other than “I came up from this, I make this much money, I’m in the trap house, I got all these hoes, I shoot this,” and general rap fluff (like when he compares his penis size to Jay-Z’s…yuck), so how does the song itself sound? Well, after we get the rather tedious humming on the intro, we get some very standard, occasionally glitchy but nonetheless weak trap production and a Quavo performance that’s just worthy of giggles. It kinda sounds like he’s trying to sound like a child, and it just comes off as really silly. It certainly doesn’t just sound like “Migos but it’s only Quavo,” but it’s not like the song really sounds all that interesting regardless. And without much of a hook, it just doesn’t really grab much good attention. It’s pretty dull.

PASS OUT (feat. 21 Savage): Frequent Migos/Quavo collaborator 21 Savage jumps on this one, a song that literally sounded almost the exact same as the last one leading in. And while it sounds the tiniest bit different as it progresses, the hook is pure monotony, the song is too spacey to the point where it’s just sleep-inducing, and Quavo’s flows just aren’t really all that interesting here. When he’s not just repeating “woo” or “skrt,” he switches between repetitive triplet flows and grating start-stop flows. And while 21 Savage’s flows are occasionally somewhat fun, it’s definitely not up to the standard of his usual features (which are actually pretty good). Yeah, not digging this one, either.

HUNCHO DREAMS: Here, Quavo seems to respond to Nicki Minaj after she mentioned him in her song “Barbie Dreams,” and he seems to indicate the two had a romantic relationship. I feel like I’d be more interested in this, but I don’t think Nicki deserves more attention than what’s she’s gotten for all the dramas she's been involved in (and even caused) so far this year, so if I could, I’d have skipped this. And some of the lyrics on this thing…ugh, make me feel queasy, to be completely honest. I also think the intro, which features a scene from the film “ATL” is just weird and out-of-place, and Quavo’s vocals are boring, even if his flows are decent. The song also has some darker production, but it’s not really all that captivating, and those awful lyrics are only exacerbated by his weak vocals. Yeah, let’s not come back to this one, please and thank you.

FLIP THE SWITCH (feat. Drake): Wait, this is called “FLIP THE SWITCH” and it has Drake on it? Is it a sequel to “Nonstop?” If so…meh, take Quavo off of it. If not…even less interested now. Honestly, though, some of the production is kinda cool: I like the brighter sound of the instrumentals, even if they are drowned out by the overpowering 808 drum beat. Quavo’s vocals and verse are less than stellar, though, as Drake comes in and really saves the song: yes, his vocals are more lowkey and less emotional, but his flow is fun enough to keep it interesting. It’s definitely not one of the worst on the album, but that’s simply by virtue of it not being nearly as bad as the first few tracks.

GIVE IT TO EM (feat. Saweetie): I don’t know who Saweetie is, but apparently, she’s here with Quavo for this track and that’s all that matters, it seems. And she joins him on what’s supposed to be a more sinister, eerie track with more nocturnal production to it. I like some elements of said production (like the piano), but Quavo’s performance is once again really boring. Honestly, there were points on the song where I wondered if he was trying to do a NAV impression (or if he brought NAV in for random adlibs), which I don’t think anyone should be trying to do (same with the adlibs, don’t let NAV adlib for you). Saweetie also hardly shows up on the song, and when she does, she doesn’t really add much to the song. It’s another really bad cut. I’m only five songs in and I want this to be done.

SHINE: Once again, Quavo’s on it about his women and diamonds here, nothing too substantial, basic rap lyrics. And it’s unfortunate because I do like some of the production on here: it’s brighter and more energetic, with a good turn-up feel to it. The big problem with the song, though, is that Quavo opens his mouth and starts rapping. His singing has some good moments to it, but everything else just feels way too sleepy and dull. I feel like if he just went for the sing-y feel throughout the whole song, I may have liked it a bit more, but as it is, I don’t really care for it all that much.

WORKIN ME: Yep, it’s more about the women and the luxury, everybody! Woo woo! My sarcasm doesn’t fill the void, I just want the album to end faster. And I hate to repeat myself already, but so far, it’s kinda the same deal as before: I like the production on this one, it’s got a kind of roomy, airy, and bright feel to it with some really slick and cool percussion. The big issue is that Quavo just isn’t that interesting of a performer, and his flow is so sleepy here. While this isn’t one of the worsts that the album has to offer, it’s not like it’s all that good either.

HOW BOUT THAT?: *rolls eyes* It’s trapping and women, what else? Never go into any of the Migos songs or albums expecting lyricism. And in the case of this song…don’t go in expecting quality, either. It literally sounds like every other Migos/trap song that I’ve ever heard in my life. Sure, it’s got energy and the beat is pumping, but everything else just makes me want to fall asleep. It’s not even like Quavo is trying to hide the fact that Migos songs largely sound the same, and it’s sad that even at two minutes and 40 seconds, it feels like running a marathon trying to get through this damn thing.

CHAMPAGNE ROSÉ (feat. Madonna and Cardi B): Madonna and Cardi B together with Quavo on a track? Well, I can certainly say my curiosity is peaked given that Madonna is here. And again, I do like a lot of what’s going on here in terms of production: it’s eerie but still energetic, and Madonna’s vocals add to that sinister feel, even if her hook feels like it goes on for way too long. Quavo’s verse is nothing special at all, but Cardi B is a huge scene-stealer with her verse: her confidence flows through again, and as much as I don't want her beef with Nicki Minaj to exist, one of Cardi's bars does fire a clever shot at her. Still, I can’t really say that I love this song, and at just over four minutes, the track feels like it goes on way too long. Not the worst thing this album can offer, but far from being worth repeat listens.

KEEP THAT SHIT (feat. Takeoff): I wish someone said that to Quavo before he released this album. “KEEP THAT SHIT! WE DON’T WANT IT!” Either way, Quavo teams with one of his fellow Migos, Takeoff, to make…what essentially sounds like everything else the group has done but with a few cool string plucks here and there? Yep, essentially what the song sounds like. Quavo’s vocals aren’t the worst, but his hook? Lord in Heaven, awful. I feel like he needs to be stopped, like he needs to stop handling hooks. With this and “Walk It Talk It” as some of his hooks of late, I think he needs to stop handling choruses until he actually stops doing the things he does here: repeating himself way too damn much. Takeoff’s verse has a bit of fun flow to it, but by the time he comes in, it’s too little, too late. God, and there are still nine songs left. I haven’t even found one that I like, and now I have to listen to nine more. This is getting worse by the second, guys.

FUCK 12 (feat. Offset): Damn, "FUCK 12?" 12 what? 12-year-olds? What did 12-year-olds do to you, Quavo? Ehh, I try to joke but it’s really tough. Anyway, oddly enough, Quavo chooses to basically say “fuck the police” on this track, but while you’d imagine that could make for a decent social statement, it’s not. Quavo’s just talking about how the cops raid trap houses, topped off with one of the blandest, repetitive, and all-around awful hooks on the album. And the song just takes on this really slow, very sleepy vibe with very basic, murky, lowkey trap production and a start-stop flow from Quavo that threatens to bore you right to death. Hell, not even Offset’s verse can save this: even with a neat Ninja Gaiden reference, his verse is equally as boring. I’m still waiting for a good song, honestly.

LOSE IT (feat. Lil Baby): Well…Lil Baby’s here…don’t know if that’s exciting to you, but hey, it’s a thing. And honestly, once again, some of the production on here sounds good: there’s a cool, bright electronic instrumental, and some of Quavo’s singing isn’t too bad. That said, I just think some of his stop-start, staccato flows are just too boring and kinda kill the song. I do like Lil Baby’s vocal performance on his guest verse as, even if he still sounds like he’s trying to do a Young Thug impression, his performance actually has some good charisma to it and energetic flow. It’s nothing amazing, but it’s definitely not as bad as a lot of the other songs on the album.

RERUN (feat. Travis Scott): Okay, again, I don’t really want to get excited for Quavo songs because they’re Quavo songs, but at the very least, Travis Scott is here, so I was hoping that could make things a bit better. And, in a few ways, it does. Given that Travis is here, the production is hazy and woozy, just like a lot of his songs, and I also think that Travis and Quavo have some decent vocal interplay, especially given that their auto-crooning mixes well together. That said, I don’t really think the hook on here is the strong (what exactly does it mean that she’s “dykin’?” Is this another case of Migos being homophobic, or am I missing something?), and it makes the song a little less fun for me. Still, it has some good things going for it, even if it’s nothing I’ll really want to come back to in the future.

GO ALL THE WAY: While Quavo brags on this one, I’m gonna let you in on a secret. When Quavo calls this “GO ALL THE WAY,” he’s actually giving you secret instructions: go all the way to the trash can and throw out this mess of an album. Just do it, it’ll make things better. In all seriousness, though, I actually like this one: the very fast-paced, upbeat electronic production is really great and quirky, Quavo’s vocals sound really great, and the flows are really fun. I actually feel like this is one of those songs that could make a good single because it’s pretty infectious. Does it save the album? Probably not, but I definitely think it’s a great turn-up jam.

LAMB TALK: Alright, now we’re bragging about the CARS!!! Forgot to mention that at the beginning, there are lyrics about cars on here, too. Massive, I know. But the song itself just brings things right back to the very generic feel I was talking about earlier: this is an example of one of those songs that just sounds like “Migos but it’s only Quavo.” A lot of the flows are boring, and while the hazy production is kinda neat, the hook is just too dull and repetitive to be all that entertaining. I was really liking where Quavo was going after the last track, but this one is just a "nothing special" song. Not one of the album’s worst, but just nothing all that enticing.

BIG BRO: Ahh, here’s the one that was getting a bit of talk, and not for good reasons because Quavo’s bars on the track allegedly sneak diss Lil Peep, who passed away almost a year ago now as the result of a drug overdose. I see where people get it from in the lyrics, and I don’t particularly think Quavo’s backpedal tweet was all that much better (it seemed like he grouped XXXTentacion’s death with those who died from drug abuse, even though X’s death wasn’t the result of drugs). But with or without those bars, the song itself again just falls into that “this does nothing all that special” category: some of Quavo’s vocals are neat-sounding, but the production is dull and repetitive, and the flows just don’t really do much to hook you in. Yeah, this one’s not really all that good, either.

SWING (feat. Normani and Davido): Look, I get this song is about sex, and it’s cool that you have Davido and Normani on it, but Quavo, dude, this is the second time on this album that you interpolated “Narcos” (he interpolated the song on “HUNCHO DREAMS” as well). I don’t care if “Narcos” is actually a good song, twice on the same album? Come on, man! What’s worse, this track is just over five minutes long. Given how bad a lot of these two and three-minute songs are, are they really gonna make five minutes captivating? Well, fortunately, yeah. I do like the change in direction here, as the song takes on more of an afrobeat/dancehall vibe (I again ask: Drake, what have you done?) with some fun, bouncy instrumentals. Quavo’s vocals are pretty nice, as are guest vocalist Normani’s, and I feel like they work well together without upstaging one another. Davido’s verse isn’t really the best part of the song, but his vocals are certainly a nice touch, and they round out what’s a surprisingly nice track.

BUBBLE GUM: You know, instead of talking about women again, I think it would’ve been infinitely more interesting if Quavo actually talked about bubble gum here. Is that just me? Regardless, this is another rather generic trap banger that doesn’t even make up for its boring feel with its energy. Yes, it’s upbeat and loud, but I feel like I’ve heard this song quite a few times not just out of Quavo and the Migos, but even out of artists like Travis Scott (without the drug-induced haziness, of course). Quavo’s vocals are also less fun on this one, and even at just over three minutes, it feels like a chore getting through the song. It’s a good thing we’re close to the end of this thing.

LOST (feat. Kid Cudi): The final track of this messy album is slightly more introspective, with Quavo hoping that the fame and money don’t cause him to lose himself, and guest artist Kid Cudi comes in to talk about mental health and how the industry personally affects him. It’s nice to hear them talk about topics like this, but I just wish they didn’t wait until the very last song of this hour-long project to do that. And even as he talks about those kinds of interesting topics, the production just sounds really dull. I kind of feel like it sounds like a slower, somewhat moodier version of “Slippery” from the first “Culture” album. Quavo also continues to be very dull with his start-stop flows, and he’s kind of saved by his feature again: Kid Cudi’s vocals are very nice and smooth, and they basically save this from being one of the album’s worsts. That said, given the topic and the Cudi feature, this really should’ve been one of the album’s bests.

Come on, guys, did you really think this album was gonna be that great? It’s an hour of Quavo! Now, to the album’s credit, it does actually show some marginal improvement towards the end, but really that’s just a consolation prize in what’s a pretty painful, monotonous record, and it’s not made better that you’ve gotta sit through a lot of dreck to really get to the good songs. While there are some pretty well-produced tracks on this thing, the overall production is hit-or-miss and much of it does sound very same-y and derivative of the Migos style. Also, Quavo is often just not a very interesting performer. Even as the most melodic of the Migos, he just sounds bored throughout much of this, relies a bit much on his features to save songs (said features are also hit-or-miss, as well), and much of the time, he doesn’t have the artistic fortitude to really craft interesting hooks. I’m sorry to say, but this album is just an overly-bloated mess that, even with a few decent tracks towards the end, has no reason being as long as it is. If you haven’t listened to this yet, keep it that way. I promise you are missing basically nothing by avoiding it.

Favorite tracks: GO ALL THE WAY, SWING

Least favorite tracks: BIGGEST ALLEY OOP, PASS OUT, HUNCHO DREAMS, GIVE IT TO EM, HOW BOUT THAT?, KEEP THAT SHIT, FUCK 12, BIG BRO, BUBBLE GUM

Rating: Awful

Twenty One Pilots "Trench" Album Review

I am so sorry. Life caught up quick, I was focused on poetry, and a little less motivated to review albums, so I never got to this. Either way, I’ve got A LOT of album reviews coming at you over the next month, so look forward to those. For now, though, here’s a pretty big one: it’s time for a review of the new Twenty One Pilots album “Trench.”

Twenty One Pilots (or TØP, as they are abbreviated) is an alternative hip-hop/rock duo hailing from Columbus, Ohio, consisting of lead singer Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun. The duo spent a number of years touring independently, releasing a self-titled album in 2009, and then their follow-up album “Regional At Best” in 2011 before being signed to the record label Fueled by Ramen in 2012 and releasing their major-label debut “Vessel” in 2013. The group finally saw mainstream success in 2015 with the release of their album “Blurryface,” which not only became their first album to top the Billboard 200, but also featured two of the biggest singles of 2016 in “Ride” and “Stressed Out,” which peaked at #5 and #2, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100, and ended 2016 at #20 and #5, respectively, on the Year-End Hot 100. They didn’t let up beyond that in 2016, as they released the hit song “Heathens,” which was featured on the “Suicide Squad” soundtrack, peaked at #2 on the Hot 100, and made the Year-End Hot 100 two years in a row (it clocked in at #21 on 2016’s Year-End list, and #58 on 2017’s Year-End list).

Now, while I can commend the group for receiving such mainstream success in recent years, especially given that it feels like rock music is starting to chart less and less in the 2010s, I can honestly say I was never really all that into TØP’s music. It’s not that I’ve ever had any malice against the group or anything to that degree, but after attempting to listen to “Ride” and “Stressed Out” a few times, I just never really got all that hooked. I did like “Heathens,” if only for its incredible earworm of a hook, but none of their music really stopped me in my tracks. Still, this album has been making some big waves and getting some great reviews, and I know the group is really popular, so I figured that it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to give it a look and see if I could ascertain the appeal of the duo and the new album. So, let’s do that now, shall we:

Jumpsuit: Kicking things off, this song talks about Clancy who is trying to escape from the fictional, walled-off city of DEMA, with the “jumpsuit” being a reference to what he is wearing: a yellow jumpsuit that the bishops running the city don’t notice because they can’t see the color yellow. This…sounds amazing already. And right from the jump, the song is fascinating in how it mixes between heavy, guitar-driven riffs, and lighter moments with more delicate vocals from Tyler. I like how it mixes so well between the two styles, managing to feel throbbing and emotional all at the same time, and I think it’s a very emphatic, great starter to the album.

Levitate: Keeping in with the album’s themes of mental health (and the city of DEMA), this rather short, two-and-a-half-minute cut feels like something of an outro to the last song in how it leads in so perfectly. The electronic beat is very immediate and catchy, and I like the very ethereal, woozy instrumentals as well. Tyler raps a bit more on this song, and his very fast-paced, rapid-fire flows are technically impressive and all-around strong, and I think his performance as a whole is slightly subdued (thanks to his lighter inflection on his voice) and very emotional. I really love what’s going on here, great track!

Morph: TØP contemplates the idea of life after death on this track, a song that features some slightly more eerie but still punchy electronic instrumentals. The catchy beat also makes me feel like this song has good single potential to it. Tyler’s flow on his verse is also very strong, but what really makes the song great is the hook: not only is it one of the stickiest, best hooks on the album, but Tyler’s vocals sound gorgeous as he switches things up between his head voice and lower register. This is another very emotional track, and I really dig it a lot! It’s light and airy, but immediate and catchy, and it’s a lot of fun!

My Blood: A more heart-wrenching song, this is the most contentious in regards to its lyrical meanings, as many believe it’s coming from the perspective of Tyler’s brother Zack, as Zack comforts Tyler and talks about growing with him. Once again, I love the personal lyrical themes, and I also really like the slower-paced, somewhat minimal feel of the instrumentals here, with the continuously-tapping ride cymbal in the intro and the more simple bassline when the song really kicks into gear. I don’t think the hook is quite as catchy as some of the others, but Tyler sounds great on the song, and it’s certainly an energetic cut. Not one of my favorites on the album, but I do dig it.

Chlorine: A track about how music cleanses one (like chlorine would) and how one just can’t get enough of something poisonous (like, say, chlorine), this is another song that has a very dark, moody vibe to it. Tyler’s vocals are somewhat more sinister, the instrumentals are woozy and intoxicating, and the slow-paced feel of the song is easy to vibe to. The hook is also one of the album’s best, and even as one of the album’s longest songs (at nearly five and a half minutes), it’s easily one of the best, most sticky songs here. It has more than enough interesting sonic twists and turns to keep it interesting across the entire duration.

Smithereens: A sweeter cut, this one sees Tyler talking about his wife, Jenna, and how he would fight to protect her. Really nice stuff, Tyler, good man. And I like the slower feel of the song, along with the very smooth synth-pianos juxtaposing the more pounding, powerful drum beat. I also once again like the way that Tyler mixes between his lower and higher registers while singing, and while I don’t think the song has an extremely captivating hook, it’s still got a good vibe to it that makes it enjoyable, even if it’s far from being one of the album’s best.

Neon Gravestones: Here, the duo talks about the glorification and romanticization of suicide, and alludes to it through celebrities getting their name on big boards with neon lights. And they make this really captivating with some more moody, light production that gives the song a lot of emotional edge. Tyler’s performance is also extremely emotional, especially at the points where it sounds like he’s being broken down to tears. It’s a song that nearly brought me to tears, too; the gentle piano riffs gave this song the sad feel it needed, and Tyler’s vocals are show-stealing here. I love this song!

The Hype: Just what I needed since I’ve been battling so much anxiety, this track talks about having hope while going through very hard times. This song also has a more emotional vibe to it, though with a faster pace and a more energetic drum beat. Still, those elements work to make the track really catchy and attention-grabbing, and I think Tyler’s lyricism was especially strong when he said “you don’t get thick skin without getting hurt.” His vocals are light but smooth, meshing well with the catchy bassline and emphatic instrumentals, and once again, the song takes a lot of really interesting twists and turns with its sounds. All in all, it’s a really compelling cut!

Nico and the Niners: One of the bigger singles for the album, this track continues the story of DEMA, and the city's people, known as “banditos.” Though, without the story of DEMA, the song still serves as a bit of a “rallying cry” for those battling with depression. I was really excited going into this one since it seemed to receive a lot of positive reception early on (oh, and the name “Nico and the Niners” is already really catchy), and I definitely wasn’t disappointed: I think the beat is really catchy, the hazy instrumentals are sweet, and the hook is one of the album’s catchiest. I see why this song’s gotten the hype that it has, it’s pretty amazing!

Cut My Lip: While this cut continues to intertwine with the DEMA story, on its own it's essentially about navigating through life and all of its unpredictabilities and pushing through despite the bruises and scars it leaves. The track takes on a surprisingly bright, airy feel with a light, plucky piano riff and a much slower drum beat. Interesting juxtaposition against some of the lyrics here, might I add. And I love the song for that, it sounds really great, as do Tyler’s very pretty, lovely vocals. It’s very different from much of what else is on the album, but it’s nonetheless a really great track!

Bandito: Here, we learn a bit more about the banditos, who accept Clancy as one of them and help him understand the perils and fears he will have to battle in his adventure for freedom. And once again, this one takes a bit of a lighter feel, with Tyler’s vocals having a few more autotune filters on them. They're interesting, as they keep him sounding very emotional, while also adding a touch more somberness. I like the piano-driven instrumentals as well, and Tyler’s rather desperate-sounding spoken-word verse later in the song also adds to the emotional edge. It’s a mellow track, and it’s got a great vibe to it. I really love it!

Pet Cheetah: In classic writer’s style, Tyler wrote a song about writer’s block…to help himself get past writer’s block. Guys, I’ve honestly done this before, it’s a genius strategy, shoutouts to Tyler on that. And in regards to production, this track takes on a more dark, eerie, and glitchy feel. The song as a whole is more fast-paced, the instrumentals are interestingly glitchy and attention-grabbing, and Tyler’s very charismatic vocals are a little more sinister, especially on his rap verses. It’s a song that thrives off of its quirkiness, and it’s all the more successful for that. This album’s really ending off strong.

Legend: Another more personal cut, Tyler talks here about his grandfather, Robert, who died during the recording of this album after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. The track is much shorter (it’s just under three minutes) and it’s got a surprisingly more funky feel to it. It’s got some very bright, silky synthesizers to it and a slightly-more swingy drum beat, and it’s a bit of a change-up from most “dedication” songs (most of them are very somber and stripped-back, but this one’s far more bouncy). It’s still very successful in that. Not only do the instrumentals sound great, but Tyler’s higher-register vocals are very charismatic, especially on the hook, which is very immediate and ear-wormy. Another really great cut, very different from what you’d expect, and all the better for it!

Leave the City: It all comes down to this: our main character is leaving the city of DEMA, vowing to stay alive through it all. Though, in the larger context of the album, Tyler essentially says that mental health is something that’s not always straightforward and easy to fix and that he’s gonna keep on fighting and stay alive through it all. Once again, thank you for the motivation, Tyler, I appreciate it. And the song starts off very beautifully, with some very woozy production led by a very gorgeous piano melody. The somewhat more slanted drum beat that comes in later is also very fascinating, and I think that Tyler’s very dramatic, sad vocals are fantastic as well. He really sells this and brings the story of DEMA to a more somber end: Clancy has left the city and is staying alive, but it’s not so easy for everyone else there. It’s really fascinating, and it’s a gorgeous end to the album!

Overall, I’m pretty ashamed that I waited this damn long to listen to this album because I absolutely love it. I used to be one of those people that never quite understood all the hype behind TØP, but honestly, this is an absolutely infectious, fun, and emphatic blend of rock and hip-hop that’s not only fascinating to think about, but it’s just damn fun to listen to. The instrumentation is weird and glitchy but exciting, Tyler Joseph’s vocals are very pretty (as are his rap flows), and I love a lot of what the album is going for lyrically. Blending together this overarching story of DEMA with themes of mental health is really fascinating, and I like how it doesn’t feel heavy-handed, it’s a very unique way of going about it that really works. The music works as a piece of storytelling, and on its own as just music to enjoy. I apologize again for not getting to this sooner, not because I wanted to please anyone, but because the music is that damn good. If you’ve made the mistake I made and haven’t listened to this yet, go do that now! It’s worth it!

Favorite tracks: Jumpsuit, Levitate, Morph, Chlorine, Neon Gravestones, The Hype, Nico and the Niners, Cut My Lip, Bandito, Pet Cheetah, Legend, Leave the City

Least favorite tracks: Smithereens (only if I really had to pick one)

Rating: Excellent

Belly "IMMIGRANT" Album Review (140th Review)

I know what you’re thinking: no, this isn’t Twenty One Pilots. I know the album’s about a month old now, and you guys are probably waiting for that review, but as of this writing, I’m in a time crunch, I need to chop down my backlog, and I need to do it with a short album, so here we go: it’s time for a review of the new Belly album “IMMIGRANT.”

This is the latest album from the XO rapper Belly, who you may be familiar with not only for his affiliation with The Weeknd’s record label (or for the work that he did with The Weeknd on “Might Not”), or for his appearance on the remix of G-Eazy, A$AP Rocky and Cardi B’s hit song “No Limit” (which also featured French Montana and Juicy J), but because I actually covered him a little over a year ago when he released his “Mumble Rap” mixtape. You may remember that I enjoyed the tape a lot, it had some really catchy, sticky production, Belly had some great flows and clever wordplay throughout the project, and there are plenty of songs from the record that I still return to today, like “The Come Down Is Real Too,” “P.O.P.,” “Make A Toast,” and “Lullaby,” among several others. For a tape called “Mumble Rap,” Belly was most certainly not mumbling: he was putting out some really great stuff.

So, naturally, I was very excited when I heard that he was gonna be dropping another project. This one is his first full-length studio album since 2007’s “The Revolution” (yeah, even though he’s with XO, he’s been doing this for a really long time), and even though one might seem nervous given that it’s his first full-length album in over a decade, the fact that he’s still been dropping music leaves me much less nervous. What also has me excited going into the project is that Belly seems to be taking a small turn in a different direction here: given the title and some of the comments he’s made in interviews, it appears he’s going for something a bit more politically charged, focusing a bit on his personal experiences as an immigrant, as well as America’s rampant anti-immigration debates. I can’t wait to see what’s in store here, so let’s talk about it:

Another Note (ft. Zack): A very emotional song (or, would it be a freestyle given that it’s really only one verse?) about Belly’s anxieties and sadness (with a few touches about how he crossed the border to enter America), I really like this song’s very moody, spacey instrumentals, though I do think it takes a bit too long for Belly to actually come in. When he does, he comes through with a pretty emotional performance (that even sees him stop himself from crying mid-verse, which is kinda fascinating) that has some solid flow and decent bars, specifically that final one about crossing the border. Zack’s feature is subtle, but he does have some good vocals that mesh well with the production. Good track.

Xion: Not to be confused with the character from the “Kingdom Hearts” video game series, Belly raps one long, more aggressive verse here over some really dark production with catchy electronic instrumentals and a pretty strong beat. Belly’s somewhat fast-paced flow is really great, and I like his performance as a whole, though I do kinda wonder why there’s so much flexing and “pussy humming” on this track if this album is called “IMMIGRANT.” Even so, I think Belly sells the track nicely and makes something I’ll definitely want to come back to in the future.

Who Hurt You: Sampling The Weeknd’s track “The Zone” off of “Thursday” (and very tastefully, might I add), Belly makes a track that’s a bit more cutthroat and dark with a click-clacking drum beat and more brooding instrumentals. I also dig Belly’s performance a good bit, as it feels like there’s a little more emotional edge and sinisterness to his voice. Political references are at best subtle on this track, but at its core, the music is plenty enjoyable and Belly’s flows remain consistently interesting, even as he raps about women and “hopping on the wrong dick.” Yeah, it’s not as big a statement as it should be, but hey, I like the song.

Immigrant (ft. Meek Mill and M.I.A.): The big, huge statement of the album, Belly uses this track to speak his mind against the anti-immigration debate in the United States, and he also brings along Meek Mill and M.I.A. to help get his message across. This was the track I was the most excited for, and right from the start, I like the more lowkey production and the kinda slanted drumbeat here. Belly’s lyricism stays strong and focused on the political themes here, and the chorus is very catchy and memorable. Meek Mill’s guest verse features really great, somewhat unstructured flow, and M.I.A.’s feature, though not the most memorable part of the song, adds some decent variance to it. I definitely wasn’t disappointed by the song, great stuff Belly.

Numbers (ft. Yo Gotti): And right after that huge statement, Belly brings in Yo Gotti to flex. Huh, a bit strange, but okay then. If he’s gonna do that and completely ditch the “IMMIGRANT” theme from here on out, he’s at least gonna have to make the songs good on their own if he wants to keep this album strong. Unfortunately, he’s not off to the greatest start with this song: sure, some of the dark production is pretty cool, and some of Belly’s flows are kinda fun, but this feels like a case of him giving in somewhat to modern-day rap flows and sounds and just trying to bite those styles. Yo Gotti’s verse does have more varied flows, but I find the hook to be a bit more boring. It’s got some good things going for it, but I think the song is lacking too hard in a number of areas.

All For Me (ft. Metro Boomin): With the help of some Metro Boomin production, Belly raps about drug use and love…right, because on an album called “IMMIGRANT,” this is what we wanted to hear. Either way, I do like some of Belly’s more autotune-assisted vocals on the hook, and the very light, airy, piano-driven instrumental gives it a nice, emotional edge. Sure, it is a bit short, but I think that’s good in that it keeps the song from really overstaying its welcome. I guess if Belly’s gonna stray the focus away and basically make the rest of the album about everything but the title, at least he’s making a few good tracks out of it.

Dust (ft. French Montana): I can’t lie, no disrespect to Belly, but I saw that he picked French Montana as a feature and now I wish I could trade him for Pusha T, especially given that this album seems to be more socially and politically charged…or at least that’s what you’d think if you didn’t actually know that this song is about flexing. So why else is this thing called “IMMIGRANT” again? I don’t know, but even with some more upbeat, hard-hitting production, French Montana’s flow and performances remain really dull and uninteresting to me. And even though Belly comes through with a rather catchy, autotune-assisted hook, some of his flows just sound a bit silly to me. Yeah, wasn’t really that crazy about this one, honestly.

What You Want (ft. The Weeknd): I’m glad Belly brought Abel in here as a feature, but again, all of this about sex and girls is making me wonder if Belly is trying to gimmick us. Regardless, the song has a more moody, ethereal feel to it, which is definitely an interesting new sound for Belly. Unfortunately, his autotune-assisted vocals on the hook just sound a bit goofy to me. It doesn’t feel like there’s much emotion to his sound, his vocals just sound a bit too unsteady to the point where they just sound kinda ugly. And it’s a shame because The Weeknd sounds amazing on his verse, and Belly’s own verse is a bit stronger than the hook. I’d hesitate to call this one of the album’s worst, and it might even grow on me with a few more listens, but for now, that hook is killing me.

What Does It Mean?: A much more sad cut after all that flexing (and singing about women on the last one), I liked a lot of the production early on, as it once again sounds very spacey and lowkey compared to some of the other songs, but…this song has me confused; why is Belly trying to make a slower Chris Brown song? Seriously, his vocal inflection just sounds like Chris Brown to me, and it almost feels like he’s trying to cop Chris’s style here. I mean, sure, his vocals are rather smooth and he definitely tries his hardest, but at points, it just ends up sounding a bit laughable. Maybe it’ll grow on me if I give it a few more listens, but for now, it just sounds like Chris Brown-lite.

Maintain (ft. NAV): As if flexing for several songs on your “statement” of an album isn’t enough, Belly brings in NAV for a feature here. Joy. And if THAT isn’t enough, NAV is spitting bars on this song like “let my nuts and my chain hang.” Please excuse me while I go barf. *runs off, throws up, brushes teeth, and washes out mouth* Okay, I’m back. Anyway, this is another example of Belly giving in to some modern-day rap sounds. Hell, it kinda sounds like he’s trying to make a Migos song with the very dark, somewhat wavy production and a hook that literally immediately brought me back to “rain drop, drop top” from “Bad and Boujee” (oh, by the way, it’s “new phone, who dis,” not “who’s this, new phone”). And even if Belly’s flow is kinda cool, NAV’s verse pretty much kills the song: who told this guy that “showing emotion on a song” is the equivalent of “sounded like a 7-year-old?” Literally, his performance had me laughing because of how damn goofy it sounded. Sorry, but nah, this ain’t it, chief.

Street Cathedral: Belly takes us down a few more emotional routes with this track, but again, we’ve kinda lost what the album was going for in its massive “statement,” so this is really less than a consolation prize at this point. And while some of the production is mysterious and dark (and the beat is kinda cool), I kinda get some NAV vibes from this, and when Belly gets me to do that, he’s doing something really wrong. And honestly, the rest of the song just feels kinda dull: Belly’s performance sounds sleepy, and the hook doesn’t really stick whatsoever. I don’t really remember caring much for the closing track to Belly’s “Mumble Rap,” and I’m disappointed to say that hasn’t changed here. This definitely wasn’t a hard-hitting closer, it was a shrug and a “whatever.”

Curiously, for an album called “IMMIGRANT,” this is not the massive political statement Belly may have led you to believe it was. But regardless, is it still an enjoyable project? Does Belly still come through with a good collection of tracks here? Well…eh. Belly continues to show us that he has an ear for great production as he goes down a lot of different lanes with this project, but after the title track, it’s not like Belly has a lot of interesting things to say, and his vocal performances start to get a bit monotonous, especially as he starts to go down a few “singsongy” routes with autotune-assisted vocals that are, at their best, smooth but unexciting, and at their worst, silly and song-killing. Honestly, now that Belly’s on the train, can he and NAV leave the singing to The Weeknd? He does it best, guys. And honestly, speaking of The Weeknd, he and Meek Mill are the only truly “great” features on the album (sorry, M.I.A.), and even though the cuts after the title track aren’t terrible, it just feels like they’re lacking, and not really as attention-grabbing as an album called “IMMIGRANT” should be. I know Belly is capable of better than this, and I’m sure he can certainly bounce back, but next time, try to focus within your themes a bit more, and not use a “political statement” as a selling point to get people talking about a largely non-political album. It didn’t work for Thirty Seconds to Mars earlier this year, either, you’re just lucky your songs mostly sounded better.

Favorite tracks: Another Note, Xion, Who Hurt You, Immigrant, All For Me

Least favorite tracks: Numbers, Dust, Maintain, Street Cathedral

Rating: Okay (as this is also review #140 since the Pusha T re-review didn't count, that's another album breaking the "every 10th review is an 'Excellent'" pattern)

Poppy "Am I A Girl?" Album Review

I know I have far more albums to review than this one, but it’s got some bigger importance to it, so it’s now time for a review of the new Poppy album “Am I A Girl?” (I’M POPPY) Yes, Poppy’s back for this review, and Poppy, I put your album before all the ones that came out before you. Twenty One Pilots fans probably aren’t happy, but you get to go first. (I’M POPPY!)

This is the latest studio album from singer, songwriter, and YouTube sensation Poppy. (I’M POPPY) Thank you, Poppy. Anyway, this is her third full-length album, and it is a quick follow-up to her 2017 album “Poppy.Computer,” an album I reviewed purely out of blind curiosity and ended up falling in love with. (I’M POPPY!) Yes, Poppy, I still listen to it even now. I very much enjoy it. (I’M POPPY!) Anyway, the reason I enjoyed the album so much was because, as bizarre, confusing, and bubble-gum as it was, the bubble-gum style worked very much in its favor: beyond Poppy being a very fun, interesting performer, I loved how energetic and joyous the production was, and how layered the lyrical content was, often hiding some rather dark, socially conscious messages behind the bouncy instrumentals. (I’M POPPY!) Yes, you are, and yes, you did that. (I’M POPPY!) And after teasing this album back in November, Poppy had announced that recording was completed this January and she began to release singles. (I’M POPPY!)

Now, as much as I loved that album, I wasn’t really quite sure what to expect going into this because, while I loved “Poppy.Computer,” I didn’t listen to any of the five singles she released in the lead-up to the album. (I’M POPPY?) I know, I know, I’m sorry. These album review things are stressful sometimes, there’s so much music to listen to, I had no idea you were putting them out. (I’M POPPY) I wish I could take a break but there’s so much to review! (I’M POPPY) Thank you for understanding. (I’M POPPY!) Anyway, I didn’t really get around to listening to those singles, so I’m not entirely sure what this album will be like compared to her last. But I’m still very excited to listen to it with how much I loved “Poppy.Computer,” so let’s see if she comes through with another great album here. (I’M POPPY!) Oh, and like last time, if you haven’t noticed already, Poppy’s gonna be chiming in throughout the review. Sorry if it becomes distracting, she just gets excited. In any case, let’s go! (I’M POPPY!)

In A Minute: (I’M POPPY) Leading off the album, Poppy talks about how important she is and how hard she is working. So, uh, Poppy, I see you have a newfound braggadocio in you, huh? (I’M POPPY) I see. Anyway, this track seems to take on a bit of a darker feel in comparison to some of Poppy’s other songs, with deeper synths, a very charismatic vocal performance, and an all-around confident feel. The song is damn infectious with very sticky production and one of Poppy’s best hooks ever. (I’M POPPY?) Yes, Poppy, I really think the chorus on this one is one of your best! I love this song! (I’M POPPY!)

Fashion After All: (I’M POPPY) Keeping things very confident, Poppy assures us all on this one that she is gonna do what she wants, how she wants, because she wants to. (I’M POPPY) My reviews have gotten more specific since you were last here? Well, thank you. It has been a year now, so I’m hoping they grew just a bit. (I’M POPPY) Glad you like it. In any case, this one has a more bouncy feel with vibrant synths, and Poppy’s vocals feel darker and somewhat robotic. I love the vibe and the catchy, fast-paced instrumentals, and Poppy sounds great as always, though I’m not really all that crazy about the hook. (I’M POPPY?) Yeah, I’m sorry, Poppy, the song sounds great, but the hook just doesn’t quite stick with me as much as some of your others. (I’M POPPY) Thank you for understanding. I still like the song, though! (I’M POPPY!)

Iconic: (I’M POPPY) Yes, Poppy, you are iconic. (I’M POPPY!) And I think teaching people to be “iconic” is pretty iconic, too! (I’M POPPY!) And I also think your vocals on this track are…again, “Iconic.” (I’M POPPY!) I love that Poppy is just dripping in charisma and charm throughout this song, and she meshes well with the production here. It feels a little less bright and bubblegum compared to most of “Poppy.Computer,” and I think Poppy adjusts to this somewhat darker, more mature sound very well. Really like this one a lot, too, can’t wait to give it more repeat listens! (I’M POPPY!)

Chic Chick: (I’M POPPY) With this one, Poppy talks about just how elegant and stylish she is, and she even takes things up a few notches by saying, if we don’t like it, to suck her dick. Poppy, uh…rather strong language, huh? (I’M POPPY) That’s true, it is what sells. Well, regardless of those grown-up lyrics, the song succeeds largely thanks to the great, grooving production and, of course, Poppy’s charismatic performances. We all knew from the last album that Poppy could sing very well, but with this album, it feels like she's really digging in and adding even more charm to her vocals with even more interesting inflections. (I’M POPPY!) And can I also say that Poppy sounds so sweet telling someone to “suck [her] dick?” I’ve never heard someone sound so polite saying something like that. (I’M POPPY) I know you try. And you did well, the song’s great! (I’M POPPY!)

Interlude 1: (I’M POPPY) Creating an interlude in the way only Poppy could, this very bizarre-sounding, revved-up interlude simply features Poppy saying “I’m Poppy” nine times over the abrasive instrumentals. Literally, iconic. (I’M POPPY) Yes, I know you try. You did well on this one. (I’M POPPY) No, sorry, I won’t add it to my playlist, I don’t add many interludes to my playlists. But I like what you were going for! (I’M POPPY!)

Time Is Up (ft. Diplo): (I’M POPPY) You know, with a title like “Time Is Up,” I initially thought this track was gonna be about the “#TimesUp” movement, but no. Instead, Poppy talks to us about the robot uprising, pointing out that greediness and human selfishness will wipe us out, and that robots will take our place. Really motivating me to keep going, Poppy. (I’M POPPY) In any event, this is also the first Poppy track to have a feature, as it includes Diplo on it. Way to go, Poppy, first few features. Really getting out there! (I’M POPPY!) Diplo’s production is grand, moody, and punchy and Poppy does sound very good here, sticking in her lower register but still providing plenty of charisma. I do think the song could’ve benefitted from a better chorus, though. (I’M POPPY?) Yeah, sorry, this one didn’t stick to me a ton. (I’M POPPY) Don’t be sad, I still like the song! Maybe it just needs to grow on me! (I’M POPPY!)

Aristocrat (ft. Garibay): (I’M POPPY) Another song with a feature, this one in the person of Garibay, Poppy brings in a number of lyrical allusions to France’s Aristocracy prior to the French Revolution and even compares herself to an aristocrat. Fascinating. (I’M POPPY) Garibay handles the production, and I think his instrumental is very sweet, with very light, childlike, vibrant instrumentals that mesh well with Poppy’s very youthful, fun vocals and solid accent/inflection changes on the song. I like how parts of it feel a bit more spoken-word, and I dig Poppy’s typical charm and spirit on her vocals. Once again, I love this song! (I’M POPPY!)

Hard Feelings: (I’M POPPY) What appears to be a love song, this one seems to be aimed at the “Computer Boy” that Poppy talked about on her last album. I’m gonna guess that you two never worked things out, Poppy? (I’M POPPY) Sorry to hear that, I know what it’s like to struggle with love. (I’M POPPY?) Well, love is…okay, it’s complex, we’ll talk later. (I’M POPPY) In any event, this song once again takes on a more upbeat but somewhat dark feel, and while some of the production does sound a bit “same-y” compared to other songs on the project, I do like Poppy’s very eerie and somewhat subdued vocals, and there are some cool sonic twists and turns here. It’s not one of my favorites on the album, but it does have a great feel to it and I can see it growing on me with a few more listens, if only for the hook alone. (I’M POPPY!)

Girls In Bikinis: (I’M POPPY) Getting a little more steamy (I suppose), Poppy talks all about “girls in bikinis,” as the title would suggest, and she seems to indicate that too much time is spent thinking about these girls in their bikinis. I wanna say it goes against the objectification of women, but it also talks about how men would look good in bikinis, so…I don’t know, Poppy, would you like to talk a little more about this? (I’M POPPY) Right, that makes sense. Anyway, I love the groovy bassline on this one, and I think the song calls back sonically a bit to something like “Moshi Moshi” from Poppy’s last album. Poppy’s vocals remain smooth and charismatic, and there are some cool filters on her voice that keep her performance interesting all throughout. Really dig this, it sounds great! (I’M POPPY!)

The Rapture Ball: (I’M POPPY) Poppy sings here about a ball that’s “the best bang since the big one,” and indicates that it’s a type of ball where everyone is beautiful. Wish I could say I’ve been to a ball/Prom/dance where everyone was beautiful. (I’M POPPY) Well, yeah, beauty does come from the inside…so in that case, yes, I’ve been to balls/Proms/etc. with non-beautiful people. (I’M POPPY) Don’t worry, they’re gone now. No more worrying about them. (I’M POPPY) In any case, this one has some amazing synths, I absolutely love how the production as a whole feels so grand, as if it’s something you’d hear at a ball/Prom/dance. The hook is also one of the best on the album, and Poppy shows a lot of versatility as a vocalist here. Poppy, great job, I like this a lot! (I’M POPPY!)

Interlude 2: (I’M POPPY) Another very glitchy interlude, this one only suffers from a severe lack of “I’m Poppy” sayings in it. (I’M POPPY) I get it, they’re not a tape recording to rewind and play over and over, they’re special. Patrick said it first, but still, would’ve been kinda cool. (I’M POPPY) Yeah, that’s true. It wouldn’t really fit. After all, the instrumentals are more grandiose and quirky, I can’t really see how an “I’m Poppy” would’ve fit in them. (I’M POPPY) But, I do like the way it sounds. Even if I don’t really go back to it that much, I do think it’s a good interlude, Poppy! (I’M POPPY!)

Am I A Girl?: (I’M POPPY) Poppy questions her gender on this one, and while she admits at points that she is thankful she is not a boy and seems to take a shot at toxic masculinity (which I appreciate), she also questions just what it is that she identifies as. Poppy, just know you are valid and I’m here for you every step of the way. (I’M POPPY!) Of course! Anyway, this is another more bright-sounding song. I don’t know why but when it started, I got some “Sonic Heroes” vibes. (I’M POPPY) I don’t know, either, Poppy. Either way, I like the harder, rocking instrumentals here, highlighted by some great guitar riffs. Poppy also sticks a lot in her lower register and the results are great, as her charisma feels so natural. Poppy’s crafted yet another bop with this one, I really love it. (I’M POPPY!)

Play Destroy (ft. Grimes): (I’M POPPY) Keeping with the big features, Poppy actually recruits Grimes for this track! How did you get Grimes on the album, Poppy? (I’M POPPY) Interesting, great stuff. And again, this song has a much harder, more rocking feel to it with heavy guitars and a pumping drum beat, but I also like how the song changes feels all throughout, occasionally mixing in more poppy, light moments amidst the thumping rock vibes. Poppy’s vocals are more delicate, which is an interesting juxtaposition against the dark lyrics about death and burning down Wal-Marts. I also like her interplay with Grimes as well. I think the two bring out the best in each other, and they make a cut that’s abrasive and straight-up evil, but also infectious and fantastic. (I’M POPPY!)

X: (I’M POPPY) The closer to the album is one of Poppy’s most mature, adult, darker songs, where she wishes for world peace, but at the same time wishes for dark things such as sex, drugs, violence, poetry, and so on. That’s a lot to wish for, Poppy. (I’M POPPY) Yes, you’re right, you do earn it. (I’M POPPY!) Regardless, this is another heavy, rocking song, which Poppy so graciously points out at the beginning by saying “ooh, heavy” in the kindest way possible. Bless your innocence, Poppy. (I’M POPPY) And much like “Play Destroy,” this song mixes a somewhat harder, metal instrumental with very sweet, shining production, and I like the juxtaposition between the two. Poppy’s light vocals in the sweet moments are beautiful, and her chants in the harder rocking moments are just plain exciting. I’m not even a big fan of “screamo,” but the screams here are actually pretty great! Wow, what a crazy good ending to the album! (I’M POPPY!)

Overall, I don’t know how she did it, but Poppy somehow managed to top her already excellent “Poppy.Computer” with an even better album here! (I’M POPPY!) I think it’s crazy how, in such a short time, Poppy shows us that her sound has matured and been refined so much, and her experimentation greatly pays off. She’s out here taking more risks, handling more different styles of music, some heavier and some darker, and what’s more, she’s sticking the landing each and every time! (I’M POPPY!) And not only that but her vocal performances…wow. Poppy’s shown us several times before that she could sing, we all knew that, but she took things to the next level here, with even more charm, even more charisma, and even more exciting, varied performances than before. Poppy could’ve sold this album on her vocals alone, that’s how great she sounded! (I’M POPPY!) Yep, you deserve to celebrate, Poppy, because you put out another amazing album. To everyone reading, go listen to it, you will not regret it. Oh, don’t worry, Poppy, much like last time, I’ll finish this off for you. Ahem…

I’M POPPY!!!

Favorite tracks: In A Minute, Iconic, Chic Chick, Aristocrat, Girls In Bikinis, The Rapture Ball, Am I A Girl?, Play Destroy, X (I’M POPPY!)

Least favorite tracks: Uhh…none of them. (I’M POPPY?) Nope, I don’t have one, Poppy. There was no one song I disliked more than any other, they were all good! (I’M POPPY!)

Rating: Excellent (I’M POPPY!!!)