BROCKHAMPTON "iridescence" Album Review

Oh yeah, it’s time!!!!! I know one or two of you are probably still waiting to hear my thoughts on Troye Sivan, but we have more pressing matters, my friends, because it is time for a review of the new BROCKHAMPTON album “iridescence.”

This is the latest studio album (and major-label debut) from the Texas-based boy band BROCKHAMPTON. You may have heard of this group before, as they blew up in 2017 with their “SATURATION” trilogy of albums, which became some of the year’s most critically acclaimed records. The band brought with said trilogy of albums a very cutting-edge, different style of hip-hop, and one that seemed impossible given the size of the group (there’s like 13 people in the band, holy moly). Now, after said albums, the group went through some rather turbulent times: they planned to release an album called “Team Effort” in 2018, but delayed it indefinitely and announced that their 4th studio album would be called “Puppy.” However, despite a positive coming in the form of their signing to Sony’s RCA Records label, a negative came in the departure of group member Ameer Vann, after news broke of his sexual misconduct and verbal/mental abuse. The group did bounce back during the Summer, however, releasing three singles in the form of “1999 WILDFIRE,” “1998 TRUMAN,” and “1997 DIANA” on Beats 1 Radio (none of which made this album, might I add).

Now, I’m sure you guys remember this (because there’s a small chance if you’re reading this, you were one of the people that put me on to these guys), but BROCKHAMPTON’s “Saturation” trilogy were some of my most-requested albums to review, so I gave them a listen over the Summer (in fact, “SATURATION III” was my milestone 100th review). I’m glad I listened to you guys because the “SATURATION” trilogy is excellent, and I love BROCKHAMPTON. Not only is their style so cutting-edge, different, and exciting, but it’s also so emotional and gorgeous, and I’ve continued to thoroughly enjoy each album with more repeat listens. So, naturally, I was excited for wherever the group was going to go next, especially with this being considered the first of their “The Best Years Of Our Lives” trilogy. And I did enjoy the “1999 WILDFIRE,” “1998 TRUMAN” and “1997 DIANA” tracks upon hearing them the first time, however, any expectations or predictions I could’ve made went away when I found out that none of those three singles would make the final album. So, all bets are off in terms of what this could be like, but I’m still excited because BROCKHAMPTON is a group I adore, so what do they bring with “iridescence?” Is the beginning of this new era a beautiful one? Well, let’s find out:

NEW ORLEANS: Alright, so this time, there’s no “every title has the same number of letters in it” thing, they’re just going right in. Not only are they talking about their come-up, but they’re also giving us their first collaboration, with none other than…Jaden Smith? Well, that’s the last person I’d want to collaborate with BROCKHAMPTON, but hey, his appearance is much smaller so I was hoping he’d come through. Overall, the group brings more very weird, quirky, cutting-edge production here, and Dom’s verse hits hard right from the jump. Kevin’s hook is pretty fun, bearface’s vocals are much different than before but still welcome, Matt’s flow is smooth, and Joba and Merlyn’s performances are very charismatic and energetic. And Jaden’s feature actually works here, given that he’s only here for a short time and all he does is sing-rap smoothly over the hook. Already, this one is a banger. I really like it!

THUG LIFE: This track is all Dom and bearface (the latter of which makes me happy, because I always want to hear more bearface), as Dom talks all about his own negative attributes and personality traits. This one leads in perfectly from the last cut, and it’s a more moody, emotional cut with very sad keys and an absolutely beautiful hook from Kevin, bearface, and the London Community Gospel. Dom sing-raps on his verse here, and his rather broken, sad vocals are really effective, as is his rather slanted, not entirely straight flow. Not gonna lie, this song really had me in my feelings, it’s such a gorgeous cut that, even at just 2 minutes, might honestly be one of my favorites from the group.

BERLIN: What seems to be a song advocating for the end of violence, this cut has a slightly more abrasive feel to it, though thankfully it’s not overly aggressive. The track features some very weird, filtered, and really fascinating percussion, and bearface’s vocals, though heavily filtered, are really fun on the hook. Dom’s performance is really a highlight here, but it’s always a team effort with these guys, and I think everyone comes through with very energetic and memorable vocal performances with very sticky melodies and flows. The track gets rather heavy at the tail-end, but in this case, that’s not a bad thing, as it helps add some variation and makes the song really enticing.

SOMETHING ABOUT HIM: All Kevin all the time on this one! This cut, which probably has the most letters I’ve ever seen in a BROCKHAMPTON title, sees Kevin talking about his love for his long-term boyfriend Jaden Walker, who I might add helped create “1998 TRUMAN” and “1997 DIANA” as he was credited for “styling” on the song. The song is slightly slower and moodier, with somewhat downtempo percussion and some rather seductive instrumentals. Kevin’s vocals take a lot of twists and turns on this very short track, with a lot of different filters and sounds, but he makes each angle very kinetic and interesting, and it ends up being a very sweet song that, even for its short length, begs repeat listens.

WHERE THE CASH AT: Outside of one verse from Matt, this song is Merlyn’s own. Seen as something of a sequel to the song “CASH” from the first “SATURATION” album, Merlyn’s performance on this one oozes with energy and charisma, and his hook is really sticky as well. Matt’s verse is also really exciting, as his fast-paced flow meshes well with the somewhat darker electronic production and very engaging percussion. When it comes to BROCKHAMPTON, you either get the emotional songs, or the bops: this one is a bop, and it’s a damn good one.

WEIGHT: With this one, the group seems to look into their inner-demons, and talk a lot about the “weight” that they’ve carried since the “SATURATION” trilogy earned them world fame. Beyond the idea of pressure, there are also themes of self-harm, fear, drug use, alcoholism, and much more here. And with Kevin’s very sad vocal inflection on his verses, as well as the very moody synths, the sad feel is immediate with this one. The song does change to something more energetic, with a drum beat and keys that kind of remind me of a video game (I think of “Kingdom Hearts” a bit here), but it works even if the change is rather sudden. Joba’s vocals are smooth, Dom’s verse also has the sad inflection to them that worked well for Kevin, and Sammy-jo’s interlude is certainly emotional. Yeah, I dig this one a lot. Very enticing song that takes things down the emotional route that’s worked very well for the group before.

DISTRICT: The gang’s all here with this one, seeming to allude in some ways to their “new start” on the hook. The electronic production is, again, somewhat abrasive, but very pounding and really sticky. Kevin’s hook is one of the most fun choruses on the record, the flows throughout this one are consistently great, and the vocal filters many members use mesh well with said production. Maybe it was because I loved bearface’s vocals so much before on the “SATURATION” trilogy that I wish his weren’t filtered, but it’s okay because they fit perfectly, and the song ends up mixing well between being an emotional bop. I really like it!

LOOPHOLE: BROCKHAMPTON was known for their shorter “skit” interludes throughout the “SATURATION” trilogy, and it looks like they’ve got another one here. It’s just a short interview between DJ Whoo Kid and Cam’ron that talks about fame and how said fame changed friendships. The interview does have very emotional strings added to it that give it a moody feel, but as it is, it’s a 53-second song that serves its purpose as an interlude and nothing more.

TAPE: Kevin seems to embrace anger on this one, talking a lot about his disdain for writers, tweeters, journalists, and much, much more, and Joba, Matt, and Dom seem to embrace some insecurities as well. The production is a bit busy on here, and while it does capture the emotional feel rather well, I do think it's a bit too slanted and off-time for me. I do think the boys all come through with great vocal performances here, but again, some of the percussion just feels a bit clumsy and makes the song a little worse. Maybe it'll grow on me in the future, though.

J’OUVERT: What seems to reference an annual Caribbean street carnival, this song doesn’t really change much up in terms of BROCKHAMPTON’s sound, but given how weird and different their sound is, that’s okay at this point. The song has very banging production that makes it feel like a turn-up track, and the performances are very energetic, especially Joba’s (he’s definitely the highlight of the song with his smooth hook nicely juxtaposing his very shouty, harder performance on his verse). And honestly, it’s really nice to hear bearface rap a bit on this one, as his flow is really fun on his short interlude. It’s another bop, what more needs to be said?

HONEY: A track that pays respect in several ways to 50 Cent, this one has a really great lead-in from the last track, and the production feels a little less fast-paced compared to the last one. Still, it’s got a very pumping, turn-up vibe to it, with a solid synth bassline and great sampling of the Beyoncé song “Dance for You.” There’s a lot of weird sonic twists and turns on this track that really work, and the boys all sound very smooth and melodic up against these very vibrant instrumentals. This is another banger.

VIVID: Here, the boys flex just a little bit over some very dark, turn-up production with a banging drum beat and more rapid-fire flows. I love said flows on this one, as Matt and Dom bring some great technicality (I particularly find Dom’s performance fun as he switches between a more low-key inflection and a more shouty, aggressive performance very nicely). The darker production is also fantastic, helping to add another bop to BROCKHAMPTON’s long list of them, and the song is rounded out nicely by Kevin’s fun outro and bearface’s very pretty, filtered vocals on his short verse. Really like this one a lot!

SAN MARCOS: A reference to the city of San Marcos in Texas, where the group had their humble beginnings, this seems to be a message from the boys that they are leaving the past in the past and beginning again (which makes sense given that this is a new “era” for BROCKHAMPTION, and with the fact that the album title is all lowercase this time around, that also adds to it). I really love the guitars here, they give the song a very moody feel that I really love. Matt’s somewhat broken vocals on his verse add to said feel, Kevin and bearface’s vocals are beautiful as well, and I also love Dom and Joba’s more melodic flow on this song (oh, and the cameo from the London Community Gospel Choir at the very end is a nice touch, too). This is a very different-sounding song for BROCKHAMPTON, and I absolutely adore it. This might actually be up there as one of my favorites from the group.

TONYA: The first single that dropped before the album, this one seems to share similarities to the award-winning film “I, Tonya,” a film about someone who achieved stardom only to lose it to scandal. This song seems to play off of that idea of “unstable stardom,” while also having some subtle allusions to Ameer’s departure from the group. The song starts with a very sad piano melody, along with very emotional vocals from bearface that mesh well very with said piano. bearface actually takes the lead on this one, while the hook is delivered by Jazmine Sullivan, serpentwithfeet, and Ryan Beatty. This is honestly perfect for the sad feel the song is going for, as their vocals are all very lowkey and gorgeous up against the pianos. The song ends up taking a somewhat bigger feel once the drums kick in, but it still works and still feels somewhat lowkey, thanks largely to the sad inflections on Kevin, Dom, and Merlyn’s verses, and Joba’s more melodic vocals in his appearance. Said performances are all very sticky, and they help round out another amazing song.

FABRIC: The closer to the album, this one also feels a bit more emotional with some of the lyrics, but it seems to end off on a positive note with the group reiterating it being “the best years of [their] lives.” The production is a bit more minimal, with more lowkey synths meshing with some more downbeat and melodic flows and performances from the boys. Said emotional vocals are very nice, the very plucky feel of the song is very effective, and the hook is one of the album’s best. The song also takes on a slightly heavier feel to finish off, but again, it’s very effective and really fascinating. It leaves me fulfilled, but also wanting to hear more of what they have to offer. It’s a really beautiful ending to the album, and it’s another affirmation of why BROCKHAMPTON is one of the most interesting groups in music today.

I don’t know how they did it, but BROCKHAMPTON’s new era is off to a pretty damn good start. Continuing to show a focus no group of this size should be able to have, the boys create a perfect mix of songs, some of which are more emotional, and some of which are huge bops, but what stays consistent is just how enticing and cutting-edge they are. Even if the boys don’t really “change” their sound, said sound is just so vibrant and exciting, and the vocal performances are just so charismatic, that they manage to keep it interesting. What I can also appreciate is that the album features a few more songs with just one or two members, and I like how these kind of make them feel a bit more intimate and personal. While BROCKHAMPTON has always been about the team and the entirety of the group, it’s nice to see the boys get a little more time to themselves in the spotlight to really explore and give us a look at who they are. I’m sure I’m not the first to say it, and I definitely won’t be the last, but BROCKHAMPTON’s “iridescence” is fantastic, and if this is the beginning of the “best years” of BROCKHAMPTON’s life…well I can’t wait to see what else is in store.

Way to go, boys.

Favorite tracks: NEW ORLEANS, THUG LIFE, BERLIN, SOMETHING ABOUT HIM, WHERE THE CASH AT, WEIGHT, DISTRICT, J’OUVERT, HONEY, VIVID, SAN MARCOS, TONYA, FABRIC

Least favorite tracks: I guess TAPE, if I had to pick one.

Rating: Excellent

Bhad Bhabie "15" Mixtape Review

*snickers* Ohhhhh myyyyy God, you guys are gonna hate me for even giving this one attention. I could easily be covering Troye Sivan right now, but it’s time for a review of the new Bhad Bhabie mixtape “15.”

Bhad Bhabie is a Florida-based rapper who first blew up in late 2016 with an appearance on Dr. Phil that spawned the very viral meme catchphrase “cash me ousside, how bow dah?,” which led to her becoming the theme of a very viral dance song and earning her the nickname, “The ‘Cash Me Ousside’ Girl.” Apparently, she ended up using this meme success to begin a music career, because our constant use of this rambunctious girl’s viral catchphrase served as enablement and helped her build a following to support her music. Surprisingly enough, her music actually saw some decent success, with singles like “These Heaux,” “Hi Bich” and “Gucci Flip Flops” making their way onto the Billboard Hot 100. I know, I sometimes question how we got to this point as well.

Now, I know, some of you are all ready to give me the what for because I’m even daring to go near this thing. And I know what you’re thinking, I’m supporting a spoiled, angry, 15-year-old girl that’s had to battle back from an arrest (yes, at 13-14 years old, she was arrested for grand theft and marijuana possession) AND battle back from accusations of being a “culture vulture," so I get it: you guys are wondering why I’m enabling someone like this. Well, I’m not gonna lie, part of me is doing this because I’m a glutton for punishment, but also because I feel like Danielle has grown at least a little tiny bit as a person based on some of the recent videos I’ve seen from her, and I’m willing to give second chances. That, and even though this mixtape is 15 songs, it is lined with some big features like Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, YG, and Ty Dolla $ign, so there’s at least a chance it’s doing something decently. Let’s see if that’s the case:

15 (Intro): Danielle starts off the song by talking about how her 15 minutes have lasted longer than she expected (you know, because Cardi B didn’t talk about this already), and she does this over a very minimal, very basic trap drum beat. It’s honestly kinda stale, Danielle’s performance makes her sound like she’s trying too much to sound like a hard-ass, and I can tell lyricism isn’t her strong suit. Danielle, you wanted me to name just ONE rapper that’s better than you? Well, uh…I have a list. Denzel Curry, Pusha T, Eminem, Travis Scott…Dolly Parton...Betty White...probably Estelle Harris...did you want me to keep going?

Juice (feat. YG): Danielle talks about her “rags-to-riches” story on this track, once again doing so over some very basic, overdone trap production and click-clack percussion. Danielle’s performance once again sounds silly to me, as it just screams “15-year-old trying to sound cooler than she actually is,” and the hook doesn’t stick whatsoever either. Hell, I had some hope that YG would help save this one, but he does next to nothing of interest and it feels like he just fades into the background. I’m sure this could be a good track for children who want to seem cooler and harder than they actually are, but otherwise, I can’t take this seriously.

Gucci Flip Flops (feat. Lil Yachty): One of Danielle’s biggest singles, this is your standard trap flex song. Only difference is that it’s got a 15-year-old girl leading it, and Lil Yachty comes in for some reason. Honestly, the hook on this one just gets really grating after a while, Danielle’s vocal performance doesn’t come off as interesting to me (it again just kinda makes me giggle), the trap drums and murky keys are very generic, and I don’t find Yachty’s verse all that enticing either. I honestly just find it a bit weird that he’s talking about “fucking bitches” on a track with a 15-year-old girl. I know, he’s not talking ABOUT the 15-year-old girl, but…it’s still creepy.

Affiliated (feat. Asian Doll): Okay, I actually liked the way this one started with some of the more bright keys and energetic production…and then Asian Doll started rapping on the hook and my ears screamed “STOP!!!!!” Beyond her voice being even more grating than Danielle’s, she literally sounds like everything else out there. I actually kinda wondered if she was trying to be a female Kodak Black, and if that was the case…that’s not something you should be trying. I also find it weird that Danielle is talking all about how she “graduated from the streets” at 15, and again trying to make herself sound tougher. But you know what was the worst part? When both of them started rapping together. I was about two seconds away from having my ears literally bleed. And then when they ad-lib on the outro, it honestly sounds like listening to two very loud, annoying grandmas speak to each other. Yeah, that bad.

Geek’d (feat. Lil Baby): Once again, Danielle tries to be a bit more confident here by basically telling listeners not to mess with her because she will not be afraid to fight you. I wouldn’t be shocked if she’s talking to that Woah Vicky girl she got in a fight with before. But regardless of who she’s talking to, her song still sounds like wallpaper trap music. Again, very dark, murky, emotionless keys, a grating vocal performance that tries to make Danielle seem like a “tough girl,” and a Lil Baby performance that, while not terrible, still sounds creepy for the same reasons that Yachty’s performance did. I didn’t think I would dislike this album THIS much so far…but that’s why you never go into a Bhad Bhabie song or album with expectations, I guess.

No More Love: Ohhhhhhhhh noooooooo, Danielle’s jumping on the auto-croon bandwagon, too? Jesus. Well, it’s not as bad as when 6ix9ine did it, but it's hard to be that bad. Still, Danielle’s vocals aren’t really all that great, and the huge amounts of autotune they drowned her in don’t do much to help her either. The trap production tries to go for a sad sound, with Danielle trying to talk about a guy that she has no more love for, but honestly, it’s just dull. It’s background noise, honestly. It really doesn’t leave a lasting impression at all, it’s just white noise.

Clout Drop: An under 2-minute song that tries to take on another dark, murky feel, Danielle talks on here about how she’s not messing around with people that are chasing clout. Admittedly, I think her more rapid-fire flow on this one is actually interesting enough to keep this song from being one of the album’s worsts, but it’s just a shame it sounds like so many of the other songs on here. It feels like Danielle is settling for this very one-dimensional sound in her music, and it’s honestly not all that distinct from many others in the current wave of SoundCloud rap. And again, the length makes the song feel pretty damn unfulfilling in the end. Not one of the album’s worst, but it’s not very good.

Yung and Bhad (feat. City Girls): Do I really have to say it? This one sounds almost the exact same as the other songs on this tape. I almost couldn't tell that this was a different song. And yeah, she still has the rapid-fire flow here, but it honestly feels tiring already, and it’s not enough to have rapid-fire flow when your production is so generic and overdone. And City Girls, why? You just helped Drake make “In My Feelings,” which is a hit and a good song. Why are you reducing yourself to this mess? Ughhhhhh, let’s just move on with this thing.

Bhad Bhabie & Jack $hirak: Oh. My. God. Literally, it sounds like almost the exact same thing! Who is Danielle having a competition with on this one? And what were the terms? “Whoever makes the most generic, one-note mixtape wins?” Well, congrats, Danielle, you have won. 1st place. Still got a way to go until you dethrone the supreme champion NAV, but sooner or later, you can do it. In all seriousness, it just feels like Danielle giving us the same flow, the same dark, sinister but still one-note production, and a hook that hardly does anything to “hook.” Next song, please. I just want to be done with this.

Famous: *falls off of bed and slips into madness* Bhad Bhabie, why? What did I do to deserve this asinine music? What did I do to deserve these wallpaper trap songs, cringe-y vocal performances, and lackluster hooks? And why are you again trying to croon at points of this one? Honestly, I don’t even care that you’re famous at this point, congratulations kiddo, you made it. I just care that you use that fame to put out quality music, but it doesn’t sound like that’s happening here. It just sounds like everything coming out of your mouth is the same, and everything your producers make is the same. Is it that difficult to try something different? Hm?

Hi Bich: Okay, this is a little bit of a reprieve. One of the big singles that Danielle dropped way before the release of this tape, I have a feeling this made it onto the tape because of it being her highest-charting single yet. Honestly, I’ll take it over “These Heaux.” Simple as the song’s production and structure, it’s actually oddly catchy and it’s got a pretty fun hook as well. Danielle claps back at the haters on this one, and while some of it may come off as goofy (especially some of the lyrics on the hook), it’s actually a little more fun than most of the songs on the album. Danielle’s verses aren’t quite as strong as said hook, and I don’t want to come back to this at all in the future, but it’s definitely better than anything else this album has offered so far.

Shhh: *curls up in the corner and rocks back at forth* Danielle…tells people to “shhh” on this, but…why doesn’t she take her own advice? *snaps out of madness for a second* Okay, but seriously, Danielle just sounds like every other trap artist on this one, with a basic trap drum beat, very same-y dark production, a completely laughable and goofy hook, and another super cringe-y vocal performance. I just want this to be done already. I tried to defend Danielle, but why do all of her songs just sound the same? Please, just end this.

Trust Me (feat. Ty Dolla $ign): Ty, man, what the hell were you on to get on this one? Do you hear Danielle’s auto-croon vocals? They’re not very good! Look, I respect that Danielle is trying to go for a more emotional, lovely song here with brighter, more moody production, but I feel like even with autotune, she just doesn’t have the vocal chops to make this one work. Really, what stops this from being one of the album’s worst is that Ty actually comes in and gives it his all with a nice performance. Otherwise, this is one that merely shows me that Danielle needs some work vocally if she wants to make this emotional angle work.

Bout That: Oh, and right after she goes down the emotional route, she’s back to wanting to fight people. Man, kids these days just never know if they want to fall in love or get in a fight. And I knew I was in for a bad time with this one when it started with Danielle laughing. Jesus, if you’re a film director and you need someone with a really creepy laugh to play your villain, just cast Bhad Bhabie. Just don’t ask her to make the movie’s soundtrack, because if it’s anything like this song, it’s gonna have really basic, one-note production, cringe-y vocals, and a complete mess of a hook. Hey, at least there’s only one song left.

Bhad Bhabie Story (Outro): A nearly 7-minute song by Bhad Bhabie? Honestly, terrified. And to be real, I don’t care if this is supposed to be a more raw, emotional track and Danielle is supposed to be telling her very personal life story, this honestly just feels like the silliest way to spill your life. Like, this whole “conversational” thing just feels so silly and not at all enticing. And honestly, hearing a 15-year-old talk to me about how she smoked and “finessed people for money” really isn’t interesting whatsoever, it just feels silly and it makes me want to tell every parent in the world to control their damn child. And again, at almost 7 minutes, this just goes on WAY, WAY, WAYYYYYYYY too long. Just end already, please.

Oh Lord, yeah, this was awful. I tried to go into this thing thinking that Bhad Bhabie would actually come through with something somewhat interesting, but as I said a bunch of times, she just felt like she was trying to repeat herself too much. Already doesn’t help that she’s a 15-year-old who’s trying to put on the “tough” persona to seem cool, and then she comes through with these really cringe-y vocal performances as well. And the beats, too! Literally, all of them just sound the exact same! You know what, I’m just gonna end this before I go completely bonkers because I feel like I’m repeating myself too much and you guys already get the point. Plus, if I continue talking about this mixtape any longer, I’m just gonna end up making myself sick. So, let’s just end it here. It sucks. Don’t listen to it. Bye.

Favorite tracks: Yeahhhhhhhh, no.

Least favorite tracks: 15 (Intro), Juice, Gucci Flip Flops, Affiliated, Geek’d, No More Love, Yung and Bhad, Bhad Bhabie & Jack $hirak, Famous, Shhh, Bout That, Bhad Bhabie Story (Outro)

Rating: Awful

Denzel Curry "TA13OO" Album Review

Alright everyone, I’ve kept you waiting long enough, so let’s go: it’s time to finally review the new Denzel Curry album “TA13OO.”

Denzel Curry is a Florida-based rapper, and one of the spearheads of the “SoundCloud rap” movement that has grown so much in recent years (even though he doesn’t really take credit as an “originator” of the movement, instead reserving that for rappers like Lil B, Gucci Mane, and Chief Keef, just to name a few). Where most of the recent SoundCloud rappers became fast bloomers, debuting around 2016-2017 and quickly growing in popularity from there, Denzel has been dropping projects since 2011. At the time, his mixtape “King Remembered Underground Tape 1991-1995” was released by SpaceGhostPurpp, who Denzel also credits for originating the “SoundCloud rap” scene. This right here is Denzel’s third studio album, following up on 2013’s “Nostalgic 64” and 2016’s “Imperial,” though he is perhaps more known for the very viral (and very meme’d) single “Ultimate” (I AM THE ONE, DON’T WEIGH A TON, DON’T NEED A GUN TO GET RESPECT UP ON THE STREET”), which was included on his 2015 double EP “32 Zel/Planet Shrooms.”

Now, I honestly can’t really say I have much experience with Denzel’s music. Not because of any malice or anything like that, but I’ve just rarely ever heard much of it outside of “Ultimate” which, again, I probably wouldn’t know if not for memes. This was his first project that really stopped me in my tracks because a number of the reviews I saw told me that the album was quite good. A lot of times, that’s all you really need to tell me to get me interested in the album, but I was also intrigued because of some of Denzel’s marketing for the album, like the cover art and some of the clips that I saw for his music videos: the direction the album was taking appeared really dark and somewhat terrifying, and further research told me the album was tackling some very difficult themes, something you don’t really see all that often out of a large majority of today’s “SoundCloud rappers.” Everything was starting to sell me on the album, so let’s find out if it lives up to the hype:

Act 1: Light

TABOO | TA13OO: Okay, so Denzel seems to really like doing unconventional things with his titles. Noted. Regardless, Denzel ironically starts off the “Light” act of the album with a very dark track, talking about molestation and his relationship with a woman who grew up suffering from some very disgusting abuse. It’s a very slow-paced, dreamy-sounding track that sees Denzel taking on a more melodic feel. I love his vocals on the hook, and he also comes through with a very charismatic and energetic performance. I also think his lyricism on his verse really hits hard, and the song works at being very sinister and eerie while possessing a lot of replay value. Already, I’m upset I didn’t review this sooner because wow, this is a crazy good starter track.

BLACK BALLOONS | 13LACK 13ALLOONZ [FEAT. TWELVE’LEN & GOLDLINK | TWELVE’LEN + GOLDL1NK]: Wow, that was a lot to type out for a title. Either way, though, Denzel talks a lot about his life and compares his own events to those in the film “IT,” with some help from fellow rapper GoldLink and R&B singer Twelve’Len. The song takes on a slightly more upbeat feel than the last cut, but it’s still got some very mellow, really intoxicating production, a fun hook, and a great verse from Denzel. The features are also very solid on here: Twelve’Len’s vocal interplay with Denzel is very solid, and GoldLink’s somewhat staccato flow on his verse is very catchy, as is the energy he brings to the table with his performance. Another really great track!

CASH MANIAC | CAZH MAN1AC [FEAT. NYYJERYA]: Showing us a bit more of the light, positive side of this first act, Denzel essentially uses this track to flex the large amounts of money that he made. He does this over a somewhat slower, but more bright instrumental that’s very synth-driven. The 808s blend well with the synths, Denzel’s flow, despite being slower, is still plenty charismatic and intriguing, and Nyyjerya is very sticky as well. Denzel’s lyricism is very interesting, as to how he portrays money as the kind of thing that suddenly solves all problems in certain points (and also, the nod to Rae Sremmurd’s “Black Beatles” was a nice touch as well). Denzel definitely crafted something special on this track.

SUMO | ZUMO: Okay, I was hyped for this one because I heard Denzel references “Sly Cooper” on it. Mad respect on that one, mad respect. Beyond that, though, this seems to be the album’s biggest single, and it seems like one Denzel created a lot of hype for. And for all the right reasons, because it’s a really hype single! I love the very dark but still upbeat turn-up production on this one, Denzel’s performance is ferocious as he delivers the hook and his verses with so much conviction and punch! His bars are also clever, and while I was mostly looking forward to the “Sly Cooper” reference, I ended up getting a bigger kick out of his reference to the Cartoon Network show “Chowder,” where he even referenced how Schnitzel always says “rada” and actually weaved it in nicely to the song. Easily one of my favorites on the album, a great ending to Act 1.

Overall, Act 1 really kicks things off strong. Won’t go super in-depth about it since it’s so short, but I feel like Act 1 on its own certainly stands out as a showcase of Denzel’s ear for eerie, dark production and very intense performances. He handles a number of different vibes on this side and makes each of them work!

Act 2: Gray

SUPER SAIYAN SUPERMAN | ZUPER ZA1YAN ZUPERMAN: The beginning of the “Gray” act of the album sees Denzel comparing himself to that of the Super Saiyan characters in “Dragon Ball Z,” both in his lyricism and in his very flashy, unstoppable flow. Said flashy flow is certainly really fun and energetic, and despite the song’s short length (it clocks at just over 2 minutes), Denzel makes it hit hard with that fast-paced flow and the very dark, woozy instrumentals here. I also love how the song ends with so many weird sonic elements just sticking together to make something really intriguing. Sometimes, when you throw too much together at once, it just feels tacky, but Denzel makes it work here, and he crafts a track that is high-energy but also very mysterious.

SWITCH IT UP | ZW1TCH 1T UP: Moving closer to the “Dark” side of the album, Denzel literally “switches it up” on this track, going from talking about his flashy “Super Saiyan” side to exploring themes of paranoia and bipolar disorder. Once again, the 808s and the instrumentals are very menacing and creepy, and I absolutely LOVE Denzel’s vocal performance on this one. I think Denzel really embraces his energy and large-ham style to come through with an extremely entertaining performance, and of course, his flow is really sweet as well. I think Denzel had some hard themes to talk about on this one, but he explored them very well and made a great track out of it!

MAD I GOT IT | MAD 1 GOT 1T: Pushing even further into the “Dark” side, Denzel talks on this track about how fame has ruined relationships for him and made his close friends jealous. Denzel’s hook is more melodic, and his vocals are not over-the-top, but they sound very nice. The production also consists of some very dark, throbbing piano keys and a pounding, rattling 808 drum beat. The song also takes a lot of different sonic turns, with some very weird (and successful) bridges and a hard-hitting beat switch before the third verse that adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the song. Much like how Denzel says to “make like a roller coaster,” this song works like a roller coaster; it twists and turns in so many directions, and it’s all the better for it.

SIRENS | ZIRENZ [FEAT. J.I.D. | J.1.D.]: Denzel gets political on this cut: he talks all about the state of America, police brutality, gun violence, and the justice system, among several other things. Can’t remember the last time one of the modern “SoundCloud rappers” got explicitly political on one of their cuts, so big props to Denzel on this one. And props to his production as well: it’s rattling and at times terrifying, while also being energetic and upbeat. Denzel’s flow is strong and his lyricism is very clever as he critiques America, but what really sells the song is his very angry, hard performance here. J.I.D.’s verse also features some really great rapid-fire flow, and Billie Eilish’s vocals on the hook blend very well with Denzel’s. This is another really hard-hitting track, and it’s one of the album’s most essential cuts.

CLOUT COBAIN | CLOUT CO13A1N: Another one of the album’s biggest singles, Denzel talks about how a desire for fame can become self-destructive, and how his success has led to paranoia and suicidal thoughts, comparing his struggle to that of Kurt Cobain. I love the very ethereal, atmospheric production here, it kind of feels like a very demented lullaby with some energetic 808 drum beats thrown in for good measure. Denzel’s vocals here are also very emotional, his melodies and flow are very catchy, and his lyricism is also very powerful. I can see how this one got a single release, because it does feel like it has the most commercial potential out of the songs so far, but that’s all for the better because it’s an excellent listen.

Overall, Act 2 doesn’t really change the style much from Act 1, as Denzel’s production is still dark and hard-hitting. That doesn’t really matter all that much, though, because the music itself is still fantastic. Denzel’s production and vocal performances are admirable, as is his ability to tackle such hard-hitting and dark themes. Even if it doesn’t change things up much, I’m just glad the second act continued to provide some very great, memorable cuts.

Act 3: Dark:

THE BLACKEST BALLOON | THE 13LACKEZT 13ALLOON: Typing out all these alternate title names is really getting to me. My back hurts from this. Either way, we’ve finally hit the “Dark” act of the album, and Denzel gets personal here by talking about his family issues. While it’s a very emotional and personal track, Denzel juxtaposes that with some very upbeat, turn-up instrumentals and a very energetic vocal performance, complete with a hook that sounds like it’d be delivered by Pharrell Williams. That’s not a point against the song, by the way, because the hook is infectious and exciting, and Denzel’s rapid-fire flow also keeps the song very exciting. It’s personal, it’s got dark themes running throughout, and it’s also a great listen.

PERCS | PERCZ: Really? With a title that short, you still found something to change? Wow. Either way, this was another bigger single from the album, and on it, Denzel continues to reflect on his success as a rapper, while also taking shots at the state of the rap industry today. Once again, he does that over some very upbeat, energetic, turn-up instrumentals that have a bit of a subtle electronic twist to them. It’s a very pumping song with another very vibrant, ferocious performance from Denzel, who has some insanely clever bars on this one about today’s rappers (I particularly loved the line where he said “sound like ‘dur, dur, dur,’ you like ‘oh, that’s lit,’ because I’ve always listened to SoundCloud rappers and wondered how people could listen to their lyrics and say “ohhhhh, that’s hard!!!”). How does Denzel keep coming through with such bangers? I dunno, but he’s doing it and that’s all that matters.

VENGEANCE | VENGEANCE [FEAT. JPEGMAFIA & ZILLAKAMI | JPEGMAF1A + Z1LLAKAM1]: Oh, come on! You didn’t even change anything in the alternate track name! Meh. Either way, this song sees Denzel delving into some of his darkest, most violent thoughts yet, with themes of murder, kidnapping, robbery, and much, much more. Once again, the production remains very upbeat as Denzel continues to turn up on this cut, but the instrumentals are still very eerie and otherworldly, and the performances are great. Denzel, as always, brings in a very confident, intense performance, ZillaKami provides a very gruff, aggressive verse that hits hard (hey, 6ix9ine, take notes, if you want to make an aggressive performance actually hit, do it like ZillaKami does…or better yet, leave the music industry), and JPEGMAFIA comes through with a bouncy, off-the-wall performance on this one. It’s a banger, what more needs to be said?

BLACK METAL TERRORIST | 13 M T: Oh, NOW you condense the alternate track title? On the LAST song? Fine, at least I don’t have to keep typing them out. In any case, Denzel finishes off this album with a track that basically sees him “finishing” his enemies and declaring himself as the single best rapper. Big words for sure, but given the critical success of this album, he’s well on his way if he keeps delivering concepts like this one. Anyway, Denzel throws his rap style back to that of “Ultimate,” going harder than ever with very aggressive, somewhat ear-piercing screams. Still, I love the energy that goes into those screams, and I also dig how the song switches between the light, chill feel, and the more abrasive, hard-hitting feel so perfectly. It’s another banger that sees Denzel in top form, “finishing them” just as he is told to do throughout the track. Good stuff, Zel.

Overall, Act 3 once again sees Denzel not really doing much different in terms of the sonic elements of the album (it’s not like each act has a different vibe to it), but once again, that really doesn’t matter because he still comes through with the bangers on this act. Carving out his place as an artist separated from the rising wave of SoundCloud rappers, Denzel pushes through with punchy production, wild performances, great hooks, and some really solid features, ending off the album fantastically.

So, taking all of that into consideration, it should be obvious that Denzel Curry’s “TA13OO” is a wonderful album. I want to try to keep the sum up short, for one because I feel like I’d be repeating myself but also because I don’t want to push this to the point of gushing. Denzel’s production is sticky, his hooks are ear-wormy, his performances are intimidating, and his music handles very difficult themes with aplomb. The only very minor flaw that I can point out is that the whole “three-act structure” of the album is not fleshed out quite as well as it should be, since the three acts don’t really do much differently from one another, but that’s irrelevant in this case because the music hits so hard. I’m ashamed it took me this long to get to the album because it is truly fantastic. From beginning to end, it’s a roller coaster ride that you just don’t want to get off of. I can’t wait to see where Denzel goes from here, and I hope this album helps cement his name a bit more.

Now if you’ll excuse me…I’m off to go loop this album.

Favorite tracks: ALL OF THEM | ALL OF THEM

Least favorite tracks: NONE OF THEM | NONE OF THEM

Rating: EXCELLENT | EXCELLENT

Eminem "Kamikaze" Album Review

I dunno who saw this coming, but it’s time! Oh yes, it’s time! It’s time for a review of the new Eminem album “Kamikaze!”

Eminem, legendary Detroit rapper, you know him good and well, the “Rap God” is back with his 10th full-length album (a surprise album, mind you), and a very quick follow-up to his 2017 album “Revival.” That record didn’t really strike the note it had intended to and was ultimately seen by many Eminem fans and many critics as one of his weakest projects, especially after 2013’s “The Marshall Mathers LP 2” which received some pretty solid reviews. It seems like Eminem really took some of the negative reception into account when he released the “Chloraseptic (Remix)” with 2 Chainz and PHresher, where he clapped back at some of the people that seemed to form their verdict on the album based on the track listing, as well as the overuse of pop features. He also was featured on Nicki Minaj’s latest album on the track “Majesty” which, even if I didn’t love the song itself, Eminem’s verse on it was possibly one of his fastest, and at 10.3 syllables per second, it even managed to outdo the insanity that was “Rap God.”

Now, I’m sure you guys may remember the shitstorm that “Revival” received upon its release, so I don’t have to talk much more about what others said about it. For me, you may remember that I was slightly nicer to the album than most others were, even going so far as to rate it an “Okay,” but honestly, given that Eminem is one of my favorite rappers and one that I’ve always had so much respect for, he’s someone that, quite frankly, should not be getting “Okay” ratings. And even now, while I still go back to some tracks off of “Revival,” I do think even some of my “favorites” from the album have grown away from me. Thus, I can definitely say I was let down by the project. However, after hearing Eminem on the “Chloraseptic (Remix)” and “Majesty,” I feel like he came prepared on those tracks and, given all the accusations of him “losing his fire” and “falling off,” I feel like those tracks showed me that Eminem can still go ham whenever he wants to. They also showed that no matter what anyone says, the man still has that fire in him. And with an album title like “Kamikaze,” I definitely expect to hear Em go in on this one, instead of taking a more introspective (and somewhat political) approach as he did on “Revival.” Let’s take a look at see if the fire is back:

The Ringer: Wasting no time here, Eminem calls out all of his haters and all the people doubting that he could really “go ham” on a track. He really does on this one. The beat and instrumentation are somewhat minimal, but it’s suitably cold, and Eminem’s flow and lyricism definitely feel like a step up after “Revival.” He mixes a number of different styles here, from rapid-fire flow to some more start-stop cadences, but he makes it all work, and he also comes through with some really clever bars on this thing. Yes, there are a few that are bound to raise a few eyebrows, and I’m sure some might even hear him and think he’s being stubborn towards the very valid criticisms of “Revival,” but I actually like some of his callouts to Lil Yachty, Lil Pump and Lil Xan, and how he basically says he’s willing to diss any modern-day rapper not named Joyner Lucas, Kendrick Lamar, J Cole or Big Sean. It shows here that he definitely has his fire back, and it’s a really solid start to the album.

Greatest: Em continues to brag on this one about how he is the best lyrical rapper in the game, and he also uses some of the flows from other rappers, from “HUMBLE.” by Kendrick Lamar to “wokeuplikethis*” by Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert. The song itself definitely helps prove why Em’s sees himself in such a high standard: the production hits hard, with a lot of energy that meshes well with Eminem’s flow, and once again, his performance on this one is very confident and filled with really great cadences and clever bars, like when he refers to the “controversy” where he mispronounced Die Antwoord’s name for the sake of a rhyme. It’s a very cold track, and Eminem shows on it that he’s not playing around. Really great cut!

Lucky You (feat. Joyner Lucas): Ditching the pop features in favor of more hip-hop leaning features, Em brings in Joyner Lucas (who you may recognize from the very viral hit “I’m Not Racist”) to talk about his underdog lifestyle, while Em himself discusses his high status and position in the industry. It’s an interesting juxtaposition, and the production is very chilly and sinister, with very eerie bells meshing with a very energetic trap-drum beat. Joyner’s rapid-fire flow and performance is hard-hitting and convincing, and Eminem’s extremely fast flow and call-outs to the recent wave of “Soundcloud rappers” and their comments on a lot of rappers that helped pave the way for them (think when Lil Xan called 2Pac’s music “boring” or when Kodak Black tried to say he was “better than 2Pac and Biggie”) helped make the song even harder. You can’t tell me Em wasn’t listening to the negative comments on “Revival” here, he’s going the hell in with this one, and he’s bringing Joyner Lucas with him, which only makes the song better.

Paul - Skit: A short skit where Eminem receives a message from his manager Paul Rosenberg, this one sees Paul basically saying that he’s not sure if it’s good for Em to make an album as a response to the people hating on his recent works, and asks whether or not it means he will make a “Kamikaze 2” album in the future. It’s short, but it’s funny enough, and it definitely feels like something Eminem would put on one of his albums.

Normal: Em talks on this track about the relationships he’s had, and basically asks why none of his girlfriends can be normal. Looks like Kim’s not staying off anyone’s mind anytime soon. The production is a bit lighter on here, and Eminem’s lyrics are very dark and angry on this one. I love his different flows and the energy that he brings to the song is fantastic as always. Unfortunately, I do think the song lyrically doesn’t quite fit with the theme of the album, and some of those lyrics are a bit too dark (I know dark lyrics are nothing new for Em, but that doesn’t make them any better). It’s definitely not a bad cut, but I can say it’s most certainly not for me. I don’t know though, maybe it will grow on me with some repeat listens.

Em Calls Paul - Skit: Continuing from the last track, Em basically responds to Paul’s questions about what he plans to do with all of the people saying negative things about him and “Revival,” and he basically claims that he’s going to the house of some Yahoo blogger who wrote negatively on him. Honestly, I’m fine with clapping back, but if you’re gonna go to someone’s house because they wrote bad things about you on Yahoo…can I call that desperation? Ehh, that's probably the joke. Still, the skit works well enough, given what Eminem is going for, even if it’s a bit silly.

Stepping Stone: Something of a more sad track, Em talks on this one about his former group D12, the soured relationships of the group after Proof’s death, and Em’s own blame for that. When the song started, I’m not gonna lie, I thought that an ad for a cartoon was playing. That’s not the case, it’s actually just a sample of "All These Things" by Mario Resto. Said sample is actually really great, and it gives the song something of an old-school feel. Em’s performance is hard, while also having a bit of emotional edge to it, and with this song, it feels like Em is fixing two of the biggest problems I had with “Revival” when I listened to it: the production, as I said before, is far better, and the hook is WAY better here. This is easily one of the strongest tracks on the album, I really love it!

Not Alike (feat. Royce Da 5’9”): Having a little fun on this one, Eminem kind of mocks some of the artists involved in modern-day rap, notably Tay Keith (the producer of BlocBoy JB) and Migos (by mimicking the flow of “Bad and Boujee”) while also enlisting the help of Royce Da 5’9”. So essentially, this is Bad Meets Evil right here, legitimately being “bad” and “evil.” Sweet. And the production is very fun in how it mocks “Look Alive” while remaining energetic and hard-hitting. Royce da 5’9” comes through with really great flow (I also love the line where he says that today’s “Soundcloud rappers” sound like their songs were inspired by Dr. Seuss), and Em goes hard on his verse, not only dissing the “Soundcloud rappers” but also dissing Machine Gun Kelly on the song. Em’s really taking no prisoners on this one, and he’s proving that he can still stick around with the bests in the rap game. Literally, wow. Just wow.

Kamikaze: Here, Eminem kind of mocks his song “Fack” and also talks about how 2017 didn’t really work out well for him, with “Revival” not being all that well-received and all that. I love the kind of old-school production on this one, and Em’s flow as always is top-notch, as he switches things up and brings a lot of variance on this cut with his different flows. His performance and energy are strong as well, and while I wasn’t initially all that into the hook, it definitely grew on me as I continued to listen. And I also like how Em goes back into the mindset of “not giving a fuck” with his lyrics on this one, and that helps everything come together to make this a really great song. There’s not much else I can say with this song without just feeling like I’m gushing about the track, so just know that I really enjoy it.

Fall: Em promises that he won’t fall off on this track, as he talks about the negative reception to “Revival,” discusses the modern state of hip-hop music, and even brings in Justin Vernon of Bon Iver to help out. I like the very chilly, ethereal production, the autotune-assisted vocals from Justin Vernon are very lovely and the melodies are very catchy and ear-wormy. And even though a few of Em’s lyrics might end up being a bit controversial here (I’m personally not too fond of him using the word “f*ggot,” even if he tried to censor it), I think this has some of his hardest bars yet, as he calls out pretty much every modern rapper that he possibly can in the song’s allotted time. He also does so with a lot of confidence, pulling the typical Eminem style of just throwing out lines while keeping the middle-finger held high. I can see how this song might be controversial in some corners, but I really like it!

Nice Guy (feat. Jessie Reyez): A rather tongue-in-cheek song that seems to paint Eminem as something of a “nice guy,” the song also features an artist name Jessie Reyez. Jessie’s vocals throughout the chorus and verses seem to be really fractured and irregular here, switching from a lower register to some filtered, very high-pitched singing. It’s very unconventional, but it fits well with the very minimal, percussion-led production. Eminem’s flow is really strong as well on this one, and I like his energy on his performance as well. I do think the song ends just a little too soon, and it does feel just a little out of place with the rest of the album, but it’s still a pretty decent cut all things considered.

Good Guy (feat. Jessie Reyez): A continuation of the last track, this one takes things a little bit faster and more upbeat, though it has something of an old-school feel to it. Em’s flow is really fun and, even if he’s not rapid-firing on this one, his performance is very bouncy and charismatic on this one. Jessie Reyez’s vocals at the end of the song help to round it out very nicely as well, as her strong ear for catchy melodies is on full display here. Admittedly, even though the song is once again very short, I think this one is more fulfilling than the last and it’s a really memorable cut.

Venom - Music From The Motion Picture: Ending the album off, Em gives us what appears to be the main track for the upcoming Marvel film “Venom.” The production does feel just a little bit “studio-produced,” like you can tell it was obviously made for the film and less so to stand on its own, but Em still comes through with some very solid, personal lyrics and great flow on this one. Even so, beyond the somewhat “studio-produced” production, I also think that the hook on this is one of the clumsier ones on the album. I feel like Em mostly just included the track for the sake of marketing the movie or something along those lines because I definitely think it’s one of the weaker tracks on the album, and I definitely think it’s an unfortunately poor closer to the album.

Even though that Venom song wasn’t really all that good, this album was damn great. Em, wow. I get that the negative reception to “Revival” must’ve stung, but holy shit, dude. You went in on everyone on here, from the Soundcloud rappers to the non-Soundcloud modern rappers to my harmless grandma to my cousin’s dog to someone’s pet goldfish…okay, I’m taking it too far, but this is the Em I think we’ve all been waiting for. Everyone has asked for Em to get livid and to ill out on an album, and he did that and more here. His performances and flows are extremely confident and indicative that Em still has plenty to offer as an artist, but most importantly, I think he cleaned up on a number of the problems I personally had with “Revival,” by making the production more chilly and hard-hitting (thank Dr. Dre for that), creating more catchy and interesting hooks, and cutting down on the length to a degree. After the hour-long slog of “Revival,” it’s nice to see that Em cut out a bit of the filler and kept this one at a respectable 46 minutes. And where “Revival” didn’t seem to have one solid, consistent theme going throughout, I appreciate that Em kept this project more focused and, overall, more interesting. I think he came through with what he really wanted to make, and it hit really hard. With “Revival,” Em was called into question and received some very fair criticisms. With “Kamikaze,” Em proved that he is still a “Rap God,” and that he really does rap better when the odds are stacked against him.

Favorite tracks: The Ringer, Greatest, Lucky You, Stepping Stone, Not Alike, Fall, Kamikaze, Good Guy

Least favorite tracks: Normal, Venom - Music From The Motion Picture

Rating: Excellent

ANOTHER LOOK: Pusha T "DAYTONA"

I think it’s about time that I did this, but today I want to write what is the first in a series that I call “ANOTHER LOOK.” This is basically a series that I’ll occasionally do when I feel like my opinion changed really drastically on a certain album. 9 times out of 10, though, this will be a series that I do if I previously gave an album a “Not For Me” rating, just to give it another look and see if I can give a more definitive opinion on the album. That, or it'll be done for albums that I may not have expounded enough thoughts on in the past. So, naturally, let’s start by giving another look at the only album that has received a “Not For Me” rating to this point, and that is the latest Pusha T album “DAYTONA.” (Oh, by the way, this doesn't count as review #132. Since this is technically a series in and of itself, it doesn't count chronologically in my reviews. Thought I'd add that in.)

Now, this series will be a bit different from my reviews. Instead of going bullet for bullet talking about why I liked each song as I tend to do in my reviews, I’ll basically just re-introduce the artist to you guys, talk about how I felt when I reviewed the album, why I may have felt that way, and try my best to sum up my new thoughts on the album, with a more precise list of “favorite tracks” and “least favorite tracks,” along with (in most cases) a shiny new rating.

So, for those unfamiliar with Pusha T and “DAYTONA” in general, Pusha is a New York rapper and the President of Kanye West’s GOOD Music label. He first started up with his brother No Malice as part of the hip-hop duo Re-Up Gang. Though the two split up, Pusha was signed to Kanye’s GOOD Music label and appointed the President of the label in 2015, the same year he released his second studio album “King Push - Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude,” two years after his debut album “My Name Is My Name.” He’s also shown up more than a few times as a feature on albums I’ve reviewed, from Desiigner’s “New English” to Belly’s “Mumble Rap” to Logic’s “Bobby Tarantino” and even Linkin Park’s “One More Light.” He also seems to have a very, umm…friendly relationship with Drake, as I’m sure you guys may remember from this past Summer.

Now, I bring that up because, as I said, when I give these albums another look, I want to talk about the mindset I was in when I first reviewed them. Now, when I first reviewed “DAYTONA” back in late May, I didn’t really have it on my radar. I had heard several positive things about the album, but the high praise for it actually had nothing to do with my motivation to write a review. I’m sure it should be obvious, but the entire reason I wanted to listen to it was because of Pusha’s beef with Drake. For those unaware of the beef, on the closing track of this album, “Infrared,” Pusha brought up the claims that Drake’s music is ghostwritten with lyrics like “it was written like Nas but it came from Quentin” referencing Quentin Miller, who was labeled as Drake’s “ghostwriter” back in 2015 (even though Quentin has said several times over that he's not Drake's ghostwriter and that they merely collaborated). The lyric “how could you ever right these wrongs / when you don’t even write your songs?” also references Drake’s track “Legend” and further insinuates ghostwriters.

Drake shot back with the “Duppy Freestyle” where he basically called out Kanye West (the man who produced Pusha’s album) for using Drake himself as a ghostwriter (which was confirmed because Drake helped write the amazing track “Yikes” off of Kanye’s latest album “ye,” and initially didn’t receive the credit for it), and further called out Pusha’s drug-dealing hustle, the fact that he’s not multi-million, and the fact that Quentin was not a ghostwriter, but rather someone Drake was trying to help. However, it was Drake’s simple error of making a joke about Pusha’s fiancée (where he claimed he would “let it ring on [Pusha] like Virginia Williams”) that led to Pusha firing back with the absolutely deadly rebuttal “The Story of Adidon.” On it, he dissed Drake’s estranged parents, insinuated that Drake was hiding a child that he had with artist and former porn star Sophie Brussaux (which turned out to be correct, according to Drake’s “Scorpion”), claimed that Drake was hiding said child for the sake of an alleged Adidas press run (has yet to be confirmed but it wouldn’t be shocking if Drake planned it and then backed out as a result of this track), and fired shots at Drake’s producer 40 and his multiple sclerosis (ironically doing so on the day before World MS Day). Yeah, it went pretty hard.

Now, I know, I just spent way too long talking about the beef, and some people might be like “what? You spent more of your second look talking about a beef than you did talking about the actual music!” and things like that. The thing is, it’s important that I talk about it not only for those unfamiliar, but to give an idea of what I was thinking going into the album: while I do think Pusha’s track was insane, and I think it’s definitely an enjoyable listen, at the time I spent too much time wondering why Pusha decided to make the rebuttal personal after Drake dissed his artistry and hustle on “Duppy” (I know, Pusha said it was because Drake name-dropped his fiancée, but hot damn, Pusha, all that because of a damn name-drop?). Looking back, I feel like there was at least a small part of me that was so burned out from hearing so much about the diss tracks and the beef at the time that I walked into the album with a slightly negative mindset. In the end, I ended up creating the “Not For Me” rating because there were legitimately no tracks that I considered “favorites” and no tracks that I considered “least favorites.” It was easily the most conflicted I had felt after reviewing an album, and even after I posted my review, I felt like I didn’t give it a fair enough shot. After hearing it a few more times afterward, that only rang more and more true to me, so I just had to give it another look and give it a new rating and opinion.

And, I’m glad I did, because hearing it again, I think Pusha really comes through with something very solid on “DAYTONA.” The opening track “If You Know You Know” actually has a pretty fun hook to it, and as I said in my original review, Pusha comes through with some clever bars on this one. It takes a little bit for the song to kick in, but I love the very energetic production when that does happen, and Pusha’s vocal performance is very charismatic as well. During my first listen, I didn’t really find much of it sticking with me, but now I think Pusha’s performance and energy are quite compelling. And the production remains very interesting on the very plucky “The Games We Play,” which again has a very old-school feel to it that I really like. In my original review, I mentioned that I wasn’t crazy about Pusha’s performance, but I must’ve been overly cynical because I think his very aggressive tone is actually pretty strong here. I do kinda wish the song had a better hook to it, but Pusha’s lyricism and flow are commendable, and they keep the song interesting for the entire duration.

Pusha’s energy keeps up on the track “Hard Piano,” which has some more busy, rattling percussion that really works, and again, I love Pusha’s hard tone on this one. I still don’t find myself really digging Rick Ross’s feature all that much here, but I think there’s still a lot to like, from the aforementioned production to the very memorable hook from The World Famous Tony Williams. And Pusha manages to bounce back from that with the very bouncy “Come Back Baby,” a track where he discusses his love for dope and money over an instrumental with some very fun, simple percussion. Pusha’s flow and performance are assured and confident, and the George Jackson hook is one of the most compelling choruses on the record. It stands right up there with the hook on the next song “Santeria,” as 070 Shake comes through with some very eerie Spanish vocals on the refrain. And the rest of the cut around it is compelling as well, with a very dark, sinister edge to it and a Pusha T performance that oozes in assured aggression.

The album does hit a bit of a speed bump on the track “What Would Meek Do?” featuring Kanye West where, despite some very atmospheric instrumentals and enjoyable vocal performances from Pusha and Kanye, I don’t really find Kanye’s lyricism to be quite as compelling as Pusha’s: where Pusha makes some neat references to Meek and really brings some clever bars to the table, Kanye’s appearance just feels like another somewhat clumsy attempt to continue trying to justify the ridiculous “slavery sounds like a choice” comments and MAGA hat-wearing chronicles that he found himself engaging in during the lead-up to his album “ye.” Fortunately, the album ends off with a massive bang on the track “Infrared,” the song that started this whole messy beef with Drake. I love Pusha’s very clever disses not only to Drake, but also to Lil Wayne, the bouncy production leads in perfectly from the last track, and Pusha’s very energetic, hard performance is cold and very attention-grabbing.

I’m really glad I chose to look at Pusha T’s “DAYTONA” again because, the more I listen to it, the more I feel like I didn’t give it a fair enough shot the first time around. With repeat listens, I found that the production was really compelling and that Kanye’s typical sample-hunting worked very well on this record. Pusha and Kanye created a great mix of tracks that managed to blend well between being bouncy, sinister, and at times atmospheric. And beyond that, I found that Kanye’s sample-hunting allowed him to create tracks with very compelling hooks, and Pusha’s performances throughout were consistently entertaining and charismatic. Even on the weaker tracks, Pusha’s performances and lyricism remained clever and extremely enjoyable. If anything is really holding the album back for me still, it’s the length of it. Yes, the songs hit harder for me now than before, and there’s definitely a lot to like about the album that I was missing when I first listened to it, but at just 7 tracks and 21 minutes, I found myself wanting a lot more. Even with “Infrared” being such a strong finisher, I wanted to hear Pusha say more here. Not only that, but at 7 tracks, you really don’t leave room for error, and unfortunately, there are a few weaker moments on the album that very slightly hold it back from being truly fantastic (coincidentally, the two tracks that have credited features are the weak spots, so you can blame the features, too). Still, Pusha really comes through here with a rock-solid album that’s definitely worth experiencing for yourself. I’m glad I went back to listen to it again, and I’m sure I’ll be listening to it more and more in the future.

If I had to pick my favorite tracks, I would pick “If You Know You Know,” “The Games We Play,” “Come Back Baby,” “Santeria,” and “Infrared.” If I had to pick my least favorite tracks, I would say “Hard Piano” and “What Would Meek Do?.” So, with all of that in mind, if I can sum up all that I’ve taken into account from my return to the album and give it a brand-new rating, I would say that Pusha T’s “DAYTONA” would get a “Good” rating from me. It would’ve been an "Excellent," but as I said, at just 7 tracks and 21 minutes (and with those lackluster features), it left me wanting a little more. Still, Pusha really came through on this one, and I’m glad I got to give it another look.

So, to end this one-off, I’ll give you guys a rather funny story: I always listen to albums I review on Spotify, and then once I’m done listening to the album, I just turn “shuffle” on and go to my “favorite songs” so that I can just jump right into all the songs I have favorited next time I want to listen to Spotify. Well, after listening to “DAYTONA” for this re-review, I turned “shuffle” on and hit play on my “favorite songs,” and the first song that the shuffler picked was a Drake song. I think that, even after giving Pusha T a positive review, they still want me to listen to all my Drake songs. Don’t worry, Spotify, I will. Just, also throwing in those Pusha tracks.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think of this format for “re-reviews” and, while I might not have many more re-reviews in the pipeline, I might do one or two at some point in the future, so stay tuned for those.

Trippie Redd "LIFE'S A TRIP" Album Review

I meant to review this before Ariana Grande’s latest album, but since it wasn’t a top priority, I held off for a little bit. Either way, it’s time for a review of the new Trippie Redd album “LIFE’S A TRIP.”

Michael Lamar White IV, AKA Trippie Redd, is an Ohio rapper, singer, and songwriter who first broke out in May 2017 with his debut mixtape “A Love Letter To You,” which featured the big viral single “Love Scars.” A product of the current movement of Soundcloud rappers, “Love Scars” has currently received 62.5 million hits on the aforementioned Soundcloud and 52 million hits on YouTube at the time of this writing. He also received further recognition when he was featured on the song “Fuck Love” off of the late XXXTentacion’s album “17.” The song became Trippie’s first entry in the Hot 100, and he continued to receive attention from there. After releasing his second mixtape “A Love Letter To You 2,” Trippie released the single “Dark Knight Dummo” featuring Travis Scott, a single that not only made this album but ended up being his first entry on the Hot 100 as a lead artist. And while he hasn’t blown up in the way other Soundcloud rappers have (take, for example, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, or Lil Pump, who have seen massive chart success with their songs), Trippie seems to have carved out his niche in the ever-growing cloud of “emo rappers.”

Now I’m not gonna lie, I’m largely unfamiliar with Trippie Redd’s music. Most of what I know about the guy comes from watching videos of his singing without autotune which, I must say, the kid’s got some pipes on him. And while his recent string of controversies made me a bit skeptical to review this thing, I felt a little less skeptical about reviewing this album in comparison to someone like 6ix9ine (who I don’t want to bother with given his overall disgusting behavior and inability to even try to improve as a person). In the lead-up to this album, I did listen to the single “Dark Knight Dummo” and found it to be relatively fun, though I was a little worried going into the album itself because of the broken promises it brought with it: originally, it was supposed to be a whopping 26 tracks, and while I’m glad he shortened it to 14, the thing that worried me was that Trippie originally teased that the album would feature collaborations with Lil Wayne and Erykah Badu, neither of whom are featured in the album credits. Part of that has me a bit worried that the record went through some turbulence on its way to release, but I guess we’ll just have to listen to find out, right? Let’s take a look.

Together: A song that’s said to be about friendship and unity, Trippie kicks off his album by talking about how we, as people, are stronger together than we are alone. Interesting that he’s trying to spread a message about positivity, especially given his constant beefing with 6ix9ine. Either way, Trippie makes something that leans a bit more towards alternative rock on this one, with production that merely consists of some light guitar strumming. And while I like said production on this track, I think some of Trippie’s vocal delivery is a bit silly, as he awkwardly growls throughout several parts of the song, which really turns me off from it. If Trippie refined his vocals a bit on this one, it would’ve been a bit of a stronger cut, but as it is, it’s definitely lacking in the emotional feel it’s going for.

Taking A Walk: Taking a page from the book of Lil Uzi Vert, Trippie creates a track that has very lighthearted production, while juxtaposing it with very sad lyrics about death. I like the slower-paced drum beat, and the overall breezy, spacey vibe of the song is nice, but I find this to be one of the more problematic cuts on the album. First of all, it’s only 2 minutes, and therefore, the short length makes it relatively unfulfilling. Second, Trippie’s vocals still feel rather unclean, and when he’s spitting bars like “chicken noodle ass n***a, man, you boneless,” it just feels too silly for the vibe the song is going for. It’s not a hideous song, it’s just very problematic, and it could be so much better.

Wish (Trippie Mix) (with Diplo): Trippie collaborates with Diplo to make what has been seen as his version of Lil Uzi Vert’s “XO TOUR Llif3,” as in a song with some more sad production with very emotional lyrics about one of Trippie’s former relationships. Despite said sad vibe, I actually like the somewhat energetic production and beat on this one (thank Diplo for that instrumental), and I think Trippie’s vocals feel less grating and a bit more emotional on this one, especially on the hook when Trippie says that he “might just blow [his] brain,” comparing himself to Kurt Cobain. It's definitely one of the more emotional cuts on the album, and I really like it.

Missing My Idols: Apparently a sequel to a previous Trippie Redd song “Can You Rap Like Me?” off of his “A Love Letter To You” mixtape, Trippie uses a hook that he previously rapped on a freestyle he did for Tim Westwood (he also apparently used this as his XXL Freshman freestyle) where he raps about how he “misses his idol.” I like his flow throughout the hook and I think the rhyme scheme on it is pretty interesting, but once again, the song feels a bit too short and unfulfilling, and I also think the production isn’t quite as special as usual. It doesn’t really play to Trippie’s vocal uniqueness, and it just feels like somewhat standard trap stuff. Not bad, just not special.

Forever Ever (ft. Young Thug and Reese LAFLARE): Another braggadocious song featuring Young Thug and Reese LAFLARE (and apparently Kodak Black has some vocals on here), the trio also talk a lot about love over a more slow-paced, spacey trap instrumental that, while somewhat standard, does sound nice and feels appropriately moody. Trippie auto-croons through his verse and he sounds pretty smooth doing it, and Young Thug’s vocals sound solid as well. Reese LAFLARE ends the song, and while his vocals don’t sound particularly distinct, they do mesh well with the production and give the song a little bit of extra character. Overall, pretty fun track. I dig it.

Bird Shit: Genius.com’s current annotation on this track doesn’t describe what it’s about, it simply describes the cut as “one of the best songs on Trippie Red’s new album.” Couldn’t even spell “Redd” right, either. I mean, if that’s the case, I had high expectations coming into this one. Did it deliver? Well, yeah, it’s a fun track. The production is driven by the click-clack percussion, but I like the cloudy feel of the instrumentals here, Trippie’s auto-crooning is smooth, and even if he does growl and have a few strange ad-libs here and there, they don’t interfere with my enjoyment of the song. Pretty good cut.

BANG!: What seems to be a song about his relationship with his girlfriend AYLEK$, Trippie channels the anxiety he feels surrounding his relationship, wondering if his girlfriend thinks of him while he’s gone. I like the darker, more nocturnal production on this one, and Trippie’s vocals do carry some emotional weight on this one, though I don’t really find there to be anything to compellingly hook me into it. The chorus itself isn’t really all that stunning, and despite that emotional weight I mentioned, some of Trippie’s screaming and growling isn’t quite fitting against the more melancholy production here. There’s certainly some appeal to this cut, though, and I can see it growing on me in the future if I give it a few more listens.

How You Feel: Another more alternative rock-leaning track, Trippie wonders how his girl feels about him throughout this cut, and he sings about this over another more minimal, guitar-driven instrumental. And while I find it a bit strange seeing Trippie say that his love for his girl is “like cookies to a girl scout,” I once again like his more emotional vocals on this cut and the more moody, lowkey production on this one. If anything, I feel like the song does go on just a little bit too long: given that there’s not a lot of beef to the lyrics, and the instrumental isn’t too big or anything, I think this is one of those songs that could’ve been just a tick shorter. It’s still a nice-enough cut that has good things going for it, I just wish it was more condensed.

Dark Knight Dummo (ft. Travis Scott): Something of a braggadocious song where Trippie seems to brag about all the riches he has made since becoming a more known musician, I love the very nocturnal, weirdly-produced instrumental on this one, and I also really dig Trippie’s very energetic, somewhat slurred but still powerful vocals (I think his growls fit a bit better here given the more aggressive production), and I think the hook is easily one of the most ear-wormy and hypnotic choruses on the album. Travis Scott also jumps on this single for a verse, and I think his auto-crooned vocals mesh pretty well with Trippie’s ad-libs and energy. Really nice track, I like this one a lot.

UKA UKA: Hmm, a title that references a character in the iconic “Crash Bandicoot” series that I really enjoy? And what’s this? Trippie actually loves “Crash Bandicoot” and has a chain necklace with Uka Uka’s face on it? Respect, Trippie, respect. And I do find it unique that Trippie embraces the “antagonist” that Uka Uka is with this track by taking some shots at 6ix9ine and painting himself as something of a villain. I like his flow on this one, and I think the more energetic production is pretty nice as well, though I do think the song could’ve used a better chorus. It doesn’t feel like it really effectively hooks in the way that the verses do. Either way, as someone that loves video games, I like some of the references he makes to certain games, and I think he makes a pretty solid song here, even if it’s not one of the album’s best.

Shake It Up: Taking things in a much darker route, Trippie holds nothing back as he talks about the sex his girlfriend gives him. While I do like Trippie’s rather weird, auto-crooned vocals on this one, I once again don’t really find the hook to be all that enticing here, and I think the production just feels like rather standard turn-up music. It doesn’t really leave much of a lasting impression, and that’s a bit of a problem given the song’s length: at just under 2 minutes, you gotta hit hard if you want to make the shorter tracks memorable, but unfortunately, this one just doesn’t quite hit.

Oomps Revenge: Here, we get a bit sadder, as Trippie makes a tribute to his deceased older brother, who was apparently the reason Trippie got into rap to begin with. And while the song is just a little too short (only 2 minutes and 1 second here), I do like the slower-paced production here, the beat is pretty solid, and I think Trippie’s rap flow and performance are pretty solid as well. Admittedly, I do think the song feels just a little bit more braggadocious than it should, given that it’s supposed to be a tribute to his brother, but it still does feel personal enough to work, even if it could’ve been a little longer.

Gore: Okay, back to the flexing. Trippie talks on this song about how he’s gonna keep on winning, even if his attempts at winning end up killing him. Unfortunately, this song does feel to me like a number of trap-rap songs that we hear today. Even though it’s got a somewhat murky vibe to it, it’s something that I feel has been done several times before, the trap-drum beat is very standard, and Trippie’s vocal chops are drowned out to some degree on this one. I do like the hook a little bit, but I don’t really think it’s enough to save this cut from being pretty “whatever.”

Underwater FlyZone: The closer to the album seems to talk about Trippie’s very on-and-off relationship with AYLEK$, and given that it was teased in April when they had broken up, this song seems to describe the “off” end of the relationship. Honestly, with a name like “Underwater FlyZone,” I thought this was gonna be Trippie’s theme park, kinda like how “ASTROWORLD” is Travis Scott’s theme park. That’s not the case, but either way, I think this is a pretty strong cut. Trippie’s vocals actually have very real emotional weight, and I think they mesh well with the somewhat minimal, downbeat piano melody here. Even though it’s the longest cut on the album (at nearly 6 minutes!!!), I think Trippie’s vocals remain interesting enough to keep the song exciting for the entire duration, and I think it’s a worthy finisher to the album.

Overall, it’s kinda funny that I compared Trippie Redd to Lil Uzi Vert at points in this review (he does occasionally sound like Uzi at points, and some of his songs seem to take pages from Uzi’s book), because what I’m about to say about this album is actually what I said around this time last year when I reviewed Uzi’s “Luv is Rage 2,” both in terms of the good and bad sides of the album. On the positive end of things, I think that Trippie does actually bring some very interesting ideas to this album, and I do appreciate how he can take on a couple of different styles here, from more vibrant, turn-up jams to some softer, alternative-rock leaning tracks, and I can kind of see how he’s carved out his own niche in the Soundcloud rap scene. Even despite my Uzi comparisons, I think he’s got a distinct and rather interesting style, and there are several moments on the album where he embraces what makes him special and creates something really good.

That said, I do think there are some very real flaws with the album: he’s still a bit all-over-the-place lyrically, his vocals can be inconsistent (sometimes they fit with the vibe of the song, other times they just feel overly yelpy and annoying) and, for that matter, the album as a whole is rather inconsistent. I’m glad Trippie didn’t make this 26 songs like he originally said (I don’t think he could’ve handled that), but even at its current length of 14, Trippie mixes some great highs (“Dark Knight Dummo”) with some big lows (“Together”), and while nothing on here comes off as truly hideous, I do think a number of the songs could’ve been improved. Even so, I can see Trippie at least going up from here if he can iron out his vocals a bit and maybe provide a little less lyrical cheese, and I see that he has something unique going for him, so I’d definitely be interested in seeing how he grows past this album. As it is, you can do better than this, but given how low Soundcloud rap can go, you can also do worse. I just hope Trippie hits harder on his next release.

Favorite tracks: Wish (Trippie Mix), Forever Ever, Bird Shit, Dark Knight Dummo, Underwater FlyZone

Least favorite tracks: Together, Taking A Walk, Shake It Up, Gore

Rating: Okay

Ariana Grande "Sweetener" Album Review (130th Review)

Alright, everyone, it’s finally here: after months of waiting, it’s time for a review of the new Ariana Grande album “Sweetener.”

This is the fourth full-length album from pop diva superstar Ariana Grande, and it’s also the follow-up to her 2016 album “Dangerous Woman.” In 2017, Ariana’s year started pretty solidly, as her single “Side to Side” with Nicki Minaj stuck around in the Top 10 early on, and she was featured with John Legend on the rendition of the iconic song “Beauty and the Beast” for the live-action remake of the film. Despite not releasing a new project in 2017, she was named Billboard’s Female Artist of the Year, since “Dangerous Woman” continued to chart well during the year, and she also spent 2017 performing on her “Dangerous Woman” tour to promote the album. Unfortunately, her year had one massive, difficult moment that has stuck in the minds of many: in May, her performance at the Manchester Arena in England ended on a horrifying note, with a suicide bomber detonating a bomb in the arena’s foyer, killing 23 and leaving 500 injured. Ariana did show strength in the face of this with her performance in the One Love Manchester benefit concert that also featured artists like Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus, and many more. She raised $23 million for the victims and their families and was also named the first honorary citizen of Manchester.

It’s difficult having to bring up those events again in this review, especially since they happened what feels like a long time ago, but it feels almost necessary because Ariana, at least subtly, alludes to some of those events on this very record. The leadoff single “no tears left to cry” seems to be Ariana’s way of saying that she’s finally back in a more positive frame of mind after those events, and in the hook of “the light is coming,” Ariana says “the light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole,” seeming to speak to the ideology that, after all that she went through in 2017, positivity is finally back in her corner this year. While the latest single “God is a woman” tells me that not every song will speak to that theme, it seems like Ariana is taking a very interesting, different sonic direction with this album, with what feels like a little more hip-hop influence as well. Ariana, I marathon-reviewed your first three albums and I absolutely adored them, and I’ve loved those first three singles, I am ready to be blown away with this album. Let’s see if she does that:

raindrops (an angel cried): Ariana kicks off the album with a very short intro track (it sits at just 38 seconds in length), which isn’t too out of the ordinary for her given that she started “My Everything” with a 1:20 track. Even as a track with no instrumentals whatsoever, this is an intro I fell in love with on the strength of Ariana’s vocals alone. She sounds very heavenly and angelic, and it’s a sign of what’s to come from her vocally here. I dig it!

blazed (ft. pharrell williams): A collaboration with the legend himself Pharrell Williams (who actually helped produce a number of the tracks on this album), this very danceable banger actually has something of an old-school vibe to it. I love the pounding drum beat on it, and Ariana’s vocals sound gorgeous as she sings about never letting go of someone that she loves. I wish Pharrell had a slightly bigger presence, but I commend that his vocal performance on the hook is very charismatic, and he helps create something that’s pretty catchy as well. As the first full song on the album, this is a good starter!

the light is coming (ft. nicki minaj): Ariana brings in frequent collaborator Nicki Minaj on this one (good, because with the year she’s had, she needed some big help) to rap an opening verse that is a bit sloppy but is nevertheless decent enough for what it’s trying to do. Ariana takes control afterward, sing-rapping (to a degree) about how positivity is back in her corner, and how “the light” will “give back” what the dark, negative cloud that hung over her stole. It’s actually a very weirdly cut, hip-hop banger that, I know has gotten a rather polarizing response thus far, but I really dig it. I love the bouncy production, Ariana’s vocals are very pretty as always, and I think the hook is very ear-wormy and very catchy. Really like this one.

R.E.M.: No, that title is not a gimmick, the song is about sleep…well, kinda. Ariana speaks about how she doesn’t want to wake up from the dream she is having about a lover of hers. This one’s got a much slower feel to it with some very cool, snappy percussion and very spacey, ethereal synths. Ariana sticks into her lower register throughout the entirety of the song, but she sounds great doing it, and she crafts another really catchy, immediate hook as well. Once again, it’s got a much different feel than a lot of Ariana’s other stuff, but it’s a very sensual, lovely track that I really enjoy!

God is a woman: No, if you haven’t heard this single yet, Ariana is not insinuating that God, as an entity, is a woman. I’ve had one or two people ask me about that, but no, that’s not the case. Ariana instead talks here about how the sexual pleasure he provides is so incredible, it will make you believe that she, a woman, is your God. Ariana once again leans toward a trap sound on this one but does so with some very soulful vocals, a really gorgeous hook, and some very ecstatic production. I love the catchy, upbeat percussion, there are some very cool guitar riffs, and even if it’s somewhat unconventional for Ariana, it’s an excellent-sounding single that’ll definitely stick with me in the future.

sweetener: The title track of this album deals with more themes of positivity, as Ariana talks about taking any stressful situation and adding some “sweetener” to it as a way of improving it and making it more positive. This one has another more hip-hop-influenced feel to it, with Ariana kind of rapping her way through the post-chorus (of course, not before providing very glorious vocals on the chorus itself). Ariana’s overall performance feels very sensual and energetic, and she meshes well with the trap percussion and electronic mixing on this one. It’s a song that has the feel of an older Ariana track with some very cool, new vibes as well, and it’s very successful for that.

successful: Speaking of the word "successful," uhh...this song! Something of a more braggadocious track, Ariana talks here about how happy she is to be young and successful, while also flipping it back to be a more positive message to her listeners, as a reminder that they are successful. This one has a more sunny feel to it that kinda feels like a number of 2010s pop songs, and the groovy bassline and bouncy percussion really add to the song. Ariana comes through with some very gorgeous vocal melodies as well, and while I wasn’t that crazy about the hook at first, it definitely grew on me as I continued to listen. I also love how some of the production actually feels like a video game (might seem like an odd comparison, but I felt some “Paper Mario” vibes while listening to it, honestly), and I think the way that mixes with Ariana’s vocals really drew me into this one and didn’t let me go.

everytime: Apparently one of Ariana’s favorite cuts on the album, this one talks about a more reckless love and infatuation to someone, and she sings about this over some more trap-infused production. It’s a darker-sounding track, but Ariana’s vocals up against the trap instrumentals actually feel like a welcome reprieve from a lot of the trap-rap that I hear these days. She sounds gorgeous over the very nocturnal keys, her vocal flow is very strong (she’s also got some great runs on this one as well), and naturally, she manages to create another very fantastic hook on this one. I know that some people might not be quite open to a song like this, as it is a bit strange to see Ariana go in the trap direction, but I’ll just say that I think she handles the trap-infused style better than a lot of these rappers that handle this style regularly.

breathin: A more personal song, Ariana sings on this one about the days where her anxiety makes her feel like she loses her energy to do things. As a man who battles with anxiety on a regular basis, I know all too well how that feels. And again, given that this one deals with themes of anxiety, it’s appropriate that some of the production is darker here, with darker keys and some more snappy percussion. Still, the song itself is very upbeat and danceable, and Ariana takes to this style well, coming through with very powerful vocals and a hook that really sticks in your head for all the right reasons. It’s another cut that feels like an amazing compromise between the upbeat feel that Ariana regularly goes for, while having very interesting, different-sounding production to keep it feeling fresh!

no tears left to cry: You know, after giving this song plenty of repeat listens, I’m a little shocked it wasn’t the opening track on the album. With the fact that it has the theme of Ariana “picking it up” after the Manchester attack, and the overall positive lyrics that speak of rejuvenation, I would’ve thought this would be the perfect song to start off the album with. Either way, I think this is an excellent slice of electro-pop that sees Ariana in top form as a vocalist. Right from the very angelic vocals she provides on the intro, Ariana shows that she’s not playing around, and the production is really strong: the very potent keyboard chords mesh well with the click-clack production on this one, and Ariana’s hook is one of her absolute strongest. Right from my first listen, I knew that Ariana created a bop with this single, and I think it’s already shown some impressive longevity. I really love it!

borderline (ft. missy elliott): Here, Ariana recruits the legendary Missy Elliott for a very bouncy, electro-pop/rap crossover song that’s dominated a lot by its very catchy, click-clacking percussion (that also includes cowbell! Nice!). Ariana comes through with some really catchy vocal melodies on this one, and that percussion I mentioned early is emphatic and very sticky as well. Beyond the percussion, though, there are some very cool, dreamy synths on this one, and Missy Elliot has some pretty solid flow on this one. Again, very different than Ariana’s other stuff, and it might take some getting used to for her fans, but I think it’s really infectious and exciting stuff!

better off: A track that narrowly ended up making the album, Ariana talks here about getting out of a toxic relationship, and she potentially references her former boyfriend Mac Miller. And playing to this sad topic of being in a toxic relationship, the song has a more somber feel, consisting largely of some very moody, thumping strings and a slower overall pace. The percussion is a bit more lowkey as well, and Ariana’s vocals stick into her lower range, but again, I think that fits in with the sad feel of the song. And again, I love the electronic production on this one, it really pulls me in and keeps me interested despite the song’s slightly shorter length.

goodnight n go: A cut that was heavily inspired by Imogen Heap’s “Goodnight and Go.,” this one once again mixes a few different genres, from trap to EDM (as it has something of a beat drop), but it blends them very well, and it mixes a number of Ariana’s feels, from occasionally being more upbeat and poppy, to being more minimal and allowing Ariana’s very breathy, gorgeous falsetto to take the spotlight. I like how this one blends so many feels and ideas together and turns them into such a catchy, vibrant song that never loses focus. A lot of times, when you try to blend as many ideas and genres like this one does, you run the risk of making the song feeling unfocused, but fortunately, this one definitely doesn’t. It’s actually a pretty fantastic cut altogether. I kind of hope Ariana releases it as a single, but even if she doesn’t, that doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of it.

pete davidson: Another short interlude (clocking in at 1:14), this is an ode to Ariana’s fiancé Pete Davidson, and in it, she talks about how happy he made her when he came into her life. Unlike the last interlude, this one actually has an instrumental to it (again, a trap-flavored one). Beyond the very sweet lyrical content, I do really love Ariana’s passionate vocals, as always, but I also think I’m drawn into this interlude thanks to its fantastic production, which consists largely of very pretty strings. There’s not a whole lot to unpack with it, but as a tribute to the love of Ariana’s life, it’s very nice!

get well soon: An appropriate lyrical finisher to an album that spreads positive messages, Ariana uses this song as a way to tell her listeners to take care of themselves, again subtly referencing the frame of mind that she was in in the wake of the Manchester attack, where her physical and psychological self were both heavily affected by the events of the attack. It’s the longest cut on the album (at 5 minutes and 22 seconds, an important detail we’ll bring up in a minute), and right from the start, I was loving the very jazzy feel of the song and the vibrant piano chords in the intro (oh, and the snaps are nice as well). Ariana’s vocals are very charismatic, and even if she goes to the start-stop flow on the hook that I’m not usually crazy about, she really sells it. It’s got a somewhat danceable vibe, especially when the trap drums kick in, and it once again feels like a compromise between the bouncy feel Ariana has built herself on with a great new twist to the production. And, referring back to the Manchester bombing, Ariana actually leaves the final 40 seconds silent as something of a dedication to the victims of the Manchester bombing, and while it seems unconventional, it’s actually fitting, as the song’s length of 5:22 matches the date of the bombing, May 22, or 5/22. It’s a really great, well-thought-out finisher to the album that doubles as a nice tribute and a great listen on its own.

Yep, I was blown away. Ariana Grande’s “Sweetener” was everything I wanted it to be and then some. Ariana takes on a number of different feels with this album (largely trap bangers), and while that may seem unconventional for a pop diva such as herself, she handles it with aplomb, crafting some very gorgeous, energetic, and infectious blends of pop, trap, and electronic music that feel like great mixes of her typical vibe as style, as well as a new, interesting sound. Her vocal chops remain on point as always, and she reminds us once again that she has an incredible ear for hooks as well. And from a lyrical standpoint, given that a number of the songs allude to the tragic Manchester bombing and see Ariana placing herself in a more positive state of mind, I can really appreciate that she can make songs that spread messages of positivity without feeling trite. I know a number of her fans might find the album a bit unconventional, and it might not be for everyone (I mean, I’m not sure how many of us expected someone like Ariana Grande to start putting out trap-inspired music), but I really hope her hardcore fans really give this thing a shot and really support what Ariana’s going for here, because I really think she’s putting out some of her best work with this album.

Ari, I said at the beginning of this review that I was ready to be blown away. Congratulations, you did it.

Favorite tracks: EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!!!

Least favorite tracks: DON’T COME AT ME WITH THAT, THIS ALBUM MADE ME TOO HAPPY FOR “LEAST FAVORITE” SONGS!!!!!

Rating: Excellent