2017, the weird year of political distress, independence as an option, an entirely evolving digital music world where artists were born for the new age.
Creative-ive chose to give our creatives an opportunity for their voice to be heard. They were brave enough to put down their thoughts on the album most impactful on their lives/culture this year. (They are in no particular order)
Enjoy the reviews. Please share it with those you love.
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We begin with the Saturation Trilogy
Saturation 1 - BROCKHAMPTON
The fascinating thing about a creative collective is the ability to see every individual’s contribution to the whole. Being a part of a creative group and still maintaining the voice that makes you, you isn’t just a feat but something to be admired. So for the 12 member Brockhampton boy band to seemingly come out of nowhere and drop this 17 track album uniquely constructed with fuck you heavy bangers and beautifully vulnerable songs as a debut album is nothing short impressive. Like reallyyyyyy impressive.
“I’ll break your neck so you can watch your back” is one of the furious rhymes Brockhampton lay down on the opening track that shows the pure aggression of the young collective. Lyrically, this album delivers haymaker type bars on all of its tracks.The album is reminiscent of the exciting power that the Wu-Tang brought on 36 Chambers (yea, I just said that. Brockhampton has the talent and balls to be THAT influential). However, as aggressive as several of these tracks are, this album brings to the table a flavor that doesn’t get discussed nearly enough. This album brings gives you sincere emotional honesty. On the standout track, Milk you get a moving personal account to what it means growing up and finding yourself. Not in the cliche travel to Rome, fall in love and find yourself way, but in the personal testimonies, the group tells all. The themes on this song are nothing short of amazing for anyone let alone a debut album; understanding letting go, coping with heartbreak, realizing you’re not okay, fearing losing the people you love, and ultimately moving forward with all those feelings in your heart and continuing on your path.
If you want an album you can relate to in a brutally sincere and genuinely furious capacity, do yourself a favor and spin this.
Saturation 2 - BROCKHAMPTON
Brockhampton, the boyband that flipped the game upside down and continuously impresses with consistency. The first one made people pay attention and while they did, quickly released a second album to cement their talents. This album propelled them into the masses and the ears of Tyler who booked them for his Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival. In the Brockhampton documentary, Kevin mentions capitalizing on the hype and to continue riding the Saturation wave with messages that compel their audience. To saturate with real messages in a world of processed music. This is what has caused this young generation to stan this group much like we did for Odd Future years ago.
Gummy, a five-letter word, begins the album where the rest are too, aside from the final track. Kevin Abstract starts off with the anger of not being appreciated enough despite his influence. He takes the perspective of a hater mentioning the fact he can’t rap and stays playing a role of high school loser yet he’s already in 20’s. Kevin’s self-awareness, as well as the rest of group, is incredibly impressive. Ameer Vann, the man on the album’s cover, starts off by saying he’s the king that deserves a crown made of thorns like Jesus. Dom McLennon says, “I could get shot in my back and they’d tell the world that I fought ‘em,” to which he’s referencing Michael Brown and the state of police in our country. He shows no fear in bringing such a touchy subject into his verse and make positive use of his platform.
The Rap God said, “let there be light”, and on that day, he united a boyband to save Hip-Hop.
Queer, Matt Champion expresses his insecurities about having no muscles which would often represent femininity in males. He talks about having to walk to work and mindlessly work for 8 hours. Now that he’s reaping some success as an artist he can’t stop, there’s no chance he’s going to vacation. Matt shares that he has depression and it is not erased by fame. Yet he will continue to grind at it. Merlyn Wood starts off by saying “fuck Dolce & Gabbana, racist mothersuckers tyna be my pana (partner),” this is such a rebellious take where most rappers would flaunt a brand, they’re taking shots at their non-sensitive advertising. “The Waco is far away, I don’t even mind, as long as you stay right here, right next to my side,” Kevin sings on the hook. They all seem to take perspectives of their rising fame and going away from their hometown of Waco in Texas. I feel the word queer is used in the context of weird, for their position in the rap game and being “radical” enough to think they can make it in music. If they remain a resilient support group for each other, they will continue to elevate themselves.
To me, the craziest part is the fact most of them met through KanyeToThe forum where they all decided to move to LA and start a boy band. On Jello, Kevin raps “met all my friends through Kanye West and I ain’t met him yet.” Ameer always raps about the duality of being a gangster/drug dealer to now garnering success through making records. He says, “turned rap into the new pop,” which is the best lyric of this song solely because of their desire to break the conventional stigmas on words such as boyband and what pop music is.
Teeth is an interlude which only features Ameer showcasing his personal dealings with racism and hardheadedness towards his mother. She only wanted him to excel by putting him in white schools where all he “learned” there was that he was different (by his skin color). He professes that Brockhampton will soon have stars on Sunset Boulevard. Reminiscent of Kanye West’s Homecoming line, Ameer leaves off with a shining piece of wisdom, “if you shooting for the stars, you only headed one way.”
Swamp entails their ability to “[fuck] commas up from the outside,” the outside is their place in rap where they’re still not being taken seriously. Merlyn, “never would’ve met my friends if not for satellites … luckily professor failed me at the proper time.” He has often expressed the leap of faith that he took moving to California with the rest of the group. The internet made them what they are, there’s magic in the connectedness of the web.
Tokyo themes around insecurity, regret, and past mistakes. Joba expresses his inner conflict of what-ifs in his life. They discuss the notion of what has you “shook” on a Saturday or any day.
Jesus is where Kevin’s talking about a toxic relationship. “Remember when I was trippin’ off some wack shit, when I thought the automatic had an answer?” Kevin says to himself. Often when we’re stuck in maniac depressive state we think that a gun or suicide will have the solution to our inner problems. But in hindsight, Kevin’s chuckling at how wack that problem was and his happiness of not taking his life.
Chick, Matt is honest with his purpose to make “loot” for himself while inspiring “some of you, to do what you do despite all the fuck you’s.” Those that are around you that don’t support you are often projecting their own insecurities. The message is to continue through all the hate because they won’t ever realize the vision until you’re “shitting on the toilet with Grammy’s in your lap.” Ameer raps about “[people] talk a lot of shit, in a safe place, aiming with they keyboard, they shootin’ up a case (uppercase).” He tweeted his anger about internet trolls and how it affects him due to insecurities.
Junky, Kevin wastes no moments in delving into the landscape of being a gay rapper. Kevin uses his platform to speak for those that can’t. “And for me to be onstage in front of that many kids and for them to be like, damn, I identify with this person – now they have a new hero that looks like them,” Kevin said in his interview for the Guardian. Matt uses his verse to discuss the notions of patriarchy and males power over women in feeling they owe us something (sexual favors). This is a beautiful idea that is often not present in a machismo culture that rap is. He calls for men to respect these women as individuals with choices in their actions. Women are humans too, not objects to stick our junk into.
Fight, Ameer states, “my male role models drug dealers and thugs,” wherein the black (minority) community rings true too loudly. He explains how he deserves to be hanged from trees like the rest of history by his teachers. Black people are “born with a target” which is stuck on their skin unable to be removed. Ameer understands that he will have to live with this for the rest of his life.
Sweet, my favorite track on the album starts off with Matt talking to his subconscious representative of his care-free/alter ego self. He expresses his successes or issues to which it replies to him. He asks himself questions that as a rising star should have it figured out based on the perception of fame. A big ego, girls flocking like seagulls, paying off your mom’s house so she can live comfortably for the rest of her life. The standout verse of the whole album hands down is Joba’s. His journey of leaving for LA with $300 dollars to his name, living off of Ramen, to now eating $500 dollar dinners not even having to pay. He reflects on his teacher’s hard instilled thoughts of having to go to college to be successful in life. His flashback to his Walkman days of listening to NSYNC that a desire to be Justin Timberlake inspired his dream. Ironically, what was the biggest boyband of possibly all time now has a new flame reaching for their spot: Brockhampton.
Gamba, off the hook, seems to be in the perspective a baby callin’ for their parents, trying to reach them only to trip and fall. The parent then asks them “what you gonna do when you older? What you gonna do when you grow?” This seems to be the running theme throughout the entire Saturation Trilogy, that they’re reaching for their dreams.
Sunny, the standout lyric is how now Ameer’s making clean money and working 7 days a week non-stop, “My daddy called me, said he seen my last video, looking at a young me, coulda had a heatstroke.” His father seemed to always nag him about being a respectable man and now he’s finally doing it. His father is proud of his success, reflecting on his younger self, he would have fainted.
Summer, the most beautiful song on the album with the vocals of bearface. With the production so elegant and its guitar sweet-sounding to that of Kanye West’s Gorgeous off My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Tells a story of summer love in the heat of it all, that person you meet that is so different from the rest.
Saturation 2, my personal favorite of the entire trilogy stands out to me as their official stamp in the rap industry to prove they were no creative fluke. Kevin Abstract has formed his “own dynasty” much like Def Jam, a total force in creativity. Not only as a boyband but as a record label, a media company/ad agency. There’s so much to be learned from this group and that there are no excuses for your potential success. It’s all a matter of how much you want it. “There’s also Apple, it started in a small room and it becomes this huge corporation. Basically, how I wanna be.” Kevin says in an interview with Fader. They’re not following a specific blueprint, they’re winging it and believing whole-heartedly in their visions. That ideal of friends lifting other friends up towards stardom. It inspires me, it makes me want to dream more, go after what I want. There are no excuses in the internet age of not taking hold of your dreams. You are who you surround yourself with. The people around you become the boiling pot of how you’re brewed for the world’s consumption. Surround yourself with dreamers, shoot your shot, in all directions because you don’t want to limit yourself to only one way.
Written by Erik De La Cruz
Saturation 3 - BROCKHAMPTON
If you don’t know who BROCKHAMPTON is by now, don’t worry, they’ll keep flooding the internet with content until you do. With their final installment in the Saturation Trilogy, the unorthodox collective has somehow managed to do the unthinkable; progressively improve each studio project within a year span.
Saturation III is by far the most enticing and diverse narrative from the LA based group. From the heavenly R&B falsetto on BLEACH, to the chaotic opening dance number in BOOGIE, this album offers a little bit of something for both casual listeners and All-American Trash stans alike.
With their latest work BROCKHAMPTON offers a more mature and vulnerable take on their music. Partnered with incredible production from members Romil, Q3 (Jabari & Kiko), and Bearface, the album serves to tackle taboo themes such as isolation, sexuality, and mental health. The track Sister/Nation stands out with first half production reminiscent of an early Odd Future. Here member JOBA, channels his inner Marshall Mathers with vocal stacks acting as multiple personalities. At the 3:51 mark the title production abruptly transitions into a synth and layer heavy canvass where members Ameer and Dom recite verses addressing societal normalities in adolescence and racial division.
In my personal opinion, BROCKHAMPTON member JOBA, completely stands out with his contributions to Saturation III. His versatile abilities include but are not limited to singing, songwriting, rapping, production, and engineering. Whether it be background vocals on STUPID, unorthodox cadences on ZIPPER, or production on TEAM, JOBA’s signature is somehow stamped on every Saturation III track.
I will admit when I heard that BROCKHAMPTON planned on releasing three studio projects in 2017, I was extremely skeptical. However, it is the end of December and I am currently sitting here writing a review for the biggest musical surprise of 2017. It’s become apparent that with creative direction led by Kevin Abstract, non-replicable chemistry, and unconventional practices, BROCKHAMPTON has all eyes on them for 2018.
Standout Tracks: SISTER/NATION, BLEACH, JOHNNY
“It seems I’m destined to fall apart when I’m depressed, it’s all a test, scream at God from my bedside, I glue my hands together, life’s got me hog-tied.”
The opening lines of Laila’s Wisdom, Rapsody’s Grammy-nominated second studio album, echo the popular phrase of Miami’s larger-than-life DJ Khaled. However, when it comes to making classic albums, her goal isn’t just “another one.” On this album, named after her maternal grandmother, Rapsody sets her sights on making it “a better one” than her last, and she succeeds with gusto.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Rapsody has been killing it for years. Anyone who’s heard her rhyme knows that she can hang with the best. Just take a listen to her standout verse on Kendrick Lamar’s “Complexion (A Zulu Love).” One listen to that verse and anyone can see that she’s a star. She deserves all the recognition for her lyrical ability, complexity, wordplay, and depth. One play-through of a Rapsody verse is not enough; her lyrics are those that you must go back and listen to repeatedly to fully grasp the triple-entendres and flips that she laces in her stories.
Now that we’ve established her past, let’s talk about the present, especially as it relates to the gift of an album we were blessed with this year. Before even listening to the album, a look at the production credits for this project should let you know that this is something special. 9th Wonder’s contributions to this project cannot be overstated. It’s common knowledge that this man is an absolute legend and beast when it comes to his samples and chops, but this work is something special. 9th and Rapsody have a musical bond that dates back to her signing with his indie label It’s A Wonderful World Music Group back in 2008 and it’s clear as day on this album. He’s credited as a producer on 9 of the album’s 14 tracks (7 of those being solo); this goes a long way in making a project that’s both lyrically AND sonically cohesive.
It’s hard to pick out some of my favorite songs on this project, seeing as how they’re all fantastic, so I’ll just go straight through. The title track of the album is a powerful opening over a sample of Aretha Franklin’s “Young, Gifted, and Black.” Rapsody sets the tone early on, that we’re about to be blessed with the lessons of her grandmother she carefully laced throughout the album. “Power” is easily a standout track, outside of Kendrick and Lance Skiiiwalker’s assists to Rapsody’s musings of power, both external and internal. “Chrome (Like Ooh)” has one of the BEST beat switches I’ve heard all year, outside of DUCKWORTH (produced by 9th, unsurprisingly.) Producers Khrysis and Ka$h Don’t Make Beats both knocked that one out of the park, and continue the flow beautifully into “Pay Up.” On this song, Rapsody creates a tale of two gold-diggers, both female and male, the latter a flip on the common view of women as opportunists in the music industry.
Ridin’ is a come-down from the upbeat pace of the previous track. It’s smooth and silky, something that you can spark one up to and ride around your hood with your friends, contemplating your places in life. This song comes with another gorgeous beat switch, featuring a Busta Rhymes sample (more on him in a bit) that switches the scene to a house party that gets rolled up on by the cops. Rapsody promises to turn down the volume, only to turn it right back up as soon as the doors close in direct and unapologetic defiance. This is a party for Rapsody and her friends to unwind from daily strife, and she’ll be damned if a cop kills the vibe.
Now I’ll admit, though I didn’t feel the vibe on “Sassy” that much, it’s still an amazing track, and I wholly understand that it’s not for me. By that, I mean that this is a track of empowerment, especially for women; this is evident in the references to Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise.” Rapsody uses her words to continue the message of the original: that she is going to thrive at being exactly who she wants to be, regardless of whether or not others find it offensive (and if you do, the 1950’s is where you can take ALL of your seats). The album continues into “Nobody,” with features in the forms of Moonchild and Anderson .Paak’s gorgeous vocals and Black Thoughts always stellar words of wisdom.
In the interest of brevity, I’m going to skip ahead a couple tracks, but not without mentioning Busta Rhymes’ feature on “You Should Now.” It’s gorgeous and makes you just want to love your significant other with all of your heart. The contrast of his trademark gruff with the sensitivity and passion that he feels for this woman is perfection and is capped off by the final lines and chuckle that he delivers.
“A Rollercoaster Jam Called Love” is a special song; Rapsody starts off talking to a lover about her need for space, but not too much of it. She wants to strike the perfect balance of love with this person, where they can both be themselves while still enjoying their time and bond together. She knows that it’s not an easy task, but also knows that the work it takes is necessary to maintain the healthy relationship. 9th’s transitions on this track mirror the ups and downs of a relationship; not every day is the best, and it’s necessary to be okay with letting things slow down at times to really build a life-long partnership. The track closes out with the couple splitting, and the breakup is solidified on “U Used 2 Love Me.”
“Knock on My Door” finds Rapsody telling the story of her pining for a neighbor of hers, wishing that he would come and knock on the door of her life and let her take care of the rest. It’s the feeling that we’ve all felt before; your mind’s imagination runs through all the possibilities of how you and your crush will finally get together. The final verse plays out as an imaginary conversation with this new boo, revealing Rapsody’s imagination of what the vibe would be like between the two.
.Paak returns for “OooWee,” injecting his signature vocals to bring an extra helping of soul into this track where Rapsody talks that talk in full glory. She knows she’s got the juice and isn’t willing to let the people know that she’s a boss.
And now, the final track, “Jesus Coming.” This song is something special. 9th’s simple loop with minimal percussion gives the song space to let the emotion of Amber Navran’s vocals seep through before Rapsody begins her tale of loss. The first verse seems to be from the perspective of someone dying of an overdose after being peer-pressured to partake in drugs/alcohol/etc. The background “Time to Go Home” sample replays throughout, which Rapsody incorporates into her lyrics. The second verse is from the perspectives of a mother and a daughter who are shot and killed in a park by stray gunfire stemming from a nearby argument. The mother notices the men escalated tensions and tries to leave but it’s too late, and Rapsody provides their final words as they lay dying. In the final verse, Rapsody closes out the song from the perspective of two dead soldiers on opposite sides of the same war, drawing the parallels in the two and how they were more alike than they could have imagined. She injects raw emotion into each of the verses, changing up the delivery perfectly to make each of the stories hit home, regardless of your background.
This album was criminally under-appreciated by the masses this year, and I believe this is largely because of the sheer quantity of music that was released in 2017. Though it’s easy for great bodies of work to get lost in the sauce, this album does not deserve that fate. This is an album that deserves to be recognized as the best album of the year.
Laila’s Wisdom will be a classic that will be talked about for years to come, and I’m excited to see Rapsody continue to grow and build a career that will see her go down as one of the all-time greats of hip-hop.
Written by Lewis Holloway
Digital Druglord - Blackbear
My favorite album of the year comes from the artist by the name of blackbear. One where the central themes of women and drugs are prevalent but he’s still able to convince the listener into feeling for him. Making you feel what he feels, whether it be lust, betrayal, or feeling numb. Digital Druglord does just that. Whether you put yourself in his shoes or you tie in his lyrics to your own life, emotions will be felt. So, in essence, the act of feeling and feeling nothing, are the main drive in the creation of this album. The inner struggle with drugs, being taken advantage of, and not being able to love is broad but connects to plenty of hearts. Feelings of bitterness and a sense of hopelessness are stained in each track and will leave you alone to wonder if you could be able to cope with such a lifestyle and self-reflect. Sonically, it comes together elegantly with Blackbear’s vocals layered on top of each other with melodic and catchy beats. It’s an album that’s worth to be listened to with an open mind, there is at least something you can take away personally from this project.
if i could i would feel nothing, stands out as the outlying track that sums up the album and puts a whole new meaning to being numb. It’s a song you play when nothing seems to be going your way or when life feels like in a cycle you cannot change. Blackbear is his most vulnerable on this track, from lyrics from, “Mixed prescriptions, bad decisions, world is cold and life’s not fair,” to “I’ve been prayin’ they won’t find me, laying somewhere in a ditch,” blackbear is having trouble accustoming to his newfound stardom.
Written by Kevin De La Cruz
Flower Boy - Tyler, The Creator
Out of all the albums that came out this year, I would have to say that amongst the group Flower Boy by Tyler the Creator stuck out to me the most. As someone who has listened to Tyler from his early on cockroach eating days in his video for Yonkers, Tyler has come a long way with Flower Boy. This album as a whole is as bright as it’s album art and in my opinion a true artistically defining moment for Tyler. Tyler expressed that after his performance at his festival Camp Flog Gnaw he was glad to no longer had to perform Yonkers which was the song that got him on the map. He believed he had enough great songs on his album to retire that song from his performances, he was glad that he could finally be himself and not the crazy Tyler everyone expects him to be. In Flower Boy, there are 14 tracks each their own work of art. What stuck out to me about this album is that each song is catchy in their own way, each song has a hook that almost everyone can sing along to examples being “Run it, run it, run it, run it I rock, I roll, I bloom, I glow (I glow)” from Where This Flower Blooms or “who dat boy, who him is” from Who Dat Boy and “ boredom, boredom, boredom, boredom” from his song Boredom with Rex Orange County and Anna Of The North, to name a few. However, the song that sticks out to me the most was Where This Flower Blooms which featured Frank Ocean. The song is essentially a story talking about his early beginnings about living at his grandmother’s house and having to sleep on the floor due to having no bed. There were nights where he had nothing to eat but had supportive friends that would let him stay at their place and cook for him, which he saw as his second family. He talks about how the Rent-a-Center, a furniture store known for allowing payment plans would call and show up to his home for repossession of the items due to lack of payments. However, now he can afford luxuries such as expensive cars which is something he brings up numerous times in the album.
“Now I skrrt, skrrt, skrrt, skrrt, in toys I only dreamed that I could afford, now I roll through Okaga”
In that he means that he can now drive his expensive cars he dreamt about through Okaga which has been speculated to be a place where Tyler can be free to do whatever he wants due to the success he has worked so hard for throughout the years. In the hook, he says “I rock, I roll, I bloom, I grow (I glow)” which to me means his progression as an artist, Tyler has truly bloomed from this album which may be the reason he named the album Flower Boy. He is not only seen as a rapper but a true creative. Tyler has come far from his early days of sleeping on the floor to being a rapper, record producer, music video director, and now designer of his own brand. Flower Boy truly captured his growth and I believe is a true representation of who Tyler Okonma truly is.
Written by Stephanie Salas
Cozy Tapes Vol.2: Too Cozy - A$AP MOB
Grab your surfboards, A$AP MOB making waves again!
The second installation of A$AP’s Cozy Tapes was released as part of “The AWEGEST” campaign which saw the release of Asap Ferg’s Still Striving, Twlevyy’s album 12 and the unveiling of a website, awgeshit.com, a home base created by The Mobs influences in music fashion and culture. Back to the album haha
Cozy’s intro is a roast session among teens, in a bus on the way to Yamborghini High, letting you know A$AP is about to take you to school. The engineering is top of the line. Contributions from A-listers Hit-Boy, RZA, and Hector Delgado (an A$AP staple) deliver intoxicating posse cuts: Perry Aye and What Happens mixed in with tracks that make you want to spazz out like the Bahamas, Please Shut Up, and of course Feel So Good. Along with producers comes a bevy of featured artists (Jaden Smith, Gucci Mane, Frank Ocean etc…) who know the standard, and drop verses that exude confidence and challenge each other to prove who has the sauce, no one is just collecting a check here. The definite standouts on the album are Playboi Carti age 20 at the time of release age and Smooky MarGielaa age 15. 15!! Each deserve a rookie of the year award for hanging with veterans and not skipping a beat. Those honorable mentions shed light on the fact that the A$AP brand shows all the signs of growth for the future, consistency, and no slowing down. From its inception in Harlem to its blog on Tumblr led by A$AP Yams {R.I.P} to its rise in power from rap crew to Monolith, A$AP Mob has cemented itself as a pillar in Hip-Hop. Evident as the leaders in music fashion and whatever else they put their hands on, A$AP is going to continue to push boundaries influence and inspire the future generations as they are doing now. Wrapping up the album, the message for “shit is real out here love each other lift each other up … do whatever you want but you can’t change this fucked up world if you’re dead.” Always Strive And Prosper. Insert wave emojis xxx
JJ Project did a comeback after 5 years on July 2017 with the most beautiful and meaningful album I’ve ever heard this year.
“Tomorrow, Today” the song title talks about how people between 20-25 go
through a phase where they are lost and don’t know what to do with their life. I believe many people can relate to this song because nowadays a lot of young adults are facing this in their lives where they’re lost and want to give up, where they expect people to take them and guide them when the reality is that you have to look for yourself and have to find your own path. All the songs have meaningful lyrics talking about life, relationships, and friendship.
You can definitely feel the meaning of the songs and not only the lyrics, the music is amazing with vibes of R&B and Soul that can make you feel at peace and happy.
The mission of JJ Project was to make a beautiful and meaningful album to help us find our way and they achieved it because thanks to this album I feel like I’m not the only one facing a lot of things. Even if it’s in Korean you should take a time to listen (and look up for the translations of the songs of course) I assure you this album will help you find your way.
Written by Carolina Maddox
Tell Me You Love Me - Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato, the prized Disney starlet, comes back in 2017 with a vengeance to be respected by the world, she’s gracefully singing to the world to tell her they love her, and she’s not sorry for it. Through her YouTube Red documentary, you see her story of this albums process and it’s both wonderful and alarming.
Tell Me You Love Me, the title track tells a story of insecurities, needing to have a significant other in her life, and the need to fill that void within her. She’s vulnerable in her flaws and the strong urge to keep this relationship intact. From the infatuation driven honeymoon relationship of Sexy Dirty Love, she seems to be exploring her sexuality casually with others till finally finding one that drives her crazy in the best ways.
You Don’t Do It For Me Anymore, tells a story of her breaking up with her past-self filled with addictions and an eating disorder. Often, we feel bad for ourselves and expect pity from external sources, she finally picks herself up and decides enough is enough. To leave a lover is one thing, but to rip apart a past version of yourself is the most difficult breakup anyone can ever have. To want to grow and unlearn all these past agreements instilled in ones mind it brutal and excruciating mentally.
Daddy Issues, she explores the duality of effects a father leaving a daughter emotionally drained at an early age could do in her future relationships. She expresses the fact she’s in love with broken men with commitment issues - a tough reality to admit. “You’re the man of my dreams, cause you know how to leave,” just like her father, she longs to find that in her soulmate. No matter how shitty he treats her, “lucky for [him]” she’s got daddy issues and will stay doing whatever he wants to keep him from leaving forever – like her father.
She insists jumping the boundary of having a platonic relationship to “Ruin the Friendship.” She talks about the sexy, fun, and a bit scandalous idea of wanting to hook up with a close friend or best friend. In what is a continuation of the last song, she expresses her strong desire to fill voids in Only Forever, giving that person a lifetime of chances. She’s firm in her request only to say that she’ll wait no matter how long it takes for them to be together.
Lonely and Crybaby showcase her effects of being left heartbroken to a lover she gave her all to. Demi seems to contradict herself throughout the album which is the foundation of humans. Lonely is Demi longing for her past lover yet continuously chasing love in hollow one-night stands. Crybaby shows her stubbornness to claim she isn’t one but admits that this lover really hit her heart where she had no choice but to weep. Those that hold themselves to be invincible emotionally when they do fall, they crash hard.
Games, in a digital age with Tinder and Bumble, relationships have become sort of a game to score. Technology has enhanced our ability to have options while simultaneously flooding our tear ducts with more hurt. Left on read, no double texting, late night “wyd” texts - all a result of lack of communication.
Occasionally through this harsh world, you meet a fantastic lover that can leave you scavenging for water and the inability to "Concentrate” after sex. She is so awestruck by the performance she’s willing to do anything and be a sex slave. I appreciate Demi’s ability to be so confident in her sexual urges without feeling shamed.
Demi from heartbreak to taking romantic risks in going on adventures with someone she trusts. Hitchhiker, tells a story of just going along for the ride and not overthinking all the labels people tend to put on relationships. She’s young, sexy, and confident. She has every right to be vulnerable while taking the risk at this new love that’s driving her wild.
I wanted to shed light on this beautiful album. She truly wowed me with her vulnerabilities, contradictions that make her human despite her celebrity, and flaws in self that make her, her. Although it was Grammy snubbed, it deserves to be recognized as a coming of age masterpiece. She uses her platform to tell girls it’s okay to be recklessly confident in yourself, it’s okay to rely on a lover and needing them, it’s okay to show weakness in this maddening hookup culture. She’s fearless in her desire to want to be heard for who she is. There’s duality in love, the good and bad will always be there and no human can be perfect. Neither is Demi, so give it a listen, and go tell her you love her.
Written by Erik De La Cruz
Harry Styles - Harry Styles (Self-titled)
If there is one thing to be true about the year 2017, it is that it has been one hell of a year for music. Harry Styles is definitely in my top 10 albums of the year and I was hesitant to listen to him at first since I was never a huge fan of One Direction. Let me tell you, I was completely wrong. Get ready to transport back to the 60′s with this funky rock and roll inspired album. There is a song for every mood and every song is a fresh new take on some of your favorite classic bands. On the contrary, Harry isn’t afraid to be vulnerable with this album, and you hear this in acoustic songs like Two Ghosts, Sweet Creature. His voice on melodic ballads of piano and guitar makes my heart melt and I am definitely all up in my feels when it comes to these songs. I love that the acoustics are balanced with fun and quirky rock songs like Kiwi and Carolina. You can catch me blasting these playful numbers in my car with my best friend belting out all the words. The energy is amazing and none of these songs ever get old.
The songs that spoke out to me the most would probably have to be Sign of the Times or From the Dining Table. Sign of the times is such a successful single that I believe goes into how hard and dark life can be. We have all felt lost and hopeless but we still have to keep moving forward. Our life here on Earth is very short lived and we go through many experiences but we all end up in the same place. This is a heavy song yet beautifully written and recorded. It showed us all a side of Harry that he kept hidden. He has grown so much since he first started his career. Harry’s From the Dining Table hits such a chord with me I don’t know if it’s because of his soft voice on a beautiful guitar piece or the simple yet powerful lyrics of being stuck in the middle of a love triangle. It is just the perfect way to end the album. He uses a symphony to break the bridge, which just emphasizes how perfectly layered his songs are. All of the different sounds and instruments give you the perfect listening experience. I would say this album is best heard in your headphones while walking out on the town, but that isn’t to say that you can’t listen to it all the way through on a nice long drive.
There is a song for every mood that you’re in, and it really shows how eclectic Harry is in his own music. Harry definitely proved to be such a great and charismatic solo artist and I am dying to hear what else he comes up with next. The nostalgia this album brings is just the icing on the cake. Whether you are a 13-year-old fanatic or an adult who was growing up during the greatest rock age of all time, this album is a go to. It’s nice to see how many different styles Harry has up his sleeves. If there is any music I am looking forward to in 2018, it is Harry’s next album. Don’t wait another minute, go stream Harry Style’s debut album right after you read this article, I promise you won’t regret one thing!
Written by Whitney Paramore
SweetSexySavage - Kehlani
We all have them and we all deal with them every single day. Some in healthy ways, and in other ways not so much. We constantly search for ways to cope with our feelings and it’s not always easy trying to find something that will help get you through. SweetSexySavage was that album for me and that’s why I think it was one of the top albums of 2017.
Released on January 27, Kehlani’s debut studio album SweetSexySavage is a project that dropped so early in the year that it sometimes doesn’t get the credit it deserves. But if you take the time to listen and digest each track on this album, you’ll hear and feel the care and dedication paid to each song and understand the effort that went into making each song its own unique musical journey.
Kehlani’s strength lies in her most endearing quality; her relatability. Gay, straight, tatted-up, male or female it does not matter. She WILL have a song for you.
When the project first dropped and the title of the album was revealed it reminded of something but I couldn’t figure it out right away. After considering it a little bit, Kehlani drew inspiration for the album’s title from TLC’s classic cut CrazySexyCool.
And as a fan of 90’s R&B, she did an excellent job of drawing on older inspiration while curating a project that stayed true to her new sound that she nails so effortlessly. “Too Much” from the jump gives off those classic R&B vibes that make you wanna sing and dance like you’re in a 90’s music video. Producer Jahaan Sweet absolutely bodied this beat and it allowed for Kehlani’s lyricism and confidence to shine through for one of the highlight tracks off this album.
Speaking of confidence, Miss Parrish does little to dissuade from the idea that’s she’s lacking any. Songs like “Escape”, “Distraction” and “CRZY” all highlight Kehlani’s brash nature but they’re unique because they are all done in different ways.
“Escape” could be related to the Sweet portion of this album. It almost sounds like a ballad but after listening to the lyrics you realize it’s a woman who wants to be with someone, but not at the expense of either persons’ goals or personal happiness. She doesn’t want anything long-term; she simply asks “baby, can we, Escape?”
“Distraction” keeps the emphasis on the short term in a very sexy way. The Grammy-nominated track does not shy away from keeping things “100” in this type of situation. Making it very clear that she’s not looking for anything serious. “Are you down to be, a distraction?” is an ode to all of us who have felt at one time or another that a relationship isn’t something I probably want to have with this person, but I wouldn’t mind having a little fun with this person either. I would also strongly recommend you watch the music video for this song if you haven’t already. It furthers highlights the sexuality Kehlani wanted to evoke in the song while giving off an early Destiny’s Child vibe with all the creative set pieces throughout the video. Definitely one of my favorite videos and songs for the year.
“CRZY” was the lead single that dropped for the album and it let you know right away that she wasn’t going to just rest on her laurels after coming off a Grammy-nominated mixtape You Should Be Here. The song is as savage as it gets. The song is filled with lyrics that let you know that she is a force and will be around for the long haul so you better get used to it. She lets you know from the beginning of the record that “I got it, and you goin respect it” and if you have any questions about who she is, she’ll be straight up and tell you “If I gotta be a bitch, Ima be a bad one”.
Like all of us, however, we all don’t feel confident 24/7. We have our moments of insecurity and feelings of vulnerability and she has songs like “Advice” and “In My Feelings” that connect to that.
“Advice” can hit home with almost anyone who listens to it; a relationship has gone wrong, leaving one with lingering questions as to why it didn’t work out the way we thought it would. “How is the man of my dreams, not a man of his words?” is a line that people who have felt wronged in relationships can immediately gravitate to. However, Kehlani does offer a silver lining. Even with all the hurt that this relationship has brought, she makes it known that “it’s time to take my own advice” and sometimes that’s all most of us really need. We’ve all had times where we’ve given other people relationship advice but when it comes to ourselves, the answers don’t appear so easily. Kehlani let’s you know that you’ve been hurt, but now it’s time to get up, move on and start taking your own advice.
“In My Feelings” piggybacks off of the idea of confused thoughts and temporary feelings. Kehlani keeps the relatable lyrics going with “and I don’t know why I’m even still here…why do I feel this? I’m in my feelings”. At some point, there has been that person in your life that you felt you had some sort of connection with and even with the signs saying you shouldn’t keep messing with this person, something about that person keeps you interested in them. Kehlani’s right there with you; saying you’re not the only one probably holding on to something that really isn’t there.
We could go into the production and the lyrics for hours and hours when it comes to this album. Don’t get me wrong, they’re all top notch and the quality is outstanding. But it all circles back to one main reason why we listen to music. To help us feel a certain type of way. Very few artists today can pull off that feat with such style, confidence, and passion the way Kehlani can. I know that when I’m feeling depressed, ecstatic, hurt or happy I can throw on a Kehlani song and immediately know that there is someone out there who is feeling what I’m feeling and can relate to what I’m going through. As you listen to Kehlani’s incredible voice and captivating lyrics bump through your speakers, be ready to feel all types of emotions from one the best singers we have in our generation today. It won’t take long for you tell why SweetSexySavage was one of the best albums of 2017.
Written by Leonard Pinckney
Soft Sounds From Another Planet - Japanese Breakfast
The human experience is one akin to that of a celestial being. It feels like it is out of the scope of our minds, and not meant to be understood. After all, humans are just animals burdened with this consciousness. The word burdened is used intentionally here because that is what it is. Sure, humanity is what it is because of it, but this anxiety about existence, is draining. It is obscenely frightening. It is suffocating, entrancing, engrossing, claustrophobic. To many, the mere thought of it drives them to temporary insanity. Being a human is not easy. Navigating the social constructs erected by humans of the past is exhausting. It is fucking confusing. Things like love, death, and sex make up the most polarizing facets of being a human, and they deserve to be celebrated and analyzed. It feels almost mundane to not worry about what else is beyond us. It feels like we are doing the world a disservice by not understanding our existence or purpose. The beauty of it is being able to revel in the human experience of others, and music is a perfect medium to share experiences like these through. Music is such an easy way to connect because there are no words that can explain abstract concepts such as those in any succinct way. Human vocabulary just cannot convey such specific and complicated information.
Michelle Zauner, also known as Japanese Breakfast, aims to ease your anxiety about life in her new LP, Soft Sounds from Another Planet, where she covers everything from femininity and self-love, to the duality of humans and their actions. Michelle communicates her experience and masterfully crafts an epiphany-inducing sonic journey that will take your breath away upon first listen, and demand many, many more subsequent ones. This album came at a perfect time for me. 2017 was the year of loss, change, disappointment, and heartbreak. 2017 was the year where I felt that everything I was sure about was utterly wrong. It was the year I got lost. Lost in my thoughts. Lost in the past. Lost in the future. Lost in the world. This album, however, has left seeds of hope and happiness in the voids where there were only encroaching voids of endless despair.
The first single on the LP, Machinist, details falling in love with a robot. This track is filled with sweeping synths and Michelle’s voice is obfuscated with an impressive layer of auto-tune, which is a joy to listen to. It is a sci-fi narrative that comes together to materialize an upbeat, jazzy nu-disco track that will make you want to dance until you listen to the lyrics and realize how the love portrayed in this track mirrors what love feels like between humans. To me, this song is about loving a “robot”. Not necessarily a real robot, but someone who is cold, and does not have your best interests at the forefront of their minds. To me, it is about loving someone selfish, and no matter what, they have “total control”, as the monotonous voice in the song professes. It seems almost inevitable when in love, however, one person is always going to care more, and the one that cares less ultimately has all the power in the relationship. To me, that is why this track is so powerful. We tend to forget that sometimes, and we need to realize love is about more than you. Love is not about control, love is about nurturing your partner and yourself. This track is a cautionary tale to those in love to not lose focus, and become a “robot,” because sometimes we become robots inadvertently in our daily lives.
The next single, Boyish, details a scene of jealousy, and self-consciousness. Where Zauner shows the unhealthy side of jealousy and the irrationality of it all. More importantly, however, she shows the humanity in it. She really emphasizes the fear of being unwanted by the one you love. It evokes such a commanding tone of self-deprecation and self-hatred. Michelle belts out lyrics like, “So here we are, we’re just two losers/I want you and you want something more beautiful”, where you can feel the disappointment in her voice. You can feel the hurt. If you know the feeling, your heart will sink and you’ll be brought back to the time when your own insecurities absolutely tore you apart and made you feel unloved by your significant other, over something seemingly insignificant. This track is so clever because, at the end, we realize she is feeling this way because he had looked at a waitress in the restaurant they were at and she felt like she was inferior to her. I think it just shows how sensitive, and irrational we become when it comes to love, and when it comes to being sure of ourselves. It shows the fragility of the perception of ourselves, and how easy anger and jealousy can completely take over at times. Humans tend to lose control when they feel like what is theirs is threatened, in this case, it is feeling like the other person is theirs. It seems like these kinds of attachments are unnecessary and only cause suffering, might it be a necessary evil? Maybe.
The third and final single off the album, Road Head, is an upbeat, guitar-filled romp about trying to save a dying relationship. In this track, Zauner recalls a moment where she did what seemed like a last-ditch effort to save a relationship through something wildly sexual, such as, road head. Listening to her speak about this experience is heartbreaking because she obviously was so deeply in love with this person, she would’ve done anything to save the dying relationship. Ultimately though, it was for the best, as she mentions that this person was abusive and told her that she would never make it in the music business. Again, this just holds to what was shown in the first single about being the one who cares more in a relationship, the other person has all the power and you’d do almost anything to save it. The feeling of unwanted-ness seems almost inevitable for one side. This song is important because it ends with her running away and chasing her dreams, which to me really resonates with the period of growth most people try to chase after heartbreak, which is the most important part. The growth.
To me, one of the most powerful tracks is called, 12 Steps, which is about Zauner’s own experience in ending in a relationship, where she had met the love of her life in a bar while she was dating someone else at the time. Michelle says this song is somewhat an apology to that person, but I think it really explains what goes on when love has run its course. Sometimes love ends, and sometimes we need to move on and find our own way. Changes like these are devastating but sometimes necessary. That is the message this track speaks to, and to me, it is relieving, from either side.
The rest of the album visits themes like surviving trauma and dealing with death. The track, The body is a blade, talks about moving on with your life even as your mental state deteriorates. To me, it really shows the disconnect between the physical world and your mental world. No matter what happens to you, the world is going to keep moving, and your body is going to keep moving. What needs to happen is your mind needs to catch on and you need to allow yourself to move along with the world.
This album is a guiding light. It is cathartic. It is enlightening. It is raw emotion from another human, that has been distilled into pure musical bliss. It conveys the lowest feelings that we can ever feel but leaves you with the hope to recover. To me, that is beautiful.
Written by Eduardo Escoto
Luv Is Rage 2 - Lil Uzi Vert
Lil Uzi Vert. The Stephen Curry of rap. In my opinion, Lil Uzi is talented but substance and culturally he has adapted to the typical mumble rap that is today where everyone raps about is bitches, money, jewelry, cars, drugs. Uzi in LUV IS RAGE 2 does follow this path but he shows glimpses of actual talent in his songs.
Dark Queen:
Lil Uzi in this song talks about how he is an artist and rappers in all generations get swallowed by the industry and change. Mostly for the bad with substance and crime. He talks about how his mom was worried that he will spend time in jail and he promises he will wash up and show his mom that he wants to stay true to himself and his family despite having this high class and famed lifestyle. When I heard this song while just playing this album in the background of me playing basketball this sounded very different from all the other songs he had in this album. I could tell he really poured extra time and effort on this song and other songs which I’ll get to.
The Way Life Goes:
This is personally my favorite song on the album and maybe even from all of Uzi’s music. This song sampled landslide by oh wonder. I think Uzi took the part that reflects more with what he was going through and which was heartbreak. He talks about his ex-girlfriend Brittney. And how their relationship seemed so promising and that there was a side of Uzi that he really wanted to change to “that perfect companion” to her because she deserved that and she was the only person he wanted to change for but to let go of the lifestyle he had aspired to chase his entire life was too hard to give up especially after just obtaining it and grasping the industry at such a young age. He hints at getaway vacations he had with Brittney like in Hawaii where they were already in serious talks of full commitment. But because of him still wanting to keep the Rockstar lifestyle she left him for a man who was fully committed to her. Which is something he couldn’t give but meant the most to her, not the money. Then Uzi really realized he’s missing something that he can’t buy with money. Which is true love that he can offer and fully commit to one. He continues to hint that he’s still heartbroken through most of the songs on the album which is called LUV IS RAGE 2 for a reason.
Pretty Mami:
Pretty Mami isn’t the most relevant song to my main point of the side of Uzi that he really pours into love. But in pretty Mami, Uzi found a girl in the coast. Not clear where but he says, “Spanish girl named Rosa and she from the coast”. He states that this girl is a temporary hold for the hole that that is empty in his heart that used to belong to Britney. This girl was pretty, nice, good but he misses even how Brittney would tell him when he’s wrong so he learns from that. He prefers that than “a yes-women” who agrees and just goes along with what Uzi wants instead of telling him when he’s wrong to make him a better person. Now, the most popular song on the album and of Uzi’s career.
XO TOUR Llif3:
This song not only is good but Uzi pulls in different parts of what’s going on in his life into this one song. In this song, Uzi really goes into the lonely life that he has now. He has everything he needs but he truly doesn’t have any “friends” he refers to his friends as the faces on dollar bills as his only friends that never change because of his fame. He hints at his ex-girlfriend Brittney in here in the chorus saying how she was suicidal because the way Uzi treated her during the end of their relationship while she tried to make it last but Uzi clearly had other things that were more important at the time than her. The way his relationship ended with her truly made him turn to drugs to help numb the pain that he’s feeling. And because of that, the drugs led him to other drugs that turned him suicidal and really contemplated about “blowing his brains out”. In the music video of this song, you see the satanic side of him showing that he sold his soul to the devil or he just truly vows to Lucifer which he mentions multiple times in this album. His girlfriend admitted that she wasn’t afraid to kill herself no matter what happened throughout the outcome of their relationship which stuck in the back of Uzi’s mind that he felt bad for making her go through that. And almost led him to do the same and was only “pushing him to the edge of suicidal”.
Overall this album was my favorite throughout the year. The beats in this album were crazy and I saw a side of Uzi that I never knew existed and I really like that from him and I hope to see more of this side from him because I really enjoy this side of him and some of my favorite songs from him are his heartbreak songs.
Written by Anthony Pantoja
Miguel has long been one of the premiere R&B singers. If there’s any detriment to Miguel’s ability as an artist, it’s that he arrived on the scene around the same time as Frank Ocean and The Weeknd. However with neither of the latter releasing an individual album during 2017 (although you could argue Frank Ocean’s singles were arguably better than many albums this year) Miguel is given space to show off one of the best voices in music. In Miguel’s 4th solo album, War & Leisure, he finds the perfect balance between of upbeat Pop/R&B and dark brooding guitars that contrast the album.
The first four songs of Miguel’s War & Leisure are some of his best work as an artist. This quarter of the album plays out like waking up the morning after a nostalgic, buzzed night.
On Miguel’s opening track “Criminal,” brooding, dusty guitar riffs blend seamlessly with Miguel’s voice before it gives way to one of Rick Ross’ better verses in recent memory.
“Pineapple Skies” (my favorite track on the record) sounds like a fusion of tropical house and funk. This track also showcases the incredibly wide range of Miguel’s singing ability and, in my mind, further cements him as one of the best active singers in modern music.
“Sky Walker” is probably Miguel’s most popular track from War & Leisure and for good reason. The chemistry between Miguel and Travi$ Scott is unmistakable. Perfectly complimenting each other in a way that almost sounds like Miguel doing a Travi$ Scott impersonation in his own unique way and vice versa.
The album takes a darker turn as soon as we come to track 5 “Wolf,” with a song that sounds all too familiar for Miguel. Heavy uses of distorted guitars and Miguel’s cadence on this track give off a punk 50’s crooner feel to the song.
“Harem” is another highlight of the album and in my opinion, one of the smoothest songs Miguel has made to date. From the slow drum beat, spacey guitar riffs, and Miguel’s ability to switch his pitch at moment’s notice this is a near perfect track in my mind.
The only song that feels out of place from a cohesion standpoint is the song “Told You So.” After which the album maintains a darker tone to it.
Caramelo Duro was also an incredibly unique track in which Miguel finally sings a verse in Spanish on his album. The first time he’s ever done so (to my knowledge) and he executes perfectly.
All in all, this is a fantastic album that has made me realize how much I’ve missed Miguel in the R&B space. He brings an unmistakable and authentic feel to his music while maintaining the sound that has made him one of music’s best.
Sonder Son - Brent Faiyaz
2017 was Brent Faiyaz’s year. From singing the hook of the century in Goldlink’s Crew to dropping his debut album ‘Sonder Son’, Brent Faiyaz has garnered the attention from the world that he deserves. This year was an exceptional year for R&B and it is easy to get lost in all of the commotions that albums like Freudian’ and ‘Ctrl’ have created, but ‘Sonder Son’ is not one of those albums to get lost in the mix. Faiyaz’s debut album gives us something authentic, genuine, and pure. While his voice is already all of those qualities in and of itself, ‘Sonder Son’ puts our ears under a stethoscope to explore the different pulses of his life thus far. The 22-year-old beautifully introduces himself to the world through the songs in his debut album. The word sonder means; “the realization that every passerby is living a life as vivid and as complex as our own – causing each of our experiences to flow into each other.” Faiyaz grants us entrance into his own vivid and complex life through this album in hopes that it will somehow connect to our own experiences. The rich picture that he paints about his life through his words highlights our humanity and the struggles we face as people. The raw emotions felt from his incredibly silky smooth voice is R&B at its core. Music as personal and vulnerable as this can be credited to the incredible push he and his manager made to be an independent artist. ‘Sonder Son’ is a perfect example of what it is like to make music from your heart without the restrictions and agendas that the labels want to push onto talented artists. Overall, ‘Sonder Son’ is a refreshingly vulnerable album that gives us insight into the struggles of a now successful artist that listeners will undoubtedly appreciate.
Mansionz - Mansionz (Self-titled)
As the year winds down and I reflect on the music that was released, Mansionz always comes to my mind as one of the most memorable albums this year. Mike Posner and Blackbear collaborating was a stroke of genius and a breath of fresh air. With the oversaturation of monotonous trap and mumble rap, Bear and Mike keep it refreshing and honest when it comes to the lyricism and instrumentals.
One of the things I really enjoyed about the experience of this album was the separate personas that Mike and Bear play into. Mike plays the artistic and more introverted side of humanity while Blackbear plays the party animal, the asshole, the selfish side of humanity. Together, the two creatives represent a duality that comes with fame. While one side of being famous wants to push the envelope and expand on art, the other side wants to party hard, drink and do drugs. This contrast, whether intentional or not, add so much to this masterpiece of an album and plays perfectly into every song.
Tracks like “My Beloved”, “A Million Miles”, “White Linen”, and “Gorgeous” all explore the idea of this duality and finds the artist having different perspectives on subjects such as women, relationships, and fame. Where Mike will be happy that he got to play his guitar, Bear talks about having a threesome at some party. Mike wants to have a stable relationship while Bear wants to spend all his money and go on vacation trips. This is where the album really shines for me in showing that, deep down, everybody has conflicting emotions that question our morality. Mansionz isn’t afraid of being honest and straightforward about how they think and behave.
While the duo has different views on certain subjects, they also seem to agree on much of the time. Both “STFU” and “Dennis Rodman” portray Mike and Bear being assholes and wanting to live life how they want to, not bound to social norms or opinions. “Nobody Knows” finds Mike and Bear admitting that, no matter what they say or do, they really don’t know anything. No amount of alcohol, women, or religion can assure anything because, to the duo, they have no certainty. Both artists repeat that they hate everything they love, and in turn, they love all the things that they hate, which gives off a tone of uncertainty, being lost, and loneliness. While depressing, the duo agrees that life isn’t simple and no matter how much you believe, you’ll probably end up believing in too much.
Of course, there is much more to Mansionz than a dual mindset; the group has much more to say. “Rich White Girls” is a very satirical song about white girls and their daddy issues, describing the difficulty in trying to please them.
“I’m thinking about horses” seems to be the odd one out of the bunch, in that, it is a spoken word poem performed only by Mike Posner, nobody else. The poem consists of random thoughts that Mike has that relates to his existence and purpose, like comparing horses, who are mighty and powerful but “trade their freedom for a dependable meal,” to humanity, revealing that maybe we are all slaves but yet have the power to break free. Or comparing his father’s growing age to standing against a growing tidal wave, unprepared without swimwear, showing how uncontrollable his situation is. Not only is the track extremely poetic and beautiful in its comparisons and metaphors, but the performance is extreme and heart-wrenching. Mike’s deepest thoughts and fears scream out with passion and pain. “I’m thinking about horses” fits perfectly as an interlude that shifts the focus of the album from being “assholish” to being more compassionate and poetic. Much more can be discussed about this track as it is the deepest cut on the album, but this review would go on for way too long if I did, so I’ll leave it at that.
The album finishes off with “The Life of a Troubadour” which plays out like a story. Both artists represent who they are, Mike being the artistic Troubadour who just wanted to spend the night with the princess, to Bear who plays the power-hungry Mad Hatter who wants to steal the throne. The track ends with The Mad Hatter killing the Troubadour, which represents the death of art in modern day music. The ending is fitting and sums the entire album up nicely in a sort of bedtime story.
Aside from all the metaphorical and poetic ties that this album has, sonically, it is a fun experience. “Wicked” sounds like a fusion between a 90’s pop song and a Blackbear song, and it’s amazing. Other tracks like “Dennis Rodman”, “My Beloved”, “Nobody Knows”, and basically every other track on this album all have great energy and synergy between Mike and Bear. Although this album is not My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy levels of production, the production is solid and very enjoyable.
After all is said and done, why should I listen to this album, you may ask. Aside from being poetic and artsy, the music sounds incredible and each track weaves perfectly together to create a unique experience that I’ve never heard before. Other than that, there’s not much more I can say other than just to go and listen to it right now. I could stand and preach all day about this album and how it deserves more recognition but in reality, it’s up to you, the reader, to decipher for yourself as to why Mansionz is such a gem of an album. Maybe it’s the best album or maybe it’s the worst, nobody knows.
Written by Alexander Apodaca
My favorite album of the year was Melodrama by Lorde! I became a really big fan of Lorde’s in 2015. Her album Pure Heroine brought me back to my teenage self and Lorde touched my soul. Fast forward to June 19th when I heard Melodrama for the first time … I sat on my bed with my journal in hand and earphones on full blast. A sigh of relief! Lorde makes me feel very emotional. She will put you on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the album. From happy dance parties, to feeling sad, lonely, to feeling good and loving yourself! Lorde makes me feel free! I can dance and cry to her music in one sitting.
Hard Feelings/Loveless is my MOST favorite song on the album. I wrote in my journal to remember this feeling. It was a perfect moment, feeling relief & Lorde was speaking to me. I even shed a tear or two. It is two songs in one, but they mesh so well together. Lorde calls the second half, Loveless, a bizarre little outro. She said the song altogether is a heartfelt breakup song. She is finding solitude in being alone and caring for herself.
“I light all the candles, cut flowers for all my rooms, I care for myself the way I used to care about you, these days, we kiss and we keep busy, the waves come after midnight, I call from underwater, why even try to get right, when you’ve outgrown a lover, the whole world knows but you.”
Loveless transitions into its own song with Lorde saying “baby” very faintly and then Paul Simon saying “what is this tape? This is my favorite tape,” that she sampled. I feel like it’s her rebellion speaking of wanting to be heartless, “bet you want to rip my heart out, bet you want to skip my calls now. Well, guess what? I like that.” I feel like after a major heartbreak we become a bit of rebel ourselves. We rebel to love. Are we actually a L-O-V-E-L-E-S-S generation?
When I heard Supercut for the first time I was very emotional and sad, but happy too. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions. Lorde said it is a sister song to Ribs from Pure Heroine. Ribs is my MOST favorite Lorde song. In my journal, I wrote, “hearing this for the first time feels so great.” Although I was talking about one song – it’s how I feel about the whole album. In an interview with The Spinoff Lorde says, “I felt the way I used to feel when I made music as a kid and it felt like I could cry because it’s such a relief to get out how you’re feeling for the first time.” I felt this when I heard Supercut also because it was nostalgic to listening to Pure Heroine. So many feelings at the same time and it’s a relief to feel. Reliving memories of people you love and remembering the feelings you felt. It’s like remembering a dream.
“In my head, I play a supercut of us, all the magic we gave off, all the love we had and lost, and in my head, the visions never stop, these ribbons wrap me up, but when I reach for you, there’s just a supercut.”
Liability was a surprise single from Melodrama in early March 2017. To be a “liability” is to be burdensome. Lorde said in a Beats interview: “I had this realization that because of my lifestyle and what I do for work there’s going to be a point with every single person around me where I’m going to be a tax on them in some way.” She found self-love and understood that she needs to be happy with herself. Although it may be a liability with her lifestyle she will always have herself to love and care for. Self-love is something I personally have tried very hard to work on. It will always be a work in progress, but remember to love yourself. Nurture the relationship you have with yourself and you’ll no longer feel like a liability to others.
“So I guess I’ll go home into the arms of the girl that I love, the only love I haven’t screwed up, she’s so hard to please but she’s a forest fire, I do my best to meet her demands, play at romance, we slow dance in the living room, but all that a stranger would see, is one girl swaying alone, stroking her cheek.”
Lorde went from teenage angst in Pure Heroine to coping with a breakup, finding self-love, and finding comfort in solitude in Melodrama. “I’m actually rewiring to become an adult. All that is insane.” The theme throughout the album is about the highs and lows of a relationship. You will definitely get into your feelings while listening to the album. Melodrama deserves so much recognition! Lorde co-produced every song on the album! She worked alongside Jack Antonoff, Frank Dukes, Malay, and many others. Her songwriting is absolutely incredible. It was playing on my speakers throughout this year. Luckily for me, I was able to see her live for the first time in 2017. Lorde did not disappoint live or with her sophomore album Melodrama.
Written by Valerie Rosales
After a string of EPs, various features on fellow-TDE tracks, writing credits for both Rihanna and Beyoncé, endless album delays, internal label drama, and a sudden threat to quit music, it seemed like SZA’s album would never see the light of day. However, on June 9th, 2017, the First Lady of Top Dawg Entertainment finally released her debut full-length album entitled, CTRL. Vulnerability. Insecurities. Womanhood. Losing control. Gaining control. Everything real and relatable is actualized in SZA’s breakthrough album. Both lyrically and vocally, the songstress’ most cohesive work to date pushes the boundaries of the R&B realm. Even in 2017 – a year in which R&B seemed to thrive like never before, SZA established not only her own unique sound but her worthy place in the genre. Fourteen tracks of ethereal vocals, overlaying mesmerizing synth-induced beats, sprinkled nostalgic references to ‘90s pop culture, seamlessly mixed in JT, River Tiber, and Drake samples, and features from Pharrell, Travis Scott, Isaiah Rashad, James Fauntleroy, and Kendrick Lamar, the long-awaited release of CTRL has proven to be well worth the wait.
The album explores the perils of modern dating, sexual freedom, and the internal battles of self-love in the most brutally honest way. SZA exhibits a vast amount of self-awareness by asking herself, “Why I can’t stay alone just by myself? / Wish I was comfortable just with myself / But I need you” in “Supermodel” and in “Drew Barrymore,” bluntly admits, “I get so lonely, I forget what I’m worth / We get so lonely, we pretend that this works.” She plays with one-sided love, illustrated in “Love Galore” asking her temporary lover, “Why you bother me when you know you don’t want me? Why you bother me when you know you got a woman?” but is accepting of the chaos of it all in “The Weekend” singing, “The feelin’ is reckless / Of knowin’ it’s selfish / And knowin’ I’m desperate / Getting’ all in your love / Fallin’ all over love, like / Do it ‘til it hurts less.” After all that promiscuous havoc though, SZA, ultimately, is in search of a worthy and grounding kind of love asking her potential lover, “Can you remind me of my gravity? Ground me when I’m tumblin’, spiralin’, plummetin’ down to Earth / You keep me down to Earth” in the song “Garden (Say It Like Dat)”. An album so multifaceted with songs about temporary lovers, past lovers, and weekend lovers, it is impossible to not find something applicable to our own complex forays in love.
In a society where women are still scrutinized for owning their sexuality, CTRL delves into the subject full force. Throughout the entire album, SZA displays complete comfort in her sexuality. In the Kendrick Lamar featured track, “Doves In The Wind”, she gives power to the pussy with K. Dot rapping, “Niggas’ll lose they mind for it / Wine for it, dine for it–pussy / Spend time for it, see no colored line for it–pussy” which is representative of the idea that men will do anything for it. In the song, “Normal Girl” where she samples Drake’s “Controlla” she croons, “You like it, when I be, aggressive / You like when I say to you / Get it if you got it, I’m ready and waitin’ for it / I’m callin’ to put it on, yeah” revealing how she isn’t like a “Normal Girl” and in such a patriarchal subject, she knows what she wants. In a sense, SZA is gaining CTRL by finding empowerment in her sexuality versus the societal norm of shame when it comes to women on this subject matter.
The album poetically sums up the quarter-life crisis with authentic candor. SZA acknowledges the things we have trouble admitting to ourselves in a manner that simultaneously stings but reassures us that we are not alone in these inner conflicts. In the song “Prom”, she expresses the constant internal musings of a young adult trying to find a sense of purpose, “Fearin’ not growin’ up / Keepin’ me up at night / Am I doin’ enough? / Feel like I’m wastin’ time” and, again, on “20 Something” singing, “All alone still / Not a thing in my name / Ain’t got nothin’, runnin’ from love / Only know fear.” Her lyricism displays the fluctuating self-esteem of the average 20-something. To tie it all in, scattered in between songs are words of wisdom from SZA’s own mother and grandmother. Throughout the entirety of CTRL, SZA displays the true strength in vulnerability. It is a reminder in the form of an album that lets us all know we don’t all have it together and that that’s okay.
CTRL thoroughly tackles what it’s like to be a 20-something searching for love, entertaining temporary highs, struggling with insecurities, and the harsh realities we face while trying to find our purpose in the world. As of October 2017, the album has been certified gold and with her single “Love Galore” hitting platinum, and “The Weekend” (which wasn’t even released as a single) also hitting platinum, her success knows no limits. With such a strong breakout year, there’s no telling how far her talents will take her. There’s no question as to why she is the most nominated female artist for the upcoming Grammys. This is just the beginning of SZA taking CTRL.
Daniel Caesar, the Canadian R&B and soul singer-songwriter, risked it all for his music career. He became frustrated by his stagnation and moved to the city homeless pursuing stardom. The night of his graduation he left with a garbage bag full of clothes. Where he had to make his own family. He struggled early with his parents because of his desire to sing love songs in which they would tell him, “if you’re not going to sing songs glorifying God, anything that isn’t doing that specifically is glorifying Satan.” To which they finally came down to a mutual understanding that “God is love.”
“This whole album is the arc from the inception to the death of just the most intense relationship of my life.” – Beats 1 Interview
Get You became his breakout single which has amassed millions of streams pushing him into mainstream stardom. The song entails him being awe-struck with his capability of getting such an out of this world and way above his perceived “type” of a lover. The world is constantly experiencing droughts, famine, and natural disasters. Daniel explains how whenever he’s with her it’s like being in their own world. The song is in a self-reflective state where Daniel feels he doesn’t deserve everything he’s been given but simultaneously appreciative of it. In this relationship, they were both going through so many things together so being able to have that enhanced their bonding. He states that during this period he would have nonstop sex because there was nothing better to do. This is the first moment that Caesar introduces a principle of Freud, with the id. The id is the unconscious, impulsive part of the psyche which operates on the “pleasure principle” which seeks immediate pleasure and gratification. Kali Uchis states, “the memories, it’s all just memories” may allude to the suppression principle included in Freud’s studies. Kali displays gratitude towards her lover knowing that nothing is forever and to appreciate what you have now.
Best Part is the smooth honey-like duet we didn’t know we wanted. Alongside H.E.R. they express their adoration for their significant other. The beauty of being someone’s favorite anything is something long romanticized and fantasized about. He compares her to water when you’re stuck in a desert as someone he can’t live without. She is “the sunshine of [his] life” which is ironic that she is both the water that quenches him and the sunshine on his life which would dehydrate him in the first place. Despite the duality of love, she is the best part of his life. In a digital generation, the importance of movies and videos is extreme. A favorite movie is usually held close to someone’s heart and calling a lover the “best part” about it, is worth swooning over. “If you love me won’t you say something,” is both a plea and a question. Unaware if this person feels requited love for him. Often when you begin to hang out with someone feelings rise to the point of uncertainty – do they feel the same? Especially if they become the best part of your life’s movie. In a subtle beg, he whispers “love me, won’t you…?”
Hold Me Down, an interesting tale of insecurities and love that is tearing apart at the seams. It starts off with a soft conversation between Daniel and his girl asking “could you, could you say? ‘I love you Danny’” to which she replies, “you want me to?” and then she does. It then transitions into the chorus, “if you love me baby let me hear you say it,” he is certain that he is her favorite despite being left in the basement, thrown on the pavement. This imagery reminds me of Toy Story where Andy first gets Woody and expresses such love and admiration for it. Daniel/Woody’s ego blinds him to see no other reality but the fact he is the favorite despite being played with like a toy. Daniel becomes infatuated to the point he’s willing to start a family with her. The pussy is so good to Daniel that he self-emulates like a Buddhist. He even astral projects into another dimension of how great it feels. He shows his imperfections by saying his spectacle of a life is a sad story and hopefully one day he will find glory – hopefully with her alongside him for the flight. All he wanted was to take her to “higher heights” yet she resisted leaving her comfort zone. He even acknowledges she had “dreams of a better life” possibly marriage but this time there seemed to be no hope of “making it through.” In the bridge, the female is introduced in the form of conversation with Daniel’s previous statements. On how Daniel is traveling far away with music that she’s left behind with pain where she begins to carry resentment. With his success bubbling the superego of Daniel could be strengthening to the point she is asking him who he thinks he is, “some kind of celebrity?” and threatening him to ‘wait and see’ if she sticks around much longer because of that. All Daniel asks her is to stay true to him and having to remind her of all the things he does. He played the game (music industry/being a toy) where all he wants is for the moment; some reassurance that she will hold him down.
Neu Roses (Transgressor’s Song), tells a story of his girlfriend who cheats on him. Neu Roses is wordplay for new roses/neurosis which portrays two forms of a dying relationship brought by infidelity hence she transgressed the trust. “Neurosis is a relatively mild mental illness that is not caused by organic disease, involving symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, obsessive behavior, hypochondria) but not a radical loss of touch with reality.” This girl still recalls the fateful day she threw the love away of Daniel. It appears the resentment she held in the previous song caused her to act out of spite only later to beg for him not to leave. She realized that she made a big mistake, and to not “turn [her] sunshine to shade” as once she was that to him. She then states, “I know this is a game we play,” which would make it seem that they both had their “friends too” while she always came back because he took her breath away. He admits he “fucked with some empty cups” meaning hollow sex with multiple girls. He knows she has various partners, but he doesn’t want to run out on his luck, so he considers stopping from running amok. This could be reaction formation, a Freudian concept which one would switch unacceptable impulses into their opposites or a form of passive aggressiveness. Projection is another term that could be used here in his need to call her out for his own mistakes.
Loose is Daniel talking to himself about his toxic relationship and rationalizing the need to cut the rope. He begins to realize that she has built a depression (cloud over her head raining with thunder). The positives are outweighed by the negative. He is quick to lose patience with her and cause fights. He calls himself out on being a coward because he isn’t helping anyone not even himself by grasping onto a dead relationship. Daniel contemplates his power in this relationship and how if he can’t do it for himself, he should do it for her. Often, we see only the good in others we are with to the point that we stick out through horrid cycles of pain. We can’t seem to let go of what brings sunshine to your life and scared of the darkness that comes after.
We Find Love, a song about the beauties in the ugly of a relationship. He comes off in somber tone aware of the fact that it’s over, but still nostalgic about the good times. “You don’t love me anymore, let’s see how you like this song,” is a spiteful statement coming from a place of resentment and ego. He immortalizes her through this album, that’s where his power lies – in the success he obtains. He realizes since the day they met she was the “girl of his dreams” which is what Get You entails but deep down he knew they could never be no matter how hard they try. The hearts fragile tendencies fall down into which they break into pieces. This seems to showcase the cycle of what love is - finding it, uplifting your spirits, falling down, and then ultimately giving up on the love you would have died for.
Blessed showcases Daniel’s vulnerable state of awareness to his flaws. He has become dependent on this girl to the point he can’t go a moment without her. Her presence must be around or else he feels empty. Despite his horrible traits, he feels blessed to have a girl that is willing to stick with him through all his trials and tribulations. He considers her a home despite how broken he is, he will come back to her.
Take Me Away, he wants to sit back and enjoy the creation that God has manifested to him in the form of a beautiful woman who’s willing to cater to him. “Every time she tops me off, it’s celebration,” this is a double entendre for when you top off champagne it’s filled up to the brim. The double meaning is that she is performing oral sex on him as he sits back – what a reason to celebrate. “She loves to top me off … all she wants to do is please me.” Her willingness to perform oral sex on him is possibly due to an oral fixation she has which is an ideal of Freud through the oral stage. He asks himself what life has become due to his “strange new love” he has with her where they don’t speak much. The communication comes in the form of lust. She begs him to take her away to an orgasmic state. This next line I believe is the central and most crucial line in the whole album due to is the central theme of Freud, “Every time I go inside of your protected, place with reverence, I’m reminded of a time I was neglected.” It could mean at a time where he felt neglected in a relationship, but more so I believe it’s from neglect of love from his parents specifically his mother. His adoration and admiration of constant sex and wanting to escape reality comes from the psychosexual stages of the id’s pleasure-seeking energies – genital stage. This is the personality development concepts that Sigmund Freud discovered in his career.
Transform, the premise of the entire song is the ego and his battle with it for love. “If a leopard never changes its spots, how can I change what I’ve got?” he questions the way nature is and how it’s unfair that he’s expected to change if no one never questions the natural course that animals live their lives. Ego is in the way of his ability to change for his lover. He could feel mad now but once it fades away he will not have her there – a lonely life in the kingdom. He’s aware of his non-attractiveness so if this girl loves him, maybe he should come around. He’s addicted to her love and the energy with it, he baptized himself because it “saved his soul like Jesus.”
Freudian like DNA intertwines two strands of both his mother and his lover. The first verse has Daniel expressing to his girl that she is the reason she sings and hopes to preserve her in the form of art (or save their relationship). He takes a moment to thank her for saving his life and giving him advice that ultimately changed his life despite how they ended. The second verse is about his mother and the need to bring her honor. Through psychoanalysis, people are driven by two things: life instinct (the need for sexual and emotional bonding) and death instinct (aggressive drive). Sigmund Freud is famous for his Oedipus Complex which is characterized by a boy experiencing a form of sexual desire toward his mother or vice versa (for a female). The fact that he went back and forth with both his mother and girlfriend brings about the concept in an interesting way. We long for the reflection (or opposite) of our parent in our lovers. “Send me kisses when it’s grey skies, it’s been so long, look how time flies, if you love me won’t you let me know,” shows a longing for his past lover of wanting to know if she still has feelings for him. He now has the same grey skies he would give her and his sunshine is long gone.
Freudian (Outro), plays on an organ as Daniel sinks into an abyss of his own mind. “Isn’t it nice, human sacrifice,” and the universe’s form of “natural selection” of people and of ourselves. In many ways, that girlfriend is dead to him. As aforementioned, the “death instinct” is apparent here in his ability to sacrifice himself as an artist.
In his Beats 1 interview, he says, “I’m trying to live out Hero’s Journey, it’s sacrifice to a point… I’m putting my business out there.” The supernatural or even superego, where he meets helpers along the way in the form of lovers, to his death and rebirth, transformation and return to his highest being.
My personal favorite lines are: “They say I’m a martyr, charge that to my ego, I just want all the lights.”
He hears others call him a martyr for being vulnerable which only boosts his ego in thinking he is sacrificing himself for the greater good. When his selfishness drives him to only pursue his name in lights rather than for humanity. He continuously takes the “easy way out” each time where he brings dishonor to his own self.
“Vulnerability is the greatest thing. The reward is very high but the price is… [the danger is there, fear is there] but I guess that’s why it’s so awesome, ya know?”
The thrill of being open with your flaws is admirable for not many are able to accomplish such a feat in a compelling way. The risk to be shamed, “killed” through critique, and the online trolls that are out there in this world.
“It’s Freud, I’m trying to analyze, I’m like looking at myself, trying to figure myself out. It’s like looking in the mirror.”
To look at others we can easily project our fears and perceptions onto them without realizing it. However, the bravest thing one can do is look at themselves, look within themselves to decipher one’s own code. Why we are the way we are, psychoanalyze not just our positive but embracing our negative to become the complete hero.
Written by Erik De La Cruz
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The Thrill Of It All - Sam Smith
Everybody - Logic (for its concept)
About Time - Sabrina Claudio
Frank Ocean Singles (could’ve been its own album)
Coco Music Soundtrack - Pixar (Various Artists)
Funk Wav Bounce Vol. 1 - Calvin Harris
Yours Truly Forever - Phora
Loverboy - Russel (aka Pryde)
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I just wanted to say thanks to all those that helped and participated in the album reviews with me. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you all.
I appreciate them all and the hard work you put into helping this to come to life!
Let me know if you have thoughts, opinions, or your own albums you feel like we missed!
CEO of Creative-ive (pronounced ivy).
