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patricksmusicblog · 8 months

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2023 Album Ratings(So Far)

These are some thoughts on some of the albums I've listened to throughout the year. Some of them are just thoughts others are mini reviews.

Owl City- Coco Moon: Solid sound/production, okay vocals, mediocre lyrics, and overall songs. It may work with a more youthful audience. 6/10

Princess Nokia- I Love You But This is Goodbye: This is a good little EP about the ends and outs, ups and downs of heartbreak. As usual for Nokia, it's elastic and expansive. However, there are moments when I find Princess Nokia's vocals to be weak. There are moments when her passion and authenticity cut through. 7/10

Aly & AJ- With Love From: With Love From is a quality summery indie-pop/rock album. There are a lot of tracks to play loud on an open road with the top down in somewhat breezy, sunburned weather. Lovely harmonies and hooks abound. The slower hooks slow things down to an extent. With Love From is not an album I imagine I'll go back to much, but it accomplishes its goal. 7.0/10

Weezer-SZNZ: Winter: Solid effort from Weezer; some catchy alt-rock tunes, nerdy songwriting Coumo's nasally vocals all things Weezer is great at and known for here. Not essential, but good. 7/10

Conway The Machine & Jae Skeese- Pain Provided Profit: A tight and concise project that's a commonly gritty Griselda affair, grimmy and yet soulful and contemplative beats matching Conway and Skeese's ability to be braggadocious and heartfelt at the same time. A solid EP 8.0/10

Logic- College Park: Maryland MC Logic's eighth studio LP is a quality follow-up to his album Vinyl Days, released last year. If last year was Boom Bap Logic, this year is Jazz Rap Logic. It's a good album; there's much soul-baring about substance abuse and avoiding those pitfalls and ideas of getting more true to who he is. There's an 8.5-9.0 album in here somewhere, but lesser tracks water it down. There are seventeen songs here, which is just too many, but ultimately, it's still a solid effort and something long-time Logic fans can get into. 7.5/10

Statik Slektah-Round Trip: The latest LP from Statik Slektah is a dope effort that has a piano-driven and somewhat jazz-rap-driven sound that features a mixture of 90's legends and younger artists, some of which are legends at this point now as well. It's a 20-track project, and the first half is where the most potent tracks lye. All are great, but the best include "Unpredictable" feat Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and Method Man, "Ain't Too Much Too it" ft Conway, Life & Times ft Joey Bada$$ and "Lion Heart" with Elzhi and Boldy James. Lesser guests and less entertaining beats slow the rest down. All in all, it is a solid effort, particulary for those who love the current crop of underground MCs that have been making noise from 2018 to the present day. 7.5/10

Paramore- This is Why: Paramore is ever-growing; their last LP was a foray into synth-pop, and this one is more of a post-punk album. This album is musically sharp; there are a lot of strong guitar riffs and layers of sounds underneath the mix. Hayley is vocally great at shifting velocities and tonalities during a given song. Lyrically, the album is as content-rich as any Paramore album. It's a tight album, ten great tracks 8.0/10

7XVETHEGENIUS-The Genius Tape: 7xvethegenius is a solid rapper; this project feels like a lyrical exercise for her coming from the drumwork camp. "Brainstorm" ft Conway the Machine is a highlight, as is the storytelling on "Lost on Mars," and then there's the Rome Streets and Che Noir-assisted "Neck Protected". 7.5/10

Conway The Machine-Won't He Do It: Conway follows up with 2022 essential God Doesn't Make Mistakes with Won't He Do It, an album that features more versatile production and different sounds from the lush "The Chosen" to the piano-laden "Monogram" or the R&B influenced Water to Wine" you don't know what to expect track to track on this Conway The Machine album and I enjoy that. This album, while not having quite the depth and soul searching of the previous album, is more celebratory and features an array of flows and skill sets. He sounds comfortable and effortless on this project. Great work 8.5/10

Killer Mike-Michael: Michael is Killer Mike's sixth LP and his most personal and forthright album. The production features some gospel/soul influence that feels classically Atlanta. The album tackles issues he dealt with as a youth, from naively poising the community (Something for The Junikes) to adolescent love mishandled (Slummer) to the impact of losing his mother and grandma. This album gives you a sense of the good and bad that shaped Killer Mike. I also love the EL-P-assisted "Don't Let the Devil" for a more southern-fried RTJ feel. I appreciate what he's speaking to on "Two Days" regarding the prison industrial system and the politics that keep it going. At every turn, Mike is sharp, heartfelt, and thoughtful. The features on the album all come through with good performances from Atlanta pioneers like Ceelo and Andre 3000 to current-day essentials like Young Thug and Future. Michael's an excellent album and a refreshing solo effort, a nice change of pace from Mike's work with EL-P. 9/10

Nas & Hitboy- Magic 2: Nas and Hit-boy continue their run with their fifth album in 3 years and 2nd edition in the Magic series. While the 2021 Magic felt like an exercise in traditionalism, finding Nas rhyming over an updated 90s sound with rhyming up to par with his prime. On Magic 2 Nas finds himself more aligned with modern times; tracks like "Motion" and "Earvin Magic Johnson" sound more car and club-ready than anything on the original Magic. Songs like "Abracadabra" are more thematically aligned than most of what's on the original Magic. The more thoughtful and reflective tracks tucked in the back of the album are the strongest, "What it Really Means", "Slow it Down" and "Pistols on Your album Cover" are all great pieces of work. Par for the course at this point. 8.5/10

Meet me @ the Alter- Past//Present//Future: Meet me @ the Alter is a pop-punk band that has been working toward this moment for a while through a series of EPs and singles that showed a band bustling with pop-punk energy and hooks that only come from a strong appreciation for the pop-punk we came up on in the 00s. Past//Present//Future is the baby of all that hard work. I love the catchy and snarky "Say it to My Face." I also enjoy the chunky, distorted guitars on "Try" a song that speaks to pushing through anxiety and going for things anyway. "T.M.I" is my absolute favorite on the project. It's the best vocal performance from Edith Victoria, the best chorus, and the most well-written tune here. The bass and big chorus on "King of Everything" make for a good close to the album. It's a fun project for the band that leaves plenty of room for improvement and expansion musically and lyrically. 7.5/10

Protomartyr-Formal Growth in the Desert: This is the sixth project from Detroit post-punk band Protomartyr. As customary for a Protomatyr album, you'll get sprawling guitars and walls of atmospheric sound. Also, you'll get lead vocalist and lyricist Joe Casey's passionate vocal performances and great lyrics. "Fun in Hi Skool" is a great song seemingly about the inability to let go of the past to the point where it ruins your present and future. "Let's Tip The Creator" is my favorite on the project; I think it has some of the best guitar playing and drumming. Protomartyr has always been adept at shifting tones and adding sonic layers as tracks progress. With Joe Casey's lyrics being thoughtful yet abstract at times, it invites more and more listens that'll be sure to reward with time. 8.0/10

Dream Wife-Social Lubrication: Dream Wife's third full-length album is much like their previous efforts, a selection of songs where youthful exuberance meets thoughtful contemplations and some righteous rebellion. There's "Who do you want to be?" A call to mobilization instead of stagnation. The title track speaks to being buttered up and being made to get comfortable with getting screwed over. "Leech" is about men, companies, people, etc., who exploit and use women for what they provide—all great tracks. You still get simple punk tracks like "I Want You" or "Orbit," a song about an attraction that almost feels meant to be. Sonically, the band switches between straightforward punk and a post-punk sound, which is more beneficial when trying to get a message across. It's their 3rd straight great album, in my opinion. 8.0/10

Noname-Sundial: Sundail is the third full album by Chicago rapper Noname. Noname is a rapper who has always been adept at rhyming conscious, straightforward, but abstract at the same time. She's an artist who wears her culture on her sleeve and cares deeply about the state of it. She's also someone who has just gotten better and better at rapping over time. She's always had an agile and fluid flow, but this is her least quiet album yet; she's come through with a more substantial presence on the mic and more charisma. Topically, "Hold Me Down" speaks to black people only holding each other down when it's convenient, particularly monetarily. "Balloons" on why there was a musical hiatus for Noname in the first place, which is the exploitative nature of selling black trauma to voyeuristic white people entertained by black trauma. "Beauty Supply" tackles the self-loathing that inherently comes with adapting Eurocentric beauty standards. There's no turn on this album where Noname has nothing to say. There's very little wasted space on the album. Yet there are lighthearted and fun moments here like "Boomboom" or "Toxic." It's a great album that will reward with more listens. 8.5/10

Nas & Hitboy- Magic 3: Nas completes their fantastic run with their third installment in the Magic series Magic 3. To the surprise of no one, It's another high-level project that features excellent production and rhymes from Hitboy and Nas. From the production standpoint, Hit-Boy dives more into a soul sample style here, with many soulful beats and vocals floating in the background of these tracks. Meanwhile, Nas showcases his skillset; rapping well is a prerequisite for him at this point, so it's really about the direction and how the tracks meld together. "I Love This Feeling" track 4 on the project, is the first song that I think is steller on the project; it has a great soulful, almost jazzy sound, and Nas is just sharp and speaking to loving the place he's in. "Based on True Events pt1" and "pt 2" find Nas getting into his storytelling bag, both efforts are vivid. The first one is seemingly a little more personal, with him speaking about investigating a friend's supposed suicide and honoring Havoc of Mobb Deep's brother, who was murdered. Pt 2 echo's a song like "Nigga's Bleed' the late great Notorious B.I.G. "Blue Bently" and "Jodeci Member"are both bangers on the album tracks you could ride in the car too. The album tetters between celebratory and contemplative, and Nas is great at both. The lone feature on the project is Lil Wayne, who shows out his flow is fluid, and he rises to the occasion. It's another great effort from Nas & Hitboy, and in the end, this is an excellent send-off to their run. 8.5/10

By: Patrick Griffin II

#Music #Nas #meet me @ the altar #protomartyr #owl city #Paramore #Dream Wife #Noname #Killer Mike #Hit-Boy #aly and aj #Logic #7xvthegenius #statik selektah #Weezer #Aly and AJ #Princess Nokia #Jae Skeese

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musicrunsthroughmysoul · 2 years

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I'm thanking every good thing in the universe that there is live FOOTAGE, much less audio, of Fanny performing "Hey Bulldog" live. THANK YOU EVERYTHING GOOD IN THE UNIVERSE. :')

Some bullshit notes from yours truly on this:

Mimicking their recorded version of this song, Nickey (pianist/keyboardist/vocalist) starts them out nice and soft and slow to build intensity (and interest! It's a cover! It should be different than the original version, noticeably!)

(Nickey or June, but I think it was Nickey)'s "wooo!" right before the first verse, as though to remind everyone who forgot what a classic riff "Hey Bulldog" has that the song is, in fact, "Hey Bulldog"

Jean (bassist/vocalist) and Nickey in particular enunciating their revision of the lyrics very carefully: "Some kind of innocence is measured out in years/I know just what it's like to listen to my fears"

For anyone who doesn't know/hasn't heard this version before (and is confused, at the end, why it seems like it's longer than the original version by The Beatles), Fanny added an extra, third, verse: "Hedgehog rubbing in the sand/Leapfrog giving him a hand/Some kind of attitude is measured out inside/You think you're going/But you haven't got a ride"

JUNE'S (guitarist/vocalist) SMILES THROUGHOUT! I know it isn't music related but you can't convince me they aren't notable. :')

June easily demolished any and all expectations on that guitar solo.

Alice (drummer/vocalist)'s intense facial expressions of concentration throughout. Again, not music related, but drummers have the most interesting facial expressions, and Alice is one of my favorites to watch. 😂

NICKEY PLAYING THE KEYS WITH THE EDGES OF HER FINGERS right after June's perfect guitar solo, omg.

"Come ooooon bulldog! Dry your feet, now" 😂😂😂😂😂 (I also know for a fact that Nickey had at least one dog at that time, because she wrote the song "Conversation With a Cop" based on her own experiences - "I've done no wrong; I'm just looking for some place to walk my dog" - so I bet she used that phrase often!)

In comparison to the original version, I just want to point out how well their three- (and four- in the chorus) part harmony works for this song - it gives it a different dimension especially given the unique tones of the main vocalists (Jean, June, and Nickey), but it really lends credence to the words in the chorus "You can talk to me" (repeated) - the more people [singing] it, the more accepting it feels, right? And on that note, I especially love when it shows June singing that because she's always smiling, making the words feel more inviting (like 'Yeah, [smiling] you can talk to me!')!

Just wanted to note the importance of great drummers like Alice, but particularly drummers who work well for their respective bands - Alice drove the song perfectly, so subsequently the rest of the band was perfectly in sync. They played their best version of that song, and so they played the best version of that song. Despite the song's classic riff, it could easily fall apart if the interworkings of the band were not perfectly in sync (The Beatles' version certainly reflected that, although there was probably less pressure in recording the studio version), but Fanny were PERFECTLY in sync on this all throughout. And yeah, plainly again, that's thanks to the stellar drumwork by Alice.

And last but not least: THE BEATLES WHO? I ONLY RECOGNIZE FANNY'S VERSION literally though, my mind gets so confused listening to The Beatles' version because I'm expecting a third verse before the last verse and god dammit Fanny's version is just so much more authentic, and so much more care went into its performance, studio and live versions considered! Fanny OWNS this song, as far as I'm concerned!

#Nickey Barclay #Jean Millington #June Millington #Alice de Buhr #classic rock #music #The Beatles #cover #THAT BAND YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW #(because otherwise Tumblr blacklists the appropriately tagged posts :)))))))))) fuck you forever for that hellblightsite)#random rambling #sorry to intimidate you all when you read this long post and I've only called it 'random rambling'. that's my writer brain for you #IT'S NOT A FORMAL ESSAY THOUGH I CANNOT LABEL IT MY FORMAL WRITING #long post #Youtube

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redpandarascal · 1 year

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I was listening to some of Uffie’s music, namely, “pop the Glock”, which I like lyrically but isn’t what I prefer lyrically,

and I kept thinking to myself, “I hate how a lot of these artists make music about the self. Can you please make me a song that teaches me information about the world, or posits a unique concept, instead of dwelling on yourself as an individual and how you embody the concept of cool?”

when it comes to lyricism, nothing quite scratches the itch for me like They Might Be Giants. Give me a song about how wearing a raincoat is like flying around in an airplane made up of a raincoat. Give me a song about how where your eyes don’t go, a filthy scarecrow waves it’s broomstick arms and does a parody of each unconscious thing you do. A song about a highlight. A song about a worm who’s trying teach himself to be a musician and wants your honest opinion of his drumwork.

#music

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beneaththebrim · 1 year

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Brim’s favorite albums of 2022

In reverse order. First EPs, then LPs.

EPs:

10. A Sterling Murmuration | Zoon

Hazy shoegaze, nostalgic and soothing.

9. My Bestfriend’s House | Blue Hawaii

Dance-worthy! Was pleasantly surprised by the disco track at the beginning.

8. graves | Purity Ring

Standard Purity Ring fare, squealing croons atop haunting, euphoric synths.

7. SICK! | Earl Sweatshirt

A return of the meandering depressedcore hip hop we love. Dizzy and ephemeral soundscapes flit in and out like thoughts through an anxious mind.

6. La Ciudad de Dejamos | Fin del Mundo

Liquid guitars against balmy drumwork make for some really nice 90s-nostalgia shoegaze. Music like a cool summer night.

4 & 5. Kris, Perfect Order | KÅRP

Good ole dark Scandinavian synthpop. What would we do without you.

3. Ninety Three | Taylar Elizza Beth

Low key, lush hip-hop featuring Taylar Elizza Beth’s whispery vocals that float between rap and croon.

2. Raving Dahlia | Sevdaliza

Sevdaliza’s back with her signature inexorable smoky ballads. These tracks are a little dancier, a little heavier than those of her most recent album, though, while retaining her unique style.

1. Bloodline | Gabriels

(December 2021) Gabriels singlehandedly bringing back The Blues in the year of our lord 2021, why not? Meticulously vintage, with the agonized, raw-yet-finely-tuned vocal stylings of Jacob Lusk—one of the absolute best vocalists of our age, seriously. Southern gothic sin, baby.

Full albums:

27. Arkhon | Zola Jesus

It’s a Zola Jesus record, which means I like it. But I find myself never getting into any particular moment. Maybe it’ll take more time to sink in, maybe it’s just lacking stand-out tracks to anchor the album. Music like spelunking.

26. Entropy is the Mainline to God | The Veldt

The Veldt comes back rocking and rolling. I was hoping for something more shoegazy like their old stuff rather than the psychedelia-tinged 80’s metal sound they’ve got going here, but hell, it’s groovy!

25. Arrangements | Preoccupations

Previous album was a little one-note, but this one veers into some interesting spaces as it pushes and pulls with the distortion. Jaunty.

24. The Silence in Between | Bob Moses

Bouncin introspective dance music. It’s not original but it’s full of bops!

23. Loom | Uèle Lamore

Earthy yet ethereal blooms of instrumentation. Lovely to listen to, but for some reason lacks memorability.

22. Black Radio III | Robert Glasper

An eclectic tour de force featuring a stellar variety of guest spots atop Glasper’s production. Although a lot of tracks are fantastic, the album doesn’t quite cohere as a whole for me.

21. Once Twice Melody | Beach House

Beach House made a Beach House record, and it’s great. The same subdued, affectionate, dreamy sound we love.

20. 11 | Sault

The only Sault album I liked of the six they released this year ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It’s excellent though, love the down-tempo jamminess of the instrumentation and the thoughtful, murmuring vocals.

19. Broken Hearts Club | Syd

Vaped torch songs for your local lesbian fuckboy to play in the background while getting down. Syd comes through once again.

18. Only After You Have Suffered | Jamire Williams

(December 2021) Contemplative, choppy jazz with phenomenal hip hop and operatic interludes. “Pause in His Presence” in particular is something else.

17. Kanawha Black | Nechochwen

Indigenous-made atmospheric folk/black metal. Expansive melodies invoking the Appalachian forests meld with the harsh vocal texture to create a space of reverence and awe.

16. EBM | Editors

Delivering on that punchy aughts-nostalgia stadium rock. Head boppin rhythms and gushy pop-punk hooks.

15. Laurel Hell | Mitski

Mellow sounds that swirl around the main maelstroms of the album, cracking at the seams and letting the rawness soak through.

14. Plastic Estate | Plastic Estate

Slick and infectious 80s-nostalgia new wave that you just gotta sing along to. Very special when the singer sinks into a baritone.

13. Cool It Down | Yeah Yeah Yeahs High-energy-yet-dreamy punky indiepop. Some great anthems on this one.

12. Too Much to Ask | Cheekface Cheeky pop-punk that’s like scrolling through a quality twitter funnyman’s feed. Hilarious and full of bops.

11. Exister | The Soft Moon

A cold counterpoint from the California goth scene, starts off slow before cranking up an onslaught of noise that thrums between industrial and darkwave. Angry and cathartic.

10. Ravage | Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch

Haunting and disturbed sounds from the French pianist/composer. A melding of dark ambient that wouldn’t be out of place in a horror movie, with crashing, harsh piano work.

9. Twenty Twenty Twenty Twenty One | Spencer Krug One of the best lyricists of the day, imo, reminiscent of Leonard Cohen. Every tug of Krug’s voice strains with emotion, and every turn he takes with the instrumentation on different albums is a welcome surprise, finding different ways to express his agonized sentimentality.

8. Giving the World Away | Hatchie Earnestly saccharine power-dreampop. Great album with some real bangers.

7. We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong | Sharon Van Etten Warm and husky, sad and poignant folk songs. Van Etten’s voice soars with transcendant emotion.

6. The Runner (Original Soundtrack) | Boy Harsher

Spooky and sleek darkwave, punctuated by a sparkly disco banger. Boy Harsher at the top of their form.

5. Angels & Queens - Part 1 | Gabriels

Jacob Lusk delivering that wonderful vintage, Nina Simone-esque vocal quality, with the opening tracks fast-forwarded from last year’s bluesy EP to some funky 70’s soul. Gorgeous and blue.

4. Ever Crashing | SRSQ

Gushy dark California gothy dreampop. Infectiously synthy, powerful vocals. Lush songs for a heart that’s itching for summers long past.

3. Stay Close to Music | Mykki Blanco

A humble confessional, at times diving back into the idiosyncratic rapping style of Blanco’s more dance-y earlier releases, at times plunging into an ethereal wash of sound.

2. Semblance | MorMor

There is something magical about MorMor’s tissue-paper-delicate voice. Gentle, sensitive, cathartic. Music for letting go when you so want to hold on.

1. Pigments | Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn

Lovely. Sublime. Spacey. Sprawling. Meandering and melancholy pockets of plaintive yearning. Music that takes you on a journey and leaves your heart aching for more.

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hiphoptothestreets · 11 months

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“Drumwork: The Album” Displays the Distinctive Talents of the Drumwork Music Group Roster (Album Review)

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chrisryanspeaks · 1 year

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HEAR: Electronic Dance | SBTRKT - “L.F.O.”

PRE-SAVE/ORDER: https://sbtrkt.ffm.to/theratroad Revered artist and prolific collaborator SBTRKT shares the brand new single “L.F.O.” featuring Sampha and George Riley, unveiling more of the hotly anticipated forthcoming album The Rat Road, set for release on the 5th of May via AWAL. “L.F.O.” sees SBTRKT enlist the help of longstanding collaborator Sampha and the burgeoning R&B polymath George Riley. The duo’s vocal contributions are layered atop metamorphic synthesisers and sporadic injections of intricate drumwork, the latest single is an undeniable full-circle moment as SBTRKT unites with Sampha for the first time in seven years. “L.F.O.” deftly follows the release of the hypnagogic single "Days Go By" featuring Toro y Moi, "Waiting" with Teezo Touchdown and “FORWARD” ft. LEILAH, whichwas first previewed in the video for Drake and 21 Savage's "Jimmy Cooks" music video. SBTRKT speaks on the single: “L.F.O. began with me messing around with an analogue synth about 6 years ago - the track title stuck (L.F.O. - Low Frequency Oscillator demo 1). The opening chords became my breakthrough moment, which captured that feeling when chords and melodies feel like they float. Sampha dropped by my studio around 2018 - was excited by the sonic palette of it and so we laid down some vocal ideas. Over the time since, I have probably past 70 different versions of this song! Late 2022, I got in touch with George Riley after following her music and the rest started to drop into place! Sometimes songs take 5 minutes and some 5 years to find the right components! Much love to Sampha for getting involved and being a constant through all my albums - over more than a decade on from our first work together - and to George Riley for being up for experimenting and creating music that doesn't have to fit any rules. Sometimes the pieces find their way together and make sense texturally without forcing a concept on it.” Instead of focusing on “bigger streaming and stat-building collaborations," SBTRKT has looked for interesting and new talents from across the UK and U.S. in a way that can only make sense through a SBTRKT lens. The album wears its emotions openly as SBTRKT takes the listener on a journey through euphoria and melancholia. In the same minute, footwork is melded into four-to-floor techno while screeching electronics and synth-heavy production are reminiscent of his early work. Mutant garage lives alongside pop-leaning future-synth production adding new colors to SBTRKT’S palette while taut, wiry slices pop and fizz with menacing energy in his distinct mode of expression. The Rat Road is a true marriage of genres with SBTRKT’s febrile presence felt throughout, prioritizing intention and purpose over spectacle. Read the full article

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audiofuzz · 1 year

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HEAR: Electronic Dance | SBTRKT - “L.F.O.”

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stacksandkicks · 1 year

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MUSIC: CONWAY THE MACHINE ON HOT 97 INTERVIEW

Conway the Machine stops by the Hot 97 studios to go over his past and future in music and more. His upcoming project dropping this Friday “THE CHOSEN” will be a classic for sure. Enjoy the interview and hit the like and subscribe button to stay tapped in!! CC: SD X HOT 97 TAGS: #STACKSANDKICKSLIFESTYLE #BLOGGER #BLOG

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#CONWAY THE MACHINE #DRUMWORK MUSIC #ebro in the morning #entertainment #hip hop #hot 97 #music

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hiphopnewsoftheday · 1 year

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Jae Skeese Announces Drumwork Music Group Debut Album With New Video “Bonneville”

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brodasweb · 1 year

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Drumwork Signee SK da King justifica que "hizo 4 esto" en el álbum debut (reseña del álbum)

Este es el debut cinematográfico del maestro de ceremonias de Baltimore SK da King. Emergiendo como miembro de Chequered Flag Boyz bajo el apodo original de Paul Skola, fue solo hace unos años que firmó con EMPIRE Distribution de Conway the Machine, Drumwork Music Group, como solista, como lo anunció en su primer sencillo. “Actions” y continuaría presentándose a la base de fanáticos de Drumwork,…

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#álbum #debut #del #Drumwork #Esto #hizo #justifica #King #Reseña #Signee

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abstract-focus · 1 year

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Watch Drumwork on YouTube Music

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#Youtube

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patricksmusicblog · 3 months

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2023 Album Reviews/Thoughts

Some summeries, reviews and thoughts I had about albums released last year.

Owl City- Coco Moon: The production is solid in sound/production. The vocal performances are okay. The lyrics are mediocre though as are the overall songs. May work with a more youthful audience though. 6/10

Princess Nokia- I Love You But This is Goodbye: This is a good little EP about the ends and outs, ups and downs of heartbreak. As per usual it's elastic and expansive. Though there are moments I find Princess Nokia's vocals to be weak. There are moments when her passion and authentication cut through. 7/10

Aly & AJ- With Love From: A nice summery indie-pop/rock album. A lot of tracks to play loud on an open road with top down in somewhat breezy sun burnt weather. Nice harmonies and hooks abound. The slower hooks drag things down to an extent. This is also not an album I imagine I'll go back to much but for what it's attempting to achieve I think it accomplishes that. 7.0/10

Weezer-SZNZ: Winter: Solid effort from Weezer some catchy alt-rock tunes, nerdy songwriting Coumo's nasaly vocals all things Weezer is great at and known for is here. Not essential but good. 7/10

Logic- College Park: This is Maryland MC Logic's eighth studio LP and this is a quality follow-up to his album Vinyl Days released last year last year was Boom Bap Logic this year is Jazz rap Logic. It's a really really good album, there's a lot of soul-baring about substance abuse and avoiding those pitfalls and ideas of getting more true to who he really was. There's an 8.5-9.0 album in here somewhere but it's watered down by lesser tracks there are seventeen songs here which is just too many but ultimately it's still a solid effort and something long-time Logic fans can get into. 7.5/10

Statik Slektah-Round Trip: The latest LP from Statik Slektah is a dope effort, that has a piano-driven and somewhat jazz-rap sound that features a mixture of 90's legends and younger artists some of which are legends at this point now as well. It's a 20-track project and the first half is where the strongest tracks lie. All are great but the best include "Unpredictable" feat Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and Method Man, "Ain't Too Much Too It" ft Conway, Life & Times ft Joey Bada$$ and "Lion Heart" with Elzhi and Boldy James. The rest is slowed down by lesser guests and beats lacking quality. All in all a good effort particularly for those who love the current crop of underground MCs that have been making noise from 2018 to the present day. 7.5/10

Paramore- This is Why: Paramore is ever-growing, their last LP was a foray into synth-pop and this one is more of a post-punk album. This album is sharp musically a lot of catchy guitar riffs and layers of sounds underneath the mix. Hayley is vocally great she's shifting velocities and tonalities greatly. Lyrically the album is as content rich as any Paramore album. Trying to be considerate of others, and dealing with how sad the news is among other things. It's a tight album, 10 great tracks 8.0/10

7XVETHEGENIUS-The Genius Tape: 7xvethegenius is a solid rapper this project feels like a lyrical exercise for her coming from the Drumwork camp. "Brainstorm" ft Conway the Machine is a highlight, as is the storytelling on "Lost on Mars" and then there's the Rome Streets and Che Noir's "Neck Protected". 7.5/10

Conway The Machine-Won't He Do It: Conway follows up with 2022 essential God Doesn't Make Mistakes with Won't He Do It, an album that's much more versatile production-wise, and features different sounds from the lush "The Chosen" to the piano-laden "Monogram" or the R&B influenced Water to Wine" you actually know what to expect track to track than any Conway The Machine album to this point and I really enjoy that. This album while not having quite the depth and soul searching of the previous album, is more celebratory and features an array of flows and skill sets. He sounds comfortable and effortless on this project. Great work 8.5/10

Killer Mike-Michael: Michael is Killer Mike's sixth LP and really his most personal and forthright album to this point. Backed by a great production that features some gospel/soul influence that feels classically Atlanta. The album tackles issues he dealt with as a youth, from naively poising the community ("Something for The Junikes") to adolescent love mishandled ("Slummer") to the impact of losing his mother and grandma. This album gives you a sense of the good and bad that shaped Killer Mike. I also love the EL-P-assisted "Don't Let the Devil" for a more southern-fried RTJ feel. I appreciate "Two Days" where Mike touches on the prison industrial system and the politics that keep it going. At every turn, Mike is sharp, heartfelt, and thoughtful. The features on the album all come through with good performances from Atlanta pioneers like Ceelo and Andre 3000 to current-day essentials like Young Thug and Future. Michael's an excellent album and a refreshing solo effort aside from the work with EL-P. 9/10

Nas & Hitboy- Magic 2: Nas and Hit-boy continue their run with their fifth album in 3 years and 2nd edition in the Magic series. While the 2021 Magic felt like an exercise in traditionalism, finding Nas rhyming over an updated 90s sound with rhyming up to par with his prime. Magic 2 finds himself more aligned with modern times tracks like "Motion" and "Earvin Magic Johnson" sound more car and club-ready than anything on the original Magic and tracks like "Abracadabra" are more thematically aligned than most of what's on the original Magic. The more thoughtful and introspective tracks tucked in the back of the album are the strongest, "What it Really Means", "Slow it Down" and "Pistols on Your Album Cover" are all great pieces of work. Par for the course at this point. 8.5/10

Meet me @ the Alter- Past//Present//Future: Meet me @ the Alter is a pop-punk band that has been working toward this moment for a while through a series of EPs and singles that showed a band bustling with pop-punk energy and hooks that only come from a strong appreciation for the pop-punk we came upon. Past//Present//Future is the baby of all that hard work. I love the catchy and snarky "Say it to My Face" I also enjoy the chunky distorted guitars on "Try" a song that speaks to pushing through anxiety and going for things anyway. "T.M.I" is my absolute favorite on the project though, I think it's one of the best vocal performances from Edith Victoria, best chorus and overall well-written tunes here. The bass and big chorus on King of Everything make for a really good close to the album. It's a really good/fun project for the band that leaves plenty of room for improvement and expansion musically and lyrically. 7.5/10

Protomartyr-Formal Growth in the Desert: This is the sixth project from Detroit's post-punk band Protomartyr. As customary for a Protomatyr album, you'll get sprawling guitars as well as walls of atmospheric sound. You're gonna get lead vocalist and lyricist Joe Casey's impassioned vocal performances and his great lyrics. "Fun in Hi Skool" is a great song seemingly about the inability to let go of the past to the point where it ruins your present and future. "Let's Tip The Creator" is my favorite on the project, I think it has some of the best guitar playing and drumming. Protomartyr has always been adept at shifting tones and progressing as tracks progress and with Joe Casey's lyrics being thoughtful yet abstract it invites more and more listens. 8.0/10

Dream Wife-Social Lubrication: Dream Wife's third full-length album is much like their previous efforts a place where youthful exuberance meets thoughtful contemplations and some righteous rebellion. There's "Who do you want to be?" A call to mobilization instead of stagnation. The title track speaks to being buttered up and being made to get comfortable with getting screwed over. "Leech" speaks to men, companies people etc who exploit and use women for what they provide. All great tracks. You still get simple tracks punk tracks like "I Want You" or "Orbit" a song about an attraction that almost feels meant to be. Sonically the band switches between straightforward punk to more of a post-punk sound that definitely more beneficial when they're to get a message across. It's their 3rd straight great album in my opinion. 8.0/10

Noname-Sundial: Sundail is the third full album by Chicago rapper Noname. Noname is a rapper who has always been adept at rhyming conscious, poetic but abstract at the same time. She's an artist who wears her culture on her sleeve and cares deeply about the state of it. She's also someone who over time has just gotten better and better at rapping. She's always had a nimble and fluid flow, but this is her least quiet album yet, she's come through with more stronger presence on the mic and more charisma to it. Topically "Hold Me Down" speaks to black people only holding each other down when it's convenient particularly monetarily. "Balloons" on why there was a musical hiatus for Noname in the first place which is the exploitative nature of selling black trauma to voyeuristic white people who are entertained by black trauma. "Beauty Supply" tackles the self-loathing that inherently comes with adapting Eurocentric beauty standards. There's not a turn on this album where Noname has nothing to say. There's very little wasted space on the album. Yet there are lighthearted and fun moments here as well like "Boomboom" or "Toxic". It's a great album that seems sure to reward with more listens. 8.5/10

Nas & Hitboy- Magic 3: Nas completes their amazing run with their third installment in the Magic series Magic 3. To the surprise of no one, It's another great project that features great production and rhymes from Hitboy and Nas. From the production standpoint, Hit-Boy dives more into a soul sample style here a lot of soulful beats and vocals floating in the background of these tracks. Meanwhile, Nas just showcases his skillset, rapping well is a prerequisite for him at this point so it's really about the direction and how the tracks meld together at this point. "I Love This Feeling" track 4 on the project is the first song that I think is steller on the project it has a great soulful almost jazzy sound to it, and Nas is just sharp and speaking to loving the place he's in in life. "Based on True Events pt1" and "pt 2" find Nas getting into his storytelling bag both efforts are vivid. The first one is seemingly a little more personal speaking to doing some personal investigating on a friend's murder and honoring Havoc of Mobb Deep's brother who was murdered. "Pt 2" echo's a song like "Nigga's Bleed' from the late great Notorious B.I.G. "Blue Bently" and "Jodeci Member"are both bangers on the album tracks you could ride in the car too. The album tetters between celebratory and contemplative and Nas is great at both. The lone feature on the project is Lil Wayne who shows out on his verse his flow is fluid and he really rises to the occasion. It's another great effort from Nas & Hitboy and in the end, I think this is an excellent send-off to their run. 8.5/10

Drake- For All The Dogs: Another blockbuster Drake event and similar to the last 3 it's a bloated affair that attempts to please multiple audiences and run up the streaming numbers by any means necessary. The album is 23 tracks long with a runtime of over 84 minutes which from a modern perspective is a long project, one that Drake isn't capable of carrying to greatness. The album thematically leans more R&B and specifically speaks to Drake and his dealing with women. How they do him dirty and how he returns the favor. The best of the R&B include "Slime Me Out" ft SZA which features some of the best vocal work from Drake. "Virginia Beach" sets the tone well and with a nice Trap & B feel. However, most of my favorites on the album are the rap cuts. J.Cole has arguably the best verse on the project with "First Person Shooter". "8 Am in Charlette" finds Drake doing what he does best basically giving you an exact snapshot of where he is in his life, his mindset his mentality, and where he thinks he fits within the game. I enjoy the levity found on "Another Late Night" ft Lil Yachty. However the absolute best track on the album is "Away From Home" a track detailing everything went through to get to the point where he's at, all the rejections and no's he had to endure to get to where he's at in the game. All in all, I think For All The Dogs is a solid effort it's too long and a bit meandering at times. I think some of the R&B is a bit generic at times but I think the highlights make it worthwhile to listen through once to pick out the tracks you like and make a playlist out of those you enjoy. 7.0/10

Earl Sweatshirt & Alchemist-Voir: Earl's interesting because he's a really good/great rapper who's grown from more of a wordy abstract rapper who would impress with dense dexterous rhyme patterns. He's still that way but much more direct, maybe more monotone and monotonous than he ever used to be. You can't care about charisma, or wide-ranging vocal dynamics if you're going to be into Earl Sweatshirt. It can often feel as though Earls just rambling over these beats. However, he's still nice and stern on these soulful and beautiful beats from Alchemist. Earl has a way of still being heartfelt and vulnerable there's a weariness and soul-searching nature to him on these tracks. I love the bright synths on "Heat Check" and the soul samples that come in on that track. The guitar-laden "27 Braids" is a highlight of the project. "Mac Deuce" is my favorite on the project though Alchemist's fluttering swirling beat sounds great under Earl's vocal. There are two tracks with Vince Staples on the project but neither disappoints with "The Celiphant" being the best of the two. 7.5/10

Westside Gunn-And Then You Pray For Me: And Then You Pray For Me is essentially a sequel to Westside Gunn's most acclaimed effort and Pray for Paris a nearly perfect representation of East Coast underground hip-hop circa 2020. And Then You Pray For Me, finds Westside staying close to roots while also itching to expand his sound outward. Much like Westside's taste for traditional East Coast boom bap and blending that with elegance and opulence, he has a taste for classic trap music, done in the mid-00s by artists like Jeezy, T.I., and Ross. "Kostas' is Griselda trap featuring the big three in Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine, and Westside Gunn himself and they sound right at home on the beat the track is meant to play in your ride at high volume. The album goes back right into some menacing hard East Coast sounds with "Suicide in Selfridges" the "Eurostep" of this project. "Kitchen Lights" ft Stove God is in my opinion probably the best track on the project it has the best production, love the lush strings on here as Westside paints the picture of his background as Stove romantizes cooking up the work under kitchen lights. There's something about Stove's serious yet somehow unhinged tone when singing that makes this track. "Disgusting" is dark and menacing and speaks to Westside's ethos "Yeah a ngga from the hood but a ngga bougie though". It's another banger on the album with trap percussion that sounds like it'll sound nice in your ride. Then he turns back to that standard gritty sound with "Babylon Bis" ft Stove God Cooks, They're both strong on here but Stove just shows why his album is so anticipated in the underground. On this album, I think Westside finds a way to bring a trap sound in and still blend it into Griselda's world. It's 21 tracks long though which means there more variance in quality here than your average Westside project. Still, I think it's a strong project. 8.0/10

City Girls-RAW: City Girls are back with their 4th project in RAW. This isn't as good as their 2020 album City on Lock. That album had more energy from track to track, still "No Bars" is among the best on the project which features some of the best of the project. I wish JT would just go solo, she can rap and I'm more curious and what she has to say lyrically. "Fancy Ass B*tch" is another highlight of the project it has some of the best production on here. "Flashy" is a solid pop-rap tune. Outside of that, almost everything is formulaic and a couple tracks are awful due to blatant sampling and straight-beat jacking. The City Girls have something but it just doesn't feel like they're progressing musically and it doesn't even feel like they're on the same page at times. 6.5/10

Reason- Porches: Reason is a good artist, I really enjoyed his 2018 album There You Have It, Then he dropped New Beginnings, and that one actually escaped me. Reason's new album speaks to coming from the ghetto and the good and bad that comes from that. It's a great album that finds Reason telling stories of homies that are good and have a lot to lose getting off track due to the street element on "A Broken Winter Break". He touches on generational curses as well as the same friend who was watching the older brother repeat some of his same actions later on on "Bussin". Love the flow pattern on "Too Much" as he gets introspective about how he came from the bottom but how still deals with issues even though he's seen "success". He's basically saying I'm not a superhero I go through issues too. On the fun side "At it Again' is my favorite song with some bounce on it, a great track to ride too. On "Gang sh*t" Reason touches on how people feel as though you switch up when you made it but when the really only thing that has changed is them. The album could've been a lot sharper at 12 or 13 songs but at 17 it feels like it drags a bit but that's how things go with hip-hop albums these days. Still, this was a great project from Reason. 8/10.

Lil Wayne & 2Chainz-Welcome 2 Collegrove: Lil Wayne & 2Chainz's first collaborative effort Collegrove while solid didn't really grab my attention when released, Wayne's career was somewhat in a lull and I wasn't the biggest 2Chainz fan. On Welcome 2 Collegrove things are much different Lil Wayne feels like he's getting into a 2nd prime and 2Chainz is a really quality MC at this point. This album also feels more highly produced and organized with varying sounds. "Big Diamonds ft 21 Savage has that classic cash money/New Orleans sound produced by none other than the great Mannie Fresh. It felt good to hear Wayne go back to his roots on that sound. There's the bounce and whistling sound of "Presha" on which Wayne showcases his great flow. "P.P.A" has a great jazzy sound, and has a lush sound as 2Chainz, Wayne, and, Fabulous wax poetic about women's genitalia. Wayne once again has the best verse on this one. "Oprah & Gayle" ft Benny The Butcher is sharp again the production is strong, everyone is great but Wayne dominates this one again. "Shame" is fun because they take on a Wu-Tang-influenced track produced by Havoc where they reference to being like Rae & Ghost. The Havoc-produced "Bars" is excellent as well. "Can't Believe You" has a beautiful opulent sound where Wayne is the MVP as well. Wayne is the MVP of the album. He's competitive, his flow is nimble, and his wit is on point. The sequencing is on point as well. Great album. 8/10

Kamaiyah- Another Good Night: A Good Night in the Ghetto(2016) is truly the principal project for Kamaiyah and one where she showcased her penchant for hooks, melody, and, an around-the-way arura on 90's flavored West Coast production(highly recommended). While this tape is similar in aesthetic. The quality of the tape is about 2 or 3 notches below what that project was. The best track was the first track "Raining Game in California" It has a catchy hook and Jay Worthy is strong. "Take a Sip" repurposes "Out The Bottle" and is a track worthy of being on the album. After that there are really a lot of middling Kamaiyah tracks with a lot of them being no longer than 2 minutes long barely long enough to establish a vibe and leave. It's a fun lil project still but I found her EP Still Lit released late last year to be better not to mention 2020's Got it Made. 6.5/10

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