Yard Act - Where’s My Utopia?
Genre: Post punk; dance rock
Review
Ever since I saw Yard Act in Madison last September, I’ve been enamored with them! They balance political commentary with a nonchalance and seemingly nihilistic point of view of everything over these frantic post punk instrumentals. Instead of keeping the same formula for album two, they change almost everything! These songs are both more and less accessible than the debut; it all depends on what song you’re listening to. “Dream Job” and “We Make Hits” are incredible pop rock tracks that very well could be hits, but there are also songs like “Down By The Stream” that contain a cacophony of sounds that include blaring rock drums and hip-hop record scratches. In all honesty though, whether or not you’ll like this album in its entirety comes down to “Blackpool Illuminations”. It’s a seven-minute long spoken word track where James tells a story of going to Blackpool as a child and how an experience there turned him into a nihilistic, emotionless wreck and that music is what helped knock him out of that state. After acknowledging that he made some of it up, he then “attains perfection” while watching his son play in those same Blackpool areas with his wife and how that moment is his utopia. It’s a profound song that I think you can interpret in multiple different ways depending on which part you focus on, but that’s what great art does. They make the listener think about life while still making it enjoyable, and that’s exactly what Yard Act did with Where’s My Utopia?!
Favorite Tracks: “Blackpool Illuminations”, “We Make Hits”, “Dream Job”
If You Like…: Existential thoughts; mind-melting dance rock instrumentals
Tyla - Tyla
Genre: Amapiano; R&B; pop
Review
Tyla exploded into the mainstream with her 2023 hit, “Water”. After almost eight months of waiting since that hit, we finally got her official debut album, and it’s a pretty awesome start! The main critique I’ve seen thrown at the album is that it sounds similar throughout, and while that is true in specific spots, it in no means makes the album a slog to get through. The vast majority of the tracks on here are upbeat bangers that will for sure be played everywhere throughout the summer. Songs like “No.1” with Tems, “On and On”, and “Breathe Me” are all fantastic anthems that sound like they could be her next huge hit! She’s also able to slow it down nicely and do some more classic R&B ballads, like on the song “Butterflies”. Her voice feels straight out of the 1990s and 2000s R&B girl groups, especially on the aforementioned “Butterflies”. Even though this is a great debut album, it still feels like she can do better, which is always something I love finding in a new artist. So overall, this project is so much fun and will likely be one of the better pop albums of the year!
Favorite Tracks: “No.1” (Feat. Tems), “Breathe Me”, “On and On”
If You Like…: Dancing
Gary Clark Jr. - JPEG RAW
Genre: Rock; R&B; soul
Review
It’s been five years since we got an album from Gary, and he was relatively silent during that break, which is unlike him. Usually, he gives the fans a live album, but none materialized this time. It seems like he spent all that work on JPEG RAW, and it worked because I think this is his best album! The first thing to know for longtime Gary Clark Jr. fans is that the long guitar solos that he is known for aren’t on the album. I do hope they still show up in his live performances, but they are nowhere to be found on JPEG RAW. Instead, it is replaced with better composed songs and collaborations with music legends! Both Stevie Wonder and George Clinton show up here, who else can do that?!? And not only are they on the songs, they are heavily involved. Heck, the Stevie Wonder collab is literally a duet that Gary said Stevie started. If that’s anything to go by, Stevie still has it 73! The rest of the album is maximalist and great! There’s a hard rocking anthem with the track, “Hearts In Retrograde”. “Triumph” and “Habits” close out the album with beautiful, meaningful ballads, the latter of which extends to over nine minutes in length. If you want a five and half minute long song about institutionalized racism with a choir introduction and semi-rapping from Gary, that’s here too with “This is Who We Are”. With each listen, this album only grows on me, and I hope it continues to as time goes on!
Favorite Tracks: “What About The Children” (Feat. Stevie Wonder), “This Is Who We Are” (Feat. Naala), “Habits”
If You Like…: Rock with a purpose; artists pushing their traditional sounds
ScHoolboy Q - Blue Lips
Genre: Hip-Hop
Review
It’s been five years since tHe last ScHoolboy Q album, but it’s been even longer since He released an album that was up to His standard. THankfully, Blue Lips is that return to form tHat sHows ScHoolboy close to His best! He still Has His trademark west-coast gangsta rap vibe to it, but He adds in more industrial production and personal lyrics to it tHis time around! THe song “Blueslides” talks about ScHoolboy’s relationsHip witH Mac Miller and How His passing led to ScHoolboy becoming sober. It’s easily one of His most beautiful tracks, if not tHe most beautiful in His entire career! THis song also follows two disgusting bangers in “Pop” and “THank God 4 Me”, tHe former of wHicH features a pHenomenal feature from Rico Nasty! He continues tHis weird pacing tHrougHout all 18 tracks, wHicH is my only complaint. It sometimes makes tHe album feel more like a playlist instead of a complete body of work. A couple of tHe features Here also don’t add mucH, but tHat’s ok because ScHoolboy kills everytHing on Here! Blue Lips is an easy frontrunner for tHe best Hip-Hop album of tHe year, so far!
Favorite Tracks: “Blueslides”, “Pop” (Feat. Rico Nasty), “Yeern 101”
If You Like…: TDE; ScHoolboy’s previous work
Ariana Grande - Eternal Sunshine
Genre: Pop; R&B
Review
Even though Ariana dropped two of the best pop albums of the late 2010s, I still didn’t have high expectations for this one. I don’t know if it was that she seemed to disappear from music all together the past few years while getting ready for Wicked, or the mediocre lead single, “Yes And?”, but I didn’t have high hopes for this album. Thankfully, she came through a pretty fun pop album! Sonically, it doesn’t push her own sound forward at all. There have always been hints of 90s R&B sliced together with some classic Max Martin pop production. Everything on here is still really good though! I know this is such a small thing, but the sub-bass on “True Story” is absolutely perfect and makes the song stand out among the rest. The little slow down that she does right before the chorus on “The Boy Is Mine” is also a little detail that adds so much. With how stacked music is this year, only time will tell if Eternal Sunshine will stand out among the rest, but it’s still an easily enjoyable return to the spotlight for Ariana!
Favorite Tracks: “True Story”, “The Boy Is Mine”, “Eternal Sunshine”
If You Like…: Ariana’s previous albums; 90s R&B
That Mexican OT - Texas Technician
Genre: Southern hip-hop
Review
That Mexican OT is one of the hottest new rappers coming out of Texas, and Texas Technician continues his upwards trajectory! One thing that dominates this album is the features. Only three out of sixteen songs on here don’t have any features. Most of the features add to their respective songs though, but there are a couple that weren’t needed at all, like DaBaby on “Point Em Out”. On the flip side, Paul Wall and Moneybagg Yo are the standout features here with verses that exceed That Mexican OT’s! Most of the songs on here are just bangers about “Chicken Strips & Ass”, but he does get personal on the penultimate track, “Mucho Gracias”. He also does a chopped and screwed tribute on the final track, “Kick Doe Freestyle”, that goes over really well! He still has a bit to go before he drops an incredible project, but Texas Technician is one of hip-hop’s most fun projects so far this year!
Favorite Tracks: “Twisting Fingers” (Feat. Moneybagg Yo), “02.02.99”, “Mucho Gracias”
If You Like…: Texas hip-hop; DJ Screw
Faye Webster - Underdressed at the Symphony
Genre: Soft-rock; indie-rock
Review
Even though she is well loved by many people, I’ve never heard a full Faye Webster album until this one. So maybe that’s why even though most people seem to be only whelmed by it, I think it’s fantastic! I understand the critiques for it, the main one being that it’s too easygoing and repetitive. That’s especially evident on the first track of the album, which consists of the chorus repeating for six minutes with slight variations. Still though, the entire album is chalk full of lighthearted, fulfilling indie rock instruments and Faye’s delicate voice fits over. There are some great lines on here, my personal favorite being, “I hope you’re ok, but I won’t ask. If you’re in a good place, I won’t mess with that”. She also knows when to add humor to her songs, like the line on “Feeling Good Today” where she says, “I got paid today. I’ll probably buy something dumb because I am pretty childish”. This album won’t slap you across the face, but it’s an enjoyable listen with a lot of heart.
Favorite Tracks: “Lego Ring” (Feat. Lil Yachty), “But Not Kiss”, “Lifetime”
If You Like…: Urban Outfitters; edibles while hiking
Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future
Genre: Folk
Review
It’s not fair, it doesn’t sound like she’s trying. I know she is, but it feels like this emotional, but yet lighthearted songwriting style she has just flows out of her. Don’t get me wrong, the signs were there. There were plenty of singles from this album, including a new version of the Big Thief anthem from last year, “Vampire Energy”. This new version was actually the original one that is just now being released, and it’s a completely different instrumental that somehow still works. There are just so many lines on here that exemplify Adrianne’s ability to turn the seemingly unimportant into something that feels important and beautiful. She does this with the chorus on “Donut Seam” where she says, “This whole world is dying. Don’t it seem like a good time for swimming, before all the water disappears?” Even in the face of all the horrors, she is still able to enjoy the feeling of a nice swim. The song “Free Treasure” is less dark and focuses on the little things about human connection that helps us feel better, like with the line, “Do you wanna go to the river? I know this spot so deep and green, with wild raspberries and apple trees, and rocks to climb between.” This one line doesn’t do the overall songwriting justice though, no one line will. Her ability to make everything work together in a song is special, and Bright Future is another excellent showcase of her writing! Also, apparently she recorded the entire thing completely analog, which makes me even more excited to hear the vinyl! [Editor’s Note: I have since heard the vinyl, and it definitely sounded better than what’s on streaming! Go support great music!]
Favorite Tracks: “Sadness as a Gift”, “Donut Seam”, “Free Treasure”
If You Like…: Songwriting
Adrianne Lenker - i won’t let go of your hand
Genre: Folk
Review
This was a surprise release that came out a week and a half before her official album did. It was released exclusively through Bandcamp in order to raise money for the Palestinian Children Relief Fund. It has been estimated by the Defence for Children International that over 12,000 children have been killed in Gaza over the last few months, and every dollar earned by this EP will be going towards helping these families who have lost their children and keeping the children that are still alive fed and nourished. The idea has worked though, as she was able to donate $74,837 in only the first four days it was available! So due to the reasons behind this release, it feels weird to only talk about the music. The only thing I’ll say about the songs is that Adrianne described them as, “which were recorded in the moments they were written”. They are minimal, beautiful tracks with fantastic songwriting. But the music comes secondary to the meaning that this little project was released. Maybe if it makes my end of the year list or something I’ll try and talk about the music more, but that’s not what’s most important here. So if you can, I would recommend going to her bandcamp and supporting this project.
Favorite Tracks: “The music”, “feel it all”, “i won’t let go of your hand”
If You Like…: Songwriters
Yung Lean & Bladee - Psykos
Genre: Alternative; emo
Review
Both Yung Lean and Bladee are cloud rap innovators from Sweden that have been around for close to a decade. Even though they have made dozens of songs together, Psykos is the first full collaboration project between the two, and it’s more of the drain gang sound that I like! I’ve never really liked either one of their rapping, but when they sing, it works for me! I understand that they both don’t have good voices, but the way the vocals are layered with these psychedelic, night-sky instrumentals works perfectly! Just listen to the progression on a song like “Still” and say that these guys can’t pull off this style. Granted, a lot of credit needs to go to the main producer of the album, Palmistry, but both Yung Lean and Bladee fit these songs nicely. Now, the songs themselves aren’t all that memorable out of the context of this project, but I can see this being a perfect project for people to put on at night while intoxicated.
Favorite Tracks: “Still”, “Hanging From The Bridge”, “Enemy”
If You Like…: Shrooms; Drain Gang
Kenny Mason - 9
Genre: Hip-hop; grunge
Review
It took an extra six months, but we finally got the conclusion to Kenny’s series of projects last year! 9 is preceded by 6 and 3, which were released on June 6th and March 3rd respectively. 9 was supposed to come out on September 9th, but he delayed it to make sure it was perfect, which I can’t say he got to. I do enjoy 9 better than the projects from last year, but these still pale in comparison to how he started the 2020s. Instead, it’s another showcase of all the different styles he can do. “Easy Dub” is a menacing trap banger that could easily have 21 Savage on it, whereas the single, “US” is one of the closest things to grunge I’ve heard in a very long time. He still carries the hip-hop feeling he’s always had, but the instrumental could very well be a long lost Nirvana demo. It’s a wide variety of sounds that nobody else could pull off. I can’t imagine a single other artist that could have both Veeze and Toro y Moi on the album! So while 9 is far from the best Kenny has done, it’s still an entertaining collection of tracks for people who have enjoyed his previous material!
If You Like…: His previous material
Tierra Whack - World Wide Whack
Genre: Hip-hop; pop
Review
It may have taken six years, but the self-proclaimed debut album from Tierra Whack is finally here! World Wide Whack is everything fans expected, and more. We were used to her wild sense of humor and zany flows over these hard-hitting, but accessible and playful beats, but we weren’t used to her being so upfront about her mental health issues. There are plenty of songs on here about her feeling suicidal and how difficult it is to be alive. In fact, the album ends with a song called the “27 Club” where the chorus is literally her saying the word “suicide” over and over. Thankfully, she is doing better mentally and has made it past that unfortunate grouping. As for the music itself on here, it is sonically exactly what one would expect from Tierra. She doesn’t take many risks stylistically here, but the subject matter of these songs is what stands out. Tierra opened herself up to the world with this album, and I hope she is better for it.
Favorite Tracks: “Difficult”, “27 Club”, “Chanel Pit”
If You Like…: Weird pop rap; deeply personal songs that don’t sound depressing
Four Tet - Three
Genre: Downtempo; electronic; ambient
Review
After releasing the first single for this album almost a year ago, we finally got the new Four Tet album a couple weeks ago, and it’s full of highlights! The aforementioned single, “Three Drums”, closes out the album on an eight-minute blissful experience that leaves the listener in a state of peace. “Daydream Repeat” is not only the best track on here, but is one of my favorite tracks all year! The whirling synths and bells create this atmosphere that you get lost in, while Four Tet expertly adds and takes away drums throughout the six minute runtime that keeps the entire thing entertaining. It’s the perfect song to listen to while driving at night! The rest of the album consists of tracks that are various levels of good and tend to be a bit more ambient. The first three songs especially are ambient, but the addition of drums to some of the tracks help them stand out. Three isn’t the mind blowing experience that I was hoping for, but it’s still a great project that is in no way disappointing.
Favorite Tracks: “Daydream Repeat”, “Three Drums”, “31 Bloom”
If You Like…: Four Tet; slower electronic music
Moor Mother - The Great Bailout
Genre: Experimental; spoken-word
Review
Moor Mother is someone I’ve heard about for a long time, but this is my first full album of hers! I’m not sure I can say it’s entertaining in the traditional sense of the word, but it is fascinating! This album is about the repercussions of slavery and specifically, how the United Kingdom gave loans to the rich slave owners that were being paid off by the general public’s taxes until 2015. That meant that even as soon as ten years ago, descendants of slave masters were still receiving payments that came from the general public’s taxes, including people that were descendants of the actual slaves. The whole album is about that legislation and the effects of it. With a subject matter like that, it’s a hard album to listen to and enjoy it in the same way you can almost any other type of music, but it’s important to know how history still affects society today. Moor Mother does provide some incredibly haunting, but beautiful production for the album, which helps the album feel haunting. So if you’re in the mood for the audio equivalent of a history documentary about slavery, I recommend this album. It’s not the most enjoyable album of the year, but it’s probably the most important project of the year.
Favorite Tracks: “God Save The Queen” (Feat. justmadnice), “Guilty” (Feat. Lonnie Holley & Raia Was), “Liverpool Wins” (Feat. Kyle Kidd)
If You Like…: History documentaries
Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well
Genre: Pop country; folk
Review
Deeper Well is easily her most laid back and straightforward album yet! Gone are the bombastic pop country bangers, and welcomed in are the minimalist, introspective country rock ballads. Both the positive and negative with Deeper Well lives in this next sentence. Everything on here is good, but nothing is great. The songwriting is overall good. Her vocals are easy going and fit the instrumentals nicely. The album’s pacing keeps everything on track. There’s just nothing that would pull me back to this project. There are some good songs, like the single “Too Good To Be True” and “Lonely Millionaire”, the latter of which samples JID’s “Kody Blu 31” for the melody of the track. There are also a lot of tracks on here that I can’t remember, even though I’ve listened to the full album 3-4 times at this point. It’s in one ear and out the other. In a year that is so stacked with not only quality albums, but quality albums from huge artists, Deeper Well isn’t something that I will keep returning to.
Favorite Tracks: “Lonely Millionaire”, “Too Good To Be True”, “The Architect”
If You Like…: Easy listening; accessible folk/country
Jahari Massamba Unit - YHWH Is Love
Genre: Jazz-fusion; instrumental hip-hop
Review
This is the second album from Jahari Massamba Unit. The duo is made up of Madlib and Karriem Riggens, both of whom are primarily known as iconic hip-hop producers, Madlib especially. When it came time to make this album, they each had their own separate parts. Karriem would send Madlib the drums, and Madlib would then add everything else and create the full track. It’s interesting hearing both parts, especially because each of them have their own moments to shine. Some of these tracks are more ambient that end up fading into the background, such as, “WITH YHWH LOVE”, but there are also moments that you can’t ignore, such as Karriem’s incredible drumroll on “Karriem’s Bolero”. It’s not an album that will always demand your attention, but that’s ok. In fact, I’ve been having it on in the background while reading Dilla Time. It only feels appropriate since both Madlib and Karriem were friends with Dilla when he was alive. It’s nice music to help unconsciously nod your head when things get too busy.
Favorite Tracks: “Karriem’s Bolero”, “Otis’ Tambourine”, “JMU’s Voyage”
If You Like…: Madlib; Dilla
Jacob Collier - Djesse Vol. 4
Genre: Maximalist pop
Review
Djesse Vol. 4 is unfortunately another example of Jacob Collier being an incredibly talented producer, but failing again to write captivating music himself. It does feel less like he’s just trying to flex his musical prowess over us, but that feeling still does happen on a couple tracks, such as the random death metal outro to “100,000 Voices”. A lot of these songs just feel like worship songs that have great production to them. Sure, the overall sound of the song is always grand, but the songs themselves don’t stand out. And of course, one of the times it does is the Simon & Garfunkel cover of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with John Legend and Tori Kelly. Speaking of features, the features have most of the best moments on here, including the two mentioned above and Brandi Carlile on “Little Blue”. When Jacob does strip it back, it can be some awesome R&B tracks. But when he starts adding a million things, like on “Over You” and both “Box Of Stars” parts, it can feel hardly listenable. In fact, I’d say that “Box Of Stars Pt. 1” might be my least favorite song of the year. I respect the amount of talent that Jacob Collier has, but he still hasn’t figured out how to make captivating music.
Favorite Tracks: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (Feat. John Legend & Tori Kelly), “Little Blue” (Feat. Brandi Carlile), “Summer Rain” (Feat. Madison Cunningham & Chris Thile)
If You Like…: The most maximalist pop music you’ve ever heard; have purposely taken a music theory class
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