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patricksmusicblog · 2 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

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: 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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patricksmusicblog · 5 months

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My most played tracks of 2023

#hip hop #rap #synth pop #r&b #pop #Pop Rock #electronic music

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patricksmusicblog · 7 months

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24 Tracks of my absolute favorite songs and artist from the first year of the 2020's. Meant to be played in order.

Alchemist & Freddie Gibbs-God is Perfect: Track 2 and the most hard-nosed track from Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist's acclaimed album Alfredo. Alchemist's beat is menacing and hypnotic, Gibbs's rapping is nimble, and his lyrics are as cold-blooded as you'll hear from him, not to mention the hook is a bit of an earworm.

Westside Gunn- $500 Onces ft Freddie Gibbs & Roc Marciano: My favorite track off what is Westside Gunn's best project in Pray for Paris. Produced by Alchemist, whose beat is a perfect mixture of classy and sinister and the perfect for street-wise MCs to speak to their lifestyles. All have great verses here, with Freddie and Roc shining on the track.

Conway The Machine- Dough and Damani: Produced by Alchemist, he laced the fourth track off Conway's from King to a God, with one side feeling light and opulent and the other grimy and hard-nosed. Conway's normal, braggadocious, somewhat humorous, and always street-oriented style carries the track.

Benny The Butcher-Legend: Produced by Hit-Boy, the Buffalo rapper self-cements his legacy on the triumphant track. He touches on making to where his from where he came also, makes references to himself, and compares himself to NBA legends. It's one of the best tracks on Burden of Proof.

Princess Nokia- Wash & Set: On this track, Princess Nokia faces adulthood head-on. She speaks to the weight of dealing with taxes, rent, and college debt and melancholically reminisces on the more innocent times in childhood. It's a wildly relatable track to me.

Logic- Dadbod: My favorite track off Logic's album No Pressure. It is a track with a smooth jazz-rap feel that speaks to Logic, maturity, fatherhood, and the beautiful mundane minutia that comes with it. It's one of his sharper hooks on that project.

TOPS-Colder & Closer: A brisk synth-pop tune from indie-pop/dream pop band TOPS off I Feel Alive. It is a song about nostalgic love that looks at you with rose-tinted glasses, and no matter how things go, they can't get over you or vice versa. The relationship grows colder, yet they get closer. Great track.

Megan Thee Stallion-Captin Hook: A high-octane raunchy track from Megan The Stallion off her EP Fever. Megan speaks to taking the dominant role and getting what he wants out of any situation, sexual or otherwise. Her flow is sharp here, and her charisma is always magnetizing. Liljumadethebeat does the Beat it's interesting; it's has a thumping bass and bounce and sword slice through it that gives it punch.

City Girls ft Doja Cat-Pussy Talk: A catchy tune from Miami Duo the City Girls with help from Doja Cat. It's a 3 verse track about how money Will go long way toward sexual advancement with them. Jt has the best verse here, and Yung Miami's hook sells the track.

Cardi B ft Megan Thee Stallion-Wap: "Wap" A sex rap anthem by two of the biggest personalities in rap. It's fun, funny and was surprisingly a little controversial in the summer of 2020. The best verses belong to Megan, who's just a more fluid flower than Cardi(not that Cardi doesn't do her thing on the song). I really like the beat and sample choice on the track produced by Ayo the Producer and Keyz. It's a joyously raunchy tune that holds up today.

Noname- Song 33: On much more grounded and serious areas of Summer 2020, you had the back and forth between J. Cole and Noname. This was sparked in the wake of the tragic events of George Floyds murder as Noname got on Twitter to criticize rappers who speak on black struggles in their music but were silent online during the protests. This prompted a response from J. Cole, who was essentially saying he wasn't as deep and educated as people may think and that instead of criticizing, she could be helping him to find a way. Hence we got Song 33, a rebuttal to the notion J. Cole even decided to write a song about her in times like these when there were bigger issues.

Princess Nokia- Just a Kid: Princess Nokia recounts the childhood trauma she experienced, going from a broken home to foster care to eventually being abused by her caretaker. It's a dark track that's sure to be relatable to those who go through similar issues.

Lady Gaga-Stupid Love: "Stupid Love" is a big booming pop song from Lady Gaga off one of her best albums in Chromatica. Produced by Bloodpop, it has a hard-driving beat, Gaga's typical dramatic flair, and a catchy hook. It's one of the better pop songs of 2020 and, to that point, one of the best from Lady Gaga in a while.

Drake & Future-Life is Good: Released at the top of 2020, Drake and Future's "Life is Good" kicked the year off properly with a track that felt two bangers stitched together to create a whole banger. The first side is Drake's who comes in a smooth, nocturnal beat as he speaks to grinding, considering his 2018 L an inconsequential slip-up and other braggadociousness. Future, as you'd expect, takes you right to the trap, speaking to drug dealing, guns, promethazine and Percocet consumption. Both are on point here.

Future & Uzi Vert- That's It: One of the most fun songs of that year and one the best on Future and Lil Uzi Verts joint album. This is because Future is so passionate on this and so serious about being the flyest in the game on this. Not to mention he finds a perfect groove and melody on this one.

Lady Gaga & Arianna Grande-Rain On Me: Such a great pop duet between Gaga and Grande here. Arianna brings smooth-tinged vocals, and Lady Gaga brings the concept and is also strong vocally. It's a great get-through-it song that says, " hey, things aren't perfect, but I'm still here and pushing forward. I love it.

TOPS-I Feel Alive: I love the warmth of this track; it's a warm Sunday morning of a track. It's a Dream pop track about what it feels like to be in love. Lead vocalist Jane Penny is great on the song and switching her pitch on the record.

Megan Thee Stallion-Circles: The second track on Megan Thee Stallion's debut album and one of the better songs on the album. She speaks to haters she got and addresses things that happened between her and rapper/singer Tory Lanez. I like the production on this one Prod. Cool N Dre & Rick Starr Did.

Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist- 1985: 1985 is the opening to Freddie Gibb & Alchemist's Alfredo. It's a great tone setter with those epic guitars and light percussion giving Freddie Gibbs a space to be gangsta Gibbs as Freddie Speaks and referencing Michael Jordan's 85' team being reported as a cocaine circus. Gibbs flow is great here, it's an essential listen on Alfredo.

Westside Gunn-Shawn Vs Flair: From the Premo produced beat to the Prodigy sample opening up the track, the song screams 90's east coast boom bap nostalgia. It's great, at once artistsy and gritty.

Mozzy-The Homies Wanna Know: Mozzy gets reflective and speaks to the reality of the streets and checking those who may or not be of the life comes of the weight of what comes with being a part of it. It has a chill piano laden backgroud I've always enjoyed.

Westside Gunn Ft Benny The Butcher & Conway The Machine: Daringer went crazy productionwise on this one. Beautifully methodical and dark beat here. Griselda could do no wrong in 2020. Benny, Conway and Westside on a beat in 2020....*Chefs Kiss*.

Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist ft Conway The Machine-Babies & Fools: A Smooth beat from Alchemist lays the canvas for Gibbs and the Machine to wax reflective about their past, they sound like uncles at the cookout just trading stories about how their past and how it effects them now. One of my favorites on Alfredo.

Conway The Machine ft Westside Gunn & Benny The Butcher- Spurs 3: Beat Butcha cooks up a beat that feels methodical almost meandering really but it's brooding enough to work for me. Conway and Westside are nice here but I like Benny's verse the best he brings the agression the track needs.

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patricksmusicblog · 7 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

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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patricksmusicblog · 8 months

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In celebration of Nas's belated 50th birthday here's a playlist of 100+ of Nas's best work. From the hits, the album cuts, the features, unreleased demos to his newest work on Magic 3 It's all here. Nas's longevity and consistency is unrivaled. A supreme MC.

#Nas #NaS #Rap #Hip Hop #Music #Playlist #Art

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patricksmusicblog · 8 months

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In honor of the 27 anniversary of the passing of Tupac Shakur, here is an updated playlist of over 120+ 2Pac songs. All of them are great peices of work from early recordings before he released his first album, album cuts, the major hits, postumous classics great features it's all here. Passionate, conscious, full of depth and endlessly charismatic. the more you give to Pac's music and who he was as an person the more his music gives to you.

#2Pac #tupac shakur #Rap #hip hop #Playlist #Music #Art

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patricksmusicblog · 11 months

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A tight 20 track playlist of my absolute favorites of 2021. This playlist meant to play in order.

1. J. Cole-Applying Pressure: One of my favorites from one of J.Cole’s best projects in The Off Season. The self produced beat is one of the hardest on the album and J. Cole’s flow and fluidity is among his best and his competitive spirit is on display.

2. Freddie Gibbs- Big Boss Rabbit: Freddie Gibbs in moment of competitive spirit takes on NaS’s You’re Da Man beat. A brooding Mike Tyson sound bite sets the tone nicely. Freddie Gibbs flow is nimble and great on this as is the hook on this one.

3. Benny The Butcher-Live By It: My personal favorite track on Benny’s Plugs I Met 2 produced by Harry Fraud. The beat is hard yet layered and lush and Benny’s as measured and serious as he can be as he desribes the mentality of youth in the streets these days.

4. Vince Staples-The Shinning: My persoanal favorite track off Long Beach rapper Vince Staple’s self titled album. The track has a breezy feel that’s ready to be played in the car while at the same time Vince has a almost contemplative weary tone to his delievery.

5. Cordae-Thorton Street: The most soulful and rewarding track on the EP Just EP. Cordae just speaking on his upbringing and the backlash from his family due to his vulnerability in his music.

6. Nas-Wave Gods ft A$AP Rocky: Nas’s just being great as he’s been consistently since he linked up with Hit-boy.The beat is one of the brighter beats o on the project. It’s perfect for A$AP Rocky to hop on the beat and deliever on of best performances.

7. Drake ft Rick Ross- Lemon Pepper Freestyle: A track off Scary hours 2 meant to hold us over till Certified Lover Boy came out. I love the instrumental fluttering in the background of the track. Rick Ross is a steadying force on the track but the track is really about Drake. He’s braggadocious, opulent, meditative and straight forward.

8. Laura Mvula-Remedy: A great synth pop track that’s able to be catchy and substantive. Over a bouncy/funky beat she sings about how long it will take before we see change referencing police brutality and the kind stakes it would take to see people truly act.

9. Zara Larsson-Need Someone: A bright and breezy pop tune about feeling secure and content without being in a romantic relationship. The meant to played on a breezy sunny day at high volume.

10. Drake- 7am on Bridal Path: One of the best cuts on Drake’s Certified Lover Boy. This is my favorite type of Drake track no hook, just bars filled brags, subliminal disses. One of the few moments on the album where he has the passion and that would make his album great if he could sustain it.

11. J. Cole- Punchin’ The Clock: Maybe his most technically proficient performed track and album and his most passionately performed. Over a swirling and percussion heavy beat produced by Tae Beast Cole is great on here.

12. Megan Thee Stallion-Bae Goals: A fun bouncy cut off Megan’s Something for the hotties tape. A purely summer cut that finds Megan’s charisma bouncing off the walls of this track as it tends to do with a catchy hook to match.

13. Little Simz- Woman ft Cleo: A great jazzy neo soul track dedicated to woman empowerment particular those of color. Praising those woman around the world, self sufficient and those that show a since of solidarity.

14. Kodak Black-Last Day In:A melodic trap tune from Kodak about his last jail stint. There’s a meloncholic nature to this in that there’s a lot of humorous one liners but underneath the fact you can sense he wishes he didn’t even have to make this track.

15. Little Simz-I See You: A poetic, soulful track speaking to trying to keeping in touch and close to a love one and making them feel loved through affirmations. It’s smooth relaxing track that can be listened to casually and focused on.

16. J. Cole-Let Go My Hand ft Bas& 6lack: An introspective track where Cole speaks to where he is in life and really about the lessons he would like to instill into his son as he grows older. It’s the type of track that I related to because I was became a father the same year. I also related to him trying to stick to a discipline and falling off of it.

17. Skyzoo- I Was Supposed to be a Trap Rapper: Skyzoo’s always been looked at one of the best underground rappers but here he speaks to how his peers thought he would’ve been a trap rapper but he ironically became a “backpacker”. Than the beat switches to a trap beat and he goes in on that. I think it’s a clever track.

18. Drake- Love All ft Jay-Z: A meloncholic track that is really dominated by Jay-Z who goes in on people who betrayed and wanted to kill him even. There’s a sense of aggravation and resentfulness in his tone and it makes his verse compelling.

19. Conway The Machine- S.E Gang ft Westside Gunn & Benny The Butcher: My favorite track on the project La Maquina by Conway the Machine the track is built of a soaring guitar riff that gives it a more epic feel and I think of the 3 on the track it pushes Benny the furthest and he ends up having a standout verse ultimately it’s one of my favorites from Griselda.

20. Nicki Minaj ft Drake & Lil Wayne - Seeing Green: This is just great and highly nostalgic. Young Money’s finest come together for a track that takes me back to the days of 09-10′ when they collaborated much more frequently and those 3 were at the center of hip-hop. Everyone has a great verse here but my favorite is Drake who actually sounded more envigorated to rap on here than a lot of his on album that year. Great track.

#2021 Playlist #Best of 2021 #Music #Music Playlist #Rap #Pop #Hip Hop #Griselda #Nicki Minaj #Drake #J. Cole #Skyzoo #Little Simz #megan thee stallion #Nas #vince staples #Cordae

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patricksmusicblog · 1 year

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This is a playlist of 21 of my absolute favorite tracks of 2022. Can be played on shuffle but meant to be played in order. I took the approach of creating a well sequnced playlist of music that defined my music listening in 2022 as opposed to a broad list of music I listened to and enjoy

1. Nas-Thun

2. Joey Bada$$- Where I Belong

3. Benny The Butcher ft Stove God Cooks- Back 2x

4. Pusha T- Brambleton

5. Black Thought & Danger Mouse ft Conway The Machine- Saltwater

6. Benny The Butcher ft J. Cole- Johnny P’s Caddy

7. Freddie Gibbs- Space Rabbit

8. Roc Marciano & Alchemist- Quantum Leap

9. Earl Sweatshirt- 2010

10. Latto- It’s Givin

11. Glorilla & Cardi B- Tomorrow 2

12. BIA ft J. Cole- London

13. Little Simz- No Merci

14. Megan Thee Stallion-A Gift and A Curse

15. Kendrick Lamar- Father Time ft Sampha

16. Conway The Machine- God Don’t Make Mistakes

17. Che Noir ft 7xvethegenius, Armani Caesar-Ladies Brunch

18. Armani Caesar ft Westside Gunn- Paula Deen

19. JID-Bruddanem

20. Kendrick Lamar-Savior

21. Nas-Once A Man, Twice a Child

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patricksmusicblog · 1 year

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This is a playlist of 250+ of my favorite tracks off my favorite albums of 2022. It’s a collage of mostly hip-hop. You’ve got great work from NaS, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, Westside Gunn, Freddie Gibbs, Kendrick Lamar, Che Noir, Megan Thee Stallion etc. Sprinkled in is some pop/r&b gems from Charli XCX, FKA Twigs, SZA. The pool here is deep and wide ranging and fun give it a listen.

Definitely meant to be shuffled.

#Favorite songs of 2022 #Rap #Hip-Hop #Music #Playlist

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patricksmusicblog · 1 year

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Reposting this in honor of De La Soul’s catalog getting on streaming platforms. RIP to the great Trugoy the Dove.

De La Soul-3 Feet High And Rising(Classic Album Review)

De La Soul are a hip-hop group consisting of Posdnous, Dave, and Maseo. These three teens were an integral part of the Native Tongue posse and also, a central force in the progression of hip-hop. At this point in their career, the group is considered legends who have few great albums but, a significant amount of their legacy hinges on the back of their 1989 debut 3 Feet High and Rising.

One of the most celebrated aspects of the album is its eclecticism. A young De La Soul, who lived in the suburbs of Long Island NY, were influenced by that and basement parties thrown by diverse groups of friends. They cycled through their parents’ old records looking for obscure sounds and musical pieces that’d be typically odd to use on a rap tracks and at the time used them regardless. Everything from Led Zeppelin to Kraftwerk found it’s way onto 3 Feet High And Rising. The collage of oddly spliced samples was pinned down by the funk/jazz and soul sounds that was a kin to their cohorts The Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest and Queen Latifah. The results were a fresh take on what could be done with electic taste and skillfull sampling done by the great Prince Paul.

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Pasdnous and Trugoy the Dove’s rhymes were often as off-kilter as the beats were. With rhyme patterns that weren’t attempting to pulverize the beat with syllables and rhymes as it began to become popular to do on the east coast post-Rakim Pos and Dave’s flows are looser, more playful and often more abstract. They brought a mix of party vibes and consciousness, with lyrics that ranged from stories about sexual conquest(Buddy, Jenifa Taught me), individuality(Me, Myself and I) and, not letting where you live define who you are(Ghetto Thang). In this sense, the group represented the other end of the spectrum from a group like N.W.A. They were also less militant than Public Enemy, but not as campy as a Kid N Play or Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince. They straddled a line of playful and serious consciousness on 3 Feet High And Rising; you could get the knowledge and still have fun.

3 Feet High And Rising’s aesthetic is as important to that album as any rap album ever. Designed by the Grey Organisation, the album cover features De La Soul laid down in a triangle formation with drawings of daisy’s which help depict the “Daisy Age". The Asymmetrical fades, colorful button-ups, peace signs, and a lack of gold chains played as hard as the music did in the opposite direction of the machismo style that was becoming more associated with rappers since Run D.M.C became prominent. It also helped them identify to an audience who felt disconnected to the hyper-masculinity and felt like they didn’t fit in.

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De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising has been considered one of the greatest rap albums ever and for a good reason. The production is top notch and is known for progressing alternative hip-hop, the rhymes are playful yet nuanced, and for better or worse it’s credited for being the first rap album to feature skits prominently. Most importantly its impact can be felt in hip-hop with artist like Kanye, Kid Cudi, and Pharrell. As someone who came in on the album much later, I can understand why some younger listeners wouldn’t think it’s amazing initially. It was released in 89’ so, of course, it’s an album you’ll have to knock the dust off of. However, I found once you settle into it(not to mention get the sense of the context of the music) and deep cuts like “Plug Tunin,” “Tread Water” and “Say No Go” begin to seep into your consciousness it’s easy to see why it received the praise it did. Even though it fits rather snuggly into the Native Tongue discography, it’s still a rap album that’s a unique listening experience.

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Favorite Tracks: Me Myself and I, Buddy, Plug Tunin, Say No Go, Eye Know, Magic Number etc

By: Patrick Griffin II

#De La Soul #3 Feet High and Rising #golden era hip hop #Music #tommy boy #Rap #hip hop

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