Hi, everyone! As the fourth quarter of music has begun, I decided to drop into some albums that had been released fairly recently. It's safe to say that I was pretty happy with most of the things that I listened to this month, and I've also been exposed to awesome new music in these 30 days also. Hope you guys are able to find stuff that you can enjoy on this list as much as I did!
ALBUMS I LISTENED TO/MY OPINIONS:
i, i- Bon Iver
This marks the third record of the decade released by Wisconsin folk genius Justin Vernon, and it’s been outstanding to hear his progression as a musician over the years. After shifting towards a folk/electronic hybrid on 22, A Million back in 2016, he has made that his go-to style on i,i. This album is a little more upbeat than the more techy predecessor, but the pulsating synths, deep basslines, and Vernon’s vocal melodies all prove that he can find new ways to stay fresh and grow even more as a musician. The songwriting is beautiful, per the norm, and the rich amount of effort that has been poured into each cut on the album. Whether it’s the soft saxophone solo on “Sh’Diah”, the deep house elements on “iMi”, or the vibrant piano riffs on “U (Man Like)” Vernon hooks his listeners in right from the beginning and takes them on one of the most diverse and intriguing soundscapes this year has had to offer. Along with the previously mentioned tracks, “Hey, Ma” and “Naeem” show Vernon at his most vulnerable, an area where he thrives. While the latter half of this album could be considered a little stale, I want to end this on a high note. You can’t overlook the outstanding musicianship and creativity that Justin Vernon showcases with this outing, and is worth a listen for any person who isn’t an indiehead like me. I’d consider Bon Iver as more mainstream, and I’m always happy to see Vernon blending both a pop music-minded audience with even the most stingy of listeners. Once again, all I can do is applaud him for his work here! 8.5/10
So Much Fun- Young Thug
I’m not the biggest fan of modern rap, but Young Thug is one rapper I’ll make an exception for. The Atlanta rapper’s newest album dropped in mid-August, and I was hyped to see a new project from him. I think this album’s title is reflective of my overall enjoyment of this project. It has a pretty fair balance between “hype” and “chill tracks”, and it was a nice break from some of the more intense listening endeavors I’ve made in recent months. Young Thug called up some of the biggest names on the rap and production side, and it was honestly more hot-and-cold. Some of the features on here aren’t all that good, I’m calling out Gunna’s on “Hot”, Lil Baby on “Bad Bad Bad” and Juice WRLD’s addition to “Mannequin Challenge”. Despite having a dull stretch of tracks here and there, I will not lie by saying that there are definitely some standouts on this album. Lil Uzi Vert’s verse on “What’s The Move” is solid, and J. Cole and Travis Scott’s additions to his hit single “The London” should also be noted. Additionally, Thugger’s solo tracks are also really nice as well, the best of the bunch being “Just How It Is”, “Light It Up” and “Pussy”. All in all, the gamut of tracks that were on So Much Fun solidified it as another standout release from one of the more stomachable rappers in the game right now. 7.5/10
Forever Turned Around- Whitney
The Chicago folk duo won my heart with their debut Light Upon the Lake three years ago, and I was really looking forward to this release. Forever Turned Around has everything LUTL had- and more. This album is near perfect, and I really loved so many of the tracks on here. While the soundscapes on here are more folk-driven, I was feeling as if it’s a trip down memory lane to the Americana genre of the 70s. Guitar and piano sections on this record remind me strongly of artists like James Taylor and Carole King, and I thought that was a really great touch. Additionally, this record expands on its trumpet riffs that made so many of the tracks on the debut memorable. In fact, the instrumental “Rhododendron” is an ode to their outstanding horn line that makes this band so unique. I have On the lyrical side of things, their songwriting is still gut-wrenchingly sad, and so many of the songs on this record will have you getting a mad case of feels. In fact, my personal favorites “Giving Up”, “Before I Knew It”, and the tear-shedding closer “Forever Turned Around” are some of the most empowering songs that I’ve heard all year. But wait- there’s more! What’s so crazy with Whitney is that the mayor of Chicago honored them with their own special day (August 30- my birthday!), and deservingly so. These guys are some of the most talented musicians that we have seen this decade, and I hope they continue releasing amazing music down the road. 9.5/10
Legacy! Legacy!- Jamila Woods
While I didn’t check out Jamila’s debut, Heavn, I’m now super interested in doing so after listening to her sophomore outing. It’s so amazing to sit and marvel the abundance of talent that is in the Chicago music scene across so many different genres. Whether it’s hip-hop, indie rock, R&B/soul, Chicago is a hotbed for some of the most forward-thinking musicians of this generation. For 49 minutes, Jamila hits the ground running and never lets up. You’re treated to an album filled with beautiful piano melodies and a strong rhythm section that help bring out the best of Jamila’s vocal and lyrical talents. I really love how so many of these tracks are named for some of the black heroes of the 20th century and beyond, that was a real great move on her part. Part of it is because she has a degree in Africana studies, but it’s still a great move. Whether she was remembering Miles Davis, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin or Eartha Kitt, she sure has a deep knowledge of black figures in our country. In terms of this album, it is more on the neo-soul side. That is one of my favorite subgenres out there right now, and Woods’ newest offering may be one of the strongest we’ve gotten in recent years. My only two downsides with this album were the more house-techno tracks like “OCTAVIA” or the remix of “BETTY (for Boogie)”, as they seemed out-of-place on a more soul-driven record. I was also not the biggest fan of the features on tracks like “SUN RA” or “SONIA”. I think Jamila thrives the best when she’s in the studio by herself. Nevertheless, songs like the leadoff “BETTY”, “ZORA” and “FRIDA” might be in contention for top 10 tracks of the years. All in all, this album has definitely cemented its LEGACY! in the 2019 year of music. 8.5/10
Hiding Places- Billy Woods/Kenny Segal
While this might be more of an off-the-beaten-path rap record, I’ve gotten a lot of people asking me to give it a review. I know Kenny Segal for his work with a past favorite of mine, Milo, but I’d never heard anything by Billy Woods until now. I really love experimental rapheads like Milo, but I felt like this record was not hitting the mark for me. Some of Segal’s beats on here are alright, but others can get kind of noisy and a little over the top on the wonky side. However, the biggest drawback for me was Billy’s flow and delivery. I felt like he drags along in a very banal way on some tracks, which made a fair amount of this record kind of unenjoyable. A lot of his verses try to be more arcane and scholarly (spoken word, if you will) a la Milo, but even then, they’re not that great. Despite all these negative things, I’ve got to commend some of the rare good verses Woods has on this album. He shines on songs like “Spongebob”, “Houthi” and “A Day in a Week in a Year”. It wasn’t just Woods who shined on these cuts, but it was one of the rare occasions where I felt like the producer and rapper were working together in perfect harmony. Other than that, there weren’t many other songs that left me feeling inspired to give this a good review. While I really like the idea of producer/rapper collabs, this one really lacks in comparison to other recent collabs such as Freddie Gibbs/Madlib on Bandana. 5.5/10
SONGS OF THE MONTH
Far Away- Slushii
Warned You- Good Morning
Eclipse- Inner Wave
True Blue- Dirty Beaches
Forever Turned Around- Whitney
Icon- JADEN
Broke As Fuck- YBN Cordae
The London- Young Thug
Sunn- Goth Babe
Weather- Ginger Root
So, did you agree with my reviews? If not, I would love to hear your opinions about these records! I'm always down to see a different viewpoint about a certain album. If there are any other records you'd like me to review in the coming months, feel free to shoot me a direct message on Instagram (@bazzreviews) or shoot me an email, wtbazzone@gmail.com. Thanks so much checking these reviews out, and I hope you will stay with bazzreviews in the future!
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