March Review Roundup
Little reviews of some notable March releases that we didn't get to on the pod!
Welcome back,
Did you watch “music’s biggest night” Sunday?
We did! Minutes after the 2022 Grammy’s wrapped, we did a little post-game reaction. We talked about everything from the night’s winners and losers, to the production of the show and changes made to this year’s format. It was a fun conversation that you can find below.
Unfortunately, that means that we had to delay our monthly review roundup episode. But no worries — Instead, we moved our March Review Roundup here! Here are the albums included in this month’s roundup:
Motomami - Rosalía
Melt My Eyez See Your Future - Denzel Curry
CRASH - Charli XCX
I Know NIGO - NIGO
Happy reading!
Episode 85: Grammy’s Recap!
Motomami - Rosalía 8/10
Nnamdi
Rosalía’s Reggaeton-infused “Motomami” gives credence to the idea that music is the world’s universal language. Over the course of 42 minutes, the Spanish singer-songwriter transports listeners to a Latin nightclub with tracks like “Saoko” (a nod to the collaboration by Daddy Yankee and Wisin), creates a quinceañera jam in “La Fama,” and makes you shed a tear with the contradictorily named “Hentai.” Spanish-language albums released in English-speaking markets have the added task of engaging listeners unable to engage with the actual lyrics. Rosalía excels here, relying on enchanting, bombastic production to hold listeners’ attention – like on the album’s Pharrell-produced title track “Motomami.” She also interpolates memes to create viral moments, like on “CUUUUuuuuuute” which pulls from this viral video. This approach makes for a fun listen that takes some vulnerable detours every few tracks. Big fan. 8/10
Avery
Man, the amount of styles that Rosalía touches on this album is so impressive. The fact that she can stretch herself across so many different genres while not coming off as thin or like she wasn’t stretching herself thin is crazy. “Bulerías” is the only song that I could find on the album where she is doing straight flamenco, the genre that of course popularized her. And of course, across all these songs, she sounds incredible. Her voice is so beautiful on this album. Songs like “Candy” and “Sakura” really showcase the breadth of what she’s able to achieve with her voice. While the upbeat and fast songs are great, like “Saoko” and “Chicken Teriyaki,” the slower songs are where this album shines for me. “Hentai” may be one of the dirtiest songs I’ve heard in the last few years, but it’s just such a beautiful song and maybe my favorite on the album. If this is what Rosalía the international pop star sounds like, then I cannot wait for more. 9/10
Noah
I’m genuinely surprised more people are not talking about this album considering the recent commercialization of anime and Japanese culture in the United States over the last couple of years. Rosalía has an obvious infatuation with Japanese culture, as do I, but she showcased it in a way that felt fresh and unique. I obviously do not understand Spanish, so I had to lean on reading the English translation of the lyrics. But, I can still hear the production and music used clearly which made for an even more interesting listen. This music sounds like it could be played in the nightclub of a futuristic world, where people travel from planet to planet collecting bounties, i.e. “Cowboy Bebop.” The epitome of that sound is used on the “MOTOMAMI” the Pharell-produced title track that has a simplistic and futuristic sound and uses Rosalía's voice as another instrument. Another song that stood out was “HENTAI.” Now if you cannot understand Spanish like me, you would think this song is some simplistic love ballad with pianos, it’s not. The title of the track should give it away but the lyrics are even more disturbing, which is what brings home the goal of this album. Her uniqueness and creativity ooze throughout the album which makes this one of the most unique listens of the last few years. Not something I’ll go back to but something I will definitely remember. 7/10
Melt My Eyez See Your Future - Denzel Curry 7.6/10
Nnamdi
One word came into my mind after my first listen of this album: “maturity.” Denzel Curry, an artist long-known for hyping a crowd up with anthemic, booming tracks like 2015’s “Ultimate,” appears to have slowed down and conducted serious self-reflection. The Robert Glasper-assisted intro track “Melt Sessions #1” reads almost like a diary entry, with Curry detailing industry challenges, toxic habits and fallen friendships. That vulnerability extends throughout the entire project and leads to several highlights, namely “Walkin,” “The Last,” and my personal favorite “Troubles.” There are some questionable choices in my view – Rico Nasty’s feature lags behind that of JID and 6LACK on “Ain’t No Way,” and the album’s lo-fi, soulful production does feel repetitive by the album’s end. But overall, the project holds up and marks a new, introspective chapter in Denzel Curry’s catalog. More of this – but maybe with a larger swath of producers. 7/10
Avery
Being a longtime Denzel Curry fan, listening to this album is such a gratifying experience. He’s always had the ability to be introspective, but consistently ventured towards high energy and loud songs where it almost sounded like he was screaming, and I think it worked! If he kept doing that, I would still love it, as ZUU is an album that I return to frequently. On his newest offering, he’s taking a more subdued approach to his music, with more personal lyrics and more lowkey instrumentals, and again, it works! This album still has its bangers like the T-Pain assisted “Troubles,” and the awesome crew track “Ain’t No Way,” but there are so many more jazz-backed instrumentals that would be great to just calmly listen to if it was just an instrumental; songs like “Mental” and “The Ills.” My favorite song on the album is still probably “Walkin,” it just so well blends the personal lyrics and catchiness that this album offers. This feels like Curry’s most thoughtful album to date and I can’t wait to see how he continues from here. 8/10
Noah
Denzel Curry continues to grow and evolve with every project he releases and his latest album is no different. The first project I heard from Curry was Nostalgic 64 in 2013, it was energetic loud gangsta street rap and it was super dope. But his 2022 album, Melt My Eyez See Your Future, is a far cry from the type of music he was making a decade ago, but it still sounds just as authentic and good. The Miami rapper is more on his soulful and chill tip this time around but it does not sound like he’s forcing the sound. The one thing I enjoy about this project is that while the production is more laid-back, Curry continues to have that gruff and intense delivery with his voice. For example, the first single, “Walkin” uses a very simple soul sample on loop, with very chill drums for the first half of the song. But once the beat switches his energy goes to another level and optimizes Curry's energy in one track. No matter what he's on, Curry is going to go hard. On “Troubles” featuring T-Pain, the production is upbeat, fast and electronic, but Curry stays aggressive, especially on the refrain. I don’t enjoy every jam on here but Curry’s continued energy on this project continued to increase the replay value for me. 8/10
Y’all hear about this?
CRASH - Charli XCX 6.2/10
Nnamdi
Who said early-2010’s pop was out of fashion? During a time when most pop artists incorporate elements of R&B and rap into their music for the sake of garnering widespread appeal, Charli XCX crashed into the scene with straight dance/bubble pop. It gave Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night” (Crash). It gave Rihanna’s “S&M” (Good Ones). It gave Icona Pop’s “I Love It” (New Shapes). Some songs manage to feel like a refreshed incarnation of the era as opposed to a straight redundancy – and it works! “Baby” and the sultry “Move Me” are great examples of Charli modernizing traditional pop sounds. She also shines on ballads like “Lightning,” which is undoubtedly the album’s standout track in my view. The issue is while Charli nails this pop sound down – it never stops feeling regressive? This is an artist who introduced me, and many others, to the world of hyper pop with last year’s how I’m feeling now. This bold 180 into the last decade feels below someone who clearly has the capacity to drive pop into whatever form it takes in the years to come. I want to see Charli XCX on the forefront of the impending pop wave, not at its tail picking up scraps. 6/10
Avery
Charli XCX’s last album how i’m feeling now was one of my favorite albums of 2020 and probably one of my favorite pop releases of the last few years. She perfectly captured what it was like to be in lockdown and the anxiety and fears that came along with that while growing her hyper-pop style. I was excited to see how she would develop that sound and just how much more she could grow with her music. That being said, this album feels like a step back. It’s filled with pop nostalgia, maybe something you would hear in the early 2010s or late 2000s. There are also some 80’s sounds injected into these tracks as well, which it feels like every pop star is doing. I don’t think that it’s necessarily a bad thing, but to me, just not as interesting as what she could have done. Taking it how it is though, I think there are some really great songs on here. “Beg For You,” “Yuck,” and “Constant Repeat” are songs that I keep returning to. However, I prefer Vroom Vroom Charli over Crash Charli personally, and this feels like a palatable gateway to some of her more interesting music. 6.5/10
Noah
The best way for me to describe this album is forgettable. If you listen to Charli XCX’s 2020 album how i’m feeling now it’s a weird and perfect expression of her thoughts, emotions and mind state. It was made in the height of the coronavirus pandemic and as a result is loud, bombastic and experimental. While it was not my cup of tea, it definitely was not forgettable. CRASH is more toned down and listenable but does nothing out of the norm or creative in my eyes. Which is still fine, songs like “Beg For You” featuring Rina Sawayama sound like an early 2010s pop banger and that the white girls from middle school would have fallen in love with. “Good Ones Go” sounds like another catchy pop hit. But maybe Charli XCX’s release from two years ago gave me an unreasonable expectation of what sounds she is supposed to play with. This album is not terrible or bad, but it definitely does not live up to the expectations of uniqueness I expect from her. 6/10
I Know NIGO - NIGO 7.2/10
Nnamdi
Before we even get into this, it’s time for my monthly reminder: Leave Pop Smoke alone. Delete the feature. Let the man rest. Pop Smoke passed more than two years ago – the repurposing of his unfinished songs or verses no longer feels like a commendable nod or effort to extend his legacy. It feels cheap. Please stop. Now that that’s out the way, with the exception of the aforementioned Pop Smoke-led “Remember,” most of the features that Japanese fashion designer and DJ Nigo recruited for his latest release did him a solid. ASAP Rocky and Tyler the Creator shine throughout the project, both starring on the album’s intro track “Lost and Found” and shining on their individual cuts “Arya” and “Come on, Let’s Go.” The Teriyaki Boyz provide a fun moment of levity on “Morë Tonight.” Uzi did the tough job of standing out amid the ongoing wave of drill tracks with “Heavy.” And Pharrell gave the album some of its best production with “Functional Addict” – a track also aided by a great Gunna feature (which isn’t all that common I’m sorry idc idc). Nigo gave us a well-produced tour de’ force of Hip-Hop’s current leaders. Is it memorable? Perhaps not, but it’s a fun listen nonetheless. 7.5/10
Avery
This is a weird album for me. The first couple of times I listened, I didn’t enjoy it that much, I could pick out a couple of songs that I liked and would leave it at that. However, as I kept coming back, I kept finding songs that I enjoyed more and more. Obviously “Come On, Let’s Go” is one of my favorites as well as “Hear Me Clearly” and “Arya.” But the songs that grew on me include “Functional Addict,” “Punch Bowl” and “Morë Tonight” with the Teriyaki Boyz, of which Nigo is actually a part. The songs capture a variety of different styles of rap and that has varying success. “Want it Bad” feels like a bad throwback to early versions of Kid Cudi’s music, and “Heavy” just comes off as a boring drill song that Uzi didn’t really elevate. I also can’t get over another Pop Smoke feature that doesn’t do anything for me. There was no need to include him on this album. However, the highs of this album are quite high. In all, this is a solid collection of tracks that can be pretty fun, with others feeling really bland and unnecessary. 7/10
Noah
While people love the thought of a compilation album because of all the artists that are on them, they usually do not live up to the expectations that fans set for them. This is no different for I Know Nigo. The album is really fun, the artists for me that really carry this project are Tyler, the Creator, A$AP Rocky and Pusha T, who are featured on a little under half of the album. Those are the songs I see myself going back to the most because it just feels they brought the most energy and lyrical ability. Although tracks like “Morē Tonight” and “Paper Plates” are also bouncy and energetic tracks that are fun and lively and could be played in any function. The inclusion of Pop Smoke on the album was a little weird and out of place. The sound did not fit the project and it’s unclear if he was even friends with Nigo, which makes me question why he was included on the project anway. Nonetheless, this project was very fun and enjoyable with a few misses, but still worth going back to for multiple listens. 7/10
Now on the 97 Demo Mix:
Songs from: Jon Batiste, Olivia Rodrigo, Baby Keem, Arlo Parks, and more!
Tweet of the week: