The Commute 2021: Q2 (3/3)
Featuring albums from: Lil Baby & Lil Durk, Left At London, Polo G, Emotional Oranges, Maroon 5, Alan Jackson, Backxwash, Doja Cat & Tyler The Creator.
June
Voice of the Heroes by Lil Baby & Lil Durk
Best Songs: “Rich Off Pain” ft. Rod Wave, “Bruised Up”, “That’s Facts”, “Make It Out”, “2040”, “Voice of the Heroes”, “Hats Off” ft. Travis Scott
Content Warning: Themes of racism, death and poverty
It’s been a bit of a long road for me to “get” trap. Maybe I just needed to wait until the genre opened itself up to being more vulnerable and honest about the artists behind these songs. But as easy as it is to dismiss this genre for its shallowness and lack of ambition, that criticism becoming less and less excusable nowadays. There’s more to the genre that I think we’re only now starting to see, especially as the backgrounds of these artists and their experience with poverty and violence is becoming more pronounced with every new rising star. Lil Baby and Lil Durk are exactly the kind of artists to lead this new movement of “soul trap” or whatever you call it, but that puts both artists in a weird position. Voice of the Heroes consists of two halves; the voice (Lil Durk) and the hero (Lil Baby). Lil Durk, acting as the voice, is the one with the most direct experience of living in hoods and experiencing the brunt of death and poverty. Tragically, he’s still experiencing it. Even if he’s managed to finally hit it big enough to move out of those poor conditions, his friends and family still have to endure it. Within the same week of this album’s release, he had the one-two punch loss of his longtime engineer, Turn Me Up Josh, and his brother, OTF DTHANG. Even when you yourself make it, it hurts to know that others won’t. Lil Baby, meanwhile, is the most popular of the two, and after the notable success of “The Bigger Picture” and its place in music activism history, is now seen as a leader in decrying police brutality and getting people off the streets and into better living conditions.
You’d think this means the album would be righteous and calling out the higher powers like Run The Jewels have done for years, but Baby and Durk aren’t Killer Mike and el-p. They aren’t the kind of people who speak truth to power because they themselves understand their own positions as popular rappers speaking on an experience of their past. The album also isn’t as focused as any of the Run The Jewels albums, with a handful of songs focusing on relationships or merely flexing their wealth. But that in itself builds to the realization that their position as famous rappers calls into question their authority when talking about police violence or poverty. They made it. They have the riches and the girls that people in their hoods could only dream of. There’s a lot of guilt in the back half of the album, as both artists try to sort out their own affairs and reflect on what exactly they should be doing to elevate the people they represent. The three-song run from “Rich Off Pain” to “Bruised Up” is honestly one of the most inspired album runs I’ve heard all year. “Rich Off Pain” brings up the thesis of the album, realizing that sharing their trauma and using it in their music is what led them to being famous in the first place. But what does that say about their lives? How is Rod Wave’s popularity really helping with his struggles in mental health and depression? What if Lil Durk really is profiting off of the death of his friends and family? He may deflect against it, but he still fears there may be a hint of truth within it. Is Lil Baby really in a position to call himself a role model? Does showing younger up-and-coming kids on the block his wealth and success really encouraging them to reach that level when they grow up, or is it going to put a bigger target on their back?
As you go through the hopes of escaping poverty on “Make It Out” and the admittance of trauma and uncertainty on “Bruised Up”, you start to realize that these supposed leaders have no answers. Because that implies that they know how to deal with what comes next. In reality, they’re just as broken and traumatized as the people they swore to defend. Because this kind of trauma and oppression isn’t something that can be “fixed”. Pretty much all of it is systemic, coming from a government that doesn’t want to see them make it out. Who cares if they’re rich? That doesn’t put them above everyone else who hasn’t gotten there. If anything, that’s made them resent the people who put this label of “the voice of the heroes” onto them. The most biting lyric of the entire album is on “Bruised Up” when Durk says, “Some n***** don’t come around unless it’s entertainment”. It’s a bitter ending that forces the audience to ask themselves why they always look for someone else to make the change they want? Why they would take advantage of someone else’s trauma to uplift your own. Most importantly, are you going to show up when it matters? Or are you just here for the entertainment?
These guys are smarter than we ever gave them credit for. I just hope they’re doing okay.
t.i.a.p.f.y.h. by Left At London
Best Songs: “The Ballad of Marion Zioncheck”, “It Could Be Better”, “THIS IS A PROTEST FOR YOUR HEART!!!”, “Pills & Good Advice”, “Out of My Mind”, “Kudzu”
Content Warning: Themes of mental health, depression, substance abuse and suicidal ideation
My problem with Left At London’s debut EPs, Transgender Street Legend Vol. 1 & 2, was that I was left wanting more when it was over. With only four and six songs to listen to respectively, I felt like these EPs could have really benefitted from two or three more songs, maybe flesh out whatever themes it touched on and could have explored a little more. That said, when the songs are this good, I still loved those EPs and was excited to hear Nat finally deliver on her debut album. Not one that was initially planned, but one built from an artist residency program and made within the span of two months. It’s a bit of a big sound shift from the EPs, especially with the bigger budget and embrace of distortion and non-traditional pop structures, but I think it’s the best project Nat has made thus far! The more I sit with these unconventional melodies and unstable production choices, the more they grow on me! I like how this album always sounds like it’s on edge, especially because the lyrics and themes have that same instability and anxiety that the messy production emphasizes more and more!
t.i.ap.f.y.h. can either mean “there is a place for you here” or “THIS IS A PROTEST FOR YOUR HEART!!!”, and I think both titles capture the sympathy and anxiety of this album. As Transgender Street Legend Vol. 1 & 2 talked about queer identity and living with a personality disorder respectively, t.i.a.p.f.y.h. dissects how we treat mental illness and what it truly means to be “mentally ill”. For Nat, it’s one where all of your ugliest emotions and worst impulses spring to life and haunt you as every decision you make feels like you’re ending your life right then and there. The album opens with the ten-minute epic “Pills & Good Advice”, where Nat goes through several stages of substance abuse and mental breaks that show she’s clearly not okay, and neither is the person this most directly affects (likely an ex). It doesn’t end on a hopeful note either. She essentially feels like she’s already died and the only thing she has left is finding ways to guide others to avoid making the mistakes she made. That, and distracting herself with drugs to forget how broken she is. It’s not a very optimistic album, but I wouldn’t call it defeatist either. “The Ballad of Marion Zioncheck” forces the audience to consider how they view people perceived as “crazy”, especially if that person may have had a tumultuous history and in reality was a genuinely smart and promising person. But the world only recognizes them as “crazy”. “Out Of My Mind” and “It Could Be Better” are the catchiest songs on the album while also being the least coherent. All desperate to find some silver lining, even if the conclusion leads them to dark places about their own mental health and will to live. But the album ending on “THIS IS A PROTEST FOR YOUR HEART!!!” is where the album finally finds something to live for, even if it doesn’t have to be for themselves. The moment where Nat’s delivery is suddenly hoarse and angry is one of the most cathartic moments I’ve heard in music this year.
It’s not an easy album to sit with, but it’s one that really resonates with me for its bluntness. The admittance that they are not okay and probably never will be. And yet, it goes on. It lives those little moments one by one, but it knows it’s coming from a very broken, hopeless place. The least it can do is be there for the people who aren’t too far gone yet.
Hall of Fame by Polo G
Best Songs: “RAPSTAR”, “Black Hearted”, “Bloody Canvas”, “Toxic”, “No Return” ft. Lil Durk & The Kid LAROI, “GANG GANG” ft. Lil Wayne, “Heart of a Giant” ft. Rod Wave, “So Real”, “Clueless” ft. Pop Smoke & Fivio Foreign, “Epidemic”
Content Warning: Themes of death and poverty
So I guess putting stock into Polo G last year paid off incredibly well. I guess I should have seen it coming, with rap’s gradual interest in gangsta rap that was more vulnerable and honest than it was three years ago. Polo G is exactly the kind of artist who excels at this sound the most. That was made all the more true when “RAPSTAR” became an instant phenomenon as one of the biggest and best hit songs of the year. Evidently, this meant I had high expectations for Hall of Fame and what it’d mean for Polo G’s career moving forward. What we got was honestly everything I wanted and more! Sure, it’s a bit long and could have cut some duds, but everything that The GOAT did right is on here, and it’s even better the second time around. Polo G is a lot livelier on this one than he was last time, with more songs showing off his intense fire spitter side while still keeping the weight of his trauma intact. It’s not as samey as some claimed The GOAT was, as Polo’s production team started focusing on guitar-driven beats and even experimenting with other styles like rock, New York drill, and even dancehall. For the most part, they work really well! Especially with the guest stars, who never outshine Polo G, but instead match him with their own stories of struggle and depression. Lil Wayne, Lil Durk, G Herbo, Roddy Ricch, Rod Wave, even Dababy and Kid LAROI manage to bring their A-game to this album’s best tracks! The only ones who really underwhelmed me were Young Thug’s really forgettable verse and Nicki’s awkward attempts to flirt with her pop years on the album’s worst song.
If The GOAT was Polo G dealing with his rise to fame, Hall of Fame is when he finally makes it to the top. When he finally gets to wear that label of “the GOAT”. And yet, it’s probably more angry and depressed than the previous album. “RAPSTAR” encapsulates the hollow feeling of dissatisfaction with fame. Having everything you want and yet still feeling the burden of your growing trauma and the violence that still persists even when you’re out of poverty. The themes aren’t that dissimilar to Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s Voice of the Heroes, but I think this album nails these themes a lot more frequently, as well as embracing its darker side a lot more often. That’s probably where this album shines its brightest. The murky, forboding atmosphere as Polo G describes the gruesome environment he grew up in, full of gunplay and blood and lashing out when that PTSD comes back to haunt him. My favorites other than “RAPSTAR” are the embrace of cold villainy on “Black Hearted”, the brutal storytelling on “Bloody Canvas”, the posturing against those who try to tear him down for “not being real enough” on “Toxic”, even “No Return” really nails the unrelenting danger of the streets. Like I said, even Kid LAROI delivers a pretty convincing picture of crawling out of the poor conditions he grew up in. It’s a great album all around, and likely going to stick as one of the great hip-hop albums of the decade.
The Juicebox by Emotional Oranges
Best Songs: “All That” ft. Channel Tres, “Bonafide” ft. Chiiild, “Give Me Up” ft. Kiana Ledé, “Lock It Up” ft. THEY., “Down To Miami” ft. Becky G, “Back & Forth” ft. Vince Staples
Emotional Oranges ruled the summer in 2019 with their debut EP, The Juice Vol. 1. That in addition to late fall’s The Juice Vol. 2 made for my favorite projects of that year. I LOVED the mysterious sensuality of the duo’s songs, and they had incredible chemistry together that made for some sexy, addicting R&B with tension blowing through the roof. Perfect for intimate makeout sessions or even just vibing in the sun! That said, I was worried that this meant Emotional Oranges wouldn’t be able to live up to them on future projects. Especially worrying as I’ve seen some critiques of The Juice Vol. 2 saying it was starting to sound anonymous and made for easy playlist fodder. Which… yeah. That’s not untrue. But Vol. 2 still had tremendous songs that completely blew past those critiques and reminded me that the duo still had that spark within them.
That’s unfortunately a little less true on The Juicebox, labeled as their debut album even if it has the same number of tracks as the EPs (somehow shorter too). And when I say that, I don’t mean the album is a disappointment. I think my opinion on it is just different from how I felt about the two EPs. The two EPs excelled in their sexual dynamics and liquid beats. Not only were they incredibly well produced and set up an excellent atmosphere, the duo really delved into each other’s relationship and looked at how each partner compliments or even contradicts each other. How their conflict drives them to see each other again and again, just to re-experience the incredible sex they have together. Or in some cases, how that pure lust is what drove them apart. The Juicebox doesn’t really have that. It’s there in spots like the conflicted emotions on “Bonafide” and the catty jealousy of “Give Me Up”, but for the most part the album is just remakes of their now biggest hit, “West Coast Love”. Summer jams about enjoying the vibe and shaking ass, maybe trying to pick someone up and take them home. And you know what? That’s not a bad thing. “West Coast Love” is one of my favorites off of The Juice Vol. 2, and honestly “All That” with Channel Tres already exceeded it in that field. I think the only reason this album feels a little lesser is just that the stakes are lower. But the songs themselves are still great! Even songs on the weaker side like “No Words” and “Down To Miami” have a lot to like! Just like the last two projects, there isn’t a single bad song on here, and even if they’re a little less inspired, they’re still songs I’m going to frequent back to all summer.
JORDI by Maroon 5
Best Songs: “Lost”, “Convince Me Otherwise” ft. H.E.R., “One Light” ft. Bantu, “Remedy” ft. Stevie Nicks, “Nobody’s Love”
Mostly putting this here to repromote the retrospective on Maroon 5 I made earlier this month. For as easy as it is to make fun of Maroon 5, I think hating on them now just feels like beating a dead horse. Especially since JORDI is completely fine and passable and not deserving of a whole angry takedown of it. Hell, give “Lost” a chance on radio and it might even give Maroon 5 a spot on some best lists. Who knows?
Where Have You Gone by Alan Jackson
Best Songs: “The Boot”, “This Heart of Mine”, “Way Down In My Whiskey”, “A Man Who Never Cries”, “Wishful Drinkin’”, “I Do”, “I Was Tequila”, “Beer:10”
Reviewing legacy acts like Alan Jackson is a bit complicated. How exactly do you review an artist who has decades’ worth of music and is long past his peak, but still makes music for the love of it? Because you know these songs will never be better than the artist at their best. These are the kinds of albums that coast on what was already established, not really expanding its horizons unless the artist thinks they can get away with it. But most of the time, they don’t care to do it because why fix a formula that isn’t broken? Can you really fault them for that? They put their time, they know what their fans like, and it’s not like the label is looking for hits anymore. So you can only really judge it based on how much of a fan you are of the artist.
It’s hard to really dislike Alan Jackson though. Even if you’re adamantly anti-country, Alan Jackson has the voice and charisma that’s impossible to deny. He’s an inspiration to every single country artist that has gotten popular within the past couple of years, even the bad ones! If you like traditional country with a focus on storytelling exploring loneliness, regret, but also an appreciation for where you are and what you have, you’ll enjoy this album with ease. Granted, it’s a bit of a chore to listen to and could have afforded to cut some of the more redundant songs, but when it’s good, it’s REALLY good. The production is fantastic, and Alan Jackson has that worn, wise voice that adds a lot to his more introspective side. There are so many great moments like the bar talk on “The Boot” and the vulnerability on “A Man Who Doesn’t Cry”. Even the obligatory wedding songs for his own daughters are really moving, if again, a bit redundant. But then again, it’s just nice to see Alan Jackson keep making music like this. They’ll never top his best, but they’re great to hear nonetheless as someone who only recently got into him and found a treasure trove of hits. Really my only real complaint other than the length is the two songs that ruminate on the “loss” of country music in recent memory. The title track is really pretty, but also a bit preachy. And “Back” is honestly kind of lame, especially when Nashville has been pushing the neotraditional sound he grew up with for the past three years. Just seems like a weird point to dwell on that shows his age in a bad way. Still a great album though! It’s good country comfort food!
I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES by Backxwash
Best Songs: “I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES” ft. Ada Rook, “TERROR PACKETS” ft. Censored Packets, “BURN TO ASHES” ft. Michael Go, “NINE HELLS”, “666 IN LUXAXA”, “IN MY HOLY NAME” ft. Lauren Bousfield, “WAIL OF THE BANSHEE” ft. SurgeryHead
Content Warning: Intense themes of discrimination including racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia, depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and graphic imagery
One of my favorite projects of last year was Backxwash’s God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out of It. I was in love with its looming furiosity and the way it used hip-hop and metal to create this terrifying, but cathartic album about religion and identity. Feeling isolated from the people who are supposed to protect you and accept you for who you are. Embracing Satanic imagery almost as a response to how the Church treats people like Backxwash as abominations or sins against God rather than seeing the human who lies beneath the darkness. The final song on the album, “Redemption”, reaches out in hopes that they would eventually accept her and give them the chance to prove themselves as truly good and forgiving. Not that the album was in any way optimistic, but it still tried to find a silver lining in its pain.
That’s not the case with I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND DRESSES. This is by far the darkest and most intense album on the list, likely of the entire year. Backxwash’s anxiety and insecurity has only gotten worse with time, and the only way to numb that pain is through the abuse of pills and alcohol that further send Backxwash down a spiral of misery and fear as the darkness in her heart erupts and swallows everything around her. If you thought the instrumentation on the last album was harsh, this album will wreck you even more. It’s honestly hard to listen to in spots, with how blown out and chaotic the beats are as Backxwash’s rapping becomes even more delirious and horrifying. It’s hard to say this album wallows in its misery because that implies that the misery is voluntary. There’s no escapism in this album. It’s just the embrace and release of pain where every single dark thought spills from her brain like guts, brought upon by the fear of anti-black violence and transphobia with the knowledge that those who swore to do something about it stand idly. So many of her sisters have died, and it feels like nobody cares. The worst part is, there is no solution to it. The intro may say that a little bit of pain helps get our attention that something is wrong, but when that pain surrounds you and serves as a constant reminder that things are wrong, all we’re left with by the end is Backxwash accepting that she will probably die and threatening to take everything with her should we get there. What an explosive ending too. One of the most harrowing moments of the year. It’s hard listening to this album without feeling a cold chill rattle down your spine.
Planet Her by Doja Cat
Best Songs: “Kiss Me More” ft. SZA, “Ain’t Shit”, “Alone”, “Get Into It (Yuh)”, “You Right” ft. The Weeknd, “Woman”
Doja Cat frustrates the hell out of me. I think part of it is because I see so many of my friends hype her up as one of the most colorful and exciting rappers in the mainstream, and I hate being on the opposing side of an artist’s hype. Like, who wants to be the person who says “well actually” whenever people start really liking a song? But I couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room that she’s signed and being produced by Dr. Luke. Even when trying to ignore that, I didn’t really like what I was hearing from her. Going back to her previous albums, I could tell that her personality was in there somewhere, but it kept getting lost in bad production and hooks that made her feel really anonymous. Even when Nicki flirted with pop music, she still had sass and a strong snarl in her voice that was unmistakably hers. Doja doesn’t have that force of personality, really only shining when they let her be as quirky and obnoxious as possible. Even then, songs like “Cookie Jar”, “Rules” and “Game” deserved better production to fully sell it. I feel like there’s a reason why my favorite songs of hers before this album are “Tia Tamera” and “Boss Bitch”, two songs where she’s allowed to be as bombastically weird as she can. Also produced by people outside her usual Kemosabe rotation.
“Kiss Me More” gave me a lot of hope though. It’s easily one of the best hit songs of the year, with a far more colorful and vibrant disco beat than “Say So” as Doja sells her personality in her rapping AND her singing. Plus, a bonus SZA verse helps a lot! It’s a fantastic song, and I was hoping this would be a great sign for the much anticipated Planet Her. The moment where Doja makes a name for herself and becomes the bridge between pop and hip-hop once filled by Nicki Minaj. Even if Megan occasionally flirts with pop, she’s always excelled the most on pure hip-hop. Doja fits the pop rapper label a lot better, and this had the potential to be a really fun, lighthearted summer classic!
I don’t know what the fuck happened. This should have been way better than it is. I wasn’t expecting to put it in my midyear list or anything, but I am shocked and honestly disappointed by how mediocre it is. I’d hesitate to call it bad, as there are some good moments and songs that keep me from outright disliking it. Still, my main hope for this album was that it’d flesh out Doja Cat’s personality more and give us the full extent of her online, goofy, but still sexy personality that was teased in the previous two albums. Somehow, we got LESS of it. Instead of being a fun, quirky album with a space theme and some playful alien sexcapades, we got a series of rushed, unfinished songs where Doja doesn’t sound enthused or energized enough to care. There’s very little rapping on it, which I guess doesn’t surprise me too much, but whenever it does show up, it’s shoehorned into the bridge with little imagination or flair put into it. At best the production is pleasant while at worst it’s boring. I can barely remember how any of the songs go as I write this. The best deepcuts by far are the two where she’s actually allowed to be a bit dorky and catty, hence why “Ain’t Shit” seems to be the fan-favorite. The most telling thing for me was how the album seemed to finally bloom and burst with color and creativity at the very last song. You know, “Kiss Me More”. The single.
My theory with why Planet Her was so underwhelming is that Kemosabe/RCA saw how successful Kiss Me More was and rushed Doja to finish the album in time for the summer, hoping they can continue that song’s momentum and get people excited for the fabled Planet Her. Problem is, they forgot to find another single that has the same charm as “Kiss Me More”, so we’re left with a bunch of songs that honestly wouldn’t even compare to most of Amara. Yeah, “You Right” is a good song, but it’s almost entirely carried by The Weeknd who actually sounds happy to be here unlike Ariana Grande and JID. Speaking of, I cannot believe how LIFELESS “I Don’t Do Drugs” is. Even when Ariana isn’t trying she sounds great, but this is the one time she didn’t try and she sounded replaceable. Somebody get her out of the hands of Scooter Braun, PLEASE.
What a letdown. I don’t normally like covering albums I didn’t like on this kind of list, but I had to include this on here because it’s an album I really wanted to like. There’s potential in Doja Cat, I know there is. I just wish her producers and her label allowed her to reach it.
CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler The Creator
Best Songs: “LEMONHEAD” ft. 42 Dugg, “SWEET/I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE” ft. Brent Faiyaz & Fana Hues, “WILSHIRE”, “WUSYANAME” ft. Youngboy Never Broke Again & Ty Dolla $ign, “MANIFESTO” ft. Domo Genesis, “JUGGERNAUT” ft. Lil Uzi Vert & Pharrell, “LUMBERJACK”, “RISE!” ft. DAISY WORLD, “HOT WIND BLOWS” ft. Lil Wayne
Last year, I was in the middle of making my midyear list when I listened to Katie Pruitt’s Expectations and panicked realizing I might have a new album of the year contender to squeeze into the lineup. Guess history decided to repeat itself this year, this time coming from Tyler The Creator. He already made my list in 2019 thanks to his then magnum opus IGOR, and had I made an albums list for 2017 Flower Boy would have been on there too. Tyler’s evolution from an edgy, barking troublemaker into a sensitive, playful romantic is definitely one of the stranger developments in music over the past century, but it’s also proved to be one of the most rewarding. As Tyler expands his palette and reveals his skilled musicianship through experimental blends of rap, pop, and soul, the more we got to see an artist who had so much more potential beyond threatening to kill Bruno Mars while eating a cockroach. While my knowledge of pre-Flower Boy Tyler is pretty limited, I prefer the neo-soul niche that Tyler has carved out for himself. Especially when you make album as magical as IGOR. I didn’t think he could ever top it.
And yet with CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST he absolutely did. It’s refreshing in a way that takes the best moments of IGOR and Flower Boy, but also takes in the best moments of his earlier albums like WOLF and Cherry Bomb and creates an album that goes as hard as it perfectly fits the vibe of a brisk summer day. It’s so easy to just go back to this album and listen to it over and over again, partially thanks to its INCREDIBLE pacing. It gives you the summer conquering bangers right at the beginning, establishing Tyler’s character Sir Baudelaire as a manifestation of his success and ubiquity that allows him to revert back to his cocky, fierce personality with ease. He’s not outright offensive like the olden days, but he found some hunger within him that entices him to put more of an emphasis on his rapping this time around, and he sounds on top of his game. At the same time though, it’s established pretty early that for as much as Baudelaire tries to embrace his title, there’s always something that gets in the way. Namely a woman he’s started seeing who already has a man at home, but the tension between them is strong enough to contemplate cheating with each other. This story creeps in every now and then throughout the album, but for the first half, it’s focused on Tyler delivering bangers and summer jams. These songs are incredible too! It has a vibrancy and creativity in its production that Tyler’s unique textures and composition burst to life, whether it’s lush and beautiful or intense and powerful. I lose my MIND to moments like the blasting horns on “LEMONHEAD”, the bursting infatuation on “SWEET/I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE”, and the feral energy on “LUMBERJACK” and “JUGGERNAUT”. All infectious songs that are easy to come back to, even if they’re short. Also, I have to give it up to DJ Drama serving as the album’s hypeman. Some seemed to be annoyed by his constant interjection, but I think it only enhances the album’s energy. It’s not supposed to be high stakes, it’s supposed to make you feel good and maybe ruminate on some moments in your life. He’s never intrusive enough to “ruin” a song. Every time he starts talking about whatever, it puts a smile on my face. Like DJ Khaled but without the pre-recorded sound bytes that make his interjections so tired.
I mention earlier how the album goes in and out between straightforward bangers and exposing a bit of vulnerability, and I think it’s where the album is at its strongest. Not just because each introspective song is placed at just the right moment before the bangers take the energy out of you, but because it reminds you that behind all the posturing and success behind one person, not everything goes according to plan. In Baudelaire’s case, it’s his infatuation for this girl who clearly likes him back, but could never reciprocate because she’s seeing someone else. Baudelaire tries to prove himself as the better option, focusing on their chemistry and trying to take down the other guy entirely, but she ends up being really hesitant to actually go through with it. Even when they go as far as to go on a road trip together while the boyfriend is away. This is what the album centerpiece, “SWEET/I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE”, focuses on. Where Tyler becomes the happiest he’s ever been, only to see it slowly stumble back down as a relationship seems less and less possible. It’s not the only thing on his mind either. Earlier he reflects on his edgy past and where he eventually grew from it, uncertain of what people want from him because of his new image. The track that really stood out to me on that front is “MANIFESTO”, where he calls out the expectation of public figures like him to “do something” about the injustices in our world and feeling like no matter what he does, certain groups of people will never be satisfied. It’s not apolitical at all, but it also forces people to put into perspective that Tyler has been through his own “cancel culture” and knows what issues are worth talking about and which ones are just being propped up by extremely online white teenagers. He got into some hot water a while ago over making fun of people who claim to hate Amazon but still buy things from there, and that puts “MANIFESTO” into perspective as a reminder that you can’t pigeonhold artists into being people you want them to be. Regardless if you agree with them or not.
“WILSHIRE” is the moment where everything goes quiet for just a moment. DJ Drama stays out of it, the instrumentation is simple and understated, and the whole song is just Tyler telling the story of him and this girl. From their flirty beginnings to the height of their attraction to each other, to the moment they had to break it off. It’s the most honest Tyler has ever been about his feelings, even compared to songs like “November” and “GONE GONE/THANK YOU”. It’s actually really heartbreaking to hear about a relationship that just never materialized. They never even hooked up or did anything intimate with each other. It was all potential with no payoff. Tyler comes to the conclusion that sometimes, things don’t always go your way. No matter how much you want it or think you deserve it. So as he goes on vacation on the closing song “SAFARI”, he learns to simply keep going and live in the moment, rather than dwelling on the past and what could have been. Not a single moment on this album is wasted. Every song, every interlude, even the very long tracks feel make the most of every minute they had. Recency bias makes me hesitant to call this the album of the year… but it’s not far off.
Best Albums of Q2
The Best Albums of the Midyear
