Hello, and welcome to the second edition of Album Katchup 2021! This series is a collection of mini album reviews over the past few months. This edition is covering the second quarter of the year, consisting of April, May and June. If you want to read my thoughts on the albums released January, February and March, including Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ashnikko, Foo Fighters and more, click here. Otherwise, here we go!
BROCKHAMPTON: ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE
Genre: Hip Hop / Pop Rap
Release Date: April 9
I've been a fan of Brockhampton ever since they popped onto the scene in 2017. Through all of the turmoil the group faced after the fallout of Ameer Vann and their transition into more depressing territories, I have stood by this group. They all have talent and, while not every song is a winner, their good songs are really good. And I have to say... Roadrunner is their best album yet. This group has come together with their most mature and consistent project to date. The bangers go hard, the ballads are captivating, and every single member is on their A-game here. The production here sounds nothing like any Brockhampton album previous, yet it sounds so good. On top of that, these are some of the best verses each member has ever written and performed. The topics of gun violence, unity, depression, racism and the suicide of Joba's father are all told in such emotionally compelling ways. Speaking of Joba, I hope he is doing okay. He is the member featured most prominently on this album and rightfully so. After such a tragic event, he has given us a collection of verses, choruses and vocal performances that are so heartbreaking yet so good. This album is really Joba featuring Brockhampton and I am not complaining. As for nitpicks, the album maybe relies a little too heavily on features during the first leg. I would have also like to have seen more prominence from some of the members. Dom takes a backseat throughout this entire project, as he only has three verses on the entire album. Plus, there are a couple songs where it sounds like the production is doing a little too much. Particularly the song "I'LL TAKE YOU ON," which sounds way too busy for its own good. Despite that, this is Brockhampton's best album. Though there are a couple tracks that I don't love as much as some of the others, there is not a single song on here that I would call bad. If this is supposed to be one of the group's last albums, then they are going out with a bang.
Grade: A
Best Tracks: BUZZCUTT (feat. Danny Brown); COUNT ON ME; BANKROLL (feat. A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg); THE LIGHT; WINDOWS (feat. SoGone So Flexy); WHAT'S THE OCCASION?; WHEN I BALL; DON'T SHOOT UP THE PARTY; THE LIGHT PT. II
Worst Track: I'LL TAKE YOU ON (feat. Charlie Wilson)
Kero Kero Bonito: Civilisation II (EP)
Genre: Synthpop / Indietronica
Release Date: April 21
Despite being only a three track EP, Kero Kero Bonito has managed to create something so bright, colorful and beautiful. This is my first full foray into the group and I think this is a great starting point. The production is full of so much life and color, offering these gorgeous, icy synth and bass tones. The vocals, while not amazing, have a lot of personality, making each song sound unique. I also like the lyrical themes that are portrayed on these tracks, tackling isolation and comfort in times of the pandemic. This EP gets me excited for what is to come for this group. I need to listen to more of this band. I am starting to get invested.
Grade: A-
Best Tracks: The Princess and the Clock; Well Rested
Worst Track: 21/04/20 (though it's not bad at all)
Porter Robinson: Nurture
Genre: Synthpop / Electropop
Release Date: April 23
I was looking forward to this new Porter Robinson album entirely because of the track "Something Comforting." It was one of my favorite songs of last year and it came out at the perfect time, with the pandemic starting up and everybody looking for, as the song title suggests, something comforting. Luckily, the rest of this album elicits this same feeling. Nurture is so warm and calming, as it mixes bright synths, somber folk instrumentation and modulated vocals. All of these elements come together to create an enchanting sound. Many of these tracks sound so beautiful. Robinson has essentially created an album perfect for crying in the club. It'll make you dance, but the solemn yet uplifting melodies and lyrics will definitely get you feeling emotional. There are a few spots where the songs tended to drag, particularly with the mostly instrumental cuts. Some of the songs also get repetitive and tedious after a while, as they repeat specific stanzas over and over again without much interesting happening. But even the worst songs here have some moments that I really like. Nurture is sweet and sunny. That is exactly what we need right now. If you like music that'll make you dance and make you cry, even at the same time, then this is the perfect album for you. It's not perfect, but it's really good. Give it a shot.
Grade: B+
Best Tracks: Look at the Sky; Get Your Wish; Musician; do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do; Mother; Sweet Time; Something Comforting; Blossom
Worst Track: dullscythe
Shelley FKA Dram: Shelley FKA Dram
Genre: Pop Rap / Trap Rap / Neo-Soul
Release Date: April 30
"The Lay Down" was one of my favorite songs of 2019, so I was very excited to check out this album. What Shelley offers with this sophomore album is an album about love, sex and infidelity, all with silky smooth instrumentation and soulful, charismatic singing. It's a pretty neat concept that is emphasized through some interesting spoken word passages before and after a few of the songs. I do wish this concept would have been explored more thoroughly. The lyrics are pretty surface level and the album would lack any meaningful depth if it weren't for the spoken word bits. As for the album itself, I think it starts and ends really strong. The first two and last two songs are all great. They're smooth, sexy and full of passion. I think the vibe throughout the album is pretty solid, making for some very intoxicating melodies and catchy choruses. My biggest problem is that some of the songs in the middle are pretty weak. There are a handful of songs that feel pretty stagnant, as they lack any real progression and development. A few of these songs even sound unfinished. Also, the chorus to "Something About Us" is one of the most grating choruses I've heard all year thus far. The falsetto on top of the instrumental sounds really bad. Luckily, the middle of the album does have "The Lay Down," so it breaks up the monotony some. Overall, I think this album was pretty decent. Like I said, it starts and ends fantastically, with a really damn great moment in the middle. However, the stale moments really do get stale. I think this project is solid, but I know there is a lot of room for improvement for Shelley's next album.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: All Pride Aside (with Summer Walker); Exposure; The Lay Down (with H.E.R. & WATT); Remedies; Rich & Famous
Worst Track: Something About Us
Royal Blood: Typhoons
Genre: Alternative Rock / Alternative Dance
Release Date: April 30
I've enjoyed Royal Blood's take on alternative rock over the past few years. The combination of a distorted, crunchy bass and crisp, bouncy drums made for some really fun and groovy rock music. Typhoons definitely keeps that groove, as the album is very much delved into pop rock and dance rock territory. However, there are two major problems with this album. The first is that the melodies just aren't that interesting. Besides a few of the singles, most of the tracks are pretty boring to listen to. The singing isn't that great, the instrumentation is basic and some of the added elements of synths and vocals don't add a whole lot. The second problem is that because of the heavy emphasis on dirty bass and drums, most of the songs end up sounding the same. As a result, the entire album can't help but feeling tiring by the end. For me, the best songs were the singles, particularly "Boilermaker," which is easily the heaviest and dirtiest song on the album. The rest of the album sounds like the band trying to take their sound into a pop direction while keeping their signature style. While this progression makes perfect sense and could work very well with how they perform, the songwriting just isn't there.
Grade: C-
Best Tracks: Trouble's Coming; Limbo; Boilermaker
Worst Track: Who Needs Friends
Weezer: Van Weezer
Genre: Hard Rock / Stadium Rock
Release Date: May 7
Weezer return with their second album of 2021. This was slated to release early last year, but it got pushed back to this year due to the pandemic. In fact, the release of this album was so static, Cuomo and co. decided to release an entirely different album before this one, even though Van Weezer already had two singles attached to it. Yeah, the release of this album has been interesting. Anyways, I enjoyed OK Human, as it was the band's attempt at baroque pop and orchestral music. While it wasn't amazing, it was pretty and sweet. With Van Weezer, Weezer takes a stab at hair metal akin to, you guessed it, Van Halen. I think that this was a noble effort to capture that sound. The musicianship is pretty fun and the guitar work is easily the best part of the album. The riffs are pretty solid for the most part and the solos are all impressive and surprising, considering this is Weezer we're talking about. However, there's something about this album that feels lazy. Part of the reason is because, even though there's a lot of bombast to the performances, these are still Weezer songs. The band doesn't do much out of the box to have their songs stand out. Also, they rehash quite a few elements from previously established songs, including a vocal riff from Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" and a guitar riff from Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train." Sure, you can argue that they are paying homage, and they are, but they come across as lazy. I wish they had done something more original to make these songs stand apart from what they're pulling from. And, of course, most of the lyrics are full on corny. There are some sweet spots, but with lyrics about wanting to be in the sea and feeling like a man after opening a jar of peanut butter, I can't help but feel like Cuomo has been stuck trying to relive his youth. That's not inherently a bad thing, but it comes across like he's having a midlife crisis here. I don't know. There are some fun moments to be had, and the instrumentation is enjoyable, but this album suffers from an identity crisis, making it not as good as it could be. I definitely prefer OK Human over this, but I would rather listen to this than their worst material.
Grade: C
Best Tracks: Hero; The End of the Game; Beginning of the End; Precious Metal Girl
Worst Track: She Needs Me
Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert & John Randall: The Marfa Tapes
Genre: Country
Release Date: May 7
As a genre, country music has never been my favorite. There are some great country songs out there, but most of what I've heard from the radio and pop culture has all sounded stale and boring. When it comes to this genre, the music has to be made in a certain way for me to really click with it. The Marfa Tapes has managed to do so with flying colors. This album is pretty interesting. It's three people all singing outdoors with an acoustic guitar. That's it. There's no grander spectacle or anything like that. The whole project is very intimate and quiet, yet it packs a punch. The guitar work is beautiful and all three performers have wonderful singing voices. Their harmonies are all beautiful. What makes this album all the more special is how in the moment and real it is. I don't mean "real" in the sense of serious emotional turmoil, but "real" as in genuine and spontaneous. You can tell that all of these tracks were recorded live outdoors. You can hear the wind, a campfire, animals, planes flying overhead all in the background. And between every song, you can hear the three performers laughing, talking about each song and having a good time. That's what I love about this album. You can tell that they are having a blast making music together. Not every song works for me and the inclusion of one song having a real mistake during performing is interesting as to why they would include it onto the album, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Marfa Tapes. If more country music was like this, then I would find myself drawn towards the genre a lot more.
Grade: A-
Best Tracks: In His Arms; The Wind's Just Gonna Blow; Am I Right Or Amarillo; Waxahachie; Breaking a Heart; We'll Always Have the Blues; Tin Man; Two-Step Down to Texas; Anchor; Amazing Grace - West Texas
Worst Track: Tequila Does
St. Vincent: Daddy's Home
Genre: Psychedelic Soul / Art Rock
Release Date: May 14
This is my first foray into hearing a full St. Vincent album. I had heard a few songs of hers before and I heard all of the singles before the release of this project, so I wasn't sure what to expect. From what I've heard, Annie Clark is a rather chameleonic artist, branching to new styles with each genre. With Daddy's Home, the style is 70s psychedelic pop rock with some splashes of gospel. And I have to say, I kind of love this. Clark showed me what a captivating and charismatic songwriter she can be with this weird, trippy and beautiful album. Everything here sounds incredibly spacey with how the tones of the guitars and pianos sound. The uses of sitars and gospel choirs make for some enchanting songs. And Clark's lyricism is so clever. The way she discusses life, love and aging on this album is smart, humorous and often very tragic. Plus, her vocals match the aesthetic of the album very well. Some songs like "Pay Your Way In Pain" and "Daddy's Home" give me the feeling of vogueing while tripping on acid, while "My Baby Wants A Baby" and "The Melting of the Sun" have a musical theatre quality to it, almost as if they could fit snuggly into the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack. It all adds up to a highly entertaining and unpredictable album throughout. As for negatives, I think the structure of the album is not the best. The interludes are too close to each other, making the flow of the album feel choppy. Not only that, but the ending of the album is rushed. After "...At The Holiday Party" gives us a great feeling of closure, we are given one track less than two minutes and the final interlude, clocking in at a total of 2 minutes and 33 seconds. I do get that "Candy Darling" is a tribute to the trans actress of the same name and it's a sweet moment, but it is very brief. There are also a couple songs on here that are a little too out there to fully connect with me, especially the lead single "Pay Your Way In Pain." Despite that, this album was great. I can easily see this growing on me in the months to come. As of right now, I think Daddy's Home is wonderful. Check it out if you haven't already.
Grade: A-
Best Tracks: Down And Out Downtown; Daddy's Home; Live In The Dream; The Melting Of The Sun; The Laughing Man; Down; My Baby Wants A Baby; ...At The Holiday Party
Worst Track: Pay Your Way In Pain
J. Cole: The Off-Season
Genre: Conscious Hip Hop
Release Date: May 14
J. Cole is not my favorite rapper. While he does have talent in terms of flows and lyricism, I can't help but feel like many of his songs lie in this realm of mediocrity. Unfortunately, that feeling continues here on The Off-Season. The production doesn't allow for the bangers to go off, resulting in many of the tracks here being executed in middling energy. And while J. Cole has a lot of compelling lyricism here, his flows don't always grab me. Many of his verses, as well as his songs in general, sound kind of same-y. There are a handful of good songs here, but most of them are almost instantly forgettable. Nothing on here is bad. It's just... meh. I left this album feeling like I didn't waste my time, yet I've gained very little.
Grade: C
Best Tracks: my.life (with 21 Savage & Morray); punchin'.the.clock; pride.is.the.devil (with Lil Baby); let.go.my.hand (with Bas & 6LACK)
Worst Track:100.mil' (with Bas)
Twenty One Pilots: Scaled and Icy
Genre: Indie Pop / Indietronica
Release Date: May 21
I have conflicting feelings about Twenty One Pilots. They have a lot of talent and some cool songs, but they often shoot themselves in the foot with annoying melodies, corny lyrics and grating vocals. That changed, however, with their last album, Trench, which is easily their best project to date in my opinion. The production is great, the songs are fantastic, and the overarching concept is at its most recognizable and captivating. On that note, I was excited to check out Scaled and Icy, even if the singles were less than stellar. And there are some things I appreciate about this album. I like the more stripped back sound. The past few Twenty One Pilots albums had a grandiosity to them that made each song sound huge. Here, things are a lot simpler, and I think it both works for and against the album. There are some solid pop and rock songs here, full of bouncy production and entertaining performances. However, what prevents me from loving this album is how unsure of themselves the band is. They never sound like they want to commit to a sound or a concept. As a result, many tracks here sound awkward and insecure. I know there’s a concept to this album, as this is essentially the “propaganda” album for the evil civilization in the overarching lore, but it’s a concept that feels buried in lyrical topics that don’t fully connect. On top of that, most of the songs in the middle don’t do a whole lot for me. I appreciate the genre experimentation, but I have a hard time getting invested in what I’m listening to. The tracks that grabbed me the most were the piano lead tracks, along with the synth rock banger “Shy Away” and the great album closer “Redecorate.” The rest of the album ranges from average to mediocre (except for ”Bounce Man,” which straight up sucks). I didn’t hate this album and I wouldn't call it bad by any means, but Scaled and Icy feels like a regression after Trench. It’s not terrible, but it is underwhelming.
Grade: C+
Best Tracks: Good Day; Shy Away; Mulberry Street; Redecorate
Worst Track: Bounce Man
Olivia Rodrigo: Sour
Genre: Pop Rock / Indie Pop
Release Date: May 21
I went into this album not expecting much. Initially, the singles didn’t impress me and I was assuming this would be a sappy break up album written by an angsty teen. And yes, that is exactly what this is. However, Sour is actually pretty good. Olivia Rodrigo has written an album that perfectly captures the mind of a teenager. It’s angsty, dramatic, complicated and full of confusion about its emotions. The lyrics are often sappy, but they can be easily relatable to anybody that hears them. The songs are pretty solid too. Rodrigo manages to pull off some solid emo/pop punk bangers, like “brutal” and “good 4 u” and some beautiful, emotional balladry on cuts like “driver’s license.” However, the best thing about this album are the vocals. Rodrigo has an amazing voice. It can be both intimate and powerful, making every song here is filled with conviction and purpose. Rodrigo has a bright future ahead of her as a vocalist. While this album definitely drowns in its influences and lacks any distinct identity, as well as being focused too much on ballads, I think Sour is a really solid debut album. I can easily see this become the emo teenage anthem for this generation. Rodrigo has a lot of potential and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: brutal; traitor; driver’s license; deja vu; good 4 u; enough for you; jealousy, jealousy
Worst Track: happier
black midi: Cavalcade
Genre: Avant-Prog / Experimental Rock
Release Date: May 28
I'm going to be real with you here. If there's an album in 2021 that I like more than Cavalcade, I will be shocked. With their sophomore album, black midi have crafted a bona fide masterpiece. With eight tracks, totaling a little over 40 minutes, the band has made something that is unlike anything I have ever listened to before. Somehow, the album manages to switch between absurd weirdness and chaos to elegant and enchanting beauty, making every moment fit with each other seamlessly. The performances are all great. The guitars and drums have such perfect chemistry with each other and they contrast with the pianos and the horns amazingly. The vocals, while odd, are full of personality and make each song sound so unique. And the songwriting is truly outstanding. This band tells stories of cult leaders, German actresses, the agonizing wait for the end of the world, chronic knee pain, chickens going on the run, etc. Each story sounds so captivating. Combine that with the unpredictability of the songs and you have eight truly outstanding songs. Now, I can't say that this album will be for everyone. This is a weird project. It's mixture of progressive rock, art rock, post punk, jazz and avant-garde will not be for everyone. However, if you give it the chance, I think you will at least admire the passion, the creativity and the talent being put into these tracks. Every single song here is, at worst, great. That's how good this album is. This is easily my favorite album of the year and I don't see any other project topping it.
Grade: A+
Best Tracks: John L; Marlene Dietrich; Chondromalacia Patella; Slow; Diamond Stuff; Dethroned; Hogwash and Balderdash; Ascending Forth
Worst Track: n/a
Japanese Breakfast: Jubilee
Genre: Indie Pop / Chamber Pop / Synth Pop
Release Date: June 4
I first started paying attention to Japanese Breakfast in 2019 when they released the non-album single "Essentially." Fast forward two years later, I start growing more and more interested in this album thanks to the singles. "Be Sweet" is one of the best pop songs of the year and "Posing in Bondage" is a beautiful, atmospheric ballad. On those two tracks alone, I was excited for this album. For the most part, I think this album is very good. This band mixes pop and rock in such a fun and often beautiful way. I especially love the incorporation of saxophones, strings and synths. They manage to spice each song up when they appear, never sounding out of place. I also have to commend the lyricism. Michelle Zauner is a great writer, as she tackles themes of love and heartbreak in a way that is so captivating and mature. Now, unfortunately, this album does have a couple of duds in the mix. While the genre experimentation and density in the production makes a lot of the tracks sound fantastic, there are some that leave a lot to be desired. For example, "Slide Tackle" goes with this club/EDM type beat that does not fit the mood of the song at all. And "Sit" sounds utterly formless with its walls of distorted synths. Despite that, I quite enjoyed Jubilee. It's not as consistent as I would like it to be, but I think it's a very solid album that makes me very excited for what they have in store for the future.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: Be Sweet; Kokomo, IN; Posing In Bondage; In Hell; Tactics; Posing For Cars
Worst Track: Sit
Wolf Alice: Blue Weekend
Genre: Alternative Rock / Dream Pop
Release Date: June 4
This was my first experience with Wolf Alice. I got initially intrigued with the absolutely gorgeous ballad "The Last Man on Earth." And then, after releasing the absolute banger of a track "Smile," I was super excited to check this out. Based on these two singles alone, this could potentially be album of the year material. And while it doesn't quite get there for me, I do think Blue Weekend is a solid album. Wolf Alice mixes 90s alternative rock with shoegazy dream pop very well, making for some very well textured soundscapes. I also think there are some nice contrasts with the musical tones. The bright and shimmering sound of "How Can I Make It OK?" comes right before easily the most wild, aggressive and punk-fueled track "Play the Greatest Hits," yet it's a shift that I find very enjoyable. Many of these songs sound great. Unfortunately, this album doesn't leave that big of an impression on me. After listening to the album twice, I think to myself "that sounded pretty nice." That's about it. Outside of a handful of tracks, not much fully excites me here. Nothing here is bad, in fact, the worst song on here is pretty decent, but most likely, this isn't an album that I would listen to again in full. Now, don't get me wrong. Blue Weekend is good. It's very good. I know it's getting a lot of love from fans and critics, and I love that. And yes, I do like this album. It's just not quite to that level of perfection for me. But hey, it's still very good, so check it out and form your own opinions.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: Delicious Things; Smile; How Can I Make It OK?; Play the Greatest Hits; The Last Man on Earth
Worst Track: Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love)
Maroon 5: Jordi
Genre: Pop
Release Date: June 11
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Grade: F
Best Tracks: uh... I guess Beautiful Mistakes featuring Megan Thee Stallion and One Light featuring Bantu? It's not saying much, but they were the most tolerable tracks.
Worst Track: pretty much everything else
Doja Cat: Planet Her
Genre: Pop Rap / R&B / Trap
Release Date: June 25
Doja Cat has been an artist that has captured my attention for the past couple of years. While her music doesn't really appeal to me, her charisma has peaked my interest enough to check her out anytime she releases new music. These thoughts continue into Planet Her, an album that has its fair share of highlights and duds. Once again, Doja Cat proves herself as a very entertaining vocalist and rapper. She sounds great on most of the tracks here and her energy radiates through each song. The songs are catchy and full of great production. Unfortunately, her songwriting can be underwhelming sometimes. Whether it's through repetitious choruses or lame verses, there are moments when the songs lose their interest to me. I also found myself being drawn more towards the R&B-centric songs rather than the trap-centric songs. It's entirely a personal preference, as trap is very much not my style, but I do think R&B suits Doja better than trap. Her singing is too good in those moments and her rapping fits a lot better. I dunno. That's just my personal preference. As for my overall thoughts on the album, I think it's fine. There are some great tracks. There are some stinkers. It makes for nice background music, but it's not something that I would invest time into listening again. Can't wait to see what Doja Cat does next, though. Now that she's blown up, I hope her songwriting only improves from here.
Grade: C+
Best Tracks: I Don't Do Drugs (feat. Ariana Grande); Love To Dream; Been Like This; Ain't Shit; Kiss Me More (feat. SZA)
Worst Track: Imagine
Tyler, the Creator: Call Me If You Get Lost
Genre: Hip Hop / Jazz Rap
Release Date: June 25
Tyler, the Creator is an interesting artist. He started his career brash and immature, with heavy, banger-esque songs being his wheelhouse. However, ever since Flower Boy, Tyler has grown a lot more mature and introspective. As such, his sound has shifted to a more jazzy, neo-soul kind of vibe. Now, we have Call Me If You Get Lost, an album that marries the brash heaviness of his earlier work with the soulful introspection of his later work. As a result, we have a very solid and fun album full of absolute bangers. The production this time around is very raw and very aggressive, while also keeping those smoother instrumentals mixed in as well. Whether it's the hyper aggressive "LUMBERJACK" and "JUGGERNAUT" or the silky smooth "WUSYANAME" and "SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE," Tyler has something here for all of his fans. Whether those fans are more fond of his earlier works or his current works, there's at least a few songs dedicated to them. Tyler's flows are on point as ever and his lyricism tows the line between braggadocios and humble very well. Also, the inclusion of DJ Drama acting as his hypeman throughout the album was a nice touch. As for negatives, there are times when the roughness of the production cuts the quality of the song. For examples, the beat completely swallows Tyler's vocals on "SIR BAUDELAIRE," and "WILSHIRE" has this weird popping in the right channel that is hard to ignore. Also, there are a couple of songs that are structurally uninteresting. "RUNITUP" in particular is a slog. Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed Call Me If You Get Lost. While I don't think it's the rap magnum opus many people are claiming to be, I think it acts as a very impressive, very fun victory lap for Tyler. In many ways, it feels like his career has been building up to this album. While I don't love it as much as Flower Boy, I am very impressed with what Tyler has here and I cannot wait to see what he does next.
Grade: B+
Best Tracks: CORSO; WUSYANAME (feat. Youngboy Never Broke Again & Ty Dolla $ign); LUMBERJACK; MASSA; MANIFESTO (feat. Domo Genesis); SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE (feat. Brent Faiyaz & Fana Hues); RISE! (feat. DAISY WORLD); JUGGERNAUT (feat. Lil Uzi Vert & Pharrell Williams)
Worst Track: RUNITUP (feat. Teezo Touchdown)
Hiatus Kaiyote: Mood Valiant
Genre: Neo-Soul
Release Date: June 25
Here's a fun fact about me: I love Hiatus Kaiyote. I discovered them during my senior of highschool when I first listened to their single "Nakamarra." I fell in love with their jazzy, funky, progressive take on soul music. Combine that with Nai Palm's gorgeous, insane vocals and I was hooked. It's been six years since the release of their last album, Choose Your Weapon. While the project was bogged down with some filler, I still loved the album. The core tracks at least were all very good, showing so much heart and soul in their often complex, music theory loving songs. Anyways, six years later and we now have their follow up, Valiant Mood; an album that was absolutely worth the wait. This album still has the progressive sounds of soul that Hiatus Kaiyote is known for, but there's a lushness here that their previously material did not. Songs are backed by these gorgeous uses of strings, horns, nature sounds, synths and other instruments and effects that make each song sound so alive. Whether it's the big band brass ensemble on "Get Sun" or the subtle build and constant refrain of "Red Room," the band makes each song sound rich in detail and full of texture. There are a couple of songs that sound a little clunky, but for the most part, the songs have a nice flow. I think my biggest complaint about this album, however, is the ending. "Stone or Lavender" should have been the closer. It's easily the most gorgeous track here and it acts as a very nice, beautiful ballad, making for a seemingly perfect conclusion. It's the closest to tears any Hiatus Kaiyote has ever brought me to. Unfortunately, the song after that, "Blood and Marrow," is the most stagnant and boring track off the album. It results in a weak conclusion. Despite that, I loved Valiant Mood. It's beautiful and full of soul. The instrumentation is brilliant, Nai Palm sounds as gorgeous as ever and the overall album experience flows very nicely. I can easily see this album becoming the one I replay the most. Do not miss out on this one.
Grade: A-
Best Tracks: Slip Into Something Soft; Chivalry is Not Dead; And We Go Gentle; Get Sun (feat. Arthur Verocai); All the Words We Don't Say; Red Room; Stone or Lavender
Worst Track: Blood and Marrow
Favorite Singles:
APRIL: "Introvert" by Little Simz
MAY: "Down" by St. Vincent
JUNE: "LUMBERJACK" by Tyler, the Creator
Stay tuned for part 3, where I talk about albums released in July, August, and September!
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