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QUICKSPINS: The Great Escape – Larry June & The Alchemist

Veteran producer The Alchemist teams up with friend Larry June to bless our ears in time for Easter.

American record producer, DJ, rapper and songwriter The Alchemist released his latest collaboration album on March 31, this time with San Francisco rapper and affiliate Larry June. It was only a matter of time before the release of this project, since The Alchemist has been on a collab album streak. 

The legendary producer dropped The Elephant Man’s Bones in August 2022 with Roc Marciano, as well as Continuance with Curren$y in February of the same year, the latter of which features rapper Larry June. 

Curren$y also appears on The Great Escape, teaming up with Joey Bada$$ to feature on the penultimate song “Barragán Lighting” — a personal favourite on the 15-track project.

The Great Escape is already in the top five of the year for me. Some people may say that Larry June has a lazy monotone flow and lacklustre pen game. Real ones, including myself, know that his voice, bars and flow are perfectly homogeneous with the smooth soul loops that The Alchemist concocted. 

The album paints a perfect picture of what Larry June is doing after his success. It’s exactly what is displayed on the album cover: driving around California’s bay area in a classy expensive car. It feels like a victory lap around the hills in a Porsche 911, and The Alchemist is piecing everything together in the passenger seat.

The Alchemist’s curation for lyrical talent is always outstanding, grabbing artists that are forever slept on like Boldy James, Jay Worthy, and Curren$y. It always makes my week whenever I see Action Bronson create anything, especially when he teams up with The Alchemist, and this time it’s for his feature on “Solid Plan”, and it’s as if his best bud made the beat for him. The strange ’80s synth had the loop sounding like it could be found on a hypothetical deluxe version of Blue Chips 7000. 

This kicks off a three-banger streak. The following song, “Palisades, CA” is just gross, easily the best song on the record. It keeps the same uniform vibe of the album, feeling bright yet mysterious and dangerous. Big Sean, who I usually find corny and think of as someone who does too much, absolutely popped off. The Detroit rapper uses a crazy triplet flow while talking about his new luscious long hair and how he tells the truth “like a polygraph in a booth.” A true masterpiece. 

The third elite song in the streak, “Summer Reign,” makes me want to reminisce on the beach with the wind in my hair, maybe with a tear rolling down my cheek. And it’s all because of the wawa-guitar loop paired with the God-given voice of Ty Dolla $ign.

All in all, there is not one skip on this album. No song is lower than a 7.5/10. That being said, The Alchemist will forever be on the hip-hop producer Mount Rushmore, and this album definitely deserves a listen.

Trial Track: “Palisades, CA”

Score: 8.5/10

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Ar(t)chives Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: 10,000 gecs – 100 gecs

100 gecs returns with an album that’s pure fun

It doesn’t take long to see why 10,000 gecs, the newest project from experimental pop visionaries Dylan Brady and Laura Les, is one of the most thrilling releases of the year. The duo’s 2019 debut album 1000 gecs was a landmark in helping to define the relatively new genre known as hyperpop, with singles such as “money machine” making waves over social media. Coming four years later, it’s safe to say there’s been anticipation for a new record, and luckily this album does not disappoint.

Within the span of a single minute, the opener “Dumbest Girl Alive” begins with the signature THX Deep Note theme, transitions into an overblown guitar solo, and follows that up with a beat reminiscent of Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode.” It is wonderfully bizarre and sets up a 10-track run that only gets stranger as it progresses. The album triumphs as an exercise in throwing so many ideas at the wall that the wall crumbles down.

If there’s one constant running through the entire twenty-seven minute record, it’s silly fun. 10,000 gecs feels like an album extracted from a late night Discord call — a bit too much caffeine in everyone’s system, each person trying to one up the other with jokes. It’s an experience that you laugh with, not at.

Take the song “757,” for example. Its intensely processed vocals emit such high energy that at a certain point they just start muttering gibberish and it still works. Later, the song takes a turn, and the lines “I smoke the trees when I’m in Colorado / Interior gas station McDonalds” play over a methodical, distorted snare and kick drum combo. Do these lyrics make sense? Not particularly. Does it go hard? Very much so.

Going from track to track is akin to playing musical roulette. From a violent encounter sparked by two friends with an equally violent instrumental (“Billie Knows Jamie”), to a ska song recounting the painful aftermath of a trip to the dentist (“I Got My Tooth Removed”), to relaxed verses explaining one’s questionable life choices (“The Most Wanted Person In The United States”), 10,000 gecs runs the gamut of genres and topics. 

The philosophy of short-but-impactful material is applied to most of the songs on the album, as they all fall within the two-to-three minute range. This is not an issue on its own, but it’s hard not to want a few extra tracks to flesh out the record a little more. Singles “Hollywood Baby,” “mememe” and “Doritos & Fritos” are clear standouts, and the album would’ve benefitted with one more banger along those lines (though it is telling how good a project is when the only issue is that you want more).

10,000 gecs is the kind of album that gets you excited about music. There is so much bursting at the seams in this collection of tunes. It overflows with creativity and is a testament to the power of friendship, comradery, and cranking the volume up to eleven. It also happens to have a song titled “Frog On The Floor.”

Trial Track: “Hollywood Baby”

8/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Endless Summer Vacation – Miley Cyrus

 Miley Cyrus has gifted her fans with a pop-themed album

Some artists are afraid to try something new, but that doesn’t seem to faze singer and performer Miley Cyrus. After her last album Plastic Hearts in 2020, which was a commercial success, Cyrus unveiled Endless Summer Vacation on March 10.

Her lead single, “Flowers,” attracted old and new fans worldwide due to its catchiness and inescapable tunes. After its release, everyone anticipated her new album that was set to follow two months later. 

The third track, “Rose Colored Lenses”, is full of fun lyrics with an easy-going instrumental in the background. With verses like “We can stay like this forever, lost in wonderland with our heads above the clouds, falling stupid like we’re kids,” it’s easy to drift to memories of being carefree. With this song, Miley alludes to enjoying the moment while ignoring any red flags, which anyone listening can relate to. 

According to Rolling Stone, Miley Cyrus has said that she organized the songs in an order with an AM and PM vibe, and you can’t help but embrace how different the songs are. The AM side represents the morning of a new day and the potential for any opportunities, like the second track on the album, “Jaded.” In this song, Cyrus reflects on a previous failed relationship and how it’s impacted both of them. The song is filled with harmonies and a quicker tempo that gives it a nostalgic feel for the listeners. 

The PM side is influenced by rest, recovery and partying, like the song “River,” which has a retro beat similar to pop icons Britany Spears or Whitney Houston. This song makes you want to dance all night long.  

The next song is a memorable pop track called “Violet Chemistry,” and it sounds like it could’ve been a bonus track on her 2014 album Bangerz. With a beat change halfway through the song, it could be another party anthem like “We Can’t Stop.”

The album fits well within the pop stratosphere, but there are a few slower songs that change the tempo and overall listening experience. The fourth and fifth tracks “Thousand Miles” and“You” both have mellow beats that make you relax and reminisce about friendships and relationships. 

Cyrus concludes the album with a ballad called “Wonder Woman,” where she sings over the piano about the resilience of the women in her family. Although memorable, it doesn’t fit with the PM party tracks on the album. I would’ve liked to see her end the album with the previous track called “Island,” where she contemplates feeling stranded while also in paradise. It felt like the perfect send-off to her fans. 

This is a fun album for Miley with many enjoyable songs, and her ever-changing sound keeps her fans guessing what comes next. The most unique aspect of this album is that it feels like it’s narrating a collection of memories from the past few years. 

If you look back on Plastic Hearts, the music was rock-filled and edgy as opposed to Endless Summer Vacations, where it’s fun-filled and pop-themed. She’s a versatile artist who never likes to repeat the same thing, and everyone can agree that her range is unmatched. 

Trial Track: “Rose Colored Lenses’”

Score: 7/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Love Sick – Don Toliver

The Houston artist goes R&B — which works until it doesn’t

Don Toliver is one of those rare enigmatic artists, where it can be difficult to predict what his next album (or even song) may sound like. Many fans were introduced to his unique voice on Travis Scott’s 2018 song “CAN’T SAY” — which prompted some hilarious comparisons to singer Akon.

While Toliver has released a few downtempo songs, his new record Love Sick is his full-length foray into the world of slower, more seductive R&B. On paper, it seems like a match made in heaven, given his now-signature voice and knack for catchy melodies. But in reality, his vocal performance is easily the most forgettable part of this album.  

Toliver’s voice is nice to listen to, but that’s about as far as it gets. While it is refreshing to hear him experiment with a slower sound, some songs can drone on and sound quite forgettable. So much so that the novelty of hearing Toliver on unfamiliar productions wears off quickly. This leads to a few bland tracks, especially as the album goes on. By the time we get to songs like “Cinderella,” he sings in circles, and his melodies end up going nowhere. On tracks like “Private Landing,” he flat out sounds disinterested.

It’s a disappointing showing for an artist whose greatest asset is his voice.

The production, however, is anything but forgettable. Instrumentally, we are hearing Toliver at his most experimental, which serves as the redeeming factor for a lot of songs. The Houston artist hops on Kaytranada’s production and New Jersey club-inspired beats, among other interesting choices.

Lush, moody, and layered soundscapes provide the backdrop for most of the album, whereas scintillating guitars shine through others. Songs like “Leave the Club” showcase a more familiar bouncy trap sound. The intro, “LoveSickness,” sets the tone by being somewhere in the middle.

A few of the creative choices on this album are questionable: Justin Bieber’s insistence to “keep going” on “Private Landing” is one such instance. Fans hoping to hear Toro y Moi are also likely to be disappointed, as his vocals are heavily altered and thrown on the outro of “Cinderella.” The very numerous features, in general, are hit or miss.

Some tracks on Love Sick definitely demonstrate that Toliver can continue to make great music — “Let Her Go” and “Slow Motion” are shining examples. Unfortunately, tracks like these get drowned out by the album’s other underwhelming songs. While ambitious, the album falls far short of reaching its true potential.

Trial track: Slow Motion (feat. Wizkid)

5.5/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: This Is Why – Paramore

After five long years, Paramore treats fans with a new album

The past few years have been a rollercoaster for all of us, including the rock band Paramore. After five long years, Paramore has dropped the explosive album This Is Why in response to the world’s recent pandemic.

After dropping their lead single “This Is Why” in early September of last year, lead singer Hayley Williams has been teasing fans for months about the release of their latest album.  

The multi-layered hit “This Is Why” has been a rock anthem for fans since its release. In comparison to the softer tempo at the beginning of the song, Williams kicks off with the jarring lyrics: “If you have an opinion, maybe you should shove it, or maybe you could scream it, might be best to keep it to yourself.”

These bold words can be felt by the listener throughout the entirety of the track.

The second song (and most notable, in my opinion) is the track “The News.” The lyrics “Shut your eyes but it won’t go away, turn off the news,” clearly speak to the band’s experience during the pandemic and their inability to escape reality. This radical piece is yet another example of Paramore’s talent in the rock industry.

Paramore has been an inspiration in the world of punk rock since the early 2000s. Their sound has influenced a lot of today’s pop stars such as Billie EiIlish, Willow, and Olivia Rodrigo’s 2021 hit “Good 4 U.”

Although most of the album is made up of memorable work, the song “C’est Comme Ça” felt like a recycled beat from their 2017 album After Laughter. The song simply felt random and was inferior when compared to the other pieces.

This Is Why takes a dramatic turn halfway through with the song “Liar.” The combination of acoustic guitar, which isn’t often included in Paramore’s music, and Williams’ gentle lyrics truly make for a heartfelt piece outside the band’s usual vibe.

The album concludes with my favourite piece “Thick Skull.” While the beat keeps a slow, melodramatic rhythm at the beginning, it picks up halfway through with the addition of the drums and electric guitar. Paramore seems to be dipping their toes in the indie world with this one and I’m definitely here for it.

I by no means think This Is Why is Paramore’s best album, but I do think it satisfied fans for the time being. While Paramore’s music has clearly evolved since their first album in 2005, their songs will forever be infused with their punk attitude.

Trial track: “Thick Skull” 

Score: 7/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: I and II – John Frusciante

 RHCP guitarist delivers an album out of left field

If you like ambient noise or are a synth nerd that likes fiddling around with drones and beep-boop chatter, then you’ve come to the right place. John Frusciante, most known for his role as guitarist in the band Red Hot Chili Peppers, just released his 13th studio album.

While this album might give people like my girlfriend anxiety, I can safely say that it helped me zone in on tasks that I had to accomplish (for instance, this review). 

Frusciante is known for his creative prowess in writing music, namely on guitar. However, this album takes it one step further in the realm of ambient synth music.

While Frusciante isn’t wading in uncharted waters with synthesis, vinyl-only I and digital/CD release II take the cake for his approaching a different method of songwriting. In his words, he “listened to and made music where things generally happen gradually rather than suddenly.” He used two analog synthesizers or groove-boxes from the company Elektron to make this ambient album. 

The album starts off with a harsh cicada-like synth on “Golpin.” The “trees are screaming” sound slowly evolves, allowing a sub-octave oscillator to fit in the mix. Five minutes into the 12-minute track, the wave takes an eerie turn with a slowly descending plucked sound, giving me the feeling that I’m being watched and followed.  

“Blesdub Dot” first starts off with what sounds like a two-oscillator waveform that has a smooth low-frequency output. What that means is that the sound rhythmically switches to a lower frequency at a set interval. Throughout the song, Frusciante implements a high-frequency wave with high-pass treble glitch noises. They sound like white noise chatter. 

This album is a bit weird for me to have a favourite track on. I would rather choose the songs that were busier than others. The first one being “Pyn,” for its ’90s-style chatter that tickled my brain the same way that “Bucephalus Bouncing Ball [Chosen by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett]” does with its rounded percussive notes. My next recommended song is “Clank” because it would fit right into the official soundtrack of a thriller or eerie movie.  

Honestly, I can say I enjoyed listening to this album. It’s not an easy listen for sure. In an age where music has to have a lot of shock value (trap stars I’m looking at you), and has multiple sharp twists and turns per song, this LP takes time to introduce new ideas to you. Best for working on programming, writing Stephen King-esque novels and cramming for exams with forbidden white noise.

P.S. Don’t listen to “Glavation” if you get easily overwhelmed.  

Trial track: Pyn 

Rating: 8/10 (for ambient drones’ sake!)

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS – ATUM Act II by The Smashing Pumpkins

The ’90s post-grunge band releases the second act of their Opera Rock concept trilogy

The rock opera album ATUM (more like synth-wave opera) returns for Act II of III, after almost three months of anticipation since the first act. The story of said Opera Act is of an “epic interplanetary story set in the not-too-distant future,” according to Tinnitist. 

The first track is “Avalanche,” and let me just say, it could not be a sweeter start to the second act. Billy Corgan’s daughter steps into the limelight for the first 30 seconds, chanting the mantra “We hope someday we’ll find out what happiness means.” This was done by Corgan to ensure that his daughter didn’t get jealous. Why you may ask? Well, her brother (Corgan’s son) got a chance to sing on a previous album CYR, so naturally, Corgan had to include her. 

After a reiteration of the quote with a vocoder, a ’90s midwestern post-grunge riff leads the song into a wall of symphonic rock. You gotta give it to guitarists Jeff Schroeder and James Iha to give a feeling of carefreeness that really captures the story that Corgan wanted to convey.    

The album takes an edgy turn with “Moss.” Guitarist Iha employs a sinister chord progression. There is a backup singer by the name of Katie Cole who literally sings the word “meow” in the song. The main lyrics start, “You didn’t see what you saw, you didn’t hear what you heard,” which sounds like Corgan is showcasing how social media distracts you from big conflicts and bad things going on in the world with cat videos. 

“Night Waves” was one of the tracks that’s heavily pop-ified. Starting off with synth arpeggio — which wouldn’t seem out of place in a Wreck-it Ralph movie — the verses combine  Jimmy Chamberlain’s drums that have been bit-crunched to sound as though they were part of a similar retro 16-bit video game.   

The most notable songs on the album for me have to be “Empires,” “Moss,” and “Beguiled.” My favourite is “Beguiled” because it has the perfect blend of Siamese Dream / Melon Collie Smashing Pumpkins and synthp — sorry, rock opera Smashing Pumpkins. Sorry, Billy, you can’t fool some of us. The heavy buzz-saw guitar chugs with dark pad synths? Classic you!

Although it fell just short of what it could have become, as the peak of the trilogy (since it is the second act), the album just shows that they were able to adapt. The band was able to try something new and they were not afraid to put it out. For this, I thank The Smashing Pumpkins for not fading away from the limelight due to stubbornness. 

Trial Track: “Beguiled.”

Rating: 7/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Mac Demarco – Five Easy Hot Dogs

Five Easy Hot Dogs is a great idea on paper, but in reality, it isn’t quite living up to Mac Demarco’s talent

Mac Demarco has been a household name in the indie scene over the past 10 years. Projects such as 2 and Salad Days helped propel the Canadian singer-songwriter to stardom. Even after six studio albums and more than a decade of being active, he still finds ways to experiment new things with his music. This time, it has taken the form of an instrumental record with his latest release Five Easy Hot Dogs. 

Wait, so guitarist extraordinaire Mac Demarco has released an instrumental record, it must be great, right? Well, not so much. While Five Easy Hot Dogs has its moments, it suffers from safe production choices and sound repetition, which makes the album fall flat on its feet.

Even though it’s Demarco’s first album since 2019, this new record feels much more like a side project rather than a full-fledged studio album. Every song on the record has been recorded during a road trip and each song represents the city it was written in, which explains why there are three songs with “Vancouver” in the title. This makes it easier to follow Demarco’s road trip throughout the album, which starts from Gualala and ends in Rockaway.

For someone who is known for his impressive guitar loops and infectious beats, Five Easy Hot Dogs feels rather uninspired compared to previous works. Yes, the songs are sweet and they are very easy to get into, but as I was listening to the album over and over again, the songs became more and more forgettable, often blending together. This record sounds like if Apple hired Mac Demarco to compose new adventurous alarms — it’s soothing to wake up to, but would you really listen to an album filled with alarms? I don’t think so.

I can definitely see this album getting played and working in some instances. For instance, while studying or relaxing, songs like “Gualala,” “Chicago,” or even “Victoria” would all work well. Aside from these three songs, most of the songs on the album sound like a warped attempt at a lofi study beats project. 

Despite Five Easy Hot Dogs having some moments of brightness, they’re not enough to save the album. This could have truly been something great, but it ended up being little more than wasted potential that in retrospect, will serve as one of Demarco’s most forgettable projects.

Trial track: “Gualala”

Score: 4/10

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QUICKSPINS: ATUM: Act One by Smashing Pumpkins

Billy Corgan and Co. have released yet another concept album, now in three Acts! 

To those who are saying Autumn is over, no it isn’t, ATUM has just been released! The Smashing Pumpkins’ new LP ATUM Part One just came out on Friday, Nov. 18. This is part of a concept album trilogy dubbed “A Rock Opera In Three Parts” that the band has prepared: Billy Corgan, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlin, Jack Bates and Jeff Schroeder. 

This is their first full batch of content that’s been released since 2020, so you know they’ve taken their time honing their songwriting craft. Or have they slipped up? Let’s dive right in.

We start with the intro track “ATUM.” This instrumental track made its debut while the band was touring, before the release of the album. It honestly feels like one big epic sports sting that ESPN would use. Other than that, it introduces the album by giving it a sense of grandiose synthesis mixed with their buzzsaw guitar tone (courtesy of the Big Muff pedal that Corgan and Iha love to use). Keep that phrase at the ready, because there will be a lot more songs that incorporate this grandiose atmosphere.  

The second track on the album is “Butterfly Suite.” The more mature version of their single “Ava Adore” was released in 1998 when they were becoming more experimental with their tracks, incorporating electronic drumkits and bass and pad synths. They took it up a notch with “Butterfly Suite” by adding their post-grunge grittiness by using heavily distorted guitars. 

As for memorable songs from ATUM: Act One, songs like “The Good in Goodbye,” “Embracer,” and “Hooligan” reminded me of the many layers to a song Corgan would weave with each other. He truly has evolved from his seven layers of rhythm guitar in their 1994 release Siamese Dream. 

However, not every song was amazing or memorable. There were a couple that were downright questionable at the very least. “Steps in Time,” which was one of my top 3 tracks from the LP, had a great melody that became tasteless after it repeated for the whole song. 

Also Billy Corgan, if you are out there reading this, I just want to ask one question: What is the concept of “Hooray!”? Who other than you thought that “Hooray!” was a valid concept? Why is “Hooray!” in this album lineup? It’s like you, 1982 Prince, and a ’90s kids’ show had a lovechild.      

So, my honest thoughts on this album? It’s a great fusion of new synthwave with the band’s old post-grunge grit. Rock Opera? Maybe more like Synth Alternative Rock, but don’t underestimate it. Billy Corgan always delivers good content with concept albums.  

Trial Track: Butterfly Suite 

Score: 7/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Drake and 21 Savage – Her Loss

 Despite being a collaborative album, this most certainly did not feel like one

After only five months since his more house-oriented project Honestly, Nevermind, Drake is back for more with Her Loss. On this new one, Drizzy is teaming up with Atlanta rapper 21 Savage for their new collaborative effort. 

After seeing massive success with previous cooperations in the past, such as “Knife Talk,” and Jimmy Cooks,” both becoming some of Drake’s biggest hits of the 2020s, it was only natural for the two MCs to unite for a whole album as they are now used to creating fireworks together.

To classify Her Loss as a joint effort between Drake and 21 Savage would feel like a crime, as it feels very much more like a Drake album featuring his sidekick 21 Savage than an equal partnership between the two. In fact, Drake accounts for 66 per cent of all words said on the record, while 21 Savage raps 26 per cent of them. The other 8 per cent is from guest appearances, such as Travis Scott on the excellent “Pussy & Millions.” Drake also has four songs alone on the album compared to 21 Savage, who only has one.

Despite not being labelled properly, this is definitely an improvement on Drake’s last two records. He sounds way more cutthroat than he usually does and even though 21 Savage isn’t on the album as much as I would have wanted, he’s still helping Drake bring out his more aggressive side with the help of some more ominous trap beat selection. Drake even goes in with some reckless disses, calling out Megan Thee Stallion, Soulja Boy, and Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian.

Her Loss contains a lot of fun moments, and you can definitely feel their chemistry. Songs such as the opener “Rich Flex” with its various beat switches, the ruthless “On BS,” and “Broke Boys” with its phenomenal second half are all infectious yet very hard-hitting. 

Regardless, it does have some misses, like the way-too-long “Hours In Silence,” the uneventful “Spin Bout U,” and the forgettable “Jumbotron Shit Poppin.” Oh, and don’t get me started on “Circo Loco,” which is another instance of an older hit being sampled to gain more traction. This time, it’s “One More Time” by Daft Punk that is victim of this awful trend.

Drake also has a couple of corny one-liners, like on the closer “I Guess It’s Fuck Me,” where he says “If bein’ real was a crime, I’d be doin’ life,” like come on man. But honestly, he might be one of the only artists that can get away with saying things like that. He makes up for it with “Middle of the Ocean,” which is another classic laid-back Drake cut that sees him get in his bag over a beautiful instrumental.

Yes it’s not perfect, and yes it’s a shame that 21 Savage isn’t on the album as much, but overall, Her Loss is one of the more fun Drake records to have come out in a hot minute.

Trial track: Middle of the Ocean

7/10

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QUICKSPINS: Westside Gunn is a 10

LILY COWPER @lilycowper

 Is Hitler Wears Hermes a 10/10?

The Buffalo MC and Griselda record label founder dropped his 10th and final instalment of his Hitler Wears Hermes series on Oct. 28th. The 12-track mixtape concluded a decade-long legacy of HWH, which started in 2012. 

It’s very difficult for Westside Gunn to miss. Since first listening to Griselda’s perfectly eerie WWCD project in 2019, I was hooked. From then on, I’ve put every new album of his on repeat for at least a week. This one is no different. However, there are some elements from 10 that contribute to missing its spot on the shelf with his other stellar projects. 

The album felt rushed. Gunn’s last album, Peace “Fly” God, was released 5 months earlier, on July 8. There were many of the same features and similar beats, which may produce a déjàvu feeling for fans. The return of AA Rashid talking over the beat in “Intro” felt like a repeat of Peace “Fly” God, which I was listening to up until 10’s release.

This album felt less like a Westside Gunn album than it did a Stove God Cooks album. There are twelve tracks, eleven if you exclude “Intro,” which is more of a skit than a song. Stove God contributed significantly to six of the remaining songs. A featured artist should not be in half of an album’s tracks. No discredit to Stove God — he has immense talent in his verses, voice and hooks, and I couldn’t stop listening to his part on “BDP.”  

As a finale to such a grand series, I expected to hear a variety of other features on it, and found some happy surprises. This album felt more upbeat than other Gunn productions, with cheeky features from artists that we love. There were contributions from members of the Wu-Tang Clan, including RZA’s production of the Intro track, and the appearance of Raekwon and Ghostface Killah on Science Class (also featuring Busta Rhymes). It was produced by Swizz Beats of all people!

DJ Drama continues his trend of guesting on many recent albums such as Tyler the Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost and Dreamville’s D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape by making two appearances on Gunn’s album. The rap duo Black Star appears on “Peppas,” and A$AP Rocky makes an appearance on “Shootouts in Soho.” 

This album was very solid, and I’ll certainly listen to it on repeat. It’s superior to any other album released in the past months. I’m giving it a hard time simply because it’s not the standard I’d usually expect from Westside Gunn. It was heartwarming to hear elements of the many friends and affiliates of Griselda, and a decent conclusion to such a legendary series. It just felt rushed, and a shame that the artist had to cater to the decennial date.

Trial Track: “BDP” (feat. Rome Streetz & Stove God Cooks)

 7/10

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QUICKSPINS: Taylor Swift – Midnights

 When it’s noon, it’s always midnight somewhere else

Swift’s tenth studio album Midnights is a pop record through-and-through. Within days of releasing her new album, Swift quickly broke streaming records. On Halloween, she became the first artist ever to occupy all top ten spots on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

Combining simple drum beats, a strong vocal performance and a hint of city pop synths, Midnights reminds listeners of the guilty, self-destructive thoughts that have followed the American artist throughout her career.

The first time I listened to Midnights I was in my bedroom at around 12 a.m — the perfect time for impulsively dyeing your hair or texting your ex. Immediately, I felt a huge 80’s aura which now that I think about it, Swift would definitely be able to pull off. Her voice is incredibly versatile and she shows off here. 

The ninetieth time I listened to Midnights, I was on my way to work and it didn’t hit the same spot it did the first time. Midnights is an album that should be specifically played after 9 p.m. It’s like when you eat KFC a few days in a row. The first night it’s delicious; the leftovers are even better. But by day five your head hurts and the only feeling left is of guilt and shame.

When I say Midnights isn’t her strongest lyrical performance, I’m talking about “Anti Hero”. Phrases like “Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby” don’t correlate with me at all and I feel like she could have done without them. “Sexy baby” sounds like something Ed Shearan would say in one of his cheesy love songs. 

On the other hand, lines such as “It’s me. Hi! I’m the problem, it’s me.” resonate with people who’ve blamed themselves for a regretful experience in their lives. This is a great phrase but it’s also too generalized. It reminds me of reading horoscopes. One might ask if these lyrics were made with the intention of becoming a viral TikTok audio clip. 

Lastly, I by no means think that Taylor Swift makes bad music. I just don’t believe that twenty years from now, when music historians look back on her career, Midnights will be recognized as one of her best works.

Trial Track: Anti Hero

Rating: 7/10

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