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QUICKSPINS: U.S. Girls – Heavy Light

U.S. Girls’ Heavy Light is a testament to their writing strengths, despite being a mixed bag

On Heavy Light, Toronto band U.S. Girls continues to make provocative pop music, while taking an experimental trip through the genre’s past, touching on funk, psychedelia, motown and more.

Heavy Light starts out with a bang. The first two tracks “4 American Dollars” and “Overtime” are the strongest on the album. Both songs are incredibly groovy pop tunes highlighting major social issues, with the former discussing the false trappings of capitalist ideology and the latter speaking about alcoholism and being overworked and underpaid. This is U.S. Girls at their best, combining danceable beats with hard-hitting social commentary. Yet, sadly, this high isn’t quite preserved throughout the rest of the album.

The album contains three interludes, about a minute apiece, where voices share advice to their teenage selves, the most hurtful thing that’s ever been said to them and finally, the colour of their childhood bedroom. While these interludes certainly put the listener into U.S. Girls’ desired emotional state, they disrupt the flow of the album in a way that is too jarring to come back from.

The track “State House (It’s a Man’s World)” kicks off with a pitched-down reworking of the beat from “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes. Yet, unlike The Ronettes’ classic love song, U.S. Girls’ lyrics eerily discuss the role of women in society. In lyrics that sound as if they were lifted from The Handmaid’s Tale, front-woman Meg Remy sings, “But it’s a man’s world, we just breed here. We don’t have no say, we only bend.” While this song has a solid concept, it remains just that—a concept. Clocking in under two minutes, “State House” isn’t given the time to evolve into something more satisfying.

On Heavy Light, Remy’s energetic dance-pop tracks are worlds more exciting than her balladry. “And Yet It Moves / Y Se Mueve” is a highlight in the middle of the tracklist, with its Latin-inspired beat and psychedelic distortions. Contrasted to the slow-burners “IOU” and “Woodstock ‘99,” which are not nearly as gratifying.

The penultimate track, “The Quiver to the Bomb,” chronicles the birth of humanity to the climate crisis from the perspective of a “mother earth” type of character. The lyrics are downright scary and justifiably angry. In the second half of the song, the instrumental switches up to some vaguely prog-rock synth passages à la Pink Floyd, as Remy’s vocalizations become more and more desperate-sounding. This song should have been the closer, as “Red Ford Radio” doesn’t have nearly as much in the way of lyrical or instrumental intrigue.

Overall, while Heavy Light contains a few low-points, it is still a strong testament to U.S. Girls’ songwriting and conceptual abilities. In a time of mass uncertainty, corrupt leaders and failing systems of control, albums like Heavy Light seem more necessary than ever.

Rating: 7/10

Trial Track: “4 American Dollars”

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QUICKSPINS: Megan Thee Stallion – Suga

A hard-hitting playlist of songs to hype you and your girls before a fun night out.

As a vengeful parting gift to her ex-record label 1501 Certified Entertainment, Megan Thee Stallion mic dropped her new nine-track EP Suga.

With plans to release the album on her late mother’s birthday, May 2, being blocked due to her attempt at renegotiating her contract with the record label. Megan took matters into her own hands by filing a lawsuit against the label demanding that she be removed from the contract. After the Houston-born rapper was granted her request, she took the small window she had to drop her unfinished album on March 6 with no strings attached.

Throughout this album, Megan showcases her versatility as a rap sensation whilst touching base with 90s hip hop and R&B. Megan channels 2Pac in her track “B.I.T.C.H” where she samples his hit song “Rather Be Your N****.” She also uses her talent to incorporate a slow and sensual R&B vibe to the album in her track “What I Need.” The artist carries herself as an influential figure in female empowerment as she embraces her sexuality, diversity and her overall love for contemporary rap.

The fan-favourite “Savage” tackles her self-reflection as she repeats, “Classy, bougie, ratchet/sassy, moody, nasty,” delivering the track with force and intent whilst allowing her audience to exude their true identity and fully accept who they are.

As always, Megan Thee Stallion never fails to deliver. The 24-minute EP is well balanced, incorporating Gunna and Kehlani as key features. The album is yet to be finished so this EP can be considered as an entree to her soon-to-come main dish.

Rating: 9/10

Trial track: “Captain Hook”

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Jay Electronica’s debut both amazes and underwhelms

The enigmatic MC manages to reach the extremely high bar he set for himself over a decade ago, but it would mean a lot more if he reached that bar himself.

Jay Electronica has been the hip hop world’s biggest enigma for over a decade. At one point, he seemed destined to go down as one of the genre’s greats, but after years of limited-to-no output, he became its greatest “what if.” While he’s technically been active since 2007, the 43-year-old Louisiana-born MC has released less music in 13 years than some rappers do in 13 months. But somehow, between the one official mixtape, a handful of guest verses and three singles, he’s managed to maintain the interest of fans for this long.

Maybe it’s the Jay-Z co-sign, maybe it’s the air of mystery he built around himself, or maybe in the small sample size fans got, we knew he was just that good. Whatever the case may be, his status as an MC had essentially become mythical, and expectations for his debut reached seemingly insurmountable levels.

That’s to be expected when you’re following up the extravagance of songs like “Exhibit C,” or spending a decade teasing a sequel to a cherished project like 2007’s Act I: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge). Jay Elec had set the bar so high for himself, through both what he’d done and hadn’t done, that his debut was never going to live up to the hype… but surprisingly, it mostly does.

The thing is, A Written Testimony doesn’t meet these expectations by being exactly what fans have been waiting for—it does it by doing the opposite. This isn’t Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn). There are no tracks with the grandeur of “Exhibit C.” This shouldn’t even really count as Jay Electronica’s debut solo album.

Every track on A Written Testimony, minus the intro and “Fruits of the Spirit,” has an unlisted Jay-Z feature. In addition to being on nearly every track, he’s the first person to rap on the record and he is at the top of his game throughout. This is essentially a collaborative project between the two, being marketed as Jay Elec’s long-awaited solo debut.

This is not to say that Jay Elec doesn’t perform at the elite level that was expected of him, he just raps so little that it’s slightly underwhelming. Still, his pen is impeccable, and his verses are dense and wonderfully written reflections on his life, his faith, and often, his fears.

Throughout the project’s 10-track, nearly 40-minute runtime, Jay Elec and Jay-Z come together to deliver exquisitely put-together verses over a soundscape that is completely unique to this project. Boasting instrumentals from The Alchemist, Swizz Beatz, No I.D. and Jay Elec himself, the album’s production strikes a nice balance between eclecticism and cohesion. No two beats sound the same, but they all fit together extremely well.

The majority of this project is absolutely fantastic, with tracks like “The Ghost of Soulja Slim,” “The Neverending Story,” “Universal Soldier” and “The Blinding” being highlights. While “Shiny Suit Theory” is a fantastic song in its own right, including a single from 2014 on an album so highly anticipated feels unnecessary. The only real low point on the album is “Ezekiel’s Wheel,” which features an extremely airy and empty-sounding beat and an awful hook from The-Dream.

This is an overall great album with a soundscape that completely sets it apart from other modern hip hop releases, and a pair of MCs exchanging immaculate verses throughout. Though the synergy between Jay-Z and Jay Elec is what makes this such a fantastic album, it’s also what makes this a slightly underwhelming debut for Jay Elec. As phenomenal as the vast majority of this project is, we’ve yet to see the extent of his abilities as an artist.

While Jay Electronica may have reached the astronomically high bar that he set for himself years ago, he stood on the shoulders of a giant to do so. Having Jay-Z on nearly every song makes for great music, but it takes away from what could’ve been a monumental moment in hip hop.

Though A Written Testimony is a fantastic record, the mythical debut album from Jay Electronica shouldn’t have so few Jay Electronica verses.

 

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QUICKSPINS: Lil Uzi Vert – Eternal Atake

Eternal Atake was worth all the delays

Lil Uzi Vert defied expectations. After numerous album delays, very few singles, and a quiet label feud, it seemed that Eternal Atake was destined to die from the start. Expectations were high, but people were wary. Could the rapper responsible for one of 2017’s biggest hits drop a complete album?

In short, yes. Very much so, actually. There are a lot of things on Lil Uzi Vert’s album that shouldn’t work: a sequel to “XO Tour Llif3,” a Backstreet Boys-sampled track, and a lengthy runtime that is likely to test the listener’s patience. Yet, all these elements work in the album’s favour.

Lil Uzi Vert is at his best on songs like “POP” where his energy is unparalleled and his rapping is immaculate. The hook is catchy and a part of the third verse sees Uzi yelling “Balenci!” multiple times and the results are simply exuberating.

The writing is also one of Eternal Atake’s strengths as shown on songs like “I’m Sorry” and “Bigger Than Life” which showcases Lil Uzi Vert at his most engaging and most thoughtful self.

Eternal Atake is a wonderful album that, despite having been done for a while now, barely shows its age and sounds like it came from the future. Lil Uzi Vert has always been ahead of the curve—we just finally caught up to him.

Rating: 9/10

Trial Track: “POP”

 

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QUICKSPINS: Craig Stickland – Starlit Afternoon

Craig Stickland starts off strong with his debut album

On Feb. 28, Craig Stickland finally released his debut album, Starlit Afternoon, in which he explains his journey through 12 songs.

Eighteen days before the big release, the Vancouver-born singer-songwriter started sharing the inspiration and story behind each one of his 12 tracks on Instagram and Facebook. In doing this, Stickland took us on the adventure with him; making us feel as if we were present in those moments, and sharing details of his personal life.

Without these short descriptions, we would have never guessed that the story behind “History” is him bumping into his ex-girlfriend at a “fake, trendy LA party” after not seeing her for a year.

In the opening track, Stickland gives us a good taste of the rest of his charming album. He describes a person singing and dancing under a “Starlit Afternoon,” making us feel as though we are right next to them.

His soothing voice, along with the calm acoustics take us to whatever place he’s singing about so beautifully. High notes heard in “Warning” and “Break Every Rule,” for example, make listening to him even more pleasant.

Stickland couldn’t have made a better debut album than Starlit Afternoon.

Rating: 10/10

Trial Track: “Starlit Afternoon”

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QUICKSPINS: Grimes – Miss Anthropocene

Bubbly with a twist: Grimes’ new album might be the Grimesy-est yet

Grimes is unapologetically herself. Yeah, she’s pretty weird, but she’s committed. She’s committed to her own aesthetic, sound and digital perception. Quite frankly, it’s impressive.

Miss Anthropocene brings back the artist’s darker side, similar to her older music, but continues to evolve ideas present in Art Angels (2015). This new album includes an array of sounds, some trendy mixes and continued collaboration with Japanese rapper 潘PAN, painting the twisted and cynical content of her tracks in an upbeat light.

Grimes imagines a digital future populated with AI robots and fast moving vehicles, and the songs on Miss Anthropocene speak true to that. “4AEM” feels as hazy and dreamy as “Genesis” with a busy twist. The album is certainly existential, and her climate anxiety, or anxiety in general, merges with a dark and tacky feel, especially in “New Gods,” that makes this album feel like a joke and a masterpiece all at once. The name itself is an obvious play on “misanthrope” and “anthropocene,” and each song is a biography for one of the four horses of the apocalypse (except there are 10).

Rating: 8/10

Trial Track: “You’ll miss me when I’m not around”

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QUICKSPINS: Justin Bieber – Changes

After taking over four years for himself, Justin Bieber is back with a new style in Changes

After four years of ups and downs, Justin Bieber’s long-awaited return arrived on Feb. 14 with the release of his fifth studio album, Changes.

Unlike some of Bieber’s most popular tracks, “Baby,” “Boyfriend,” and “Despacito,” overall this album has a slow tempo. Yet, some songs distinguish themselves with stronger bass and catchier beats, as heard on “Forever,” featuring Post Malone and Clever, and “Running Over,” featuring Lil Dicky.

It could have been better. The 17-track album is way too long. With most of the songs being slow-paced with low or moderate vocals, it gets repetitive after a few tracks. Besides, “Yummy”—other than being annoyingly catchy—is a complete waste of time.

Whether this album is about Bieber’s wife or his ex-girlfriend, his desire to put his feelings first is evident. Although effort alone is not enough, as he said, he’s been “going through changes.”

This album could have been a total disaster or a total success, and somehow it’s right in the middle. Some songs are enjoyable and some are regrettable. Fortunately for him, Beliebers will always be satisfied with his music because they belieb in him.

Rating: 7/10

Trial Track: “Habitual”

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QUICKSPINS: Frances Quinlan – Likewise

Frances Quinlan’s powerful voice and songwriting shines on Likewise

Frances Quinlan has been making critically acclaimed indie rock with the band Hop Along for almost a decade. Now, on her first solo project Likewise, Quinlan creates a meandering and powerful testament to her writing and vocal chops.

While less bombastic than most of the Hop Along discography, Likewise gains power from its instrumental simplicity. On this record, Quinlan’s anti-folk inspired winding lyrics are nicely complimented by a mostly acoustic backing.

Due to the acoustic style of this album, Quinlan’s beloved howling singing style shines brighter than ever. In “Went to LA,” a song about searching for your identity in an unfamiliar place, Quinlan’s mystifying and narrative lyrics climax in her howling “Heaven is a second chance” over and over, her voice cracking with desperation. It’s both shockingly powerful and emotionally intimate.

Yet, while there are some stand-out tracks such as “Now That I’m Back” and “Your Reply,” which are incredibly catchy and complex, overall, this album is frontloaded and contains a few lackluster tracks. “Lean” and “Carry the Zero” don’t pull the emotional or artistic weight of the rest of the album, and never feel like they come to a rewarding conclusion.

That being said, Likewise is an incredibly gratifying listen for folk rock fans, and it shows that now as a solo artist, Quinlan does not disappoint.

Rating: 7.5/10

Trial Track: “Now That I’m Back”

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QUICKSPINS: Lil Wayne – Funeral

On his latest release, a potentially amazing album is bogged down by bloated sections of boring filler.

Lil Wayne is an anomaly. With a career spanning over 20 years, his continued relevance is a rarity in hip hop. His longevity lies in his willingness to evolve as an artist, as his ability to adapt has led to him amassing several styles throughout his career.

On Funeral, Wayne showcases these various styles, from auto-tuned crooning to high energy, multi-syllabic rhyming. Though the lines might not always be great, Wayne’s ridiculous level of charisma can make even his most absurd lyrics entertaining.

Wayne is in rare form on a few cuts on here. The initial three-track run from “Funeral” to “Mama Mia” displays his technical abilities at their best. The album peaks with “Harden,” a reflection on past relationships set over a gorgeous soul-sampled instrumental.

While there are some brilliant highs, there are also some horrible lows. However, nothing is as bad as the absolutely abysmal “Get Outta My Head.” This song would’ve been bad had it been just Wayne, but XXXTentacion’s screaming vocals make for an especially excruciating listen.

All in all, Funeral would have benefitted from some serious quality control. For every two or three good tracks, we get one that ranges from forgettable to outright bad. It’s frustrating because there is a great album in Funeral, it’s just hiding in a mess of horrible filler.

Rating: 5.5/10

Trial Track: “Harden”

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QUICKSPINS: Halsey – Manic

The return of Halsey

We have all heard of Halsey, but her new album Manic unveils her true self as Ashley Frangipane. It has been over two years since the artist released an album, but with an outcome like Manic, it was well worth the wait.

Manic features other artists like Dominic Fike, Alanis Morissette, SUGA and BTS. Also, despite being an alternative album, it has a nice mix of soft rock, indie pop, and pop.

The lyrics for the song “Graveyard” speak of “when we get to know a lover, and conveys the feeling of vulnerability and darkness.”

“Dominic’s Interlude,” featuring Dominic Fike, is an indie-pop song that has an edgy style with lyrics that speak powerful messages, while the catchy pop song “Still Learning” shows how Halsey decided to put herself first, accept her mistakes, and love herself.

The album takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. After Halsey deals with bipolar disorder, past toxic relationships, and other personal struggles, she bares her soul on Manic. The album is relatable, and may even be too intense for some people to listen to. Overall, Manic is an empowering album that could inspire anyone who listens to it.

Rating: 9/10

Trial Track: “Still Learning”

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Mac Miller, Circles, and the art of the posthumous release

The late rapper’s estate successfully delivers a carefully crafted and complete posthumous effort.

The posthumous album is one of the most conflicting listening experiences any music fan can have. The motive behind the release isn’t always clear: the music might be unfinished, the quality may be lacking, and you can’t help but think about whether the artist would have wanted it released. Musicians put their life into their work, and in the unfortunate event that they pass, who their music is left to can majorly affect their legacy––either positively or poorly.

In September 2018, Mac Miller tragically passed away at the age of 26, leaving the music world in shock. His impact on hip hop was enormous, as he played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of the genre through the 2010s. In using his platform to bring light to many up-and-coming artists, Miller played a major part in the budding careers of Vince Staples, Earl Sweatshirt, and many more.

While his platform helped to give these artists exposure, they also helped him find himself musically––throughout his career, Miller showed an astonishing level of growth. With each project released, he moved further and further from being the youthful stoner that was trying to fit into archetypal hip hop traditions laid out by his influences. Towards the end, Miller was working towards creating a sound and style that was entirely his own.

With 2016’s The Divine Feminine he took a chance, releasing a full-length project that relied on his singing as much as his rapping. Infusing neo-soul instrumentation with modern hip hop, the release’s sound was fresh for Miller and showed his desire to evolve as an artist. This was doubled down on with the release of 2018’s Swimming, leaving behind his neo-soul influences for a more varied and eclectic soundscape. These two projects showed Miller heading in a direction less concerned with fitting in, and more concerned with personal and artistic growth.

Circles builds off of the foundation laid out by these two albums and on Miller’s legacy while taking his music in a slightly different direction. Serving as a companion album to the aforementioned Swimming, producer and multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion worked to complete what he and Miller had started. The result is a mesmerizing album, that is extremely melancholic, yet instrumentally lush and gorgeous, and features some of Miller’s most personal writing and best singing.

While Miller isn’t a classically trained vocalist, that had always been a part of his charm. His ability to capture the emotions present in his lyrics through his limited vocal range humanized him as a singer and makes him more relatable. It’s less a spectacle of ability and more about being able to feel what he conveys vocally.

Lyrically, this album sees Miller painting a picture of a man who is not only dealing with his personal struggles but optimistically accepting them as part of his life and trying to move on. The theme of Circles, however, appears to be his acknowledgement of the cyclical nature of his struggles, and how they keep coming back around. At times, despite Miller’s seemingly optimistic view, he speaks on his own personal downfall as an inevitability, which is heartbreaking to hear in the wake of his passing.

It’s apparent that this was an album that was well on its way to completion when Miller passed. There is a clear vision here, a cohesive soundscape throughout, and consistent lyrical themes that bring the project together. The album plays like one last goodbye from an old friend—a long, warm and bittersweet hug from somebody that you’re not quite ready to let go of yet.

This is where this album shines; and where many posthumous albums fall short. In recent years, with the unfortunate passing of several young artists, we’ve seen a lot of posthumous releases that seem like nothing but a cash grab. XXXTentacion’s last project, Bad Vibes Forever, was a colossal mess of a project. At 25 tracks long, it was bloated with features and filled with incomplete song ideas rather than fully fleshed-out tracks. The artist’s vision and fan enjoyment were secondary, with the primary concern being maximizing streaming revenue.

In the case of Circles, Miller’s estate has given an example of how to handle the music and legacy of an artist after they’ve passed. It is an album with very little promotion, it’s free of gimmicks or radio-ready singles, has no big features, and the sound isn’t all that familiar for fans. It’s a complete, concise and focused artistic expression of a man who is seemingly learning to accept his internal struggles and grow from them. The album pulls no punches creatively, and that’s what makes it so special.

Circles feels like the full realization of the sound that Miller had been trending towards for a few years now. It’s brilliant, beautifully arranged and emotionally gripping music that gives us a glimpse into where he was mentally, prior to his passing. It’s very apparent that Jon Brion and Miller’s estate understood his vision, and they’ve clearly worked very carefully to bring it to fruition and carry on his legacy. As hard as it is to say goodbye, this is a superb send-off for one of the most important and impactful rappers of this generation.

Rating: 9/10

Trial Track: “Blue World”

Graphic by @justineprovost.design

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QUICKSPINS: Bombay Bicycle Club – Everything Else Has Gone Wrong

After six years, Bombay Bicycle Club is back with what they do best

It’s been a long six years since Bombay Bicycle Club’s last album So Long See You Tomorrow came out in 2014. After a three-year hiatus, during which time the London band’s members tried to pursue solo projects, they reunited having realized how much they missed recording together. From this, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong was born.

At 11 tracks long, this fifth studio album successfully captures many of Bombay Bicycle Club’s ever-changing sounds and styles from over the years. The percussion and horns in “I Worry Bout You” and “Do You Feel Loved?” display their world music influences. The bright electric guitar riffs in “Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)” and “Is It Real” capture that indie rock spirit, which contrasts, but still suits, the electronica leaning “People People” and “Let You Go.”

On their official website, they describe the album’s main topic as  “the comfort that music can provide in times of need”. Upon further listening it’s easy to see it also covers themes of friends falling out, missing the people you love, and second chances. In the title track “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong,” Jack Steadman sings “And yes, I found my second wind // And yes, I found some hope again,” and this truly does feel like a second wind from the band. While there’s a little bit for everyone in this album, and nothing is that risky or new, it still feels like the Bombay Bicycle Club we know—and I’m happy with that.

Rating: 7.5/10

Trial Track: “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong”

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