Category: Reviews
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Solange Tries Too Hard On Disappointing New Album
The bar was set high for Solange Knowles’ follow up to the poetic and magnificent A Seat at the Table. She only carries a few tricks from that playbook for her new album When I Get Home, notably the slow-paced R&B and her driving theme of black excellence. Only it’s considerably more small-scale versus the…
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Black Album Proves Weezer Is Still Past Prime
When Weezer announces another album, a collective groan from their fans is usually quick to follow. This next iteration of the self-titled color series, Weezer (Black Album) was no exception to fan-fatigue, especially after a release like Pacific Daydream. Unintentionally, the band’s music video for “High As A Kite” demonstrates their dynamic with a certain…
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Atrocious Lyricism Drags Down Lil Pump’s ‘Harverd Dropout’
Lil Pump’s first official album following an eponymous mixtape packs more of the lurid lifestyle and soundcloud mixings of the kid behind “Gucci Gang”. Still only 18, Gazzy Garcia follows a distinct recipe: spin a mumble rap beat, sprinkle in salacious one-liners, repeat for 16 songs. From dissing teachers to constantly bringing up past fellatio,…
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Avril Lavigne Is Inconsistent on Clunky Comeback Album
On a comeback attempt, Avril Lavigne’s Head Above Water takes the blueprint Kesha used when her music style shifted gears on 2017’s Rainbow: the radio-friendly vibe is traded in for a more emotional adult contemporary feel. Both works presented a pop star of yesteryear rebounding from personal trauma, Lavigne’s tribulation being a battle with Lyme…
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Ariana Grande Opens Up On 2nd Album In Six Months
It’s only been half a year since Ariana Grande dropped Sweetener, but more than enough has happened in her life to write another full-length. It’s a cryptic experience, as thank u, next seldomly names names from a roster of celebrity exes. It’s a release ripe with tea from her dramatic personal love life, but it’s…
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Why Golden Hour Deserved to Win Big at Last Night’s Grammys
In recent years, the Grammy awards have been under fire for their tendency to cater to the mainstream. Radio-friendly albums like Taylor Swift’s 1989 and Adele’s 25 topped critically adored works To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé’s Lemonade, respectively. It all culminated a year ago when Top 40 regular Bruno Mars swept…