#10 III– The Lumineers

Run the Jewels and The Weeknd had successes this decade crafting trilogies, and The Lumineers added themselves to the list with one single album. III is an epic spanning three generations of a family ravaged by addiction. In the heat of the opioids crisis, the folk-rock band’s release is cinematic excellency aided by music videos pumping even more life to their universe that sadly isn’t unfamiliar.

#9 thank u, next– Ariana Grande

If a pop album has its playlist in all lowercase these days, that’s an inexplicable indication it’s gonna be great. What’s not inexplicable is that barely six months off of Sweetener, the former Nickelodeon star added another dose of sugar with thank u, next. Emanating as much fearsomeness as humility, it hosts different aspects of Grande’s worldview to the steamy (friends with benefits-ballad “bloodline”) to the serious (lowkey feminist anthem “fake smile”). The final trio is the dessert, a spicy Sound of Music mix in “7 rings,” the deliriously trappy “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored,” and of course, the title track: an antithesis from the sappy heartbroken heroine cliché to cement Ari as one of pop’s most forward-thinking delights.

#8 Father of the Bride– Vampire Weekend

The flappy sounds of Vampire Weekend’s fourth LP mimic the pleasantness of your wedding day, but Koenig & co’s dark lyrics give the fear your loved one’s skeptical father would subliminally emit. The six-year hiatus taken by the band proved to be no downgrade whatsoever, even with the departure of one of their members.

#7 Cuz I Love You– Lizzo

With depression on the rise and the world seemingly crashing down for many people, Lizzo was the musical Prozac we needed. Though “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell” exploded this year, her debut offering is destined to go down as one of the most quotable albums ever. “Slow songs are for skinny hoes,” “only exes that I care about are in my f**king chromosomes,” just a few of the treasured chants for your shower concerts.

#6 Zuu– Denzel Curry

What Illmatic is for New York hip-hop, Zuu is where Miami throws their hat in the rap ring. This Zuu is where Curry showcases his roar. He’s an aggressive force on the mic with anecdotes of a place proven to be more than a flamboyant Spring break spot. You could call it one of the most well-written hip-hop albums of the era- until you find out Curry freestyled the entire thing.

#5 Dedicated– Carly Rae Jepsen

E•MO•TION catapulted Carly Rae Jepsen beyond just being the lady behind “Call Me Maybe,” and Dedicated proves her pop music alternative is here to stay. It’s caressing, but never feels too mushy with some slamming production here (“Now That I Found You”) and moderate hip-swaying there (“Want You In My Room”).

Read our review of Dedicated here.

#4- Norman F**king Rockwell!– Lana Del Rey

From Pepsi cola-flavored privates to erotic duets with The Weeknd, Lizzy Grant’s journey has been one of a kind. On her complex fifth album, she enters her final form as a sorrowful savant. Rockwell’s writing channels some of Lana’s finest work yet and has a heavier focus on piano than you’d ever hear from the Born to Die era. It’s stripped down compared to its predecessors, but moments like the outro on “The greatest” and the silky “doin’ time” cover helped Lana own 2019- let’s just forget about that Charlie’s Angels song…

Check out our review for this landmark album here.

#3- Igor– Tyler, the Creator

Once envisioned solely as a rapper, Tyler, the Creator dips his feet into some retro funk, a similar road Childish Gambino took with “Awaken, My Love!”. Igor plays like some kind of R&B opera, Jerrod Carmichael narrating the title goblin’s soupy love triangle that sonically speaking, is as abstract as the man behind it. 

#2 Better Oblivion Community Center– Better Oblivion Community Center

Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus weren’t the only duo to dominate 2019: Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst’s terrific collaboration is as odd as their namesake would suggest. The pair fuses their powers marvelously, creating a dynamic with Oberst as the indie rock veteran and Bridgers as a rising star, but neither of them tries to outdo each other. This is their first collab (save for his feature on Bridgers’ 2017 debut), and tricks you into thinking they’ve been playing with each other for years- almost a modern-day Sonny and Cher.

#1 WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?– Billie Eilish

It’s the culmination of the pop music redrawing that’s dominated this decade. Artists like Lana and Marina flipped the script with an authentic sound of their own, and Eilish and her brother’s craft is a clearly distinguishable method in their weird world. Finneas’ sunken set pieces, Billie’s ominously muffled vocals, it all may as well have a “TM” printed next to it. She isn’t one to try to baffle you with her enigma, rather one aware of her surroundings and wholly in touch with today’s youth- equal parts sarcastic (dad seducing on “bad guy”), swaggering (fiery “you should see me in a crown”), and self-depreciative (suicidal “listen before i go”). Every generation has a beloved musician journaling the era they were raised in- now Gen Z has Billie Eilish.

The post SCAD Radio’s Top 10 Albums of 2019 appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Right out of the gate, Ari dreams of a world where all her affections with her man will exist on opener “imagine”. The key indicator that she’s talking about Mac Miller here is the tattoo her former hip-hop beau had on his arm sharing the track’s title. His death in 2018 had a heavy influence on Grande, as well as her songwriting behind this LP.

The late rapper and Pete Davidson are the subjects on “ghostin”. Once again, Grande doesn’t point the finger, but it’s bettable that her beloved Malcolm is the mystery man who visited her when she’s “dreaming every now and then” while locked into a short engagement with the SNL member. The details remain foggy over why exactly the fiancés called it quits, but Grande makes it clear her past traumas played a role. However, the most jarring view into the saga comes when Ari declares to Pete “Though I wish he were here instead/Don’t want that living in your head”. As if that wasn’t jaw-dropping enough, the track reveals a haunting sample of Mac’s “2009”.

Grande gets even more personal on “fake smile”, an admission of self-sorrow, but a defiance of the belief that celebrities should act happy-go-lucky. It nicely doubles as a subtle nod to feminist themes that are no stranger to the star’s catalogue, notably the sexism behind telling women to put on a happy face.

The production team went more towards lo-fi pop sounds than they did on Sweetener. There’s even trap beats to anchor “bad idea” and the seductive “break up with your girlfriend, I’m bored”, but the tracklist is unfortunately void of party hits like “no tears left to cry”. While thank u, next isn’t as easily listenable as her prior release, it’s got its fair share of satisfying choruses.

None of the songs are as headstrong as past ballads like the empowering “god is a woman”, with the exception of the titular lead single. In an industry where artists are known to diss their famous exes after the break up, the heartfelt gratitude expressed here is a wonderful change of pace. Old boyfriends like Big Sean, Pete Davidson, and the late Mac Miller are appreciated by the star for her personal growth rather than the turmoil of each relationship’s falling-out. It’s the rare occurrence where Grande calls out her exes by name in a song, and it couldn’t have been used more cathartically.

There are some unnecessary songs on thank u, next, whereas Sweetener covers more ground and has less filler despite being six minutes longer. The lack of narrative limits the star’s fifth full-length from being an emotional journey through her recent tragedies. Hearing about the luxurious diva figure isn’t as captivating to hear about as the woman persevering through a rough patch in her life. Still, not much seems rushed considering her last album came out just six months ago: Grande certainly earns a thank you.

SCAD Radio rates it a 7.8/10.

The post Ariana Grande Opens Up On 2nd Album In Six Months appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Childish Gambino will release his 4th and allegedly final album.

Despite not putting out an EP or album, Childish Gambino did more than enough last year with spectacular songs- nay- “experiences” like “This is America” and “Feels Like Summer”. He hasn’t had an LP since 2016, so the chances of a fourth full-length are more likely than ever. On top of that, he’s presumed this record will be his last. As for the Gambino stage name, some speculate he’ll continue to make music under his regular name or a perhaps brand new moniker. Only time will tell.

6ix9ine will be sentenced to prison.

The most hated rapper on the planet made headlines with his trashy music and even trashier behavior. The rainbow-haired man behind “Gummo” first got involved with the law thanks to a sexual gesture caught on video with a 13-year-old girl, but now faces a minimum of 32 years in prison for armed robbery, distribution of drugs, and conspiracy to commit murder. Hopefully this untalented jackwagon gets locked up for a very long time to spare our children from his pedophile demeanor and horrendous music.

Grimes will have the best album of 2019.

Claire Boucher’s work progressively gets better with each release. The Canadian artist didn’t make too many waves with a pair of albums from 2010, but wowed with songs like “Oblivion” and “Genesis” on 2012’s Visions. Then in 2015, she released the ebullient Art Angels to widespread acclaim. Last November, she dropped the ferocious “We Appreciate Power”, a spine-tingling nu-metal revival that hints at an AI-takeover theme for the upcoming LP. In the pinnacle of her career, Grimes is poised to conquer 2019.

Avril Lavigne’s comeback album will please, but won’t be enough to bring her back to superstardom.

Lavigne’s career has been on the down since she reached the top of the world with classics like “Sk8er Boi” and “Complicated”. It’s only been a few years since that abysmal “Hello Kitty” song & cringeworthy music video, but the emotional titular single for her next LP assures Head Above Water will be a different story. The album is out February 15th, and the possibility of Lavigne creeping back onto playlists seems imminent. However, while the single is a respectable rewelcoming ballad for the early-2000’s icon, it was inferior to last year’s more memorable career 180° track, Kesha’s “Praying”. It’ll confidently be her best work since 2002’s Let Go, but Lavigne’s days on top are behind her.

Blueface will have the worst album of 2019.

Whether you thought Blueface’s odd breakout “Respect My Crypn” was innovative or pathetic, it was undeniably entertaining to hear (and even more entertaining to scroll through the comment section). The intentional(?) lack of synchronization of the beat and the rapper’s awkwardly high-pitched bars granted a memeworthy tune. It remains to be known what the LA rapper will do next, but we shouldn’t expect much from a potential mixtape or LP. Even those who found the gig clever won’t enjoy the schtick stretched out to a full-length release.

Maggie Rogers will be 2019’s best breakout.

As a college student in 2016, Maggie Rogers became a viral sensation during a masterclass session with Pharrell Williams. Her folk-inspired pop brand captured the heart of the longtime producer, as well as execs to spawn her 2017 EP, Now That the Light Is Fading. On January 18th, her debut full-length will hit streaming services. Heard It in a Past Life contains “Alaska”, the track that made her famous, along with singles she performed on her recent Saturday Night Live gig. Already touted as a prodigy, the Maryland singer is set to surge this year.  

Ariana Grande will date Michael B. Jordan next.

No one else in music garnered as much E! News attention last year as Grande, following her quick engagement and even quicker split from SNL star Pete Davidson, plus the sudden passing of her former lover, Mac Miller. Still, the singer persevered with the honest and mature Sweetener, then magically crafted praise for her many exes in the fantastic “thank u, next” single for another album set for this year. Many speculate who the star will date next, and I think it’ll be Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan. Think of it: blending Killmonger’s cruel attitude yet traumatic past with Ari’s diva ego and aforementioned recent heartbreak makes for one hell of an “it” couple.

Migos’ Culture III will have some fun tracks, but will overall be a disappointment.

In 2017, the Migos album Culture brought trap rap to the forefront with bops like “Bad and Boujee” and “T-Shirt”. A year later, they dropped the sequel to far less praise. While it certainly had its moments, Culture II was bloated and repetitive across a 24-track length that was clearly extended to rack up streaming numbers. Further on in 2018, Quavo and Takeoff unleashed solo albums that didn’t show any signs of improvement. With Culture III around the corner, the Atlanta trio could expect a few hits, but if the LP is as drawn out as its predecessor, the project as a whole will fall flat.

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