The Devil’s Walk – Apparat

I am going to be straight with you. I was not a fan of this album. I randomly came across it on Spotify and thought the cover artwork was cool (which you got to agree is pretty sweet). The German electronic musician Sascha Ring or Apparat just doesn’t do it for me.  The Devil’s Walk has a chill tone and is produced fairly well, but even with that it still felt lame. Let me explain.

The Vocals:

The project starts off interestingly with “Sweet Unrest”, a song that includes only background vocals over a very rhythmic beat. Apparat does sing himself on the album but we don’t see a lot of depth with his voice or character. While the notes he hits are very melodic, they don’t move much and he seems to rely more on the dynamics of the beats. His best vocal work comes on the tracks “Song of Los” and “Blackwater” with solid lyrics and good pitch. However, many of the other songs lack in both aspects, especially lyrically. He just doesn’t seem to put much emphasis and at times the words he sings are just plain lame. The opening of “Escape” feels almost like a Coldplay song with its pretty cheesy lyrics about “streets racing underneath” and “cracks passing beneath”. There is just nothing special about it.

The Beats:

Chilled out electronic music is definitely the mood Apparat was after. “Song of Los” utilized washed out synths that are hard not to vibe with. Yet much of this album feels like a buildup to nothing. There is no bass drops, no dramatic vocals, nothing. “Candil De La Calle” had me waiting for something of which I did not know what. It never came. Most of the album felt like this. The track “A Bang In The Void” has a neat sample of that xylophone, however, Apparat then kills it for me at the end of the song with such a weird manipulation of the sound.

The Production:

This was the most solid aspect of the album. The transitions were fairly fluid and he uses a variety of different sounds and instruments to create the chill electronic sound he was after. His use of toms and snares is strong and the utilization of piano loops on a few tracks keeps you interested. He went for a certain mood and he hit it on the nose.

The Essentials:

“Song of Los” and “Ash/Black Veil”

The Rating:

I was bored while listening to this. I just didn’t feel it. Nothing really wowed me or blew me away. I first heard “Ash/Black Veil” and it gave me high expectations for the album but they weren’t met. That said, The Devil’s Walk did not live up to its cover artwork and gets a:

4.2

So its the same with albums as it is with books, never judge them by the cover.

-Heff

 

Legends of the Summer – Meek Mill

“King’s back”. Yes. Yes Meek is. After serving a prison sentence, the rapper from Philadelphia was released and immediately went to a 76ers playoff game. And now finally, he got around to releasing an EP. While it is only four songs, it is solid. He shows off his four distinct moods: King Meek, Love Meek, Old Meek, and Political Meek. Legends of the Summer is his re-entry back into the rap game and he shows he is here to stay.

The Vocals:

The vocal aspect of the album is strong. Meek Mill has a very recognizable voice, flow, and style and he doesn’t compromise it on any song. At times you might consider some of his lyrics a little arrogant, especially on “Millidelphia” with lines like:

“Who shall inherit the Earth? Meek”

However, he makes up for it with his interpolations to some rap classics. On “1am”, he references the chorus of Jay-Z’s 1999 song “Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)”. Then, on “Stay Woke”, he uses the lines from the ever-so-fitting and famous chorus of “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. In this song, he gets very political, talking about the broken justice system which has troubled him throughout much of his life. He opens his first verse with the powerful line of:

“We scream ‘Black Lives Matter,’ but we still toting ladders”

The Beats:

Swizz Beatz kills it on the first track of the project, “Millidelphia”. It is the strongest beat among the four songs. It just goes hard with its combination of tight hi-hats and mixes of basses and 808s. The washed out background vocals give it this spooky feel too. The rest of the beats are solid however I felt they weren’t super special. They all fit the tone Meek was trying to set but one can not ignore that opening track’s sound. The vibey groove of the subdued drum kit and flirty guitar loop on “Dangerous” shouldn’t be slept on though.

The Production:

I just want more. Plain and simple. EP’s are a great set of teasers but it always makes me crave more from the artist. The flow of the whole project wasn’t perfect but it is pretty obvious that wasn’t their overall goal.

The Essentials:

It is four songs and like 12 minutes long. Let’s not be stupid now.

The Rating:

It is nice to see Meek Mill is back. I was never a huge fan back during his early days but over the past year, I have developed my appreciation for his work. This EP makes me excited for what is to come out of Philly’s Finest. Legends of the Summer gets a:

7.7

If you are new to the blog, don’t be disappointed by the lower score, I never rate EPs highly. It is still a solid release by Meek. #FREEMEEK

-Heff

War & Leisure – Miguel

Miguel is one of those R&B singers that you just know will be around for a while. Having released his fourth studio project War & Leisure back in December, I finally had a chance to go back and listen to it for the third installment of Soulful Sunday. My knowledge of Miguel’s catalog isn’t deep but his hits have been killer and man can the dude sing. War & Leisure mixes in some very different tracks that were interesting, to say the least.

The Vocals:

The man can sing. Plain and simple. It can’t be denied. His voice just fits so well with the genre. It has its aspects of vulnerability mixed with these strong high and low notes. “Pineapple Skies” shows off these abilities. It just feels right; it feels like true R&B. His hit track “Skywalker” with Travis Scott sounds smooth to the ears. Coupled with a very funky beat, he manipulates his singing limits to have these equally funky vocals. However, the reason why it feels like Miguel will have this long-term career in R&B is the song “Told You So”. He does such a great job going for an old-school vibe with its very similar sounds to classic Prince songs. Especially with all the Oohs, Aahs, and Mmhmms. Rick Ross and J. Cole are really solid pairings for features but I just wish we got more out of Travis Scott and Kali Uchis.

The Beats:

With the talent he brings through the vocals, I felt that the production team thought there didn’t need to be as much emphasis with the beats. Sure some are strong, like “City of Angels” with its rough electric sound and “Skywalker” with such a vibey drum kit, however, others just feel like they are lacking or plain. It is here where I notice differences between War & Leisure and the other R&B albums I have reviewed. Jorja Smith and Garren both used fantastic beats that paired nicely with their vocals. Miguel does on a few songs, but many others just felt like they were missing.

The Production:

This aspect of the project was actually fairly solid. Transitions were smooth and the album just felt really flowy. Even the skips stayed on target with the tone being set. However, a few songs seemed rushed. The beat on “Caramelo Duro” felt generally louder than the rest of the album and overpowered the vocals. I also felt that the ad-libs on “Pineapple Skies” just didn’t fit with the general vibe of the project. Don’t get me wrong…I think every good R&B song needs a few yells, screams, and other exclamations. However, it felt Miguel was trying to mix R&B with ad-libs that would fit more with Migos.

The Essentials:

“Criminal”, “Skywalker”, “Banana Clip”, and “Come Through And Chill”

The Rating:

I felt that the hits outweighed the deep cuts on this album. It is vibey and flowy but I can’t see myself going back and listening to many of the songs that I felt were skips. Not that they weren’t good, more that they weren’t special. They didn’t stand out. War & Leisure gets a:

5.9

It was a slightly above average album with solid singles. I’m still waiting for that one Miguel album that makes me go “wow”

-Heff

Houses of the Holy – Led Zeppelin

I have been looking to review this album on Throwback Thursday all week long. Houses of the Holy is one of the most iconic pieces from Led Zeppelin. Released in 1973, it did not get very good reviews with Gordan Fletcher of Rolling Stone stating that it was, “one of the dullest and most confusing albums I’ve heard this year.” However, like a fine French wine, this album has aged to become one of the most classic records of all time with every song being a hit. Let’s dive into it!

The Vocals:

Robert Plant is perfect. Well near-perfect. His voice has this jagged aspect that paired with any off band would sound awful, however, it works so well with the drums of John Bonham, the guitar of Jimmy Page, and the bass of John Paul Jones. He utilizes his notorious yells and pitch swings of low to high to pull the listener right in. “D’yer Maker” is a great example of this. On every line of “I love you | Oh, baby, I love you”, you get this unique swing from a low tone to these spiked soprano notes. What’s even more fascinating is how the words of the song somehow transcended time and ended up on the Reggaeton Pop hit of 2007, “Me Love” from Sean Kingston. This just goes to show that Led Zeppelin was so influential to artists in every genre in the years to follow their reign.

The Instrumentals:

John Bonham, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones are each legendary with their respective instruments but there is a reason for this. The sound that they create was something that was unheard of and different. At times they matched the drums to the guitars tempo or sometimes just let Bonham do his own thing. This aspect of the drum pieces set the base for nearly every song. If you pay attention in each song on the album, you can hear how distinctly different the drums sound compared to other bands of the decade. “Over The Hills And Far Away” has some fantastic guitar riffs from Jimmy Page that seem to stand the testament of time. Every once and a while you still hear rock and alternative songs that are so clearly influenced by Jimmy Page’s sound and vibe. Just listen to Red Hot Chili Peppers’s acoustic performance of “Under The Bridge“. We also have to talk about “The Rain Song”. It has such a smooth, groovy flow that you can easily jam to, all tracing back to the solid bass work by Jones.

The Production:

While this was Led Zeppelin’s fifth studio album, it was Jimmy Page’s first time experimenting with the layering of the instrumentals and vocals. “No Quarter” shows this off with Page layering a synth keyboard sound over a ballroom piano piece. On the same song he also clearly plays around with layering Plant’s voice. This was still the early days of doing this, so at points, it feels raw and not lined up. However, I feel that was what Page was after; an experimental album that would change not only how Led Zeppelin sounded but how rock music was made.

The Essentials:

Every song. Period. It’s only eight tracks and every single one is iconic in the rock genre.

The Rating:

I am not going to lie. I have a bias because I have been listening to this album since I was a little kid. However, most rock fans will agree…this album is so well done. Every song on the album individually is perfect and when they are all together, it is immaculate. That being said, Houses of the Holy is a:

Perfect 10

If it is possible I would give this album an 11 (as any true rock fans know that “these go up to eleven“), however, I must hold every album to the standards I have set. Houses of the Holy is one of my top five albums of all-time.

-Heff

International Artist – A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, the young 22-year-old out of The Bronx, has released his second album only a year after his first. International Artist was the definition of an experimental project. The Highbridge native didn’t have a theme or a tone of the album but more of a strategy. Still being an up-and-comer, he is looking to attract fans and by collaborating with artists around the world, he might just do that.

The Vocals:

Each song on the album is truly unique. A Boogie shows off his vocal ability by adapting to the regional sound of the feature. It brings this certain level of character to the project. The appearances of Kap G, J Alvarez, and Alkaline demonstrate this the most. With “MIA”, you get this Atlanta trap vibe on the vocals. “Nonchalant” has this fitting reggae or dancehall tone. And with “Deja Vu”, you get that poppy latino flow. Matching the vocal aspects to your features is good however finding the right pairing of two artists is better. “Pretending” has that combo. Jessie Reyez and A Boogie just sound right together. Both have these imperfect vocals that just sound pure. This particular feature also makes me want a Jessie Reyez album so bad.

The Beats:

The creativity of the beats of this project was on point. Seriously, his producers didn’t miss. The whole objective of the album was to have “international vibes” and the beats allowed for that to happen. They just feel like they fit. On “Best Friend”, A Boogie brought on Tory Lanez and to complement the two, the producers created a funky R&B sound. However, the most fitting beat of all was the one for “Deja Vu”. Played behind the Spanish and English verses, we here a very Caribbean groove. The producers I felt were trying to mimic the sounds of the regions without going overboard and straying too far from A Boogie’s style. This seems like no simple task yet somehow they do a great job with it.

The Production:

I have nothing much to say here. However, one cannot ignore the objective of the project. Mixing so many sounds and genres can be risky on such a short album, however, I felt that the overarching production did well to tie it all up. Transitions were smooth and the flow was well executed.

The Essentials:

“Nonchalant”, “Best Friend”, and “Pretending” (and that whistling sample is tight).

The Rating:

I felt more could’ve been done with the album. The idea behind it is cool and unique yet I just felt like it was cut a bit short. I think they could’ve gotten away with one or two more tracks. That being said, I can’t wait for A Boogie to release his next album. International Artist is a:

6.1

If you are looking for a quick listen that mixes in all sorts of sounds, this is for you.

-Heff

Life Changes – Thomas Rhett

Back in 2017, Thomas Rhett released Life Changes. This is his third studio album and hands down his best yet. He brings his own flair to the album while also utilizing features from his father and Maren Morris, both of which work really well. The project has its country songs for all the cowboys out there but also mixes in some neat additions of more pop and even an EDM track. Rhett brings variety onto the country scene, something we don’t see often.

The Vocals:

This part of the album is perfectly done. Thomas Rhett has a wonderfully beautiful voice that works so well in the country genre. “Craving You” and “Unforgettable” show off the Nashville singers soothing tone as he sings about love and longing over more country pop beats. Meanwhile, on tracks like “Drink A Beer” he almost has this different sound. One that is lower with big switches to higher notes. As I mentioned in the intro, he also collaborated with Maren Morris and his father, Rhett Atkins. Both features add to the vocal aspect of the project, with Morris and Atkins’s voices pairing really well with Rhett’s. He also is a great lyricist and is fantastic at telling stories in his songs. The title track “Life Changes” tells the best story of the entire album.

The Instrumentals/Beats:

I am using that header for a reason. While a majority of the album is country instrumentals, we also saw the use of some very different beats. Rhett brought a lot to the table and I felt this overloaded the listener. At times you had banjos and guitars like a country song then into songs with quick tempo high hats and beat drops. Nothing was terrible, it just didn’t fit right together.

The Production:

The flow wasn’t great. That was established due to the use of different kinds of beats in the wrong spots. However, Rhett’s goal was to bring in different sounds to a country album.

“I want people to come in from different genres and be like, ‘Dang, I never really listened to country music, but this record kind of turns me on in different ways’. I think that’s why I recorded so many different types of songs on this record and really just tried to write what I know about.” – Rhett on USA Today

For the sole fact that it was his goal the whole time, then you have to give him some credit. He really mixed it up. “Sweetheart” has this swingy 50s feel while “Smooth Like A Summer” is a modern cross between EDM, country, and pop.

The Essentials:

“Craving You”, “Unforgettable”, “Life Changes”, and “Kiss Me Like A Stranger”.

The Rating:

Thomas Rhett has a great voice and that carries this album. Is it the best country album? No, mainly because it brings in so many other twists on genres that it’s hard to consider it a genre-specific project. However, it is perfect for any summer country playlist. It has fun songs, love songs, and sad songs. Life Changes is a:

6.2

Now go drink a beer, kiss a girl, and ride off into the sunset.

-Heff

a modern tragedy vol. 1 – grandson

This EP is the definition of different. The 23-year-old out of Toronto creates what he calls “not your parents rock ‘n roll”. However, what grandson actually does is combine elements of trap, indie, rock, and EDM to develop a solid entrance onto the music scene. I randomly stumbled across a modern tragedy vol. 1 the other day and haven’t been able to stop listening. I think you’ll understand why.

The Vocals:

Grandson has this raspy voice that gives the vocals character in every song. For some, this may turn you away but I get drawn in by it. It adds this level of flair and uniqueness to his sound. On the opening track, “Blood // Water” he pushes the limits of his voice and starts to get this more metal sound on the choruses. Yet, he is extremely diverse with what he can do. “6:00” and “Stick Up” have verses that sound more like he is rapping. With those songs, he also gets political with lines like:

“Lost his old occupation/But it wasn’t immigration/It was a machine, automation that replaced him”

The Beats:

This aspect of the EP gets an easy 3. No questions. Every beat fits perfectly, with combinations of lots of different genres and sounds. “Blood // Water” features quick hi-hat samples that feel like they would fit more in an Atlanta trap beat, while at the same time utilizing a looping guitar riff that straight out of rock ‘n roll. Plus, that build up to the beat drop is ridiculous. “Despicable” uses more of an EDM sound with aspects of other genres subtly thrown in. However, the beat that fits most perfectly is on “6:00”. With its lyrics about police brutality and its crazy aggressive chorus, the instrumentals match up perfectly with the sound and tone grandson was trying to display.

The Production:

There isn’t too much to say about the production value of the EP. It feels fairly standard for the alternative genre. One thing I must give grandson’s production team credit for is the vibe they portray. Every song has a similar message and beat that allows it to all flow nicely together.

The Essentials:

“Blood // Water”, “Stick Up”, and “6:00”

The Rating:

I am not joking when I say this has all I have been listening too for the last week. It is such a solid EP from the rising alternative singer. Its got a punk sound. Its got a trap feel. And its got a heavy rock voice behind it all. Just one cool project overall. A modern tragedy vol. 1 gets:

6.8

I promise you will like this EP. Its only five songs but makes you want to hear ten more from grandson. Just “let the body drop!”

-Heff

 

 

Piñata – Freddie Gibbs and Madlib

Freddie Gibbs and Madlib are legends in their respective categories. Gibbs has this gangsta rap sound that seems to fit more in the early 2000s. Madlib is a genius cratedigger who will create a beat from anything. Somehow, these two came together to collaborate on a project. And god damn, did they create a masterpiece! Piñata came out in 2014 and it has aged like fine wine.

The Vocals:

Freddie has this mean voice. It’s one of those voices that you can hear every struggle he has ever been through and he shows it through his verses. Each song tells a story in the most lyrical of ways. “Shitsville”, “Thuggin'”, and “Deeper” all demonstrate some of his best work. In each of these tracks, he spits heat. He doesn’t miss a single word or rhyme. We also need to take a minute to acknowledge the all-star cast of features on the title track “Piñata”. Freddie brings in a ton of talent throughout the album but the last song might have one of the best lineups of hitters. Think of it like the Murders’ Row of rap. Mac Miller, Meechy Darko, Casey Veggies, Sulaiman, G-Wiz, and Domo Genesis. Are you kidding me? And it isn’t like any of them have weak verses. They all go ham on the mic.

The Beats:

Alright. We have talked about genius producers on this blog before. However, no one comes close to the talent of Madlib. He is the definition of a crate digger; literally, sampling anything and everything and making it sound good. Between jazz, soul, blues, and electronic beats, Madlib somehow figures out a way to blend them all perfectly together. Each beat brings its own sound and style that makes it hard to expect what is coming up next. “Uno” is by far my favorite beat on the entire album. He creates these “skits” of sorts at the end of many of the songs. Some are songs, some are just talking pieces, and others are mixes of instrumentals and spoken word. If you know old school hip-hop, you may start to see a comparison to Mecca and the Soul Brother from Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth. Each has little, seemingly unconnected instrumental samples that just fit with the respective projects.

The Production:

This part of the project ties it all together. You have this rapper from a rough background with this hard, angry at times voice. Then you get a genius producer who only seems to use unconventional styles and beats. The production of the album perfectly brings the two together in harmony. We also see some of the smoothest transitions ever. Period. All these new rappers and producers need to listen to this project as an example of how you create flow and use transitions to set up songs. This is how a rap album is done.

The Essentials:

Listen to the whole album. I’m serious. But listen especially to “Bomb”, “Shitsville”, “High”, “Knicks”, and “Piñata”.

The Rating:

I don’t have much to say other than wow. This album is rap perfection. These two men are geniuses, one on the mic and the other in the studio. I can’t deny it. Piñata gets a:

Perfect 10

If you haven’t listened to this album please do. You’ll understand.

-Heff

Redemption – Jay Rock

Top Dawg Entertainment has some true veterans signed to their label with Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q. Jay Rock is among those names as one of the TDE icons, and with his third studio album Redemption, he is here to prove that once again. With features from label members and others, Jay Rock creates this story of come up through his neighborhood of Watts, Los Angeles.

The Vocals:

Jay Rock has a history of being able to spit quick, fluid verses. However, for much of this album, he spends much of it rapping these very introspective lyrics over a very chill vibe. It doesn’t sound as much like the Jay Rock we are used to. At times he nearly feels like he is trying to go more commercial while staying with his past style and the two don’t mix. His features of Jeremih on “Tap Out” and J. Cole on “OSOM” balance his deeper voice very well. Both tracks are strong and he utilizes the features well to create a nice contrast. Possibly one of the better songs of the project, “Redemption”, includes Kendrick Lamar and SZA. All three belong to TDE and the trio sound very good together. Hopefully, we might see more of this in the future.

The Beats:

There wasn’t too much wrong with the beats. I just felt that there was nothing special about them. Each felt very similar and none stood out too heavily. The piano track on “Broke +-” plays really well with Jay Rock’s voice. The two pair perfectly with each other and you get an almost haunting vibe out of the song. On “Wow Freestyle” with Kendrick, the use of the flute almost sounds similar to “Mask Off” from Future.

The Production:

For me, this was the worst part of the album. The transitions weren’t very clean and felt choppy. Also, taking Jay Rock and Future’s verses off “King’s Dead” is not very creative at all. Plus, the song just felt off where it was on the album. The placement just didn’t make sense for much of the project as many tracks didn’t flow well next to each other. I felt that the way the songs were ordered, you noticed the songs that weren’t as strong more than you would if they were placed better.

The Essentials:

“The Bloodiest” and “OSOM” are solid tracks. “Broke +-” has such a great piano loop that it is hard to ignore.

The Rating:

This album just didn’t feel special to me. Nothing blew me away or made me say wow. To be honest, there were a lot of songs off the project that I probably will never return to for this exact reason. Don’t get me wrong, it has some good tracks but the amount of “skips” outweigh them. With that being said, Redemption gets a:

5.1

It’s middle of the road. A five is not a bad score so if you are a huge Jay Rock fan, don’t hate. Just my opinion.

-Heff

One Big Picture Show – Peter McDermott

Peter McDermott is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter out of Long Island, NY. Having played in many indie rock groups, he recently chose to venture out for his first solo project, One Big Picture Show. The EP is the perfect combination of indie rock, pop, and classic rock influences that culminate into a really good production.

The Vocals:

With this somewhat monotone voice, Peter’s singing isn’t always perfect. However, he creates this sound that is almost like a lullaby. It doesn’t push you away but almost pulls you right in. On “Drinking Song” and “Who’s Gonna Love You?”, we see this most. And even with these vocals, we still see a few dynamic aspects with his voice. “The Cure That I Need” has these almost pops of exploration from Peter as he looks to bring a slightly different sound to the last track of the EP. “Who’s Gonna Love You?” also includes some great background vocals that compliments his voice extremely well. The biggest thing that he brings to the table is his lyrical talent. Peter develops these great stories in each of his songs that make for great listens.

The Instrumentals:

This part of the project is very well done. Peter and his band do a good job creating these lively instrumentals pieces. What is most obvious is the influence of classic rock on many of the guitar riffs. “Who’s Gonna Love You?” features a great guitar solo towards the end of the song in which you can hear influence straight from Led Zeppelin or any of those classic rock legends. The instrumentals on the EP do a great job creating a strong indie rock sound.

The Production:

The fact that One Big Picture Show is only an EP is a disappointment. The class and charisma Peter brings to the project only makes you want to hear more. It would be interesting to see what he can do with the space of a full album. Transitions on the EP aren’t perfect, however, you never feel that there is a song that shouldn’t be where it is. Every song just fits with the vibe and sound Peter is bringing to the table.

The Essentials:

“Life of the Party” and “Who’s Gonna Love You?”

The Rating:

Peter does a great job not trying to be anyone else. He is himself in this EP and does a fantastic job bringing his sound across to listeners. I highly recommend checking him out, especially if you are into that indie rock sound. One Big Picture Show gets a:

7.2

This is an artist who Colossus is going to have to follow and see where he might go in the future.

-Heff