Different name — I like the sound of the assonance in “Album Roundup” more than the aural clunkiness of “This Week in Music”; plus, since I’m now covering singles released every week as well, the name for these OG posts would need to change to the even clunkier “This Week in Albums”, which is yuck — but the same format!
And for the first time in ages, I actually listened to EVERY album that cracked Apple Music’s Top 30 Most Streamed Chart this week.
You’re welcome.
Light of Mine — KYLE
R&B is many things nowadays — mostly great, thanks to the inventive infusion of EDM that has ushered in a sort of genre renaissance — but it’s rarely profoundly weird. Well Kyle’s here to fill that void! Some imperfect comparisons: he’s like a stranger Khalid, who himself is no stranger to Kyle since he appears herein. Another one: Kyle’s an R&B Logic, and not only because they both insert narratives that unfold over the course of their albums, communicated largely through spoken interludes that crack open their psyches, revealing different identities represented by various character voices that explore their musical senses of self.
Ready — Ella Mai
Of all the phenomenal R&B seemingly released every week, somehow this generic bullshit is what breaks into the mainstream?! Sorry, that wording was probably a bit harsh; there’s nothing THAT wrong with the album. In fact, it’s quite enjoyable! But given the quality and creativity of her genre competition right now, I just don’t understand why people latched onto her. Maybe it has to do with how much her voice sounds like Beyoncé’s circa Destiny’s Child, back when it lacked the resonant range and depth she’s grown into. I have a feeling Ella Mai won’t be making the same progression in the years ahead…but I hope I’m wrong!
Love Yourself: Tear — BTS
The reigning champions of K-Pop heard around the world return to once again demonstrate how the genre is so much more than just the stereotypes. They’re talented enough even to compel the largely talentless Steve Aoki to forsake his own stereotypes by restraining his formulaic big-room fallback, a far-cry from his usual producing that makes me cry from pain. Speaking of which, BTS understand that lyrics aren’t what define music as the global language; rather, it’s their wildly diverse producing, which knows no language other than the gyrating rhythms of the body it universally induces. Notoriously-monotonous rappers should take note! And while we’re on the subject:
F.A.M.E. — Maluma
Here’s just such a someone who could take a page out of BTS’ producing book! If only his producing matched the diverse novelty of hearing a non-English album crack Apple Music’s Top 30 Most Streamed List. A prime example of his over-reliance on tried, true, and tired formulas: I swear the beat of the chorus in “Condena” sounds exactly like the beat of the chorus in “Closer” by The Chainsmokers, a group to whom no self-respecting musician should ever want to be compared (unless we’re talking about the size of their respective bank accounts). Mooching a recognizable chord progression is a lot more than an innocent sample. Then again, perhaps a non-English album could only get the sort of marketing push required to top streaming charts if it sticks strictly to the popular familiar. If true, how sad…
Reckless — NAV
I’ve never understood NAV’s widely-heralded appeal…until now. But perhaps this change-in-heart is simply due to my musical biases. Departing from his customary EDM-tinged hip-pop (you’re goddamn right I just invented that stylistically mashed-up genre), Reckless dabbles more in EDM-tinged R&B, a mellower register whose pronounced MOOOOOOD jives with my musical preferences. If only less tracks in the album’s middle half devolved into the former. Even so, his most pervasive problem remains TOO MUCH AUTOTUNE.
Goodbye & Good Riddance — Juice WRLD
Emo trap might seem like a genre melding with immense potential…if we were talking about an album that actually sounds professionally recorded. The aggravating inconsistency of the amateur mixing here torpedoes that potential. Lil Skies’ Life of a Dark Rose from earlier this year provides a blueprint for producing that intentionally sounds amateur; the album harkens back to hip-hop’s early days, when dreamers gathered in their living-rooms to make it big with nothing more than scrappy equipment and their dreams. That’s a specific vibe grounded in clear artistry, not attainable through the random messiness of Goodbye & Good Riddance.
Harder Than Ever — Lil Baby
Featuring the worst Drake of 2018 (which isn’t technically saying much since he’s in the midst of such a stellar year…but it’s rough, un-relatively speaking). With every subsequent release, Lil Baby’s looking more and more like a one-hit wonder. I’m still a big fan of his debut album…but both of his follow-ups have disappointed.
2018 Albums
- Black Panther — Kendrick Lamar
- Dirty Computer — Janelle Monáe
- Light of Mine — KYLE
- Man of the Woods — Justin Timberlake
- beerbongs & bentleys — Post Malone
- The Color of You — Alina Baraz
- DAY69 — 6ix9ine
- My Dear Melancholy, — The Weeknd
- Culture 2 — Migos
- ? — XXXTENTACION
- SR3MM — Rae Sremmurd, Swae Lee & Slim Jxmmi
- Bobby Tarantino II — Logic
- Vacation in Hell — Flatbush Zombies
- GANGIN — SOB X RBE
- Sex & Cigarettes — Toni Braxton
- Isolation — Kali Uchs
- D6: Reloaded — Lil Wayne
- KOD — J. Cole
- Little Dark Age — MGMT
- Blue Madonna — BØRNS
- 44/876 — Sting & Shaggy
- Common Ground — Above & Beyond
- Amen — Rich Brian
- Five Five — Pouya
- For My Fans — Fetty Wap
- It’s Complicated — Wale
- California — Diplo
- Punken — Maxo Kream
- When We (Remix) — Tank
- 2.23 — Blac Youngsta
- Invasion of Privacy — Cardi B
- Cosmic — Bazzi
- As She Pleases — Madison Beer
- Ready — Ella Mai
- BEWARE THE BOOK OF ELI — Ski Mask the Slump God
- Love Yourself: Tear — BTS
- Activated — Tee Grizzley
- By the Way, I Forgive You — Brandi Carlile
- The Big Pescado — Berner
- P2 — Dave East
- Life of a Dark Rose — Lil Skies
- Camila — Camila Cabello
- I Like It Loud — Tiesto
- M A N I A — Fall Out Boy
- Victory Lap — Nipsey Hussle
- MEMORIES DON’T DIE — Tory Lanez
- Bless Yo Trap — Smokepurpp & Murda Beatz
- Reckless — NAV
- The Longshot — The Longshot
- Fate — Tammy Rivera
- The World is Yours — Rich the Kid
- Kolorblind — DJ ESCO
- Edgewood — Trouble & Mike WiLL Made-It
- Hurtin’ Me — Stefflon Don
- F.A.M.E. — Maluma
- Rearview Town — Jason Aldean
- Obsessed: Hedwig and the Angry Inch — Lena Hall
- November — SiR
- The Chocolate Box — Jeremih
- Goodbye & Good Riddance — Juice WRLD
- Heart Break Kodak — Kodak Black
- Die Lit — Playboi Carti
- Lil Boat 2 — Lil Yachty
- Glock Bond — Key Glock
- Drip Season 3 — Gunna
- Spiritual Conversations — Mozzy
- The Play Don’t Care Who Makes It — 2 Chainz
- Humble Beast (Deluxe) — G Herbo
- Rich As In Spirit — Rich Homie Quan
- Pain and Pleasure — Tink
- Golden Hour — Kacey Musgraves
- Dex Meets Dexter — Famous Dex
- Ray Ray from Summerhill — YFN Lucci
- Freda’s Son — YFN Lucci
- We Beefin? — at Wendys
- Harder Than Ever — Lil Baby
- Just Cause Y’all Waited — Lil Durk
- Sick Boy…Everybody Hates Me — The Chainsmokers
- Hear No Evil — Young Thug
- Until Death Call My Name — YoungBoy Never Broke Again
- 2 Heartless — Moneybagg Yo
- Grow God — Money Man
- Don Talk — Don Q
- N****S Get Shot — Young Dolph
- Rich Hood — HoodRich Pablo Juan
- The Leek 4 — Chief Keef
WRITE ALL NITE 