Before delving into this week’s albums, let’s take a second to discuss the latest work by Kevin Gates and G-Eazy, which are too brief to consider full albums but are still worth a mention:
Instead of just relying on the usual formula of releasing standalone singles, both rappers surrounded their respective releases with a duo of other tracks; think of them as B-sides in the streaming age.
Unfortunately, these dual trinities would’ve been just as well-served remaining solo enterprises:
Chained to the City — Kevin Gates
Gates’ signature sound is autotuned aggressiveness. His latest is all autotune and no aggressiveness, which makes Steven — a hater of conventional autotune — a sad boy. Weirdly, the best song here isn’t even the title attraction.
The Vault— G-Eazy
Arguably the best beat of 2018…followed by two totally forgettable ones.
ye — Kanye
If Pusha T’s DAYTONA was Kanye’s “Forget About Ye” return to form, then Ye — his aptly-titled solo venture — is a reminder that in addition to still being a master of popular music, he’s also still capable of legitimately-intriguing experimental artistry. Which of the two albums you prefer will be based on which of these two Kanyes you prefer. In my excessively verbose review of DAYTONA, I ragged on Kanye’s rapping. But here, he showcases how he can utilize the particularities of his voice to create a wholly distinct sonic landscape. And now, allow me to conclude by dabbling in a little “I told you so”: In last week’s aforementioned piece, I discussed how Kanye’s multiplicity of identity pervades his work and his personal life, at least the personal life that he shares with the world (which doesn’t mean it’s a real reflection of his truth, because is there such a thing as a real true self?). These ideas run throughout Ye, beginning with the sentiment right on the front of the album’s cover.
This One’s For You Too — Luke Combs
The most prototypical of country rock. And yet, Combs’ harmless accessibility makes me think he’d be a perfect choice to realize my dream of a COUNTRY ROCK BROADWAY MUSICAL!!! One of the main reasons I so enjoyed the otherwise tepid Bright Star was because of Steve Martin (yes, THAT Steve Martin; he doubles as a musician in his old(er) age) and Edie Brickell’s score, which shook up Broadway’s typical musical flavors with some bluegrass spice. Country rock and traditionally old-fashioned show tunes share a lot of fundamental parts, many of which Combs excels at; namely, he has a knack for succinctly finding the melodious heart of the universal, crafting fittingly general characters, stories, ideas, and emotional sentiments whose superficially doesn’t so much cheapen them as allow them to play to the rafters without much nuanced emphasis. Even though these structural similarities wouldn’t necessarily progress the form as much as infusions from other genres, the Great White Way still stands to gain from any expansion of its sound profile.
The Marina — Curren$y & Harry Fraud
Yawn. At least the album provides us with a rare appearance of old-school Whiz.
2018 Albums, Ranked
- Black Panther — Kendrick Lamar
- Dirty Computer — Janelle Monáe
- DAYTONA — Pusha T
- The Color of You — Alina Baraz
- Light of Mine — KYLE
- Man of the Woods — Justin Timberlake
- beerbongs & bentleys — Post Malone
- Shawn Mendes — Shawn Mendes
- DAY69 — 6ix9ine
- SR3MM — Rae Sremmurd, Swae Lee & Slim Jxmmi
- Ye — Kanye
- My Dear Melancholy, — The Weeknd
- Testing — A$AP Rocky
- ? — XXXTENTACION
- Culture 2 — Migos
- 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
- Trapholizay — Zaytoven
- Cosmic — Bazzi
- As She Pleases — Madison Beer
- Life of a Dark Rose — Lil Skies
- Ready — Ella Mai
- BEWARE THE BOOK OF ELI — Ski Mask the Slump God
- Love Yourself Tear — BTS
- Activated — Tee Grizzley
- Vibras — J Balvin
- By the Way, I Forgive You — Brandi Carlile
- The Big Pescado — Berner
- P2 — Dave East
- 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
- Voicenotes — Charlie Puth
- Rearview Town — Jason Aldean
- This One’s For You Too — Luke Combs
- Obsessed: Hedwig and the Angry Inch — Lena Hall
- November — SiR
- The Chocolate Box — Jeremih
- Goodbye & Good Riddance — Juice WRLD
- The Vault — G-Eazy
- 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
- The Marina — Curren$y & Harry Fraud
- Sick Boy…Everybody Hates Me — The Chainsmokers
- Hear No Evil — Young Thug
- Chained to the City — Kevin Gates
- 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 