What's a Listening Log? Well, the idea is quite simple. It's a weekly segment that consolidates all the mini-reviews Dozens Of Donuts has given on RateYourMusic over the past week, split between the Past and Present. A straightforward grading scale has been put in place, ranging from A+ to F-, with C acting as the baseline average. There is no set amount of reviews per week, just however many I get around to reviewing. And don't expect week-of reviews. I wait one month - with at least three listens under my belt - before I rate and review an album. Enjoy!
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2019 | Trap | Listen
ESCAPING YOUR ROOTS TO BECOME SOMETHING YOU'RE NOT
Escape From New York has an apt title, considering how badly these NYC emcees want to become Atlanta transplants. Trap is overwhelming here, as Beast Coast desperately try to feel relevant whilst losing sight of their East Coast roots. This isn't to say the collaboration project that pits members of the Flatbush Zombies, Pro Era, and Underachievers together is bad - apart from pitiful club attempts like 'Far Away,' 'Rubberband,' and 'One More Round' - it's more so just woefully average and stranded in no man's land.
Erick Arc Elliott is the biggest disappointment here, as he's likely the most talented of the lot at what he does. The beats are tired, inert, and lacking in candor, as if he was forced to concoct 13 mundane Trap backbones at gunpoint. As for the emcees, none stand out - apart from Meechy Darko on 'Left Hand' - as their strict exterior rebuffs such a personality shift. Some solid hooks in 'Problemz,' 'Bones,' and 'Coast / Clear' help keep things mildly entertaining.
D+
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2019 | Dance-Pop | Listen
TAKING "HIGH SCHOOL IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR LIFE" AS GOSPEL
My first Carly Rae Jepsen project and the consensus is clear: The praise from critic circles is warranted. Given its constant state of over-saturation, it's quite hard to make superior Pop music. Dedicated doesn't reinvent the wheel whatsoever - it would no longer be considered textbook Pop if it had - but Jepsen's command of melody and instigation of what defines an ear worm is unparalleled. Even the worst songs here, like the run from track ten to twelve ('Automatically In Love,' 'Feels Right,' 'Right Words Wrong Time'), still entertain with snazzy hooks and effervescent production.
Every track does. Dedicated is Pop in its purest state. Unfortunately - apart from the moody, twist of tone closer 'Real Love' and the perplexingly-absent bonus track 'Party For One' - nothing else compares to the first three tracks; 'Julien,' 'No Drug Like Me,' and 'Now That I Found You.' That leaves a slew of enjoyable, but ultimately unmoving Dance-Pop, one whose weak, trivial lyrics become increasingly more noticeable as the LP progresses. 'Want You In My Room' is a particularly errant attempt at teenage romance, despite being saved by loud, bubbly instrumentation.
B
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A brief seven minutes with Yoni Wolf as he reflects on his childhood through ebullient Indie Pop. The concept is sound and concise, coming equip with 'The Rash,' a 40-second recording of one of his birthday party's growing up. 'Apogee' sets the scene while 'Peel Free' is the only full-fledged song here, an introspective look at Wolf's attempt to escape the dark corners of his familial past.
C
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2019 | Psychedelic Soul | Listen
STRADDLING THE FENCE BETWEEN WOODSTOCK AND COACHELLA
Expectations were high for Apollo XXI following Steve Lacy's promising 2017 Demo and his admirable work with The Internet. However, much like that band's recent dud Hive Mind, Lacy's debut is a largely outdated Psychedelic Soul endeavor that latches onto past ideologies without entertaining new ones.
Unsurprisingly, the instrumentation here is well-crafted and sensuous, following in the footsteps of Prince in many places ('Guide,' 'Lay Me Down,' 'N Side'). There's also tracks like 'In Lust We Trust' that embody Thundercat, 'Like Me' which finds similarities in Kevin Abstract's solo material, and 'Hate CD' that recalls the now-forgotten Raury. Regrettably, that's the direction I see Lacy headed. His personality and idiosyncrasy just isn't beguiling enough to elevate what's really rather prosaic Psychedelic Soul. There are moments though, like 'Like Me' and the melodious final hurray of '4Ever.' Nothing competes with 'Playground' though, which is easily Apollo XXI's best with its playful array of vintage Space Pop with a hint of Hypnagogic mannerisms.
C-
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2019 | Conscious Hip-Hop | Listen
IMPASSIONED CRIES OF INJUSTICE FROM AN APATHETIC SOURCE
Blu & Exile are back!...kinda. True & Livin', a three-track EP of unreleased material, may be fresh to the ears of listeners, however the content contained within makes it clear how outdated this music is. A conundrum to say the least, but what else would you expect from Blu? Each of the three songs have heavy political overtones, concerning topics ranging from the presidential election to police brutality to the North Dakota pipeline. All of these hot off the presses circa early 2016. This causes True & Livin' to feel the opposite of its original intention; irrelevant, especially when you hear lines like "the first Black president what if the next is woman," having already known the outcome for years.
Avoid that best you may and what remains is quality chemistry between two underground legends. 'True & Livin' is easily the best example of that, a throwback joint that finds Exile in his comfort zone, scratching over hefty Soul samples.
C
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Hot off 2018's excellent TA13OO, Denzel Curry returns to satisfy the Miami masses left in the lurch when looking for something on TA13OO to bump in the whip. ZUU takes its hit-making machine so seriously that it's basically the LP's concept, with no other concerns but dominating airwaves. Curry - already a known talent in this regard - proves his versatility by seamlessly weaving repulsive Hardcore Hip-Hop ('BIRDZ,' 'P.A.T.') with accessible Pop Rap ('AUTOMATIC,' 'SPEEDBOAT'), chopped n' screwed Dirty South ('RICKY'), and hedonic club bangers ('WISH,' 'SHAKE 88').
Basically it's impossible not to enjoy ZUU. It's likely the most entertaining Hip-Hop album of the year, skyrocketing the catchiness factor whilst also maintaining Curry's knack of quality songwriting and presence, best seen on lead singles 'RICKY' and 'SPEEDBOAT.' Also to hear Rick Ross on a track as filthy as 'BIRDZ' (the closest thing to the legendary 13) was a treat.
B
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If Sonderlust was Kishi Bashi's attempt at declaring heartbreak, something that - while beautiful - wasn't really his lane, Omoiyari is a return to form of pure, unbridled elation. Sure, these ten efforts can be reduced to simple love songs, however it's the fantastical passion and larger-than-life ardor that soars. Much like a whimsical Disney musical.
There are four songs of particular excellence: 'Penny Rabbit & Summer Bear,' 'F Delano,' 'Summer Of '42,' and 'Annie, Heart Thief Of The Sea.' The former, a chimerical opener that inserts itself into the age of Romanticism byway of 1960's Baroque Pop. 'F Delano' makes Chamber Folk fun and flighty with its fantastic percussion. 'Summer Of '42' excels through Kishi Bashi's trademarked theatrical opulence. And 'Annie, Heart Thief Of The Sea' takes a rousing turn towards bashful Alt-Country, stripping the sweat and muck from Big Blood's Folk bacchanals (best seen on 'Blood Mumble,' '...Is All We Have,' and 'My Last Days As A Fish').
Unfortunately Omoiyari takes a precarious turn come 'Theme From Jerome,' which attempts to incorporate some turbulence for the otherwise uninterrupted celebration. But still, another worthy addition to Kishi Bashi's under-appreciated discography..
B-
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