Tabs On Tigers: Atop The American 5/9/2025 BY: IAN SHERRY On May 2, 2025, the Tigers released Kenta Maeda. The Tigers are the best team in the American League, and they are beginning to act like it. Tabs On Tigers Vol. 3 For a long time, I’ve dreamt that the Tigers would see success with rising prospects and, with the intention of taking themselves seriously, cut Javier Baez to free themselves of his $28 million-mid-career crisis and a roster spot. This is that moment. However, in the undeniably turbulent developments of the last year-plus, it was the Japanese legend Kenta Maeda’s $14 million contract that needed to be shed. Meanwhile, Javier Baez is, for the moment, the Detroit Tigers’ everyday centerfielder. The former all-star shortstop’s infamous struggles at the plate lost him his position to Dodgers’ system acquisition and frequenter of Anaheim’s short porch Trey Sweeney. Forced into a utility role, Baez took on the role enthusiastically, according to manager AJ Hinch on 97.1 FM’s pregame AJ Hinch Show. In that same interview, Hinch added that he’d continue to play Baez because “he’s a winning player” – a compliment that resonated with me. Weeks later, Hinch remained true to that insistence, and Baez has responded accordingly. On top of playing a smooth, instinctive center field Javy is looking like himself consistently at the plate. The hitter that can adjust to pitches and drive balls, who’s only shown up in flashes for Detroit, mostly with runners in scoring position, is showing up on a more consistent basis this season. He’s bumped his average to a perfect .313 over the recent Tigers offensive explosions and is sitting at a 1.6 WAR. In other words, he’s a winning player. As for those prospects, one in particular is starting to act his age. Spencer Torkelson looked like a new man in Spring Training. His stance is more athletic and upright, centered on his right leg. So far, the adjustments he’s retained have allowed for a simpler path to the ball, most notable in his compact homerun swings, of which he’s already had 10 (2 shy of Judge and Raleigh for the most in the AL). Torkelson’s .254 batting average is encouraging, though it fluctuates, and the theoretical benefits of power hitter status may lead to more on-base appearances anyhow. Tork’s success has complicated life for sophomore Colt Keith. His rookie season was ultimately a success at the plate after a slow start, which he’s mirrored so far this season. However, the ball is starting to leave the ballpark for the Tigers system product (and I don’t want to hear about the ‘Coors effect’ because 450 ft is 450 ft). Still sitting at just a .207 AVG and 4 homers, Keith is tasked with recreating last season’s offensive ramp-up while establishing himself in the field (the DH position has Kerry Carpenter’s name written all over it for the foreseeable future). One more Tiger prospect has made pleasantly surprising strides on both sides of the ball. With the injury to starting catcher Jake Rogers, Dillon Dingler was pushed into the everyday starting lineup, and he’s proved ready for the moment. So far, Dingler is batting .290, which is second best among catchers. A strong-hitting catcher in an age where putrid offense is tolerated at the defensive-minded position is no small advantage. Dingler is an athletic young player with a great arm, room to improve behind the plate, and the ability to whack the ball out of the park – who wouldn’t like to imagine a long career for him as Detroit’s backstop? Injury Update I imagined Parker Meadows (nerve) might return early in the year, but that proved a pipe dream when the Tigers signed Manuel Margot to a one-year deal. Since then, Meadows was placed on the 60-Day IL and Margot himself went to the 10-day with a knee injury from which he’s rehabbing now. In good news, Matt Vierling (shoulder) homered in a Toledo win on May 6th in his rehab assignment. Things have been quiet regarding Alex Cobb (back) lately, but he tracks to be rehabbing soon assuming no hangups. Jake Rogers (oblique) has begun throwing but is not immediately close to returning. John Brebbia (triceps) and Sawyer Gibson-Long (elbow/hip) have also resumed throwing. The Tigers have a top 3 pitching staff in the MLB, which was a possibility headed into the year, and a top 5 offense, which was not. We’ll see if the bats stay hot, but they are right now (even McKinstry!) and the Tigers are taking advantage. Do not take it for granted.

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2022 1/20/23 BY: Ian Sherry Making top ten lists, especially when there are as many options in a given category as there are in this one, is plain stupid. So here is mine. Honorable Mentions All of these albums are really solid but fell short of the list for some reason or another. However, they are all worth a listen. The Forever Story, JID Melt My Eyez See Your Future , Denzel Curry The Boy Named If , Elvis Costello Ants From Up There , Black Country New Road Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You , Big Thief Fear Of The Dawn , Jack White THE LIST 10. I Didn't Mean To Haunt You , Quadeca Let me start by saying that Quadeca is only 22 years old, yet, he has already undergone a full metamorphosis as a musician. He began his career as a YouTuber and transitioned into making uninspiring and unimpressive rap music. However, something switched in his head; he realized just how important music is to him as well as what he is capable of. His 2021 project showed signs of his capabilities as he began to switch into a wildly different musical space than that of his 2019 project. On I Didn’t Mean To Haunt You , Quadeca has fully arrived. While it isn’t as polished as the remaining albums on this list, he attacks the concept he chose and delivers numerous performances that nobody could’ve seen coming just three years ago. This album is at times touching, even overwhelming, and his dedication and embrace of his vision is what made it all possible. Best Song: "Born Yesterday" 9. SOS , SZA The last few years there has been a specific sub-genre forming somewhere in between pop and R&B. People like Summer Walker, Ella Mai, and Jhene Aiko have all been major artists, but SZA is leading the charge. Because of her position of influence with the blossoming genre, SZA had a lot of pressure on her leading up to this release. In my opinion she has the responsibility of leading this young and popular sub-genre in the right direction. Often artists in this vein of music have a tendency to make enjoyable, but ultimately safe and somewhat bland music. SZA decided to take risks on SOS and it paid off. The second two thirds of the album marks some of her most creative work to date. A few well placed and unexpected features mixed in with her ability to meander across pop-adjacent genres earns SZA the number nine spot on this year's list. Best Song: "Open Arms" 8. Once Twice Melody , Beach House Beach House is well-established at this point. They are experts of their craft and are able to consistently deliver what their fans are looking for. However, they occasionally seem to play it safe. They found their unique sound and are comfortable staying there. This album is a great step forward. They didn’t depart from their bread and butter, however they did improve upon it. We hear different vocal styles and more rangy instrumentals than expected. At a time where they did not need to do anything special, they took good steps creatively to deliver a very well rounded album. If you enjoy gentle vocals and atmospheric production, this album is for you without a doubt. Best Song: "Pink Funeral" 7. age/sex/location , Ari Lennox This is just a great album. Admittedly I did not know much about Ari Lennox going into this album; now, I do. She is a versatile artist with a great voice who feels comfortable in every style she tries on age/sex/location. Right off the bat she reminded me of Erykah Badu and Beyonce. She has the attitude, clever verses, and vocal tone of Erykah Badu on occasion, and she combines that with runs and spoken hooks that Beyonce loves to utilize as well. Ari’s usage of base reminds me of Adi Oasis as well, if you’re not familiar with her and like this album you should check her out next. She is very effective when moving between influences and different styles, and that is a big reason why this album is great. All of the featured artists do their job and the result is a great sophomore album from an artist that can bring listeners together from different sides of the contemporary R&B spectrum. Best Song: "Leak It" 6. It’s Almost Dry , Pusha T I listen to a lot of rap, and there were a lot of great albums this year. However, only one of them was a top ten album. On It’s Almost Dry , Pusha T reaffirms the fact that he has one of the most prolific deliveries in the rap industry. He continued on the roll he started with Daytona four years ago and did so with superstar producers Pharrell Williams and Kanye West. The production has fingerprints of these great artists all over it, but Pusha T makes sure to put his own stamp on it first and foremost. Though it doesn’t quite measure up to the all time great Daytona , it's great to see him in the same creative space four years later operating at that same high skill level. All of the features are good and its ‘worst’ songs are still ones that Pusha T fans will enjoy. Best Song: "Dreamin Of The Past" 5. Gemini Rights , Steve Lacy If you ask a given person what they think of Lacy’s 2022 album they are likely to respond one of three ways. They either have never heard of it, think it's the album of the year, or hate it with a passion. I think it's certainly up there. Steve’s first two albums after breaking off from The Internet, a band where he was the lead guitarist, were interesting but ultimately fell short much of the time. They were cluttered and seemed to need more time to mature into a fuller sound. He was not discouraged. Gemini Rights is a polished and creative album that can be enjoyed by a wide range of audiences. The contempt for this album mostly stems from the vast overplaying of its hit single "Bad Habit". In reality this is not a top song on the album. Though Steve is probably the weakest vocalist of the top five, he seems to be one of the most musically knowledgeable. He has a fantastic ability to cohesively mix instruments that are staples of a variety of genres, such as the trumpet and of course, the guitar. I am excited to see what he does going forward. Even though this was a well rounded album, I think further polishing could place him at the top of his field. Best Song: "Sunshine" 4. RENAISSANCE , Beyonce With RENAISSANCE , Beyonce has completed the elusive perfect three album run. This isn’t to say every song on all of them is perfect, but the evolution of her music and quality of her last three studio releases earned her this fictional honor. Beyonce , Lemonade , and RENAISSANCE are all fantastic, but RENAISSANCE definitely is my favorite. She incorporates elements of EDM and club dance beats perfectly into this pop album. She sings over these beats like it's nothing and nails a style that I never expected her to touch. She had no reason to try it other than it was part of her creative vision. I am thankful for her bravery at a point in her career where she could coast and sell records with ease. That all being said, the only reason this isn’t a number one album is because it has two of the weakest songs on this entire list. On top of that, I never thought I would compile a list like this in which Beyonce’s vocals are second best, but this year they are. That all being said, it's an incredibly bold and well executed album that everyone should listen to if they haven’t yet. Best Song: "VIRGO’S GROOVE" 3. Lucifer On The Sofa , Spoon Spoon. They’re really good and all, but I never thought they would be in this spot this year. If you like rock this is exactly what you need. It has been a while in my opinion, since there was an amazing archetypal rock release. As the album progressed I enjoyed each song more and more. These songs are familiar in the best possible way, as if people have been listening to this record for years. Lucifer On The Sofa is very well executed and curated. It's ten songs and each one of them is different enough to switch things up but not so much that it doesn’t flow perfectly. They have a grimy instrumental feel but the tracks as a whole are smooth and perfectly paced. Britt Daniel’s vocals remind me of Bowie at times because they have significant texture but are easy to listen to and feel elevated. The album flies by. I think this is their best release and the only reason it isn’t in the number one spot is that I just want more than ten songs. Ten is nothing to scoff at but all of the top three are great and there’s just less on Lucifer On The Sofa. I flipped a coin to pick the best song on this album. Then I flipped it for like four other songs. It's so good. Listen to this album. Best Song: "The Devil & Mister Jones" 2. MOTOMAMI, Rosalia Rosalia is a force of nature. If you aren’t acquainted with her yet, get ready. The Spanish singer is the best vocalist on the list this year, and I was blown away by this album. Of the top four, her album is the least cohesive and I saw complaints about the lack of flow and centralized themes. My argument is this: this album is a showcase of the incredible talent that is Rosalia and the theme is exactly that. At any given point you might hear a touching and beautifully performed song followed by an upbeat dance track, and that might be followed by an abstract beat with spoken verses. She is versatile. She is entertaining. She is exactly what pop music needs. In the last few years mainstream music has seen the ride of acts like Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Olivia Rodrigo. As talented as they are in their lanes, none can touch the pure talent and versatility of Rosalia. Is it the most well rounded album? No, but it showcases more than any other album on this list. This is another album that’s so good I can’t pick a song. I will anyway but know that it won’t fully encapsulate everything that she accomplishes on this record. Best Song: "Sakura" 1. Wet Leg, Wet Leg This is the album of the year. Every single song is perfect. I don’t listen to much indie pop, so my opinion is an inexperienced one, but this is the best album I’ve ever heard in this genre. They have great vocals, creative, diverse song structure, and witty lyrics. Listening to them makes me happy, but they have the ability to steer your mood in different directions depending on their well written lyrics. They tell stories both with their words and their instrumentals. With this much talent it's no surprise that they caught a lot of media attention. They appeared on TV and on indie radio stations everywhere, spreading the word about this incredible project. I could go on and on, but I’ll keep it simple. They deliver everything you could want from a group like them. The craziest part? It's their debut. This is the album of the year. Best Song: "Chaise Longue" My closing thoughts are these: If any of these interest you please listen to them. If you disagree with me you’re wrong. If you disagree with the Grammy nominations or winners you’re right. And, this was a great year of music.

LIL YACHTY'S LET'S START HERE BY: Ian Sherry 2/14/23 My go-to word when asked about Lil Yachty’s music has always been “fine”. That’s exactly what it is. To be fair, he does some things really well. His production is often compelling and he showcases versatility in his delivery when he is at his best. He also has been a part of a few fun pop crossovers. But, those songs are just that: fun. He falls victim to repetitive flows and occasionally leans too hard on autotune, but these problems aren’t unique. That is probably my biggest issue with Yachty: he is very talented in multiple facets of music-making, but he still makes mistakes that every other mediocre mainstream rapper does. So, as much as I like Yachty as a person, prior to this release, I would describe him simply as “fine”. The last few years have been interesting for Yachty. He’s gained a sizable media presence, mostly because he is a genuinely entertaining personality. He also has expanded musically. For example, in 2021, he decided to come to Detroit to make his album Michigan Boy Boat. The album featured some of the biggest artists in the Detroit scene -Tee Grizzley, Sada Baby, Babytron, YN Jay, RMC Mike, and Rio Da Young OG, to name a few- and his deep dive paid off in what felt like an authentic Detroit Rap project. As a Detroiter, I can attest that although for some people Detroit Rap can be an acquired taste, it is unique and hard to duplicate just for a given album. For the most part though, that is exactly what Yachty did, embracing the punchline-focused delivery that makes Michigan artists great. On top of his time in Michigan, over that last year or so, Yachty has reportedly been a part of studio sessions for several rap projects, and he’s written songs for other artists as well. He also released his single “Poland” recently which immediately blew up because of its show-stopping autotune, even though it was admittedly one-dimensional. There was some buzz over his upcoming album, but, even with the knowledge I had, I still wasn’t convinced it would be more than just a slight improvement over the previous Lil Boat albums. Simply put: I was wrong. Let’s Start Here is essentially an alt-rock/hip hop crossover, and it's good. The album could not have started out with a better track. “The BLACK seminole.” starts with heavy base and drum hits, immediately diving into the unique atmosphere of the album. Then, after the first verse, the guitar comes in. Not just a guitar riff or sample, a guitar solo. Not only does this speak to his immediate commitment to this new concept album, it shows his confidence in his musical expertise and versatility. After a somewhat lengthy tension release (something Yachty does well on this record), “the BLACK seminole.” finishes with the moaning vocals of Diana Gordon, who is brilliant throughout her multiple appearances. Once again relieving some tension, Yachty rolls right into the second track “the ride-”. It’s a relaxed, upbeat track that feels like Yachty’s version of what Steve Lacy does often on his 2022 album Gemini Rights. And, guess who is featured! Steve Lacy. Steve’s feature is simple and enjoyable, even though simplicity is not Yachty’s style on this album. Upon closer listen, “the ride-” has plenty of complexity to it. The baseline which roams throughout the song, keeps pace and bolsters the song’s personality. The third song “running out of time” is very easy to listen to, as is the fourth song “pRETTY” which features autotune reminiscent of “Poland” and a solid feature from Foushee. Unfortunately track five raises my first big issue with the album. “:(failure(:” is an interlude that consists of Yachty reflecting about his failures in a roundabout way. Here’s the thing: Yachty has a great personality. The problem is the placement. He led off the album with four great tracks but he then broke up the momentum with an interlude that could have slotted in anywhere. “THE zone” and “WE SAW THE SUN” come next. Both have their strengths. The first features, possibly, his best songwriting on the album, and the second includes more great autotune and a perfectly done mini-interlude. The interlude reminds me of some of Kendrick Lamar’s best. It simultaneously entertains and leads into the next song, as the bass kicks in towards the end for a seamless and satisfying transition. “drive ME crazy” and “IVE OFFICIALLY LOST VISION” mark the last two Diana Gordon features. Her impact on this album is probably greater than it appears on the surface. Her voice is a familiar mix between Alanis Morrisete and Tracy Chapman, and it adds completeness to the album by tying songs together stylistically, in a way miscellaneous features could not have. “sAy sOMETHINg” flirts with Yachty’s habitual repetitiveness but avoids it by pushing the limits of autotune and leaning into it heavily from the bridge throughout the conclusion of the song. “paint THE sky” opens with a muffled sample of the Weeknd’s “Save Your Tears”. Yachty does a mild stylistic Weeknd impersonation for the remainder of the song and executes it tastefully. “sHouLd i B” and “The Alchemist” combine for the weakest pair of songs on the album. Both are fairly repetitive, and though they stay within the niche of the rest of the album, they are missing the palpable creativity on every other song. “The Alchemist” has a nice finish that leads into the album’s final song. But aside from that, I could do without them, especially on such a strong and reasonably lengthy (57 minute) album. “REACH THE SUNSHINE” is the final song on the album. Although it doesn’t reach the heights of the opener, it brings in some of the same elevated vocals. Daniel Caesar has a great feature, adding to the atmosphere of the album’s conclusion with great vocals. Yachty decides to ride out the album on a wave of synths and sound effects, the same synths and sound effects that create the exotic sonic world that is Let’s Start Here. Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here is a musically alternative take on mainstream music industry style. It has its flaws, namely: the occasional grating vocal performance, incoherently high decibel combinations of instruments, and Yachty’s repetitive flow. But, it is a triumph nonetheless. Let’s Start Here sits in a strange yet surprisingly common set of circumstances, where the album can easily rub a given listener the wrong way. Yet, it would be a mistake to miss the genius behind it regardless of personal taste. Other albums that share these circumstances, especially within alternative hip-hop, are: Tyler The Creator’s Igor, Danny Brown’s Atrocity Expedition, JPEGMAFIA’s Veteran, even Death Grips’ The Money Store. If you’re familiar with those, I think Let’s Start Here is on its way to their level. Yachty is young, talented, and after this album it seems he’s poised to start making timeless albums. Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here is an 8.5/10.

FOR ALL THE DOGS 10/28/23 BY: IAN SHERRY On October 8, 2023, Drake released his newest album For All The Dogs . After multiple postponements, Canada’s greatest rapper released his eighth studio album. The 23 song odyssey is the newest addition to a discography of ups and downs. Drake’s persona is just as volatile as the quality of his releases. From the underdog to the top of the world, from lonely to never alone, from player to father, his character development isn’t wildly unique when listed in that format. What makes Drake unique is his arc is neither linear nor complete. In reality, those options I listed previously should be mixed randomly in a list held together by hyphens not commas. Drake is a walking paradox, as is his music. Despite consistently delivering some of the most compelling songs in a given year, his discography holds the most bland music to ever grace the top of the rap charts. In preparation for a Drake release, fans are forced to speculate as to which Drake will be present on the album. While the speculation is fun, his persona of choice directly impacts how the album should be consumed. So which Drake made For All The Dogs ? The simplest answer: all of them. “Virginia Beach” is a strong start in my book. The first song to any album should be an intentional choice that sets the tone. Drake chooses to start his 2023 release in his singing bag. The production is strong, weaving around his voice and shifting halfway through to emphasize heavier bass and drums that accompany his first rap verse of the album. “Amen” comes second, the samplework and Teezo Touchdown feature land nicely, and along with the keys overtop, they carry on the same vibe as track 1. Unfortunately, that is the end of Drake’s stylistic/thematic uniformity. Drake has all his tools on display on this album. There is a right way to do that, but this isn’t it. ROSALIA properly executed this concept last year. MOTOMAMI was a show of force in which she expertly performed in different languages, styles, vibes, and emotions. It was 42 minutes long, one song after another, all separate thoughts. The product was fantastic. For All The Dogs is 84 minutes long (that’s twice the length for those counting at home) and it has less to offer in all of those categories, despite Drake’s half a verse in Spanish. If only I was in the studio, I could’ve cut this album down to 12 tracks (2 interludes) that lasted 44 minutes. That album would’ve been Drake’s most consistent release in years. Instead we have twice as much music, and more than twice the material to complain about. SINGING Drake is not a great singer, but he knows how. He and Nicki Minaj are very similar in that sense. They have decent voices, and when they don’t push it, they can fit nicely into a well-written, well-produced song. When Drake is at his best, he puts himself in a good stylistic position to deliver a passable vocal performance with decent lyrics. “Bahamas Promise” is one such case. The heavy bass lead-in with dogs barking creates a vivid mood that gives way to Drake’s vocals. Track 10 is his strongest vocal performance on the album, and it's supported by background vocals and a gentle but firm instrumental. The strong bottom end allows him to focus on singing without being concerned about filling empty space. Piano along with other high-end soundbytes set in overtop to sandwich the vocals. It is a well designed and focused song that lasts for a perfect 3:04. Logically, since the attention to detail makes a song like “Bahamas Promise” excel, the lack of attention to detail has the inverse effect. “7969 Santa” is an unfortunately good example. Drake flips between rapping and singing. Neither is convincing, and the singing is flat out bad at times. The beat is entirely midrange ambient noise and drums. There is no depth of sound, no rhythm, and no energy. It is 2:40 of struggle to get to the unlisted Teezo Touchdown feature. Teezo does his best to save the song, but the simplest solution would’ve been to remove Drake’s involvement, leaving Teezo’s feature and Snoop Dogg ’s outro. Drake has been doing this for too long to allow these inconsistencies, and that’s a frustrating reality considering how good he can be. A whole generation of rappers followed in Drake’s stylistic footsteps for a reason. Speaking of that generation, the PARTYNEXTDOOR feature on “Members Only” is one of the highpoints of the album. Fellow Canadians, the two artists embody a similar r&b/rap lane. Unsurprisingly, this historically results in good music. Their collaborative efforts were successful once again this year. PARTYNEXTDOOR’s verse follows a solid Drake verse with a huskier tone than I’m normally accustomed to hearing from him. It adds a great texture to an otherwise smooth song. The slight juxtaposition brings flavor to the 14th track, and, mixed with their chemistry, it’s satisfying. This isn’t the only collaboration Drake nails on his 2023 LP, and, despite its strong points, the excitement surrounding “Members Only” won’t touch that of “First Person Shooter”. J COLE J Cole fans are rabid. That explains why “First Person Shooter” is third most streamed on the album already, behind the lead single featuring SZA and “IDGAF” featuring Yeat (one of the four horsemen of the mainstream music apocalypse). To their credit, J Cole and Drake did their thing on track 6. Drake stylistically snuggles up to Cole as they rap over production very reminiscent of Cole’s 2021 record The Offseason . The real excitement, though, surrounds the featured verse. J Cole comes out firing. He puts to bed the beef between NBA YoungBoy and himself, explaining that his comments, from which the disagreement stemmed, were misconstrued. He follows that by listing himself, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar as the top three rappers alive (I’ll reserve my opinion for a later date). However, the line that will live the longest announces The Falloff , J Cole’s upcoming studio album. Although my eyes roll a little bit in preparation for the word ‘genius’ to start popping up amongst the Cole-heads, I can’t deny that’s a productive feature. It piqued my interest at least. My favorite song on the album is track 15, “What Would Pludo Do” . Reminiscent of Zaytoven (a musical sweet spot of mine), Lil Yachty does his thing on production. The keyboard painted over the top works coterminously with bass hits on the low end. Drake flows right in between them. He goes bar-after-bar for the length of the track. It’s simple, and there’s nothing wrong with that. With all the singing, features, personal drama, and hype, it’s easy to forget Drake is a very capable rapper. I appreciate the reminder, though this isn’t even his best lyrical performance on the album. “8am In Charlotte” and “Away From Home” are both rapping clinics as well. INTERLUDES While “What Would Pludo Do” is my favorite track, the best pieces of music on For All The Dogs aren’t even traditional songs. Drake absolutely killed his interludes this year. “Screw The World” came first. It’s a dressed up sample of DJ Screw ’s remix of Nas ’s “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” . Drake evidently felt the need to pay homage to the quietly influential Houston-based DJ, and it may have something to do with the incident highlighted here . Regardless of his motivation, it is a great piece of music. The muddied vocal sits amongst the murky bass hits. The perfect amount of reverb and throwback southern flavor buried underneath round out one of the best instrumental tracks he’s had in years. “BBL Love” upholds that same standard. The soul sample brings in the audience gently. Drake takes the mellow approach, reflecting on women and how their intimate availability to him relates to his status as a wildly successful artist. This isn’t a new trope, especially for Drake, but that lyrical content isn’t what impresses me. He captures a vibe and brings you into it. If you’re a little uncomfortable once you’re there, he did a good job from an artistic standpoint, because he’s fully enveloped you in his world of numerous and nuanced sexual relations. On top of that, track 18 functions as an opportunity to take a breath before settling back in for the remaining 5 songs of this lengthy piece of work. Two perfect interludes. The biggest surprise on the album comes just a few moments after the second interlude. Track 20 is “Rich Baby Daddy” featuring Sexyy Red and SZA. Frankly, this spelled disaster for a few reasons. First, these are three individualistic artists with their own stylistic sweetspots; second, the Drake/SZA collaboration already fell short on “Slime Me Out” ; third, it’s 5:19 long. I’m pleased to say I was worried or nothing. Sexyy Red brings her energy from the jump with the chorus, and the beat keeps pace with her. It takes a certain kind of energy to feel like you’re setting the pace for the instrumental, instead of the reverse. Drake is able to keep up with the beat (see the difference?), and speeding him up adds an element you hardly ever find on Drake records. His verse is a success, and the chorus provides a perfect transition into SZA, who sings with pace but no less of her usual swagger. She remains one of the most talented vocalists in music, and she adds a smoothness you couldn’t have found elsewhere. The chorus hits again leading into Sexyy Red’s verse. It’s short, but it is a great conclusion to their twist on a traditional song format. The Drake outro could’ve been left off. If it had, this is the best song on the album. However, the choice to use Sexyy Red like they did was perfect, and the willingness to stick to the traditional chorus format paid off big-time. When it comes to good music, my favorite way to stand is corrected . CHORUSES There’s a reason I highlight the usage of a chorus on track 20. In recent years, especially within rap, there’s been a shift away from the traditional chorus-based song structure. This is usually in favor of the posse-track format. A good example, for relevance sake, is Westside Gunn . His new album (which I’ll have a review on soon) leans into this structure. Essentially, he peppers his songs with features whom he works well with. They trade verses over fairly consistent production, with the aim of impressing lyrically while putting an emphasis on their chemistry. This is pretty unique to hip-hop, and when done correctly the results are fantastic. However, some are better than others. Drake’s approach varies from the Buffalo rapper, in that he relies on alternative or subtle choruses (if none at all) instead of featured artists. His features are much less common. They may add a different flavor, but they often stand to do something that Drake cannot execute himself, which is admirable, or boost streams, which isn’t. So if the emphasis isn’t on the chorus, or some substitute like Westside Gunn’s features, where is it? The answer, for much of this record, is nowhere. The result is a lot of boring music, 8 songs by my count. That’s 8 out of 23 that have no replay value. If you check the writers credits for any song on this record you might be floored by the quantity of names involved. With that many minds at work, Drake is able to formulate clever ways to subtly write in choruses. The problem is I don’t want subtlety. That defeats the purpose. A chorus is supposed to provide a different flavor to the song as well as a jumping off point for the next verse. It’s a tool. On “Members Only” it allows for the subtle stylistic divergences of PARTYNEXTDOOR to stand out. On “What Would Pludo Do”, the chorus is a launching point for cutting verses. If you think I'm just listing songs I enjoyed, check this out. The chorus on “7969 Santa” works well too. Not only does it stand as a consistent return point for a misguided performance from Drake, it sets up Teezo Touchdown’s feature, which turns out to be the highlight of the song. Drake has far too much firepower in the studio to put out boring music. Sticking to the chorus-focused format that many artists, including Drake, have found success with historically, seems like a good strategy to me. Drake is one of the most polarizing artists alive. He leans into it, and then, as a reviewer, I can’t help but do the same. This album certainly plays into that. From the postponements, to the inclusion of his son's art and rapping (which keys the tires of a solid fifth track), he created a spectacle outside of the music. However, I’m more interested in the music, always. Here’s what I heard: Surprisingly, the album wasn’t unbearably long. I still can’t justify the length, but aside from Drake’s typically high level of bloat, it isn’t egregious. By bloat I mean unnecessary tracks, extra length on songs, or anything else that doesn’t add or take away from the experience. If you cut all the bloat from Drake’s previous two solo albums, there would be no albums. In that sense he’s improved this year. I was also struck by his lyricism. While it isn’t the stuff of other actively elite rappers like Pusha T or JID , it was much improved over his releases the last few years. However, one big disappointment is the absence of the Drake anthem. This is not an expectation of most artists, but Drake has a tendency to drop chart-topping, culturally enormous songs. While this album has some great tracks, it doesn’t have a “God’s Plan” or “Toosie Slide” . This doesn’t speak to quality, as there are probably five songs on this record better than those two, but I don’t know if this record will create the months-long ripple effect we’re accustomed to seeing from Drake projects. I’m mostly positive though. From an album construction standpoint, I’ve accepted that Drake has a lot of misses. His highs determine the quality of a Drake release, his lows or critical scores, do not. Thus, my score won’t reflect how much I enjoyed For All The Dogs , his best album in a while. For All The Dogs is a 4.75.

WALK WITH ME V 1/18/2024 BY: IAN SHERRY Smiles aren’t worth a thing anymore. Aretha Franklin holds many titles and distinctions, the Queen of Soul, Rolling Stone’s greatest vocalist of all time , and the best funeral featuring an Ariana Grande performance - to name a few. She grew from the shockingly powerful youth vocalist in her father’s church choir to the voice of the world’s foremost musical city, and she built a career steeped with superlatives along the way. June 10, 2017. My dad and I hop on our bikes and take a ride into the heart of Downtown Detroit to see Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul’s hot summer performance was free to the public and it attracted the perfect crowd. Lifelong fans from around the metro area poured in. As my dad led me through the crowd looking for familiar faces, which he correctly assumed was inevitable, there was a buzz I haven’t felt in any setting or any form since that day. I was young, which placed me in the minority (in more ways than one). Aretha’s audience mirrored herself. It was the generation that had to choose whether or not they’d flee when the city fell on rough times, and whose choice to stay was rewarded with a musical movement unparalleled in its time. As I rode up, chained my bike to a lightpost, and followed my dad into that crowd, I stepped into Motown. In that moment, ‘Motown’ became much more than the legendary record label or a nickname for the city I’d spent my whole life in. Motown is a people, and just as that understanding began to sink in, The Queen took the stage. Suffice to say, even at her age, she was still Aretha. Covering hits from all corners of her catalog with the help of a masterfully curated cast of supporting performers, she gave the crowd more than our money’s worth. One year, two months, and six days later, she was gone. Lumped into one massive and incredibly significant memory, I’ll never forget walking through my neighborhood after Aretha’s passing. As my family and I walked to dinner, her voice and music poured out of houses on every block. Listening to the neighborhood’s memorial serenade, I kept thinking back to that concert. Though it felt like just days before, with The Queen of Soul at rest, it had fully sunken in, to a level that can’t be easily smoothed over with time. Now, whenever I listen to the Aretha Franklin songs that live in the air of my childhood memories, the first thing that comes to mind, fills my chest, is that final loveletter she sang to her city on that summer day. It’s a difficult pill to swallow. Like any other member of that 2017 summer concert crowd, I am very familiar with Aretha’s work from the 50s through the 70s as well as her commercial resurgences in ‘85 and ‘98 . In that time she covered all the bases. Regarding emotions, she took her audience through it all: the anger and sadness of a breakup, the longing of romantic loneliness, the fatigued satisfaction of finally finding the right one, catching a break. She speaks to friends, lovers, exes, you, me, and nobody in particular. An untouchable songwriter, performer, and short-form storyteller, walking in stride with The Queen is a privilege that any member of her audience can experience. But there is one emotion, one mode, that she seldom lets show: pure unbridled joy. Now, as my dad aptly pointed out in a brief discussion of this article, 'she’s pretty fired up on “Doctor Feelgood.” ' A great point that I nudge to the side for two reasons. 1, With a discography as vast as Aretha’s, you're bound to stumble across almost any mood. 2, I hope you can imagine, I bear a fairly hefty weight each time I listen to the songs I was raised on, including “Dr. Feelgood”, which may well have played on the way to the concert that morning or as we strolled through the neighborhood a year later. So to the fault of nobody but myself, in order to share a purely joyful, burden-free moment with Aretha Franklin, I needed something new. Luckily, about a year ago, I stumbled upon a record that I’m sure did not play on those summer days in 2017/18, a record that finally flipped my emotional script when listening to The Queen of Soul: So Damn Happy . In 2003, admittedly after her final return to commercial / critical relevance, Aretha released So Damn Happy . The record did not gain any critical traction, which is understandable considering that stage of her career, however it's the cited reasoning I take issue with. In their brief but harsh, paragraph-long review, Rolling Stone gave props to the efforts of Mary J Blige on the production, but ultimately thrust Aretha’s 2003 effort aside because the vocals were ‘shrill’. They claimed the vocalist, who they declared the greatest singer of all time two decades later, didn’t belong on the 2000s contemporary r&b instrumentals. Why is that? I have a theory. The music critic community, into which I seem to have injected myself, has an unspoken responsibility to conform to fairly uniform taste. Meaning, even if a given writer’s individual taste doesn’t align with what is widely considered high quality work, there is pressure to recognize its merit. This year's best example of this tendency is the critical acclaim afforded to Sexyy Red . The newest culturally dominant female rapper, her style is unapologetic, and to me, unappealing. I am certain that I’m not alone in this opinion, however taking an anti-Sexyy stance at this point in her career is risky to say the least. Blowback could take any number of forms, including accusations of gender-based disrespect and being disregarded as someone who simply isn’t up with the times. (So if you’ll allow me to cover myself briefly), Sexyy Red is one of the most talented artists we’ve seen in generations; she is the future, no doubt. The reason for my digression is simply to highlight the fact that coordination is important, from sharing opinions on a given album to the validation of the most common musical tropes. Artists like Phoebe Bridgers have built a career on their ability to elevate their easily approachable sound with heavily emotional writing and performances. Bridgers could easily sit in the mainstream of pop like Taylor Swift , but she sets herself to the side through her complete commitment to all things melancholy. In doing so, she limits, or rather, concentrates her audience, creating a distinct although not overly unique sound, and placing herself in the favor of critics everywhere. It’s the same factor that elevates artists like Big Thief or Jeff Buckley who dip into the sad sack and happen to be some of my favorites. Effectively conveying emotion through music is an achievement critics recognize across the board, however, they seem to disregard one key emotion: Joy. This brings me back to Aretha. For my money, there is no song in her entire discography more joyful than “Wonderful,” from So Damn Happy . After years and years of listening to The Queen battle through heartbreak and romantic confusion, there’s nothing more refreshing than experiencing a new thing, a good thing, by her side. She brings us into “Wonderful” with a bouncy and simple instrumental highlighted by flourishes on the keyboard. As strong a singer as ever, she rips through verses with her own flare, pace, and attitude, leading her backup singers through the sing-along-worthy chorus. As the energy builds throughout the song, Aretha begins to riff more on the microphone until the emotional climax in which her excitement takes control and transforms into joyful, nimble scatting. The entirety of So Damn Happy dabbles in a lot of musical and emotional elements, which may be largely responsible for its low profile, but “Wonderful” puts them together more effectively than any other song on her 2003 record. It's a simple yet perfectly executed step outside her wheelhouse, which is something that is critically celebrated in nearly any other scenario. So why haven’t you heard of it? Why is the song that makes me happier than any other not championed by critics the way they do Big Thief’s “Change” or Jeff Buckley’s “The Sky Is A Landfill?” Why is the nagging sadness I feel when listening to the music I associate with that final concert valued more than the joy I feel at the hands of my new discovery? Why is it that pulling your audience up into your state of happiness isn’t as critically significant as dragging them into your misery. Is it an industry trend? Is it the assumption that suffering is more relatable to the masses? Is it the widespread use of music as a coping mechanism for the streaming generation? Is it a societal obsession with hardship and misery? Don’t ask me, I love being happy. Listen to “Wonderful” if you do too.

30 Years of Definitely Maybe 9/16/2024 BY: IAN SHERRY On August 30th, 1994, Oasis released their debut album Definitely Maybe . 30 years later, sometime in the days approaching the anniversary of their flagship LP, the Gallaghers let news of their reunion trickle out. That makes this the perfect time to review this deluxe reinstallment of their debut. It’s the very nature of the reunion that peaked my interest. As I journalistically searched for the date of their announcement, it became clear that the news was largely the result of the pop culture rumor mill, with eventual confirmation from the formerly feuding Gallagher brothers. This brand of brit-pop shenanigans is reminiscent of another time. Who doesn’t look back fondly on those massive crowds that surrounded The Beatles , or the tabloid culture of prime American rock & roll? I love Oasis playing into the insatiable passion that humans have for both gossip and music, because it harkens back to that perfect balance between those passions and the pure obsession that fueled rock music in its prime. In fact, Oasis’ talent for retooling British Invasion era music and culture is responsible for much of their notoriety and critical acclaim. Often recognized as a beacon of real rock in a transitional era, it’s fitting that the first track on their debut record is titled “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” . Staking their claim perhaps? In that very first song you can find a lot of album-spanning tropes, most notably the pace. They immediately establish themselves as a high-octane rock band, with wailing guitars that often act as the secondary focus, boldly supporting the lead vocals. Liam Gallagher mostly sits atop their wall-of-sound style instrumentation, occasionally stepping aside for older brother Noel on guitar, setting a clear pattern for most of the record. Their beefy sound falls just short of relentless, which, depending on the audience, can either capture the listener’s ear or prevent them from resonating with any one part of the song. Therefore, to make their music more digestible, it’s essential to create space within the song structure and the sound itself. Given that Definitely Maybe was a debut record, I’d say all in all Oasis does a solid job of creating breathing room, employing slight differences in pace between vocalist and the band, allowing brief instrumental interjections within the verses, and making the small yet consequential choices needed to customize individual songs. The Beatles-like backing vocals on “Shakermaker” and “Supersonic” are subtle, but by singing a single rising note, they change the landscape of the sound. The vocal filter and flourishing drums on “Bring It On Down” help separate the different elements of the song. Even the extended reverb on “Cigarettes & Alcohol” , which creates just a moment of space before jumping back into the sonically packed second verse, goes a long way towards avoiding the pitfalls of repetition, a tool they use routinely. That kind of attention to detail is what elevates this debut record above those of their talented counterparts. Oasis was indeed a talented band. Unrelenting guitar performances by the Gallaghers litter every song, Tony McCarroll serves as a strong, yet tame presence on drums, and the group’s ability to systematically assemble a complete product is evidenced constantly. For example they build the instrumental backing for “Shakemaker” one piece at a time, rumbling from the tapping of drum sticks to a heavy rock sound in an instant, a la Led Zeppelin . I am truly a sucker for a good instrumental build, however Oasis’ best band-work on this record lies in their breakdowns. On any given song you can hear them prioritize one element of the chorus, either instrumental or vocal, as they begin to subtract other components. The results can vary from rhythmically atypical, like “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star”, to catchy and repetitive like “Columbia” , with most tracks giving way to Noel Gallagher’s always-sturdy guitar. Their ability to start and finish songs effectively gives the record a tangible flow from one track to another, adding to the collective experience. While their instrumental palette on this record is limited in comparison to their later work, and that does put an undeniable limit on the versatility of the sound, their points of emphasis in the structure of the instrumentation make for a cohesive listening experience they’ll never quite replicate. Familiarity. In my 19 years of life I’ve come to understand if there’s one thing people like, it's what they already know. No wonder Oasis triumphed so immediately in the states. In the UK (I’d imagine) there were plenty of bands trying to strike the balance Oasis came initially equipped with, but in the US of A, they weren’t such a common breed. The evidence of punk rock’s unavoidable influence, which may have been overly familiar across the pond, could in theory, have gone unnoticed or felt more exotic here. In practice, a song like “Live Forever” certainly benefits. The most popular song on the record holds that title because of its familiar American Rock influences - hard to miss especially in the guitar solo. With this familiar instrumental foundation, the pure Brit vocal performance blends in seamlessly and Liam Gallagher comes across as an approachably quirky frontman, instead of tardy British invader. Familiarity can be a curse as well, one Oasis will become all too familiar with in the following years via the commercial excesses of “Wonderwall” and they had to wrestle with on this record as well. They establish their MO so immediately on the first 2 tracks that equally strong songs of a similar hue like “Columbia” or “Slide Away” can lose their luster. It’s a demon Oasis battles on this record and every release that follows, driving their development as a band, and in part fueling the heated disagreements that eventually got the best of them. Reviewing Definitely Maybe - 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition retrospectively - and it really is a retrospective review of the original since the deluxe edition offers nothing more than cleaner mixes and instrumentally thinner versions of the same songs - it's impossible to ignore the evidence of Oasis’ final form. More tender and nostalgic songs like “Digsy’s Diner” and “Married With Children” get more popular in the post alt-rock era, and the band joins that trend with some of their biggest hits not long after. The slightly softened Oasis didn’t come without skillful advancements, with elements such as the piano on “Digsy’s Diner” emerging as strengths within their evolving sound in the late 90’s / early 2000’s. Like many debuts before and after them, Oasis would never be the same band they were in 1994. They’d never be more punk, more Manchester, than they were on Definitely Maybe ; just like Nirvana would never be more raw, more Seattle than they were on Bleach , and Led Zeppelin would never be more blues, more London than they were on Led Zeppelin I . It’s not as much of an issue as it is a reality, but this anniversary provided an opportunity to live in a different reality, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely Maybe is an 8.7. Definitely Maybe - 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition isn’t worth scoring separately.

Durand Jones Goes Solo: Wait Til I Get Over BY: Ian Sherry 5/29/23 On May 5, 2023 Durand Jones released Wait Til I Get Over . Over the past five years Durand Jones & The Indications have been making great music. Their 2018 debut self titled album is great, their 2019 American Love Call is easily my favorite contemporary soul album, and their 2021 Private Space is a stylistic swerve done the right way. Now, we get Durand Jones’ first solo album. This doesn’t signal the end of the band. No, Jones made it clear on several occasions leading into his 2023 release that it was a deeply personal project, one that he needed to do himself. Durand Jones’ lack of Indications both intrigued and concerned me. The Indications thrive because of three general strengths (outside of Durand Jones): songwriting, consistently strong musical performances, and Aaron Frazer. Without the rest of his band, could Jones replicate these strengths? After all, the best bands’ songwriting is often a group effort, The Beatles or Queen for example, and Jones is just one man. That throwback sound the band revitalizes in such a refreshing way is difficult to capture, and attempting to recreate that same magic without them would be difficult. Aaron Frazer is The Indications' secret weapon, whose occasional lead vocals provide a great deal of variety, and whose help on choruses or ensemble vocal performances with Jones solidifies the uniqueness of the band's sound. Frazer is absent from this project. However, that was the point, and any of the resulting missteps on Wait Til I Get Over were a part of the calculated risk Durand Jones took going solo this year. So now, the results of his risk: Frankly, I have lots of critiques to roll out, but I'd like to start on a positive note. I love Aaron Frazer, and I was hoping for at least a feature from him; but he’s not needed. Durand Jones is a dynamic vocalist, able to carry nearly any tune and elevate even the most instrumentally bland music. Without that, this album would really struggle, lucky for Jones he can sing. Actually, he’s not lucky, just good. It's easy to say so, considering the songwriting on this album may be his strongest yet. Detailing the struggles of his people in the South and his own internal journey, Jones does a great job of using themes like community to fuel feelings like hope for a well-rounded yet fittingly unfinished narrative. While the narrative is cohesive, the stylistic choices are not. On the first three songs, Jones touches on three very different sounds. This can be done really well, but in this case it feels disjointed. “Gerri Marie” is a solid intro that sets a scene and vibe with Durand Jones and a piano. That’s it, but its simplicity is its strength. However, post the first interlude (track 2), this vibe is deleted by “Lord Have Mercy”. A jaunty sort of Bayou Rock song, it’s the first of a new Durand Jones sound, one that needs a lot of work. It effectively introduces the most unfortunate recurring theme of this album: poor instrumental production and vocal mixing. The instrumental layering is cluttered and a weird buzzy finish lays over everything, including Jones’ vocals. Yet, on the very next track, “Sadie”, Jones temporarily abandons his theme of musical mediocrity. It is a strong song in every way. Great hooks, choruses, and instrumental backing and breaks, it has all the makings of an Indications classic. So why not make that a theme? I think a look at track 5 can answer that question. "I Want You” is another Indications-worthy track musically, as well as a Jones masterclass vocally. He mixes in powerful background vocals at just the right moments and spoken pieces mid-verse, two things seldom seen, if ever, with his band. He is in his creative zone, stretching his attention to every aspect of the sound he wants to encapsulate. But, stretch is the key word. For the length of the song, every couple beats, there is a strange crashing sound. It's some sort of percussion, and it should have been any other kind of percussion, as keeping pace seems to be its sole purpose. But he chose this sound. A decision that doesn’t ruin the song completely, but one that, along with an occasionally jumbled bottom to the mix and an instrumental layering failure down the stretch of the song, can remove a distracted listener from the otherwise powerful tune. Durand Jones is a member of a great band, and great bands don’t let things like that slip through the cracks, but once again, he is just one man. These seemingly careless miscues continue through the album, and honestly, highlighting all of them is trivial. From the drowning of a strong communal vocal performance on “Wait Til I Get Over” to the alarmingly unfit feature on “Someday We’ll All Be Free” or the failure to catch a groove on “Letter To My 17 Year Old Self”, Jones misses opportunities to properly support his beautiful writing and vocal performances. However, he does not miss on “That Feeling”. Durand Jones is a bisexual black man from the South. That means both everything and nothing to this song. To my knowledge, it’s the first time he sings about another man, and he does so against that backdrop he spent so much time constructing. However, as he eases into this particular narrative, everything fades away. It doesn’t matter who he is speaking to, it’s beautiful. A story of wasted potential, told through a nostalgic lens, with that familiar hope and determination, “That Feeling” is love. It’s also the best song on the album. With raw vocals and a classic instrumental intro, Jones eases into the rhythm just as he does the narrative. Layering keys and guitar, he elevates the sound to the highest point of the album in stride with his words, before stripping it down to deliver a message: he and the love inside him aren't going anywhere. With the message delivered and the love story completed, Jones takes the last minutes to elevate one more time, leaving the audience with a powerful combination image and sound. Jones thrives in simplicity on this album, “Secrets” is a good final example. A piano and some voices are all he needed to close his 2023 release. Waves crash against a shore for the last two minutes, washing away the song and this, simply put, unique album. I hope it's unique for several reasons. First, Durand Jones is better than this. But, on top of that, he needed to get something out of his system. For his sake, I like to think he’s satisfied that need, at least enough to clean up any remaining loose ends with The Indications (in more ways than one). This album is messy. The production and mixing are scarily bad at times, as if he needed a reminder that the old days are supposed to be represented by the narrative, not the sound equipment. Jones also struggles to hitch a stylistic ride all the way through. This is fine for an EP, but for an album with a decisive theme, flow is essential. Yet, while it's easy to nitpick my way through this album, it's also easy to get lost in what Jones does well. He is an exceptional songwriter, a skill rivaled only by his vocal abilities. Those two strengths specifically can carry an album, and this is certainly one of those cases. I love Durand Jones, I am excited to see what he does next, and I believe the worst he can do is average. This album, all things considered, is just average. Wait Til I Get Over is a 5.25/10.

FOR ALL THE DOGS 10/28/23 BY: IAN SHERRY On October 8, 2023, Drake released his newest album For All The Dogs . After multiple postponements, Canada’s greatest rapper released his eighth studio album. The 23 song odyssey is the newest addition to a discography of ups and downs. Drake’s persona is just as volatile as the quality of his releases. From the underdog to the top of the world, from lonely to never alone, from player to father, his character development isn’t wildly unique when listed in that format. What makes Drake unique is his arc is neither linear nor complete. In reality, those options I listed previously should be mixed randomly in a list held together by hyphens not commas. Drake is a walking paradox, as is his music. Despite consistently delivering some of the most compelling songs in a given year, his discography holds the most bland music to ever grace the top of the rap charts. In preparation for a Drake release, fans are forced to speculate as to which Drake will be present on the album. While the speculation is fun, his persona of choice directly impacts how the album should be consumed. So which Drake made For All The Dogs ? The simplest answer: all of them. “Virginia Beach” is a strong start in my book. The first song to any album should be an intentional choice that sets the tone. Drake chooses to start his 2023 release in his singing bag. The production is strong, weaving around his voice and shifting halfway through to emphasize heavier bass and drums that accompany his first rap verse of the album. “Amen” comes second, the samplework and Teezo Touchdown feature land nicely, and along with the keys overtop, they carry on the same vibe as track 1. Unfortunately, that is the end of Drake’s stylistic/thematic uniformity. Drake has all his tools on display on this album. There is a right way to do that, but this isn’t it. ROSALIA properly executed this concept last year. MOTOMAMI was a show of force in which she expertly performed in different languages, styles, vibes, and emotions. It was 42 minutes long, one song after another, all separate thoughts. The product was fantastic. For All The Dogs is 84 minutes long (that’s twice the length for those counting at home) and it has less to offer in all of those categories, despite Drake’s half a verse in Spanish. If only I was in the studio, I could’ve cut this album down to 12 tracks (2 interludes) that lasted 44 minutes. That album would’ve been Drake’s most consistent release in years. Instead we have twice as much music, and more than twice the material to complain about. SINGING Drake is not a great singer, but he knows how. He and Nicki Minaj are very similar in that sense. They have decent voices, and when they don’t push it, they can fit nicely into a well-written, well-produced song. When Drake is at his best, he puts himself in a good stylistic position to deliver a passable vocal performance with decent lyrics. “Bahamas Promise” is one such case. The heavy bass lead-in with dogs barking creates a vivid mood that gives way to Drake’s vocals. Track 10 is his strongest vocal performance on the album, and it's supported by background vocals and a gentle but firm instrumental. The strong bottom end allows him to focus on singing without being concerned about filling empty space. Piano along with other high-end soundbytes set in overtop to sandwich the vocals. It is a well designed and focused song that lasts for a perfect 3:04. Logically, since the attention to detail makes a song like “Bahamas Promise” excel, the lack of attention to detail has the inverse effect. “7969 Santa” is an unfortunately good example. Drake flips between rapping and singing. Neither is convincing, and the singing is flat out bad at times. The beat is entirely midrange ambient noise and drums. There is no depth of sound, no rhythm, and no energy. It is 2:40 of struggle to get to the unlisted Teezo Touchdown feature. Teezo does his best to save the song, but the simplest solution would’ve been to remove Drake’s involvement, leaving Teezo’s feature and Snoop Dogg ’s outro. Drake has been doing this for too long to allow these inconsistencies, and that’s a frustrating reality considering how good he can be. A whole generation of rappers followed in Drake’s stylistic footsteps for a reason. Speaking of that generation, the PARTYNEXTDOOR feature on “Members Only” is one of the highpoints of the album. Fellow Canadians, the two artists embody a similar r&b/rap lane. Unsurprisingly, this historically results in good music. Their collaborative efforts were successful once again this year. PARTYNEXTDOOR’s verse follows a solid Drake verse with a huskier tone than I’m normally accustomed to hearing from him. It adds a great texture to an otherwise smooth song. The slight juxtaposition brings flavor to the 14th track, and, mixed with their chemistry, it’s satisfying. This isn’t the only collaboration Drake nails on his 2023 LP, and, despite its strong points, the excitement surrounding “Members Only” won’t touch that of “First Person Shooter”. J COLE J Cole fans are rabid. That explains why “First Person Shooter” is third most streamed on the album already, behind the lead single featuring SZA and “IDGAF” featuring Yeat (one of the four horsemen of the mainstream music apocalypse). To their credit, J Cole and Drake did their thing on track 6. Drake stylistically snuggles up to Cole as they rap over production very reminiscent of Cole’s 2021 record The Offseason . The real excitement, though, surrounds the featured verse. J Cole comes out firing. He puts to bed the beef between NBA YoungBoy and himself, explaining that his comments, from which the disagreement stemmed, were misconstrued. He follows that by listing himself, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar as the top three rappers alive (I’ll reserve my opinion for a later date). However, the line that will live the longest announces The Falloff , J Cole’s upcoming studio album. Although my eyes roll a little bit in preparation for the word ‘genius’ to start popping up amongst the Cole-heads, I can’t deny that’s a productive feature. It piqued my interest at least. My favorite song on the album is track 15, “What Would Pludo Do” . Reminiscent of Zaytoven (a musical sweet spot of mine), Lil Yachty does his thing on production. The keyboard painted over the top works coterminously with bass hits on the low end. Drake flows right in between them. He goes bar-after-bar for the length of the track. It’s simple, and there’s nothing wrong with that. With all the singing, features, personal drama, and hype, it’s easy to forget Drake is a very capable rapper. I appreciate the reminder, though this isn’t even his best lyrical performance on the album. “8am In Charlotte” and “Away From Home” are both rapping clinics as well. INTERLUDES While “What Would Pludo Do” is my favorite track, the best pieces of music on For All The Dogs aren’t even traditional songs. Drake absolutely killed his interludes this year. “Screw The World” came first. It’s a dressed up sample of DJ Screw ’s remix of Nas ’s “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” . Drake evidently felt the need to pay homage to the quietly influential Houston-based DJ, and it may have something to do with the incident highlighted here . Regardless of his motivation, it is a great piece of music. The muddied vocal sits amongst the murky bass hits. The perfect amount of reverb and throwback southern flavor buried underneath round out one of the best instrumental tracks he’s had in years. “BBL Love” upholds that same standard. The soul sample brings in the audience gently. Drake takes the mellow approach, reflecting on women and how their intimate availability to him relates to his status as a wildly successful artist. This isn’t a new trope, especially for Drake, but that lyrical content isn’t what impresses me. He captures a vibe and brings you into it. If you’re a little uncomfortable once you’re there, he did a good job from an artistic standpoint, because he’s fully enveloped you in his world of numerous and nuanced sexual relations. On top of that, track 18 functions as an opportunity to take a breath before settling back in for the remaining 5 songs of this lengthy piece of work. Two perfect interludes. The biggest surprise on the album comes just a few moments after the second interlude. Track 20 is “Rich Baby Daddy” featuring Sexyy Red and SZA. Frankly, this spelled disaster for a few reasons. First, these are three individualistic artists with their own stylistic sweetspots; second, the Drake/SZA collaboration already fell short on “Slime Me Out” ; third, it’s 5:19 long. I’m pleased to say I was worried or nothing. Sexyy Red brings her energy from the jump with the chorus, and the beat keeps pace with her. It takes a certain kind of energy to feel like you’re setting the pace for the instrumental, instead of the reverse. Drake is able to keep up with the beat (see the difference?), and speeding him up adds an element you hardly ever find on Drake records. His verse is a success, and the chorus provides a perfect transition into SZA, who sings with pace but no less of her usual swagger. She remains one of the most talented vocalists in music, and she adds a smoothness you couldn’t have found elsewhere. The chorus hits again leading into Sexyy Red’s verse. It’s short, but it is a great conclusion to their twist on a traditional song format. The Drake outro could’ve been left off. If it had, this is the best song on the album. However, the choice to use Sexyy Red like they did was perfect, and the willingness to stick to the traditional chorus format paid off big-time. When it comes to good music, my favorite way to stand is corrected . CHORUSES There’s a reason I highlight the usage of a chorus on track 20. In recent years, especially within rap, there’s been a shift away from the traditional chorus-based song structure. This is usually in favor of the posse-track format. A good example, for relevance sake, is Westside Gunn . His new album (which I’ll have a review on soon) leans into this structure. Essentially, he peppers his songs with features whom he works well with. They trade verses over fairly consistent production, with the aim of impressing lyrically while putting an emphasis on their chemistry. This is pretty unique to hip-hop, and when done correctly the results are fantastic. However, some are better than others. Drake’s approach varies from the Buffalo rapper, in that he relies on alternative or subtle choruses (if none at all) instead of featured artists. His features are much less common. They may add a different flavor, but they often stand to do something that Drake cannot execute himself, which is admirable, or boost streams, which isn’t. So if the emphasis isn’t on the chorus, or some substitute like Westside Gunn’s features, where is it? The answer, for much of this record, is nowhere. The result is a lot of boring music, 8 songs by my count. That’s 8 out of 23 that have no replay value. If you check the writers credits for any song on this record you might be floored by the quantity of names involved. With that many minds at work, Drake is able to formulate clever ways to subtly write in choruses. The problem is I don’t want subtlety. That defeats the purpose. A chorus is supposed to provide a different flavor to the song as well as a jumping off point for the next verse. It’s a tool. On “Members Only” it allows for the subtle stylistic divergences of PARTYNEXTDOOR to stand out. On “What Would Pludo Do”, the chorus is a launching point for cutting verses. If you think I'm just listing songs I enjoyed, check this out. The chorus on “7969 Santa” works well too. Not only does it stand as a consistent return point for a misguided performance from Drake, it sets up Teezo Touchdown’s feature, which turns out to be the highlight of the song. Drake has far too much firepower in the studio to put out boring music. Sticking to the chorus-focused format that many artists, including Drake, have found success with historically, seems like a good strategy to me. Drake is one of the most polarizing artists alive. He leans into it, and then, as a reviewer, I can’t help but do the same. This album certainly plays into that. From the postponements, to the inclusion of his son's art and rapping (which keys the tires of a solid fifth track), he created a spectacle outside of the music. However, I’m more interested in the music, always. Here’s what I heard: Surprisingly, the album wasn’t unbearably long. I still can’t justify the length, but aside from Drake’s typically high level of bloat, it isn’t egregious. By bloat I mean unnecessary tracks, extra length on songs, or anything else that doesn’t add or take away from the experience. If you cut all the bloat from Drake’s previous two solo albums, there would be no albums. In that sense he’s improved this year. I was also struck by his lyricism. While it isn’t the stuff of other actively elite rappers like Pusha T or JID , it was much improved over his releases the last few years. However, one big disappointment is the absence of the Drake anthem. This is not an expectation of most artists, but Drake has a tendency to drop chart-topping, culturally enormous songs. While this album has some great tracks, it doesn’t have a “God’s Plan” or “Toosie Slide” . This doesn’t speak to quality, as there are probably five songs on this record better than those two, but I don’t know if this record will create the months-long ripple effect we’re accustomed to seeing from Drake projects. I’m mostly positive though. From an album construction standpoint, I’ve accepted that Drake has a lot of misses. His highs determine the quality of a Drake release, his lows or critical scores, do not. Thus, my score won’t reflect how much I enjoyed For All The Dogs , his best album in a while. For All The Dogs is a 4.75.

Coverage Vol. 3 9/9/24 BY: IAN SHERRY On Instagram it's acceptable, trendy even, to take a sound from another video then make a video of your own, with your own message/joke using the same sound in the background. That format falls into the ‘recycled mindless internet crap’ category, but I did indeed see a funny one once. The ‘sound’, which I’m sure has been used to death in a variety of fashions since the original video, is a recording of a guy who mistakenly begins to rap Kendrick Lamar’s “Poetic Justice” over Janet Jackson’s “Any Time, Any Place” . The first samples the later, so it's an easy mistake to make, but he was immediately scolded by a friend who was trying to enjoy his contemporary oldies. In my opinion anyone who leans towards Lamar’s recycled and remixed version of Jackson’s classic has lost their damn mind, but I can identify with the mistake. Just this morning I was listening to my very own oldies playlist, and as it finished and Spotify took over the track selection, I immediately recognized Jaheim’s “Put That Woman First” . One of the best songs by one of the best voices of 2000s r&b, I was initially happy to hear it play, but realized not too far in that this was a different song, likely the original. I was right, but the two versions are so similar at points, both lyrically and in the instrumental hook, that I couldn’t immediately decipher if it was a cover or a very thorough sample-job. It turns out William Bell’s “I Forgot To Be Your Lover” is indeed a completely different song, and while I prefer the revamped version by my favorite golden-toned thug with a heart, there are quite a few strong renditions of the original track. Let’s dive in and crown a champ. Welcome to Coverage 3. Honorable Mentions AL KOOPER, 1976 Al is butt naked on this album cover and he delivers the weakest, most vocally and instrumentally thin rendition to boot. Yikes. THE REVELATION, TRE WILLIAMS 2012 This supporting track for Wu-Tang Clan’s foray into the world of martial arts movies leads the pack in production quality and includes a solid guitar-forward bridge, but the vocal performance leaves something to be desired, often failing to stay within the instrumental framework of the song. TOMMY TATE, 1989 I feel bad that Tommy can’t climb any higher (he looks awfully friendly), but his well-executed straightforward version doesn’t surpass the original in any particular way. WILLIAM BELL, 1968 Bell wrote and performed a beautiful song. It was safe, simple and powerful, but its simplicity lent itself to improvement and that’s the only reason he falls outside the top four. That being said, this version remains the standard. ROBERT CRAY, 2005 Cray is one of my all-time favorites, but just like Blood Sweat & Tears missing out on the last coverage, Cray didn’t do quite enough with his version. However, his always steely guitar has a different warmth to it on this track, making it worth a listen. THE MAD LADS, 1973 The Mad Lads gave the most ingenuitive vocal performances of the bunch. Their foursome added a 60/70s Temptations-esque spin to the track, and if it had actually been The Temptations it would’ve cracked the top spot, but it just wasn’t. NUMBER FOUR THE BLACK KEYS, 2024 Admittedly I was torn between this version and the last. Both reinvented the song vocally, but The Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach’s twist is more in the cadence than the vocal sequencing. As a result, he better replicates the familiar feel of the time-honored original. There are times he delivers a line, or note, down when I want it up or vice-versa, but those are issues of taste and preference. The key, (get it?) is that he maintains the emotional feel the track is intended to deliver, and he does so as well as nearly anyone else. I am a fan of Auerbach’s solo work, and his stylistic versatility combined with the adaptability of his partner Patrick Carney make this modern rock-tinged edition of Bell’s classic a resounding success. NUMBER THREE GEORGE FAITH, 1978 I wouldn’t have imagined a reggae arrangement of this song, but it turned out to be a stroke of genius. The similarities between reggae and soul lie in their deep lineage and aged variety; as a result, the song makes a pretty smooth adaptation between the Black American ballad and this heartfelt reggae version. George Faith floats with restraint over an energized reggae pace, guiding a song that could’ve lost its original intention in the right direction. By holding back and letting the echoed production swirl around his vocals, a slight discrepancy in pace becomes clear between his words and the music flowing around him, reminding the listener of the melancholy cry the song was designed to simulate. It may not be the most true-to-form version, but it is a creatively gutsy reimagination of a soul song that resulted in an undeniably well-executed reggae song. NUMBER TWO BILLY IDOL- "TO BE A LOVER", 1986 Because of the different title and overall ‘Billy Idolness’ of this song it’s not completely recognizable, but this highest charting version of “I Forgot To Be Your Lover” is indeed a straight cover. Idol, who could not be bothered to bend to the song’s original form (or title), also recognized what he could do with it. He nearly doubles the length, adding air to the structure, high-energy instrumental portions, a confident vocal performance, and an entirely different attitude. The track ramps up quickly with true rock & roll style, the bounciness of the 80s, and the improvisational ability of a great performer, before eventually concluding just after the best guitar performance on any of the versions. It was a true pop/rock blowout of the words that originally sat on the paper, and it was done to near perfection. NUMBER ONE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SAM MOORE, 2022 That’s Sam Moore of Sam & Dave , in 2022, at age 86, singing beautifully beside Bruce Springsteen. This is absolutely the best version of the original imagination William Bell had in 1968. It has every ounce of class and quality the original put on display, but with even more soul. Moore opens their rendition in his aged yet unwavering voice, ranging up and down subtly, filling the speakers for the bigger lines and finessing his way through others. He sings as strong as ever and with enough emotion to match his partner’s fanfare. Springsteen has always had a very genuine tone to his confident, even overbearing vocal persona, and on this track he lets it take the forefront. He backs Moore on the chorus, bolstering and energizing the tune as they approach the handoff. Then with the instrumentation of prime Detroit soul and the audio equipment of a 2022 Springsteen contingent, the energy elevates through The Boss’s verse, and the well-oiled veteran duet finishes off my very favorite version of “I Forgot To Be Your Lover”. Listen to Jaheim's "Put That Woman First" and "Finding My Way Back" for some CG Xtra Credit.

The Return of The Stones 11/17/23 BY: IAN SHERRY On October 20, 2023, The Rolling Stones released their latest album, Hackney Diamonds . The legendary band continues to make history… And now for a real-life interaction from my history class lecture hall: Random Kid #1: “Dude, the Rolling Stones just put out a new album” Random Kid #2: “Who?!” Random Kid #1: “I know, right! It’s not like a greatest hits or anything, just a new album. They didn’t even say it’s their last one, they literally just announced a random album.” Random Kid #2: “No, I mean like actually who is that?” Kids these days. The Rolling Stones, in fact, are (one of) the greatest rock band(s) of all time, and despite their median age being something like 78, they just released their 31st studio album. This raised an abundance of questions amongst listeners, the most important one being: will it be any good? Well let’s talk about it. Hailing from London, The Rolling Stones were key blazers in the British Invasion and consequently, the formation of rock as we know it. Dabbling in everything from American Blues to British Pop, they set the standard for what a talented band could and should attempt to accomplish across genres and decades. Now, with legendary frontman Mick Jagger sitting at 80 years old, we have to wonder what version of the Stones we’ll see. Personally, I was hoping for some blues. The Expectations The Rolling Stones are a well oiled machine that has produced decades of success. They’ve long since mastered the finer points of instrumental production, songwriting, and album construction. They have their own sound - several in fact - to rely upon when developing new material. And they bring their vast discography, deep experience, and a hall of fame reputation. But it’s time to address the elder elephant in the room: a lead singer who’s 80 years old and a collective group who cannot possibly be completely in touch with today’s musical landscape. This is a clear barrier, but not an insurmountable one. Johnny Cash recorded his legendary cover “Hurt” at the age of 71 in poor health. Although his singing on “Hurt” isn’t bold and exuberant, his sense of emotion is so powerful that it registers as one of his greatest vocal performances ever. All that is to say, physical vocal capabilities are not the end all be all - not by a long shot. Johnny Cash collaborated with Rick R ubin on that album. The legendary producer helped him structure songs around his ability, bolstering the instrumentals at the perfect times and saving the best of Cash’s voice for the right moments. They worked with what they had, and they made beautiful music. Should this set the standard? Perhaps that bar is too high, considering Cash and Rubin are two of the greatest musical minds of all time. However, The Rolling Stones ought to be measured in such elite company. As a reviewer, I feel faced with the ultimate dilemma: delivering an objective critique of an album/a rtist in a context full of subjective contradictions. For instance, The Stone s are one of the greatest bands ever, yet as octogenarians, do I hold them to their career-long standard? (I don’t normally check album review ratings from other sources, but I checked Pit chfork out of curiosity and that’s what they decided to do). Or do I hold them to the standard I would use for an elderly member of the local volunteer church choir? This is tempting, but the reality is Mick Jagger isn’t just singing on Sundays, he’s in The Rolling Stones. Or, do I hold them to the standard of late-career Johnny Cash? They’re different artists, and they aren’t working with Rick Rubin, but they could have. And maybe that should have. So, just as I might rate a debut on the scale of all debuts, I’m going to rate Hackney Diamonds on the scale of Johnny Cash’s final album. The Genre As I mentioned, I was hoping for blues. While The Beatles first met resistance for impersonating the American artform that is rhythm & blues, The Rolling Stones were more easily welcomed. Why? Well, I think they were just better at it. So, several decades later, I wanted a return to that blues-driven sweet spot that Rolling Stones made their own. Shouldn’t their consistently pure, unique instrumentals and personality-filled vocals still be replicable in 2023? Nobody since the heyday version of the Rolling Stones has been able to capture that unique blues sound like they did, and unfortunately as I listened to Hackney Diamonds , that standard has yet to be met. The best blues moments are fleeting and scattered at best. Track 6, “Dreamy Skies” , track 10, “Tell Me Straight” , and track 12, “Rolling Stone Blues” give us a taste, and they’re some of my favorites on the album. But, that’s only 3/12 tracks. Instead, the Stones seem to have made a conscious choice for safe pop-rock. Aside from their brief blues departure later in the album and 2000s impression-rock track “Whole Wide World” (a bad song), they leaned into the 80s. Though this isn’t my favorite era of rock by any means, they were able to deliver a recognizable sound, albeit safe and far from unique. Flighty group vocal choruses, repetitive but consistent song structure, and the occasional guitar solo. After a few songs I knew exactly what to expect. “Angry” is the first song of the album, and it does a good job of setting the pop-rock tone. It may be the best example of their general aim for the album, though it’s hard to tell at times. Meanwhile “Bite My Head Off” (track 4), which supposedly features Sir Paul McCartney , is a perfect example of their formula falling flat. The Bridge Structure is not a bad thing. Though it often receives a negative connotation, it is a helpful tool for delivering a solid end product. I’ve had moments of frustration reviewing albums this year, as artists move further away from traditional pop structure - Verse, verse, bridge, verse - only to lose their way with underwhelming results. The Stones have it down. When I review albums, I take notes chronologically, adjusting my opinion on a song as it unfolds, usually finishing with ¾ lines of notes per track. In those notes I’m always sure to make a note of a good chorus, verse, or bridge. After marking down ‘BRIDGE’ for six of the first seven songs, I realized I should just mark it at the bottom of the page as its own category. Whether it be vocal, piano, guitar, or some combination of the three, the bridge is often the strongest stretch of a Hackney Diamonds song. This is entirely undervalued in music today, so I’m glad to see The Rolling Stones reviving it. No matter how good of a hook you have, no matter how good your verses are, no matter how engaging a song is, the audience may not want to hear it repeat itself 3-4 times with no interruption. Therefore, in order to venture over 2 verses or three minutes, a bridge is a necessity. “Mess It Up” for example, is redeemed, to an extent, by its bridge. Frankly, so is the album itself. The Vocals Can Mick J agger sing like he used to? I don’t know, he doesn’t really bother. For much of the album, the verses are straightforward, and the choruses are basic. While that does fit into their sound of choice much of the time, it was an unnecessary sacrifice of personality. There is a reason Jagger is one of the most famous frontmen/women of all time. He has a swagger as a vocalist and live performer, and his abilities are rarely topped. He’s comfortable, creative, and assertive on the microphone. The Rolling Stones are a historically cohesive, well-rehearsed unit of instrumentalists, but so were the Grateful Dead . What vaulted The Rolling Stones into superstardom was the man in the middle. I don’t expect him to wail on a track like he used to, but that swagger that gives them such an elite feel as a band was lacking this year. There is no real excuse for this. Johnny Cash, despite his comparatively limited vocal capabilities, actually elevated his performative repertoire on his final album. Jagger should’ve been able to at least replicate his own. Instead we have a vocally clean, yet flat album. That vocal cleanliness, in a vacuum, is no sin. However, there’s something fishy about it on Hackney Diamonds . It feels polished, literally, as though every single second of every song was doctored post-recording. And this wouldn’t surprise me. Autotune, aside from its obvious vocally altering capabilities, is also used to smooth out sl ight imperfections in performances. On My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman , Billie Eilish explains the practice of vocal comping. This is the recording of multiple takes, and splicing them together to create one perfect vocal performance. Whether the Stones were using one of these methods or something else, I’m not sure. All I know is there are noticeably unnatural portions of vocals on this album. In comparison, once again, to Johnny Cash, who leaned into his imperfections and weaknesses out of vulnerability, Jagger seems to have tried to hide his, at the cost of his own persona on the microphone. I’d give examples, but you can find them on almost every song. Let’s shift to the positives instead. The Strengths One step The Rolling Stones took to modernize their sound, which I actually appreciated, was the inclusion of features. While McCartney’s presence on track 4 is inconsequential, the other two features resulted in the strongest songs on the album. The first is “Live By The Sword” , featuring Elton John . This raucous track came out firing. Elton John is very present on piano, the pace is great, and Jagger's vocals feel more prominent. For the first time on the whole album I felt my foot tap. It’s a fun, well-executed song in their own style, in contrast to a song like “Get Close” , which has a similar aim but sounds more like The J. Geils Band than the Stones. Meanwhile, the best song on the album is more than just a fun time. Track 11, “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” , featuring Lady Gaga , is a total success. A classic Jagger lead-in sets a tone that strikes a perfect balance between fresh and vintage, especially as the Gaga accompanying vocals come in. She quietly harmonizes in the background, providing a lighter, more feminine edge to Mick Jagger’s most bold performance on the album. They combine to build the energy to a high point, then bring it down for Lady Gaga to handle the bridge alongside the piano, before building it up one final time to the finish. While the final build is a bit messy, it brings a genuine energy to the track and album that was desperately needed. Once again Lady Gaga proves herself to be an elite collaborator, and The Rolling Stones deliver an authentic performance that reminds us who they can still be. If there’s one thing I did have absolute confidence in, it’s this: The Rolling Stones’ ability to make an album. The first and last tracks were great choices, the album flowed fairly well and with a generally uniform sound, and it wasn’t too long. Despite the fact I didn’t enjoy every track, they all felt worthy of inclusion, in the context of the whole. That really goes a long way in my opinion. If your album flows all the way through and stands on its own as one cohesive musical composition, you can better hold the attention of an audience, even one that isn’t fully captivated. So that’s where I leave this review: on a positive. The Rolling Stones are one of the greatest bands of all time. The way the English language works, ‘are’ is the correct word. Because they still exist, they ‘are’ one of the greatest bands of all time, however everyone knows that they are now a different version of the band they once were: something closer to The Stationary Stones. All things considered though, Hackney Diam onds isn’t a failure. The vocals, while audibly tolerable, don’t really find an identity, at least not until the end, and the instrumentation is fairly safe. But, they took a chance on the features and landed two thirds of the record. And Stones successfully constructed a cohesive album, giving us songs with actual replay value in the year 2023 - 58 years after they first topped the American charts. So, summing it up as briefly as I can: it’s a mixed bag. Johnny Cash’s American IV: The Man Comes Ar ound is a 10/10. By the standard Johnny Cash s et in 2002, Hackney Diamonds is a 5.7/10.

Eilish & Cameron in 3D BY: DAWSON SARCONA feat. ITS, 5/6/2026 Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) is the latest concert film/documentary from a cross-generational collaboration between Billie Eilish and directing legend James Cameron. While this movie falls into some of the concert movie genre’s formulaic pitfalls, it stands out as one of the most immersive and visually pleasing cinematized performances I've ever seen. Let’s begin with perhaps the most technically difficult portion of this movie, the cinematography. Coming into a world tour, months in, with the goal of branding new 3D camera technology is a tall task. Even more so when you consider that these cameras must be placed in functional areas that don't restrict the actual onstage performance but capture usable, visually pleasing footage. That being said, Cameron, Eilish, and their teams executed flawlessly. There are endless shots in this movie that felt like pieces of artwork. Further, what really impressed me was the ability to capture scale and immerse the audience. The mix of wide-angle, high-definition cameras with new “Lightstorm Vision” 3D technology made the concert feel physically impactful in theaters, and the clarity of the pictures captured via 3D was astounding to me. I have never once felt more immersed in a concert film, and at times, I forgot about the spectacle of watching “a 3D movie” as it rather tricked my brain into a more holistic concert viewing experience. All of the great visual direction and setups aside, there are some issues I have with this movie. I will say flatly, I am not typically a big fan of concert movies. They’re just not really my type of film and they often struggle to grab my attention. This movie follows the stereotypical format of all films in this genre, cutting between concert performance footage and behind-the-scenes documentary-style clips. My biggest issue is the way the behind-the-scenes footage was cut together. There seemed to be almost no pattern to it, and there were scenes intercut into the middle of the film that would have done much better setting the stage earlier in the movie (rather than an actual time lapse of stage set-up to begin the film). I also would have loved to get into the weeds of how this tour functions from the crew side. The crew has feelings too. As for the music, as a casual fan of Billie Eilish and her overall sound, I had a lot of fun seeing the hits performed in cool ways and learning some of her songs I hadn't heard before. I can say that I came out of this movie more of a fan of Eilish (and Cameron). That being said, my reviews mostly focus on movies, so I'll briefly hand you over to a writer with larger ears, Ian Sherry. ~~~ Billie Eilish’s minimal bandstand matched her minimalist pop sound. A large rectangle with two dugouts near center-stage housed a bassist, guitarist, drummer, and a pair of backup singing sisters. That, plus an omnipresent backtrack and a loop pedal for “when the party’s over,” was all Eilish needed to move her audience to screaming tears. She was vocally tight, physically fit, swagger-laced, and on a scripted mission to provide the audience with the ultimate “Billie Eilish” experience. - ITS ~~~ Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I had a lot of fun with it, aside from some confusing editing choices that might have hindered some of the momentum. For a concert movie, I thought it was one of the best I’d come across, and I know this will be a smash hit for all die-hard Billie Eilish fans. I’d give this movie a 6 out of 10 on the scale of regular movies. But, with a film genre like this, that's so vastly different from the story-based films I'm used to reviewing, I feel like a different scale is more suitable for this venture. So that being said, when compared to the other films from the concert movie category, my final review for this movie is a 9 out of 10, and I would highly recommend it to fans of Eilish, Cameron, and the genre at large.

Even More Gecs (10,000) BY: Ian Sherry 4/1 /23 On March 17, 2023, 100 Gecs released their sophomore album 10,000 Gecs. Following the release of their debut album 1,000 Gecs, the St. Louis native duo, Laura Les and Dylan Brady, has become one of the most polarizing and impactful groups of the last five years. Hyperpop is a genre born from a combination of internet culture, and the mistaken notion that music can’t progress beyond its current stylistic barriers. In many ways it is the Gen Z equivalent of the punk movement of the mid-70s that serves to demolish the assumption that there are no more musical worlds to conquer. The impact of 100 Gecs on their audience is immeasurable, and I suspect their influence will be felt more and more in the mainstream over decades to come because of their impact on the young, underground scene. Despite all of this, 100 Gecs has much to prove entering 2023. Like many of the albums I review, they face numerous questions, but, unlike other reviews, their questions include: Is this real music? Will they use real instruments? And most importantly, what is a gec? Because their first album often sounds like it was composed using a microwave, autotune, amber alerts, and a drum machine, these questions aren’t unreasonable. And while they don’t care much about answering anyone’s questions regarding stylistic choices, 100 Gecs did a good job of cementing themselves as the ambitiously creative musicians that their audience swears by. As a listener it’s easy to dismiss the chaos of 100 Gecs as accidental, but I can assure you it’s a choice. They have a plethora of influences which only became more obvious with this year's release. Being from St. Louis, midwest emo is a natural inspiration for them, but they do a great job of incorporating elements of punk, pop-punk, and ska on this record; and for a group that can be intentionally offensive to the ears on occasion, they incorporate their various influences tastefully and in different ways. For instance “Hollywood Baby” is a straightforward emo-pop song. They enter a genre which suffers from over-replication and put their own spin on it. It’s simple but enjoyable and it was received very well, making it a great choice for one of their leading singles. They also include “Billy Knows Jamie”, a grinding punk song with wailing guitars, a variety of equally intense vocal deliveries, and a death metal break (if death metal can be considered a break) at the end of the song. “Billy Knows Jamie” is a shift in mood and lyrical content as well as music and it showcases their ability to convey emotion even with their unconventional sound. One observation, if not critique, of their first album was their only two moods were ecstatic highs and lows that cried for help. Along with their music, the emotion infused in every song has become more diverse. “Dumbest Girl Alive”, the first song on the album, gives a taste of that emotion. It provides a window into the performer’s struggles with self worth and does so very matter-of-factly. “I'm smarter than I look, I'm the dumbest girl alive”. They aren’t asking for pity, they’re giving an honest assessment of their character, however concerning it may be. 100 Gecs not only makes music young people enjoy, they accurately represent a problem that many internet-era teens struggle with, and they do so on a catchy track. Maybe the catchiest track on the entire album is “Doritos & Fritos”. It is the first taste of the ska on the 2023 record, something they haven’t shown much before but are clearly comfortable executing. It has that signature upbeat baseline of the 90s genre along with verses that flow really well and choruses that are perfectly timed. The guitar solo bridge adds to an already enjoyable song by keeping the energy going while also providing a welcome pause in the vocal action. However, what makes this song great to me, is the attention to detail in the production. Their previous album certainly didn’t lack excitement, but it did fail to provide breathing room in a lot of the tracks. The mixes often blended together because of the countless minute soundbytes mashed into a beat. “Doritos & Fritos” does a great job of using lengthier instrumental clips and an added focus on layering within the mix, to create a really full sound while falling short of overwhelming the listener or spiraling into sonic disorder. This is encouraging as a fan because it shows not only an improvement in skill level, but a willingness to shift their style without conforming or losing their sound. In true 100 Gecs fashion, the most emotionally raw track is called “I Got My Tooth Removed”. It’s a silly fun little song that incorporates the best parts of “Dumbest Girl Alive” and “Doritos & Fritos”, with both masked and forefront emotions to go with an upbeat experimental ska sound. It starts with an emotional, instrumentally stripped down, vocal intro that establishes the conflict (tooth removal) before jumping into the loud ska jam. The pace is fantastic, and once again, their variety of vocal deliveries are essential, along with the horns of the chorus that keep it moving along without becoming repetitive. However, what I like most is the tooth removal narrative. It is a metaphor for the inevitable end to a toxic relationship and they don’t try to hide it. Their choice to design the song how they did reflects the attitude of someone who is hinting at something heavy, but choosing to bury it in favor of positivity. The metaphor is present throughout the song but 100 Gecs' rarely emphasizes their lyrics or vocals, so the narrative can be easily ignored, and that is exactly what they want. 10,000 Gecs is a definite improvement. Despite the success of their debut, they had lots to work on, and that’s what they did. They improved their vocal skill and diversified their deliveries. They employed more airy, smooth production and layering, which made for more palatable sonic highpoints. Their songwriting vastly improved. And, they spread their influences and inspirations over the course of entire songs, instead of a matter of seconds. 100 Gecs, as pioneers of a young genre in need of refining, had a lot of responsibility to deliver in 2023, and even with “Frog On The Floor” (a straight up dumb song) they did. And for those concerned they may have changed too much, allow me to point you in the direction of “757”, “One Million Dollars”, and “mememe”. If it’s not for you that’s understandable, but Gecs will always be Gecs, don’t worry. There’s still room for improvement, and when stacked up against other big-time releases their lack of seriousness on some tracks can hold them back. But their ceiling is higher than they get credit for and I think they proved that this year. 10,000 Gecs is a 7.75/10.