Living in the Northeast can sometimes be a drag. Half the year it’s cold, and the other half is split between days it’s too hot to go outside and rain. This can make listening to music somewhat difficult for the simple fact that the weather can dictate your mood and certain music needs to be listened to in specific environments.
At the time of writing this, 3pm on Friday, March 19, is a beautiful day outside. It’s bright, sunny, and one of the first days we can walk outside and freeze your balls off. Today is the perfect day to take a drive, or a long walk and listen to all of the music that came out this week. Because it is a lot.
I have to start by saying this, a week like this makes it difficult to have a Top 5 of the week. That is what this article is about so I will constrain it to that. However, some weeks like this one I will have to add an honorable mention section. I also want to make sure all the readers give songs an equal opportunity, so I will begin to mention the songs that I listened to each week that may not have made either the Top 5 or Honorable mention lists.
You might think that this dilutes the integrity of this article because it is no longer just a Top 5, but rather an all-inclusive article of the music of the week. To that I say two things, first, I don’t care, I’m writing this and I’ll do what I want (get the reference?). Second, it’s not all-inclusive because there still is a Top 5 but even in sports when awarding the All-League team there are honorable mentions, and some weeks there will be needed.
Let’s start here, with the songs that were released this week that didn’t make either of the lists.
1) Snoop Dogg – CEO Single
2) Lil Tay ft Fivio, Polo G – Headshot single
3) D-Nice ft Neyo – No Plans For Love single
4) Guapdad 4000 – 1176 album
5) J Balvin – Tu Veneno single
So why didn’t any of these songs make the Top 5 or honorable mention? Each has there own reasons and I don’t want to spend too much time going into grave detail about each song, so I will simply say because for me, personally, they didn’t catch me the way the other songs did.
J Balvin had a good bop and rhythmic style to the song, but I don’t speak Spanish and because I don’t have any idea what he is saying, it wasn’t strong enough to crack the lists this week. Lil Tay and Snoop were both cool but didn’t tickle my fancy and I have heard better from both. D-Nice and Neyo were close, extremely close actually. This was the one I went back and forth with but in the end, I left it off this week because as good as it was I don’t see it being a song I will go back to like the others that made the list this week.
I had to create the honorable mention list this week because there were 7 songs that caught me this week and I can’t fit 7 into a Top 5. I guess I could be I do not want to do ties and having two separate ties or having three songs tie for one spot is stupid. This isn’t Trey’s Top 5ish on “Golic & Wingo.”
This weeks honorable mentions go to:
1) Lost Frequencies – Rise Single
2) Hunter Hayes – If You Change Your Mind single
These were two of the first songs I listened to this morning while driving to the studio and I was honestly surprised at how they had me moving in the car at 9 am. Hunter Hayes, who I don’t know much about and honestly thought was a country act, turned out to be more of a pop love song with a good uptempo beat. I’m also a sucker for an electric guitar solo, so when that hit during the bridge it solidified this as a top song for me this week. Unfortunately, it got beat out by some really good projects that followed.
Lost Frequencies is an artist that I was put on by my last girlfriend who absolutely loves this guy, to the point one of his songs she wants it to be her wedding song. Now, of course, I am not as big of a fan as that but I will admit he has grown on me and it isn’t just because of her influence, he has some good music. This dance track caught me more because of the lyrics and message of rising up and overcoming it just happened to have a great up-tempo beat to match.
I originally had both of these songs within my Top 5 list but I also listened to both of them before 10 am this morning and before any of the amazing full-length projects that were released.
The Top 5 this week really hits home for me. A mix of lyrical rap and R&R, two of my favorite genres of music.
I spoke about Benny last week when he released his single from this album. I feel bad that two weeks in a row I have to do this to Benny. I am a huge fan of everything he and Griselda do, he has just come out in two consecutive weeks where there were other strong releases and the R&B side of me took over. So again I have to say sorry Benny.
“La musica de Harry Fraud,” that’s all I should have to say…
You get one of the top rappers of today to do an entire album with one of the best and most talented hip-hop producers, there is no way you can miss it. And be sure, they didn’t miss. 9 songs and 28 minutes of straight hip-hop lyrics and metaphors that are rarely seen today. Add in Chinx, Fat Joe, 2 Chains, French Montana, Jim Jones, and Rick Hyde and as a hip-hop fan there isn’t much more I need to say.
“Me and Bono minus Gina, we like Tony and Manolo /Your dough short as Frodo, I’m at the register like “What’s the total?” (What’s that?)/ Since I kicked in the door I’ve been in go mode (It’s me, nigga) /She asked the same question like, “Why you never smilin’ in your photos?”/ The same reason Bobby went solo, this TEC shootin’ slow-mo”
“Y’all too loud when y’all walk in the rooms, it’s our presence/ My body language just as loud as my voice and they all catch it, uh/ All I do is look and that send them a small message/ Now that’s a boss, huh? (Huh) Y’all lil niggas got that word backwards”
Benny flexes his lyrical ability on every song on this album and shows off why he and Griselda are quickly taking over the hip-hop game. Real rap is back and Benny is apart of spearheading the movement. I feel bad to have to put him at number five again this week, there was just so much great R&B that I couldn’t justify having Benny any higher. I contemplated switching him and Kota but as a mid-20’s white kid from the suburbs of New Jersey I personally related to Kota’s album more and that is the only reason I have them placed the way I do.
Benny had an awesome album that has a lot of replay value and a lot of people will enjoy it over and over again. Or at least until he and/or Griselda release their next project, probably in the next month or two because they like to release an album every 6 weeks. But due to its subject matter, it’s not something that relates to me as much as some other albums this week. Benny comes in at number five again this week much to my own dismay.
I may have to find a way to do a make-up call for Benny and/or Griselda at some point for having Benny at number five two weeks in a row.
I am going to guess that not many of you have heard of Kota The Friend. Where that is wrong and you should because he has been killing it for a while now, I understand because he may not be considered to be the biggest name in hip-hop right now. At any rate, teaming up with Statik Selektah for anyone can never go wrong. “To Kill A Sunrise,” is not only a unique title for an album but is also one that catches your eye when scrolling through whatever DSP you use.
I am not a fan of this saying but it’s the perfect way to describe this album, “This album is a vibe!” From front to back, this is a great lyrical hip-hop album that only has one feature. Kota flows his way through the storytelling on every song and doesn’t have one miss on this album.
The only knock I could say about this album is this is true hip-hop, storytelling, lyrical album that is going to take multiple listens to fully get everything Kota is saying. Don’t get me wrong, this is in no way, shape, or forms a bad thing by any means, but the type of artist and rap music that this generation has got accustomed to doesn’t fit the greatness Kota put together here. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this album and don’t really anything bad to say, but I can see why the kids listening to rap today wouldn’t mesh with this album.
“Swore I was a rookie, I took his queen with a bishop/ People always comin’ at me sideways, king/ You niggas pawns, I’m with Hov and Nas controlling the board” Chess lyrics, who uses chess lyrics? Kota does.
Kota is the friend that hip-hop needs and that everyone should listen to. If you are a true fan of real hip-hop (yes this is real hip-hop and we can argue if you want) you will enjoy this album from front to back with no skips.
This album comes in at number four for me this week simply because the R&B albums and songs that came out were so incredibly strong that I couldn’t personally justify putting anything above them no matter how much I love this album or any of the hip-hop/rap songs that were released. Kota did a fantastic job on this and shouldn’t be overlooked, but as an R&B head that is always in my feelings and emotions, this couldn’t only move up so far.
“Silhouettes in the moonlight” is an incredible way to begin a song. K Michelle is a beast! I don’t know what the K stands for, but I can only assume Killer for the way she has been murdering these songs. Speaking to true love this song is a masterpiece of lyrics, imagery, and singing ability. I am a K Michelle fan from her last album where she flipped, “Can you stand the rain,” by New Edition, and ever since then for me she can do no wrong.
“Our love is a natural mystique glowing in the clouds…Feels like the sky is watching you and I.”
“Cause I need you like I need air/I swear I see it crystal clear/you turn my world upside down.”
The lyrics make a love story come to life. She takes you for a ride of an entire love story in less than 3 minutes and you feel every single word she sings. With a riff that is to die for at the end (yes I made the stank face when I heard it), she delivers in every single way with this track.
This is one of those tracks that for me could easily be number one on my list, the only reason that it isn’t is that there were two other incredibly strong albums that had multiple songs that gave me this same feel. The saying two is better than one is not always true when it comes to music, but for this week multiple strong songs puts you ahead on my list, and because of that K Michelle comes in at number 3 this week.
Have you heard of Joyce Wrice? If the answer is no then you need to stop reading this and go listen to her right now, I’ll wait…
Now that you’re back let me share with you the gift that is “Overgrown,” her latest album. Joyce is amazing and so is this album. The features on this alone would blow you away (Lucky Daye, Freddie Gibbs, Westside Gunn, Kaytranada, Masegoo, UMI), but how they mesh with her and her sound is impeccable. And she is not even on all of the songs these features are! Some of the features have their own personal interludes by themselves. I didn’t even know that was a thing if it wasn’t your album. Let me tell you, this works.
Another great R&B love album made me an even bigger fan of hers than I already was. Seeing the “On One,” video last week I was waiting for what was to come next and to my pleasant surprise, it was this awesome album.
“When you hit me I be going through it…gamble all my time, I don’t play with it..yeah I’ll roll the dice on you baby…i hit a seven you can swing my way…and while you’re at it you can get a little taste.” Who doesn’t love sexual innuendo lyrics to a pop-R&B beat. “Im usually quick to cut it off but with you I can’t choose…if I switch it up fast on you baby you lose…but I really wanted that what’s a girl to do…sometimes I want to cut it off but with you I can choose” This song is amazing and from last week when it first came out I am still listening to it. Grammy Nominated Freddie Gibbs adds his incredibleness to the third verse to set it off even more.
“So So Sick,” the other stand-out song for me on this album is great too. When I first saw the name I figured it was going to be a play on Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” but it wasn’t at all. I can’t say I wasn’t a little disappointed by that because I think a Ne-Yo flip by Joyce would have been something I can’t even begin to put into words but nonetheless this song was still incredible.
“But when I move on and find somebody new/ Give em all the love that you could’ve had/ had to cut you off ow you got it bad/ now you so sick I’m with somebody new/ had to step back no hard feelings babe/ I just don’t think we want the same thing.” Now if you tell me that you have never been in this position you’re definitely lying, and when you hear these lyrics if they don’t bring you back to when your girl/boyfriend told you this, you have no heart.
Joyce has a hit on her hands with this album. For me, it comes in at number two for the simple fact that Bieber’s album hit a different chord (pun intended) with me emotionally that not much else could compete with. Don’t get me wrong I am still playing this album as much as Bieber’s and even K Michelle’s single that I mentioned earlier, but this is an eighth of a notch below Bieber’s and because of that it landed at my number two for this week.
Let’s get this out of the way first, this album is not number one on my list this week because it is Justin Bieber. Personally, I am not the biggest Bieber fan and his last album didn’t do much for me. BUT THIS ONE HERE – THIS ONE HERE – IS A BANGER! Justin got in his bag for the entire album, and I absolutely loved every second of it. The MLK splices were a little weird for me with the album not really being a social activist album but I am not going to dwell on that in the slightest.
Starting off with the acoustic song “2 Much” was not how I expected this to start but I couldn’t have been happier. “Dont wanna close my eyes scared I’ll miss too much/ Don’t wanna fall asleep I’d rather fall in love/ When I can’t feel you I feel out of touch/ 2 seconds without you is like 2 months/ Dont wanna close my eyes scared I’ll miss too much.” How can you not love that hook?
As you have probably noticed from last week and how I speak about the records this week, a love song hits a different spot with me. I will take a love song over any other song any day of the week, but we all know that not all love songs are good. Every love song on this album is tremendous and has been played by me at least 3 times in the last two days.
“Unstable,” “Hold On, “ and “Ghost,” are my other 3 stand-out records on this album. The other songs are incredible too but these were a notch above.
“I tried to scare you, scare you away/ when I was broken in pieces you were my peace of mind/ ya you loved me when I was unstable/ never judged me when I was unable to love myself, trust myself.” This hits home for me because of what I went through in my last relationship but even to someone who may not have been there you can still feel the pain in his voice and feel the emotions that would come along with these feelings. Kid Laroi adds a great verse to this second acoustic song that pushes it over the edge for me.
“I know you crossed a bridge that I cant follow…since the love that you left is all that I get, I want you to know that if I can’t be close to you, I’ll settle for the ghost of you/ I miss you more than life/ and if you can’t be next to me your memory is ecstasy.” Tell me by just reading those lyrics you don’t catch a feeling or get chills. If you do I will tell you you’re lying and to go listen to the song because you can’t fully understand without hearing these words in song form.
I’m not going to keep going through this entire album because I could probably write an entire article on how great this album is. How great the songs are, how great the lyrics are, how much emotion is in this, and how Justin and the features are able to capture you right away and keep you for the full 16 songs and 45 minutes.
GO LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM!! You’ll quickly see why this is the number one choice for me this week, without a doubt, head and shoulder above the rest.
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