Album Review: Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever

Few debut albums receive as much acclaim and praise as Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? did, as she won 7 Grammy awards and frequented the top of the charts for months after its release. That project caught the industry by storm because of its eery aesthetic, stellar production, and incredibly well-written lyrics. As unique and interesting as it was, the project also reflected Eilish’s shockingly young age with multiple pop culture references and sometimes playful delivery. Eilish’s notoriety and recognition has expanded exponentially since her debut, leaving many wondering which direction she would take for her sophomore album. Lead singles with a clearly defined new approach, subdued instrumentation, and matured subject matter set the stage for a rollout that took me completely by surprise. Completely different than its predecessor but with just as stellar production and sound, Happier Than Ever could understandably be called a step up for an artist who has already proven that she has what it takes to rightfully call herself an international superstar.

“Getting Older” is a completely different direction as an opener than “Bad Guy”, allowing Eilish to catch her listeners up on her mental state since her last release with piercing lyrics and honesty. Lines like “Things I once enjoyed just keep me employed now / things I’m longing for someday I will be bored of” are direct and succinctly reflect the existential realizations Eilish continues to make as she has more music industry experience under her belt. “I Didn’t Change My Number” takes more of a confident and braggadocious tone, as Eilish continues to express her growing confidence as a person and an artist. Finneas’s production shines this track, allowing his sister’s delivery to flow seamlessly with a minimal but hard-hitting backing instrumental. The abrasive production toward the end of the track keeps me coming back for more. “Billie Bosa Nova” is a sensual, understated track that depicts the story of a mysterious meetup. Eilish’s storytelling ability shines through here, which is a refreshing change of pace for a writer who often leans more on imagery than narrative. We’ve heard “my future” already, and luckily it fits very well into the tracklisting sonically and thematically. This track also allows Eilish to show her vocal range and control very well.

“Oxytocin” is an immediate standout that could’ve easily functioned as a great lead single for the project. The closest thing this album has to a club banger, this track is eery, moody, and uptempo in all the best ways. Eilish moves on to explore a more creative approach with “GOLDWING”, which is a two-part track that opens with the hymnal, choral delivery and religious imagery that transitions into a more hard-hitting song by the end of its brief runtime. “Lost Cause” was another lead single, and its slippery bass line is still completely addictive. The energy that the lead singles lacked is made up for by the accompanying tracks on this album, and that more understated delivery makes more sense in the context of the project. “Halley’s Comet” is a very emotional piano ballad that, along with the following track, gives pause to an album that is already moving full steam ahead. I’m a sucker for slower, introspective tracks, so while this may be too much of a downer for some, it’s luckily right up my alley.

“Not My Responsibility” feels like an interlude in the tracklisting despite its nearly 4-minute runtime. On this track, Eilish uses spoken word to confront the amalgamated collective of judgmental figures that have critiqued her as an artist and a person since she was a teenager. She directly acknowledges the “controversy” behind what she wears and how she looks, which I commend as a bold, confident, and necessary statement that applies not just to her, but to all women who are unjustly judged for their appearance and expression. Finneas then works his magic by transitioning this track effortlessly into “OverHeated”, which is another highlight (of many) here.

I thought that “Everybody Dies” would culminate in a more poignant message by its end, and while I enjoyed this track, I think that it could’ve been given more thought and attention. Perhaps this is just because all of its surrounding tracks are just so refined and impressive. The next three tracks are all singles, and all fit well together, especially as the impactful “NDA” flows triumphantly into the upbeat “Therefore I Am”. Finneas really knows what he’s doing, doesn’t he?

This album’s title track is quickly becoming my favorite piece of music Billie Eilish has released thus far. The two-part track mirrors the structure of Phoebe Bridgers’ “I Know The End”, which was one of my favorite songs last year. Eilish contemplates a failed relationship and how she has coped with it ending in the album’s first half, backed by simple acoustics. The second half of this track is simply astounding, as electric guitars pair with Eilish’s passionate and overcharged delivery. This track is so incredibly well-written and assembled that it makes me reassess Eilish’s ceiling as an artist, which now feels non-existent. Pair this with such a great music video, and you have a nearly perfect track. “Male Fantasy” is a wonderfully melancholic closer that allows Eilish to acknowledge the industry’s shortcomings and a male-centric society that she has had to continue to try to overcome as a young woman paving her own path. All in all, this is another great track on an already amazing album.

While the drawn-out rollout for this project left me slightly concerned with its direction, its actual release completely relieved any worries I had. Billie and Finneas have once again struck gold with their homegrown musical genius, proving that their debut success was anything but an anomaly. Creatively, Eilish is charting unnavigated waters at such a young age - and I can’t wait to continue to watch her growth as an artist. Her concert can’t come soon enough.

Favorite tracks: “Getting Older”, “Billie Bossa Nova”, “my future”, “Oxytocin”, “GOLDWING”, “Lost Cause”, “Halley’s Comet”, “OverHeated”, “Your Power”, “NDA”, “Happier Than Ever”, “Male Fantasy”

SCORE: 8/10

Album Review: Call Me If You Get Lost - Tyler, The Creator

After the release of his two most recent albums Flower Boy and IGOR, fans and critics wondered which direction Tyler, The Creator would take his music next. The critical acclaim and mainstream recognition that these projects received were bittersweet for Tyler, as his genius was finally being acknowledged but the pressure was mounting for his next project to deliver. Artists who are able to consistently raise their own standards while exploring new sounds should be praised, and that is exactly what Tyler does on Call Me If You Get Lost. Each of his projects has a unique aesthetic, rollout, and mood, giving listeners a unique experience every time a new album is released. Just as expected, this newest project is quite an experience.

Tyler has mastered the art of the album rollout. Often announcing new projects just weeks out from their release date, he is able to immediately establish the album’s aesthetic and vibe for fans to analyze. The lead singles “LUMBERJACK” and “WUSYANAME” were great selections, as they capture the essence of the album without showing the best that it has to offer prematurely. The artsy era of Flower Boy transformed into the mysterious and alter ego defined IGOR, and now Tyler has come full circle with essentially a matured version of what put him in the first place, sprinkled with the personalized motifs and sounds that he has created.

The album implements skits, features, and shorter transitional tracks well to bridge bangers together. The album isn’t as cohesive of an experience as an IGOR, but it didn’t set out to be; instead, Call Me If You Get Lost is a traditional rap and hip-hop project that allows Tyler to return to spitting bar after bar as he did in the Cherry Bomb and Wolf days. We see this right away with tracks like “CORSO” and “LEMONHEAD”, which incorporate noisy and industrial-type beats that complement Tyler’s delivery perfectly.

The album isn’t top-heavy, either, with the tracks toward the middle delivering just as much as the openers. Lil Wayne’s feature on “HOT WIND BLOWS” is one of his best in years, Tyler absolutely snaps on “MASSA”, and intricate lyrical schemes are found all throughout “RUNITUP”. For fans more interested in the longer, episodic tracks that Tyler has gotten so good at writing in recent years, “SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE” absolutely delivers. Somehow, this track feels familiar and brand new at the same time.

“RISE!” and “BLESSED” are solid tracks, but feel unnecessary for an album that could have been refined to create a complete experience as IGOR did. The closing, tracks, however, make up in some part for these shortcomings. “JUGGERNAUT” features incredible industrial production from Pharrell Williams, who absolutely blesses Tyler here. “WILSHIRE” is a compelling story, and its 8:35 runtime goes by in a flash. “SAFARI” is a strong final track that lets Tyler go harder than he has on previous closers.

Overall, Tyler yet again delivers the project that I didn’t know I wanted from him. While less cohesive and experimental than IGOR, Call Me If You Get Lost is a unique and well-executed rap album that sees Tyler continuing to mature artistically and musically. This will be on a heavy rotation for the summer. What did you think of this project?

Favorite Tracks: “CORSO”, ““LEMONHEAD”, “WUSYANAME”, “LUMBERJACK”, “HOT WIND BLOWS”, “MASSA”, “RUNITUP”, “SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE”, “JUGGERNAUT”, “WILSHIRE”, “SAFARI”

SCORE: 8/10

Best Foot Forward: A Sneaker Series (Part 13)

I am extremely pleased to bring back one of my favorite series on this blog today with the thirteenth installation of my sneaker series Best Foot Forward. I’ve been fortunate enough in the past few months to add sneakers to my collection that I’ve lusted over for years. Ranging from luxury designer options to iconic athletic silhouettes, the four pairs featured today fit nicely into my collection and will fit into my summer rotation very nicely.

Pair 1 (Upper Left): Saint Laurent Paris Jodhpur in Brown Suede

The Jodhpur silhouette has been imitated countless times by fast fashion brands looking to recapture the essence of the boot that Hedi Slimane made so famous during his time at Saint Laurent Paris. Its sizable heel, soft-to-the-touch suede, and elegant shape are only possible with the quality and craftsmanship that SLP has to offer. I chose the brown suede colorway because it fits well into my wardrobe, which is mainly made up of understated and neutral pieces. Can’t get enough of this pair.

Pair 2 (Lower Left): Maison Margiela GAT Replica in White + Gum

The Maison Margiela German Army Trainer Replica has quickly become one of my favorite go-to sneaker models for both casual and more formal occasions. Whether I’m tossing these on to go grocery shopping or to go to the office, the GAT Replica is an extremely comfortable and visually appealing sneaker. The White + Gum colorway is one of the most iconic and recognizable on this pair, so I had to scoop them once I found a sale online. I’ll be wearing these all summer long.

Pair 3 (Upper Right): Nike Air Max 90 “Infrared”

I regretted selling my Infrared Air Max 90s for years after buying and then selling them in high school. When they released last year, I was lucky enough to win a pair through the SNKRS app, which as all sneakerheads know, is a rare occurrence. My favorite Air Max of all time, the AM90 pops with its Infrared accents. I usually turn to these for more casual looks, whether pairing them with sweatshorts or ripped jeans on the weekends. Can’t go wrong here.

Pair 4 (Lower Left): Air Jordan 6 Retro X Travis Scott “British Khaki”

One of my favorite rappers collaborated on one of my favorite Jordan models in a colorway right up my alley. How could I say no? Cactus Jack, more widely known as Travis Scott, brings his eclectic and outlandish style to this pair with furry suede, bright infrared accents, hidden pouches, and a playful glow-in-the-dark sole that channels the pairs I grew up wearing as a kid. These definitely fit into my wardrobe and aesthetic and definitely turn heads along the way.

I’m lucky to be able to continue growing my sneaker collection pair by pair. A focus on quality over quantity means I don’t add pairs quite as often, but make sure that the ones that I do are up to my standards. Which of these four is your favorite? Thanks for reading.

Album Review: The Off-Season - J. Cole

Fayetteville, North Carolina native J. Cole has established himself as one of the strongest rappers in the genre’s modern era. The self-described “middle child” of hip-hop, Cole embodies the aesthetics of modern styles while staying true to the roots of rap. The result of this dedication is a philosophical, lyrically talented artist with well-produced beats and a contemporary delivery. In the lead-up to The Off-Season, Cole released two singles and a viral freestyle on LA Leakers, along with a mini-documentary that captured the recording process for this newest project. These teasers had fans excited, expecting Cole to return to form and to deliver one of his strongest albums yet. Luckily, that is exactly what we received, as this 12 track offering clearly demonstrates Cole’s maturation and growth as an artist with many great songs to choose from.

Cole wastes no time setting the stage for things to come with the project’s opening track “9 5 . s o u t h”, which features lyrical accompaniments from Cam’ron and Lil Jon. A hard-hitting bass pairs well with Cole as he spits bar after bar, introducing the audience to his newly refined and intricate skills. The one-liners are strong right off the bat, with “Krispy Kreme dreams, sometimes my dogs wanna kill 12” standing out. “a m a r i” is a strong second song, featuring more of a modern and casual delivery style from Cole who still comes off as hungry. Again, we see him switch things up with autotuned and sung sections throughout. “m y . l i f e (with 21 Savage & Morray)” is one of my favorites on the album, utilizing its features incredibly well. The instrumental here reminds me of 21 Savage’s “a lot”, and goes very smoothly with his verse. Each artist discusses the benefits of persevering through hardship, which is something both of them have had to do throughout their careers and lives.

“a p p l y i n g . p r e s s u r e” sees Cole reflecting on the insincerity of rappers who tout false wealth through material goods without having the funds to justify them. The instrumental is somewhat one-dimensional here for me, so I’m glad this track is less than 3 minutes long. “p u n c h i n ‘ . t h e . c l o c k” is another short track that lets Cole discuss the many hours he has put into his craft, featuring an audio soundbite of a Damian Lillard interview, which is one of the many basketball references found throughout the album. This makes sense considering that Cole is now playing basketball professionally in Africa. “1 0 0 . m i. l ‘ (with Bas)” features Cole reflecting on how far his music has come despite his previous successes, which haven’t discouraged him from still always refining what he does best.

“p r i d e . i s . t h e . d e v i l . (with Lil Baby)” is one of my favorite songs on the album, featuring the same instrumental as Aminé’s “Can’t Decide”. As the title suggests, this song discusses the damaging nature of pride in different social environments. The transitional handoff to Lil Baby’s feature is seamless and thoroughly impressive, as he becomes one of my favorite feature artists as of late. “l e t . g o . m y . h a n d . (with Bas & 6LACK) is one of the most substantively mature songs on the project, echoing the themes of “4 Your Eyez Only”. Cole reflects on his doubts and fears, and what it’s like to be the father of a Black son in America. This is another great track.

We heard the next two songs before the album’s release, and luckily “i n t e r l u d e” and “t h e . c l i m b . b a c k” still hold up well in the project’s tracklisting. “c l o s e” reflects on a friend who fell into the pitfalls of drugs, but unfortunately this track is less than memorable to me for some reason - something’s missing on the penultimate song. Finally, the closer “h u n g e r . o n . h i l l s i d e (with Bas)” ties up any loose ends wonderfully. Here, Cole declares that he will always be the same person no matter how far his artistic career takes him. Bas closes the project with fantastic contributions, and Cole’s hard work proves paid off.

The Off-Season is a lot of what I wanted from a new J. Cole project. He has clearly reflected on what works for him as an artist, refining and practicing his craft to produce introspective, hard-hitting songs with lyrical depth and complexity and mass appeal, but there is still room to grow. It seems that he will soon be dedicating more of his time to pursuing other forms of expression besides rap, but I don’t think this is Cole’s final project. I highly suggest that you check this album out, as it’s my favorite of his since 2014 Forrest Hills Drive.

Favorite tracks: “9 5 . s o u t h”, “a m a r i”, “m y . l i f e (with 21 Savage & Morray)”, “a p p l y i n g . p r e s s u r e”, “1 0 0 . m i l ‘ (with Bas)”, “p r i d e . i s . t h e . d e v i l (with Lil Baby)”, “l e t . g o . m y . h a n d (with Bas & 6LACK)”, “i n t e r l u d e”, “h u n g e r . o n . h i l l s i d e (with Bas)”

SCORE: 7/10

An Update

Hey there! Long time no blog. Despite my best efforts to maintain a schedule airtight enough to get everything done and allow time for me to indulge my hobbies while getting enough sleep, the past month was relentlessly busy and, because of that, you haven’t heard from me recently. But now that the craziest of times have more or less passed, I have returned with an update as to where I’ve been and where I’d like to take this blog in the coming months. Generally, things are going excellently well, and even though I regret not posting for a month, I am ecstatic for why that just wasn’t feasible, and I’m excited for you to hear why today.

A lot has happened in the past four weeks. Let’s retrace my steps in chronological order, starting with the fact that I have found and moved into a wonderful new apartment with my amazing girlfriend. The hunt for the perfect place mirrored the ways I often find major life milestones- without looking very hard for them. We had done plenty of online research for apartments, narrowing down square footage and amenities while looking for areas within our budget. After a disappointing tour at another complex, Kaylyn and I decided not to end the day on a low note and to instead go to the nearest community just to look. When we pulled into the gated community right up the road just next to Chastain Park in North Buckhead, we knew we were home. Beautiful tree coverage, protective security measures, and a young vibe checked all of the boxes for what we wanted. The unit itself is fantastic, with two spacious bedrooms, a cozy patio, a modern kitchen, and a big living room that we’re already filling with furniture. The Georgia State University Lofts and Patton Hall were a great home for four years, but we are delighted and ready for a change and an upgrade.

Why were we moving in the first place, you ask? We just graduated college. It still feels a bit strange to type that on the keyboard or say it out loud, but it’s true nonetheless. I have earned my Bachelor’s degree in English, graduating with high honors as Magna Cum Laude. My time at GSU will stay with me forever. Lifelong friends, great memories, and so many interesting courses gave me a unique and irreplaceable college experience that I’m forever grateful for. I leave Georgia State Panther strong, ready to make my mark on the world.

Unpacking boxes, hosting gatherings, working full-time, and finding time enough for myself and loved ones has been a task to behold recently. But as things begin to settle down and I get to transition into the next phase of life, it is promising to look forward and to plan the next steps. As far as my blog goes, I want to set a reasonable and sustainable goal that won’t add pressure to me creating content here. For now, I am going to aim for one blog post per week. That includes more album reviews, more style spotlight posts (I may have just purchased some long-awaited pieces - don’t worry, I’m still saving my $), and plenty of other favorites of mine to feature here. It’s good to practice, and it makes me happy to do what I love.

Thanks for sticking around and caring enough to read through this update of mine. Everything that is happening is hitting me in waves, but I don’t think it has all fully registered yet. I have enjoyed every second of these formative milestone occasions. I am ready and confident to step into the next chapter in stride. I have felt more gratitude and support in recent weeks than ever before, and I am endlessly grateful for my circumstances and who I have in my life. With all of that being said, it’s good to be back.