Continuing the streaming-fueled trend of adding essentially an entire album onto an existing project as the deluxe version, emo-trap star Trippie Redd extends his already overstuffed Pegasus album to a ridiculous 40 songs in length. The difference this time is that the new project is far from more of the same – Redd has completely … Continue reading Trippie Redd – Pegasus: Neon Shark vs Pegasus Presented By Travis Barker
Pentatonix – The Lucky Ones
Globally dominant a cappella quintet Pentatonix mercifully toss aside the Christmas covers – is everyone aware that they have FOUR Christmas albums? – and return with their second ever set of originals and first since their self-titled 2015 album. Once a boundlessly creative group, their transformation into grandmother-approved background music mainstays has essentially lessened the … Continue reading Pentatonix – The Lucky Ones
Various Artists – Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album
This might be a music blog, but we’re deep into Oscar season – and a star-studded soundtrack from one of the year’s frontrunning films has broken into the public consciousness in a big way. Curated by all-star hip-hop producer Hit-Boy, a wide array of rap and R&B’s young rising stars and absolute legends come together … Continue reading Various Artists – Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album
Pooh Shiesty – Shiesty Season
21-year-old Memphis rapper Pooh Shiesty’s explosive rise to fame has made him one of the year’s first overnight sensations, and he’s now released his debut commercial mixtape to back up the rising tide of hype. A protégé of Gucci Mane and frequent guest on the compilations that his label, 1017 Records, put together, it’s incredibly … Continue reading Pooh Shiesty – Shiesty Season
Foo Fighters – Medicine at Midnight
Another very quiet week and another older band coming through with the week’s most popular album. Seattle hard rock legends Foo Fighters have been drawing widely mixed receptions in the latter part of their career as they begin incorporating aspects of other genres into their work, and their landmark tenth studio album is no different. … Continue reading Foo Fighters – Medicine at Midnight
Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams
20-year-old singer-songwriter and poet Arlo Parks has been attracting critical attention in her home country of the UK for a couple years now, and she’s managed to bring that energy across the Atlantic just in time for her debut studio album. With a deeply soulful sound drawing influences from funk and jazz yet recorded in … Continue reading Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams
Weezer – OK Human
Much like my discovery of The Strokes’ excellent The New Abnormal album last year, an extremely quiet week in terms of sales numbers likely catapults another album I typically would have avoided a formal review of onto my end of year list. I’ll admit to not following legendary rock outfit Weezer’s entire career as closely … Continue reading Weezer – OK Human
Lil Skies – Unbothered
While we continue to wait for 2021’s first truly high-impact album, emo-trap artist Lil Skies releases his sophomore studio project on a relatively quiet week. After joining a wave that was at its commercial peak and doing some impressive numbers with his 2019 debut, Shelby, Skies has seemingly fallen off of the public radar a … Continue reading Lil Skies – Unbothered
Anuel AA & Ozuna – Los Dioses
Perhaps jumping on the bandwagon kickstarted by Latin trap titans Bad Bunny and J Balvin teaming up on a collaborative project last year, two of the genre’s B-tier names (to North American audiences at least) have elected to do the same. Anuel AA has always been a bit of a lite version of Bad Bunny … Continue reading Anuel AA & Ozuna – Los Dioses
ZAYN – Nobody Is Listening
Perhaps returning with a title that’s a little too on the nose, the most elusive former member of OneDirection’s third studio album is here. Famously averse to the public eye and seemingly perfectly fine with not achieving the same level of success as some of his other former bandmates, ZAYN has been busy living an … Continue reading ZAYN – Nobody Is Listening
