Cordavision Music Reviews

Katy Perry has been stuck in a rut as of late. Once the biggest pop star ever, Katy Perry’s career has sort of died down within the past few years, mainly because of the lukewarm reception her last album Witness . Sure, Witness has its supporters, but nearly all critics and even some of her fans largely considered it to be a massive disappointment. It just seemed like Katy’s music hasn’t been too hot since Prism and Teenage Dream . Now, after taking a break and being a judge on American Idol, she’s back with her fifth studio album, Smile . I enjoyed the lead single from this, “Never Really Over,” quite a bit, so I figured that I should give this a listen. Let’s get into Smile and see if it lives up to the hype. Smile is a pop album with electronic, synth-pop, reggae, and disco influences. Now, this album has gotten a mild response from critics for playing it way too safe, and I agree with that to an extent. I feel like this album is very… boring. There’s not a lot of things to say

I’ve been on a K-pop/J-pop kick throughout today, if I’ll be honest with you. There’s just a vibe about it I just really enjoy. I think it was that new BLACKPINK/Selena Gomez song that did it. Now, this isn’t a K-pop or J-pop album, but I had heard this album a couple weeks back, and I really wanted to write about it. This just got lost in the shuffle because of all the different requests I’ve gotten and all the new releases I’m trying to keep up with, and I’m so glad I get to talk about this now. This is Kero Kero Bonito, an indie trio from the U.K., which is fronted by lead singer Sarah Bonito. While they’ve blown up a little more since their debut, which I’ll be reviewing here, this is where they truly made an audience. Their debut album Bonito Generation ended up being one of the biggest breakout hits of 2016, and we’re about to get into what’s so unique about this record. Let’s go. Bonito Generation is an indie album with electronic, pop, bubblegum bass, and J-Pop influences. Ma

In the Internet age, anyone can become a star at any moment. They could just have a video or a song that lands with the public, and then they become instantly popular for however long they choose to be. One of those artists was Clairo. The alternative genre isn’t my favorite of all time, but after hearing “Pretty Girl” for the first time, I knew that she was going to be a star. That ended up happening, and with her debut album Immunity , she ended up working with Rostam Batmanglij, a former member of Vampire Weekend, for a majority of the record. So, is Immunity a good debut? Let’s see for ourselves. Immunity is an alternative album with dream-pop, indie, and electronic influences. The best thing about this record is Clairo’s voice. I’m infatuated with the dreamy vibe and sound that she has, and the instrumentation that’s throughout this album really back my claim up. Yes, this is kind of the samey lo-fi indie songs that could be running rampant on Tumblr, but I feel like this is the

As of late, Playboi Carti has been messing with his fans. Whether it’s intentional or not, I personally can’t take his antics anymore. While I can get the appeal of an artist like a Playboi Carti or a Lil Uzi Vert, they just aren’t for me. Playboi Carti’s fanbase are scraping at the bottom of the barrel for content that isn’t a leak or baby-Carti, which he used on his last solo single “@ Meh” and last feature, “Pain 1993” with Drake earlier this year. This voice, to me, is a ‘pain’ to listen to. Since I started in April, I’ve gotten many requests to look over Carti’s music, his most recent album Die Lit in particular. So, lo and behold, I listened to Die Lit , and if you wanna know my thoughts on it, just keep on reading. Die Lit is a trap album. So, one thing I can say right off the bat is that I really like this sound palette. The beats on this album are very intoxicating. Pi’erre Bourne, Art Dealer, and Donald Cannon are among the producers here, but Pi’erre Bourne is the main pro

blackbear has always been in the wallpaper of the music scene. Nothing has really made him stand out, but he’s made a lot of relatively catchy songs that I can admit to liking, but not having on my playlist or anything. Either way, he has a new album out called everything means nothing. I think there have been quite a few singles from this, and that sometimes means that albums can be quite front-loaded with hits. Let’s get into everything means nothing and see what it’s like. everything means nothing is a rap album with R&B, alternative, pop, and the occasional emo influences. Let’s just get the cat out of the bag here: this album is bad. This album, and blackbear’s music in general, is the epitome of white people rap. The exact image I have in mind is a college party full of white people drinking White Claw and smoking weed, calling the whole atmosphere a ‘vibe.’ That’s the image, so let me give you the sound. The writing on this album has the emotional state of a man desperate

Nas needs no introduction at all. He’s one of the greatest to ever do it, but even his biggest fans can agree that he’s always been inconsistent since his first two albums, Illmatic and It Was Written . Since then, he just hasn’t been able to replicate the quality and even the sales of those two albums, but he’s always been putting out enjoyable music since then. What was supposed to be his big comeback in 2018’s NASIR was taken over by Kanye West’s ‘Wyoming Sessions’ and ended up being a major disappointment. Now, in this tumultuous year, Nas is back with King’s Disease , his official comeback album, which is entirely produced by the legendary Hit-Boy. Let’s get into King’s Disease and see how it is. King’s Disease is a conscious hip-hop album. I mentioned that Nas’s album quality has gone down, but what hasn’t changed is his rapping and performances. On that front, he’s been very consistent, but what’s always plagued him is his production choices. He’s never been rapping over the

Tyler, the Creator is one of my favorite artists of all time. Sure, he might’ve had a rough start, but his past two albums Flower Boy and IGOR are some of my favorite albums ever. For this, though, we gotta go back to 2015. Tyler’s third studio album, the polarizing Cherry Bomb , has dropped, and on a couple different songs, there’s one artist featured named Kali Uchis. I hadn’t known who she was, and her performances struck me as a little experimental, but very forward. She was featured again on Flower Boy , and I was hooked. She also appeared on Gorillaz’s comeback record Humanz , but we don’t really talk about that album. Either way, her debut album Isolation was right around the corner, and I ended up listening to it. So, as I relistened to the album for this review, did Isolation age as well as everyone thinks it does? Let’s get into it and find out! Isolation is an R&B album with neo-soul, bossa nova, reggaeton, hip-hop, funk, and bedroom pop influences. Now, a word that

Rich Brian has always been an interesting figure in music to me. Only three years ago, he was learning English off of the internet, uploading YouTube videos like ‘how to microwave #bread,’ and making his breakout hit “Dat $tick.” That song put him on the map, and he was signed to 88Rising, the first label that’s mainly Asian artists. Since then, he’s put out his debut album Amen to much anticipation. While I enjoyed it for showcasing Brian’s talent and quick learning of the English language (along with the rest of 88Rising’s talent as features), it seemed like more generic trap music made by an internet personality, which his fans knew that he could do a lot better. Now, Rich Brian is back with The Sailor , which marks his transition to being a full-time musician. Let’s get into The Sailor and see how it turned out. The Sailor is an alternative hip-hop album with pop influences. The entire album is produced by Bēkon, who first made waves with having a hand on multiple tracks off of K

The summer of 2018 was a pretty great time for music, and Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD was front and center. His features were hidden, and the first listen to catch every non-Travis Scott voice is one of my favorite music moments in recent memory. Why am I talking about ASTROWORLD , exactly? While there were heavy hitters like Drake, Frank Ocean, and even Stevie Wonder, there was one voice that stood out in the track “CAN’T SAY,” and there was a collective “Who the fuck is Don Toliver?” from the listeners. Signed to Scott’s Cactus Jack label, Don Toliver is essentially a Travis protégé, and this is his debut project right here, Heaven or Hell . Let’s get into it! Heaven or Hell is an R&B album with rap, trap, and alternative influences. Now, there was a lot of hype for this project. I can say that this subtly met it, but didn’t blow me out of the water. It’s a very eclectic set of songs, ranging from absolute bangers to melodic R&B tracks. His range of talent is pretty impressiv

Bruce Springsteen is an absolute legend. You may not be a giant fan of his music, but the impact he’s had on music is so widespread. Nearly five decades into his career, he hasn’t slowed down by any means, but there’s been a slight dip in quality. It’s not the music being blatantly bad, but in the way of his newer works hitting the same level as his iconic classics like Born to Run , Born in the U.S.A. , or Nebraska . Now, five years after his last album and a Broadway show, The Boss is back with Western Stars , a cinematic return to music for Bruce, and even better, a new sound. Let’s get into Western Stars and see how it is. Western Stars is a rock album with country, folk, Americana, and even some orchestral undertones. Now, for this section, there might be a bit of a bias on my opinion on this record because my family is pretty much obsessed with him. I’ve inherited nearly his entire discography (including some bootlegged concerts) on vinyl, and because of this, I’ve heard a lot

Boldy James has always been an artist I’ve looked out for, but I’ve never been a consistent fan of his. He’s always been a spotty performer to me, and while I may be in the minority on that, that’s just what I think. Recently, he became the newest member of Griselda Records, which excites me a lot. Many of my new favorite rappers this year have come from Griselda, and maybe this will be his star-turning moment. The Versace Tape is entirely produced by Jay Versace, who was a former Vine star-turned producer. Here’s a vine of his , if you wanna remember who he is. Now, let’s get into Boldy James’s Griselda debut, The Versace Tape . The Versace Tape is a hip-hop record. Uh, yeah. That’s about right. A constant theme in albums on the Griselda label are the ever-looping and lo-fi beats. There’s always a sense of style to them, and they’re genuinely enjoyable to listen to. It might just be that Boldy James wanted to get something out there for Griselda to get himself known, but this is now

I’ve always liked Denzel Curry. He’s a very versatile artist, along with having a standout sound and personality, writing, and even flows that aren’t like anything else in the game right now. He’s never failed to disappoint, and I knew that when his breakout album Ta13oo was a hit, he could only go up from here. I just didn’t expect it to be so soon after that we’d get a new project. ZUU is the title of this project, named after his hometown of Carol City, Florida. What makes ZUU so special? Let’s get into it and find out. ZUU is a hip-hop record with trap and Southern rap influences. If you want to categorize this as a mood or a vibe, it’s clearly summer. When this first released in May 2019, this was definitely one of the projects I kept coming back to during the summer. In a way, ‘coming back’ was a theme for ZUU as a whole. As I said earlier, Zuu is the nickname of Carol City, a suburb of Miami where Curry grew up. The overall sound and production are reminiscent of Floridan r

Hear me out on this one. I had known about the existence of Nicole Dollanganger for a few months, mainly because I’m friends with a fan who listens to her music. The most recent 100 gecs album was the first time I heard that pitched-up voice, and it got me intrigued. Since 100 gecs is such an experimental group, I had no idea what type of music Dollanganger had made, only knowing that it was on the alternative side of music. Yes, I did research on her for the 100 gecs review, and well, here we are. This is her latest record, 2018’s Heart Shaped Bed , and let’s just get right into it. Heart Shaped Bed is a dream-pop album. Actually, more like nightmare-pop. Right off the bat, I can say that this takes on some DARK THEMES. Dream-pop is meant to be hypnotic, but while this is hypnotic, there’s something wholly unsettling about this record that I kinda like. Many of these songs are monotonous but in a good way, I think? It also has an eerie pop-noir vibe, and this feels like it would fit

I don’t watch The Voice . It seemed like an American Idol clone with more pizazz and punch, and it just wasn’t for me. Back then, I had seen clips of a contestant named Melanie Martinez, and quite frankly, I was impressed. Then, as her career started to blow up, she put out her debut record Cry Baby , and while I think the concept was pretty ambitious, it felt a little bland and boring in execution. After a sexual assault controversy and taking a break from the public eye, Martinez returned with K-12 , a continuation of the story that began in Cry Baby , and it was even accompanied by a film written and directed by Martinez herself. But this is an album review, not a film review. Let’s get into K-12 and see how it is. K-12 is an alternative album with pop and electronic influences. Now, in this day and age, the type of alt-pop music that Martinez is making is more popular now than it was when her career started. Billie Eilish is the most prominent (and highest quality) example of th

So, here we are again. 100 gecs is back at it again. I’ve already spoken about the truly strange and experimental sound of the duo’s debut album 1000 gecs , but what if they made it bigger? Basically, The Tree of Clues is a remixed version of their debut album with bigger names to try and gain more traction and fans. There are people here that are known by a lot of people, cult favorites, and legends in the genre they’re home to, and holy shit there are a lot here. To save time, I’m going to list EVERY SINGLE PERSON AND ACT (in order of appearance) on here. Here we go: A.G. Cook, Charli XCX, Kero Kero Bonito, Rico Nasty, Injury Reserve, Danny L. Harle, Fall Out Boy, Craig Owens, Nicole Dollanganger, Ricco Harver, GFOTY, Count Baldor, umru, Tommy Cash, Hannah Diamond, Black Dresses, Lil West, Tony Velour, 99jakes, Dorian Electra, and N0THANKY0U. The last couple of tracks are live performances of songs that didn’t make the cut on their original debut record. Let’s get into it and see ho

Aminé is one of those artists that I never understood why I didn’t like. The elements that make him an artist seem like a Kanye or even a J. Cole protégé just never stood out to me, and I have no clue why. I was scrolling through Twitter, and throughout the past few days leading up to this, there were a lot of people championing Aminé and his upcoming release, Limbo . I had decided to go in blind because I had never fully heard one of his projects, and if I end up liking Limbo , I could go back through his albums and quite possibly become a fan. Let’s get into Limbo and see how it is! Limbo is a rap album with R&B, pop, and trap influences. Let me just get the one negative out of way before I truly get into this record. As the album goes on, Aminé slowly loses its own image and identity. It all began to blend together as Limbo came to a close. Alright, that’s it for the bad. Now, the good. I think my favorite track is the opener, “Burden.” Damn, that old school beat sucked me in

I’ve never been the biggest Jhene Aiko fan. She has nice songs every now and then, but in an album capacity, it just seems a little too generic for me. For each album she puts out, I feel like there’s more and more potential. Her last double album Trip was actually quite good, and her collaborative project with Big Sean TWENTY88 has grown on me in the time it’s been out. Her latest release, Chilombo , is something that I’ve been keeping my eye on for a while. Maybe for this new album, her sound might get changed up for the better, or have a little more experimentation in there for good measure. Let’s get into Chilombo and see! Chilombo is an alternative R&B album with soul undertones. I don’t want this to be an incredibly short review, but this album just comes off as a little… bland. The vocals and production are pretty nice, but it feels so very one-note that it comes off as just one 63 minute song. It feels like taking making a sandwich out of just two slices of white bread

There are a couple of different artists I like that do this bedroom pop lo-fi stuff. Clairo is the highest on my list at the moment, but artists like mxmtoon, beabadobee, and Wallows are all coming in as a part of this trend that I’m here for. One artist that could be put into this category is Soccer Mommy (a.k.a. Sophie Allison), who I first heard of in 2018 with her debut major-label record Clean . I enjoyed it a bit, but it just got lost in the shuffle of artists that are similar to her. Now, her latest album is called color theory , and I’m just hoping it’s more memorable than the work of her contemporaries. Let’s get into it! color theory is an indie rock album with dream pop and singer-songwriter vibes. This is actually her fourth record, but who’s keeping track? Oddly enough, the best way I can compare it is to mention another album: Taylor Swift’s Red if it had a more dreamy sound. Now, there are also a lot of different stylistic influences that Allison wears on her sleeve, li

I’ve spoken about The Alchemist already here, but I’ve been going through his discography lately, mainly his more modern works since he’s been around for so long. While I was doing this, I was deciding which of his collab albums I’d review here, and I eventually decided on Lamb Over Rice , the mafia film-inspired record with Action Bronson. I have no particular reason why I chose this record, but it stuck out to me like a sore thumb while I did my listening marathon. Let’s get into Lamb Over Rice and see what makes this stand out. Lamb Over Rice is a hip-hop record. I mean, there’s nothing that crazy to it. It’s not even that long of an album either, only being seven tracks and twenty minutes long. Whenever I listen to an Action Bronson song, it just slowly becomes more and more annoying. It sucks because he’s made some great songs and all, but on most songs, he can come off as childish. So, a lot of these songs have this strange vibe to it that’s very hard to explain, but it’s not ex

Time-traveling has always been on my mind. What could I do if I had a time machine and change up the timeline that we’re in? If I’m being totally honest with you, I wouldn’t do anything world-altering like kill Hitler or stop M. Night Shyamalan’s Last Airbender movie from being made, I’d go back for the music. I’d kill to be around for the peak of Beatlemania or even the 70s, which I think is one of the best decades for music ever. The 80s is always one that comes back to my mind, and there’s been a bit of a renaissance in dance-pop as of late. One of those artists that’s trailblazing this revival is Dua Lipa. Her latest album, Future Nostalgia , is a time capsule from forty years ago that has just been reopened. Let’s get into it. Future Nostalgia is a dance-pop album with HEAVY disco vibes. A lot of mainstream pop music these days is put on a low bar. Everyone expects a lot of great things from the genre but is ultimately let down. Dua Lipa and Future Nostalgia is the music that e

The [sLUms] movement has been slowly becoming a bigger and more popular sub-genre in the music industry. I’ve already covered it in my review of MAVI’s Let The Sun Talk , an album that’s very similar to the one I’ll be talking about here, so I’ll keep it brief. Some Rap Songs from Earl Sweatshirt made me discover this sound and Let The Sun Talk made me enjoy the aesthetic, but I didn’t truly fall in love with the glitchy lo-fi palettes with loopy vocal samples yet. Then, MIKE decided to show up. I’ve heard his other records, but his latest showing, Weight of the World , made me realize something about songwriting in rap music that I hadn’t thought about before. Let’s get into it now and see what that is. Weight of the World is an abstract hip-hop with jazz and plunderphonics undertones. Now, with every different thing going on in the world right now from the coronavirus pandemic to racial tensions being at an all-time high here, it’s a very scary time to be in America. This is nearl