Category: Blog

Wombo: Artist Profile

Post author By Michelangelo
Post date February 27, 2023

"Fairy Rust" Cover Art by Wombo

Wombo is a psychedelic and indie rock band from Louisville Kentucky.

The trio, Sydney Chadwick, Cameron Lowe and Joel Taylor, take inspiration from rural and agricultural landscapes of their hometown. Their music is liminal, mystic and fluid.

Vocals by Sydney Chadwick are understated and mellow, bringing a relaxed continuity to all of their releases.

Fairy Rust & Selected Demos

Their newest release, “Fairy Rust & Selected Demos” focuses on a theme of escapism– from rural landscapes to distant fairy tales. There is a fantastic balance of mundane and unreal in this release both in theme and execution.

The explorative nature of their discography is really enjoyable to experience. They have some really solid rock tracks but actively dip into unknown genres with success.

“Jazz Wombo” is one of my favorites off the release. It’s classy, mellow and zesty. It holds to the escapism theme through a clear shift in technique compared to the rest of the album.

A great staple of the album is track “Backflip.” The backbone is a rhythmic guitar line– smoothly building to a whimsical vocals and bass line.

There are lots of tracks that play with the element of layering and time. “Backflip” is very successful bringing different techniques and themes seen throughout the album together.

There are so many gems in this release. When listening to past work it amplifies the strength of “Fairy Rust”.

“Staring at Trees” cover art by Wombo

Staring at Trees

In their debut album “Staring at Trees”, it has a much bolder application of Sydney Chadwick’s vocals. With this boldness there is corresponding heavier guitar and drum lines.

“Hex” is a joy to listen to after hearing the vocal work in “Fairy Rust & Selected Demos”. The adaptation in sound from 2017 to 2023 is quite astonishing. I find both approaches to be pleasant, but create quite the juxtaposition.

“Staring at Trees” has a fond place in my heart. It’s rustic, unapologetic and contradicts the lightness in their most recent releases.

However, one aspect I really love about their current sound is it’s understated, simple and humble tone.

In an interview with Melted Magazine, Sydney Chadwick elaborated on her simplistic approach in the latest album,

“I really enjoy songs from childhood and fairy tales, the melodies, there’s something so simple about them but so impactful. I really like when something can be so simple and seem like somebody didn’t really try… there’s something touching and simple about it. I really like to approach melodies in that way”.

“Staring at Trees” in contrast does not have this simple quality. The album sounds a little bit like they are throwing paint at the wall and seeing what works. There is nothing wrong with exploration and boldness– but it held insecurity in their sound.

Seeing the evolution of Wombo through their releases is fulfilling, fun and highly enjoyable.

“Dreamsickle” Single cover art by Wombo

Dreamsickle

Their most popular track, “Dreamsickle” is a great taste of the lyrical style of Wombo.

“And if you could see inside my mind there’s nothing there
But the images from the night give me no words
Looking back on when I thought I was a bird
I was looking at the ground to find a worm”

The writing through their releases is strong and surreal.

The dreamlike qualities of their music in both lyrics and sound make their entire discography extremely digestible.

Wombo simply makes great music to decompress to while holding interest. Both dreamlike and bold– this band has a lot of creative power and potential.

Tags new release, Wombo

Classic Album Review

Album Review: “Melt My Eyez See Your Future” by Denzel Curry

Post author By Maddie H
Post date February 23, 2023

ALBUM: “Melt My Eyez See Your Future” by Denzel Curry

RELEASE YEAR: 2022

LABEL: PH and Loma Vista Recordings

RATING: 8/10

BEST TRACKS: “The Ills,” “Chrome Hearts” and “Walkin”

FCC: Explicit language

In this recent album, Denzel Curry swaps out his signature sound for some self-introspection. He comes to terms with the struggles he has had and poetically lays it out for the audience to be a part of. Fans are used to his hype lyrics, bass-boosted beats, and hard-hitting quick flow; but this album offers something different.

This fifth studio album comes after projects full of bangers like “Ta13oo” and “Zuu”. However, what Curry wanted to present with this album was something other than catchy songs and ragers. His pivot allows for more intimate and reflective music as he explores both his worldview and his view of himself.

The album opens up with “Melt Session #1” which is a slower, self-analyzing introductory ballad. The track, with a piano feature and production from Rober Glasper, provides a soothing yet somewhat haunting sound. These instrumentals pair well with the lyrics, as Curry is discussing more serious topics and wrongs from his past.

Dealt with thoughts of suicide, women I’ve objectified/ Couldn’t see it through my eyes so for that, I apologize/ I’m just hypnotized, working hard to empathize
Lyrics from “Melt Session #1” by Denzel Curry

The song seamlessly flows into the second track “Walkin” by carrying the same angelic background vocals and lyrical refrain. “Walkin” works through some of the personal difficulties Curry has faced while explaining how he interacts with the world around him as obstacles are thrown his way. He raps,

I just gotta stay focused/ I just gotta keep walkin
Lyrics from “Walkin” by Denzel Curry

This was the first track dropped from the album and features production from Kal Banx at Top Dawg Entertainment. Curry’s vocals begin with a slow progression and then switch to double-time with the build-up of a classic trap beat. Despite sticking with a familiar beat and flow in this song, he takes an unrushed pace.

The next notable track on the album, “Troubles,” details his problems with substance abuse and his ability to prioritize what matters. He confesses how he would easily blow his money on drugs, but he would not spend it on what he loves or needs.

I just lost my house to the drought/ Now I’m stayin’ on my mama couch/ Told me get a job or to bounce/ Never paid a bill, I cop a ounce
Lyrics from “Troubles” by Denzel Curry

The song, produced by Kenny Beats and DJ Khalil, also features the iconic and catchy autotuned vocals of T-Pain. The lyrics of the track are juxtaposed with its sound, which is a fun and bassy beat with a pop chorus. The extended edition of the album also has a “Cold Blooded Soul Version” of “Troubles” which brings in energetic percussion and brass. I would definitely say I prefer the live instrumentals in this version to the production in the regular track.

My favorite song on the album, also only on the extended “Cold Blooded Soul Version,” is “Chrome Hearts.” This song takes Curry’s flow and lays it over a light jazz-rap beat. Produced by Aaron Bow, Thurdi and Ashton McCreight, the track also features vocals in the hook from Zacari. Curry poetically raps about an internal conflict regarding the fairness of success as he compares himself to the less fortunate.

A main man, bay man, payin’ for some Ray-Bans/ That cost more than your rent while others struggle to get a cent/ In a sense, I ain’t shit because there’s many people starvin’/ Tombstones of a selfish man, these words are carved in
Lyrics from “Chrome Hearts” by Denzel Curry

The last memorable song on the album, “The Ills,” was produced by Dot Da Genius & Noah Goldstein. In this track, Curry wraps up the album with some piano, deep soul-searching, and self-proclaiming. He reflects on his music as a mode of self-expression and a way of processing his past. He also presents ideas about finding his true purpose and bettering himself. As he is attempting to explain himself now, he acknowledges he does not have it all figured out and still faces struggles. This by far is the most well-written song on the album and the lyrics are executed beautifully through his smooth and gentle flow. My favorite verse in the track follows:

I could be ferocious in my times of feelin’ feeble/ Sick of life’s ills, it could be short for illegal/ Common sense, a victim to sensory deprivation/ The mediator met with it all is in meditation/ Lord invited me to stay idly on his left side/ So I can right my wrongs in these songs to live and let die
Lyrics from “The Ills” by Denzel Curry

While some songs fall short on this album, like “Zatoichi,” I still think Denzel succeeded at challenging his own status quo. The album demonstrates the growth he has gone through, not only as an artist but as a person. As someone who has been a fan since 2015, and is very familiar with the “old Denzel,” I confidently believe that this is one of his best, if not his best, project so far. He works with new instrumentals, strong features, and vulnerable lyrics, all of which make this album stand out.

Thanks for reading,

Maddie H.

Tags Album Review, denzel curry, hiphop, Rap, underground hiphop, WKNC, WKNC 88.1

Classic Album Review

Avantdale Bowling Club: A Review

Post author By DJ Southpaw
Post date February 22, 2023

Avantdale Bowling Club’s self-titled debut album is a wonderfully produced jazz project led by New Zealand rapper Tom Scott. The band’s name refers to Scott’s hometown of Avondale, New Zealand. Much of this album “was creatively fueled by a stint living in Melbourne” where Scott seemed to mature some from his previous projects.

“Water Medley”

Photo courtesy of Pedro Szekely, under Creative Commons

“Avantdale Bowling Club” can best be described as a leisurely stroll through struggle. With an average song length of 6.5 minutes, each track meanders around looking for a place to settle. Each track feels loose and free to evolve as it pleases. That effect gets amplified by Tom Scott’s rapping, which disregards the need for a consistent beat on tracks like “Pocket Lint”.

Instead, Scott’s vocals often float through the instrumentals, not trying to find a sound to anchor to. The jazz melody plays as if Scott weren’t even there, resulting in a lively, yet mellow sound to contrast Scott’s melancholic voice.

This flow is contrasted somewhat through tracks like “Water Medley”, which is a nine minute collection of multiple smaller songs centered around water. Here, jazz is combined with heavy hip-hop beats to create a more original sound. This influence helps reinforce Scott’s primary objective with this album, which is to tell the story of his life’s misfortunes and struggles.

Poverty is a Fiend

“Avantdale Bowling Club” is a tale of the trappings of living paycheck to paycheck with a child while coping with alcohol and drugs. This sentiment comes through incredibly clear on “Pocket Lint”, which is essentially Scott ranting about not having enough money to live. However, he never feels like he’s repeating himself because of how well he pieces together different issues that come from low-income in the city.

The price of the life, the price of death
The price of gas, the price of meth, the side effect of stress
Lyrics from “Pocket Lint” by Avantdale Bowling Club

Scott’s rap flow is what really brings the album together, though. Probably the best example of his talents comes in the last verse, where you can’t help but bob your head along to his lyrics. Likewise, “F(r)iends” is where emotion comes through most, making it the most intriguing of any track. The song is a remembrance of both the good and bad times Scott had with one of his friends through drugs before he committed suicide. The emotional weight of this track encourages Scott to put on his best performance as a result.

Concluding Thoughts

Unfortunately, not all of the album is as memorable as the tracks discussed here. The back half of the album lacks direction, as if Scott only had a couple different things he was able to discuss in his music that lasted four or five songs. “Quincy’s March” is more hopeful than other tracks, but lacks any distinctive sound from the rest of the album.

“Tea Break” seems like an instrumental track that Scott originally meant to rap over, but simply lacked the material to turn into a full song.I still have the best songs on “Avantdale Bowling Club” on repeat often, but I rarely come back for the rest of the album for these reasons.

Rating: 6.5/10

— DJ Cashew

Tags Avantdale bowling club, jazz rap, WKNC 88.1

Weekly Charts

Top Charts 2/21

Post author By WKNC Admin
Post date February 21, 2023

#	Artist	Record	Label
1	PARANNOUL	After The Magic	Topshelf
2	TOMMY RICHMAN	Alligator	Boom
3	AKAI SOLO	Spirit Roaming	Backwoodz
4	DENZEL CURRY	Melt My Eyez See Your Future	Loma Vista/Concord
5	DIZ	Ultra.Violet	Self-Released
6	ERNESTO BIRMINGHAM	“MOST TODAY/cold world” [Single]	A LONG LIL’ WHILE
7	070 SHAKE	You Can’t Kill Me	G.O.O.D./Def Jam
8	ALEX G	God Save The Animals	Domino
9	JEAN DAWSON	CHAOS NOW	Handwritten
10	KENNY MASON	Ruffs	RCA
11	LAVA LA RUE	Hi-Fidelity [EP]	Marathon
12	MAVI	Laughing So Hard, It Hurts	Mavi 4 Mayor
13	MIKE	Disco!	10k
14	QUELLE CHRIS	DEATHFAME	Mello
15	REDVEIL	learn 2 swim	Self-Released
16	ROBERT GLASPER	Black Radio III: Supreme Edition	Loma Vista/Concord
17	SHY HIGH	Goodbye Delicious [EP]	Self-Released
18	THEY HATE CHANGE	Finally, New	Jagjaguwar/Secretly Group
19	YOUNG WABO	Mirage [EP]	New College
20	BETCOVER	Tamago 卵	Self-Released
21	DARKSOFT	Beigeification	Look Up
22	JULY TALK	Remember Never Before	Six Shooter
23	SAMM HENSHAW	Untidy Soul	Dorm Seven
24	SCUBADIVER	Godspeed To	Self-Released
25	ACTION BRONSON	Cocodrillo Turbo	Loma Vista/Concord
26	ARMAND HAMMER	Haram	Backwoodz Studioz
27	AUDREY NUNA	a liquid breakfast DELUXE	Arista
28	HOVVDY	Billboard For My Feelings [EP]	Grand Jury
29	PERRY MAYSUN	Painting Naked [EP]	Self-Released
30	PRETTY SICK	Makes Me Sick Makes Me Smile	Dirty Hit

Tags NACC Weekly Charts, Top Charts, WKNC 88.1

Weekly Charts

Chainsaw Charts 2/21

Post author By WKNC Admin
Post date February 21, 2023

#	Artist	Record	Label
1	DISTANT	Heritage	Century Media
2	JUDICIARY	“Engulfed” [Single]	Closed Casket Activities
3	GIF FROM GOD	“A Kiss For Every Hornet” [Single]	Prosthetic
4	SUMMONING THE LICH	“The Forest Feasts” [Single]	Prosthetic
5	CHILDREN OF THE REPTILE	Heavy Is The Head	Self-Released
6	COMBATWOUNDEDVETERAN	This Is Not An All Erect, All-Red Neon Body	No Idea
7	HUMAN RACE IS FILTH, THE	Cognitive Dissonance	Self-Released
8	VISITANT	“Dematerialization” [Single]	Self-Released
9	DREAMS OF GRAY	The World After [EP]	Self-Released
10	AND OCEANS	As In Gardens, So In Tombs	Season Of Mist

Chainsaw Adds

#	Artist	Record	Label
1	BATTLE BORN	“Blood and Fire” [Single]	Prosthetic
2	SHORES OF NULL	The Loss of Beauty	Spikerot
3	HALF ME	Soma	Arising Empire

Tags Chainsaw Charts, NACC Weekly Charts, WKNC 88.1

Weekly Charts

Underground Charts 2/21

Post author By WKNC Admin
Post date February 21, 2023

#	Artist	Record	Label
1	LIL YACHTY	Let’s Start Here	Quality Control/Motown/UMG
2	DIZ	The way forward is not the way home	all in due time
3	LITTLE SIMZ	NO THANK YOU	Forever Living Originals/AWAL
4	TOMMY RICHMAN	Alligator	Boom
5	REDVEIL	learn 2 swim	Self-Released
6	BILLY WOODS	Aethiopes	Backwoodz Studioz
7	AKAI SOLO	Spirit Roaming	Backwoodz
8	MAVI	Laughing So Hard, It Hurts	Mavi 4 Mayor
9	ACTION BRONSON	Cocodrillo Turbo	Loma Vista/Concord
10	070 SHAKE	You Can’t Kill Me	G.O.O.D./Def Jam

Underground Adds

#	Artist	Record	Label
1	PERRY MAYSUN	Theater 14	BeYourOwnBestFriend
2	ZEKE ULTRA	BONES COOKED FOR THE HOMIES [EP]	Self-Released

Tags Chainsaw Charts, NACC Weekly Charts, WKNC 88.1

Weekly Charts

Afterhours Charts 2/21

Post author By WKNC Admin
Post date February 21, 2023

#	Artist	Record	Label
1	MAGDALENA BAY	Mercurial World Deluxe	Luminelle
2	BABII	SCREAMER	Gloo
3	KY VOSS	The After	Play Alone
4	LYZZA	Mosquito	Big Dada
5	TIPPER	Marble Hunting	Self-Released
6	BELIEF	Belief	Lex
7	MATVEI	TALES_FOR_NIGHTCLUBS_II [EP]	Kitsune
8	ALICE GLASS	PREY//IV	Eating Glass
9	CLUB ANGEL	6AM [EP]	Astral People/PIAS
10	VTSS	Circulus Vitiosus [EP]	Ninja Tune

Tags Afterhours, NACC Weekly Charts, WKNC 88.1

Concert Preview Local Music

Upcoming Local Shows for March

Post author By Michelangelo
Post date February 20, 2023

image made by author

Chatham County Line

When: Friday Mar. 3. Doors open 7pm, Show 8pm

Where: Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC

Price: $20/$25

Chatham County Line is a local North Carolinian bluegrass band. This group blends characteristic native North Carolina bluegrass with soothing song writing and honest lyrics. Their sound is greatly inspired by the work of Neil Young and Gram Parsons– melding sweet guitar, mellow vocals, and rustic notes of harmonica and banjo picking.

Soul Glo

When: Saturday Mar. 4. Doors open 7pm, Show 8pm

Where: Cat’s Cradle Backroom, Carrboro, NC

Price: $17

Soul Glo is a hardcore punk and screamo band from Philadelphia. High energy, loud, and infused with political frustration, this band will undoubtedly put on an entertaining, heavy show. Soul Glo blends elements from screamo, punk, hip-hop and rap. Tracks such as “Driponomics” and “Coming Correct Is Cheaper” are great examples of the versatility and power this trio brings to their music.

Included in the show are performances from three openers: Cloud Rat, Backslider and Overgrown Throne.

The French Cassettes

When: Monday Mar. 6. Doors open 7pm. Show 8pm.

Where: The Pour House Music Hall and Record Shop, Raliegh NC

Price: $12-$15

The French Cassettes are an indie pop band from San Francisco. Their discography is filled with high energy tracks that evoke positivity and movement. Songs such as “Santa Cruz Tomorrow” and “Utah” demonstrate the richness this band brings to the indie pop genre. Their songs are anything but flat. The care and consideration that went into layering and building each track is prominent. The richness and high energy of their songs will provide for a great show.

Opener, Tino Drima, will add to the fun and light energy of this show. Tino Drima brings a dash of retro funk into the pop-rock genre. Together these bands will perform a fun, funky, crowd-pleasing show.

Sweet Pill

When: Saturday Mar.11. Doors 8pm, Show 9pm

Where: Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC

Price: $15

Sweet Pill is an emo punk band from Philadelphia. Their most recent album, “Where the Heart Is”, is characterized by bold vocals, complex guitar lines and unapologetically emo lyrics. Lead singer, Zayna Youssef, has a powerful voice that resonates energy from fellow emo-punk singer, Haley Williams. Sweet Pill is upbeat and bold– their performance will be energizing.

Opener Their / They’re / There holds a similar emo energy but takes a more indie rock approach. This is a great pairing of bands. Their / They’re / There will be an exciting, energetic opener and will transition beautifully to the heavier notes of Sweet Pill.

Runnner

When: Monday Mar. 13. Doors open 7pm, Show 8pm

Where: Cat’s Cradle Backroom Carrboro, NC

Price: $15/$18

Runnner is a folk, indie project by singer-songwriter Noah Weinmann. In his discography he has a collection of soft hits including “Ur Name on a Grain of Rice” and “Vines to Make it All Worth It”. His sound is gentle, refreshing and pleasant. The show will most certainly bring a meditative mood to Cat’s Cradle Stage.

Opener, waveform*, follows suit with a soft, pleasant indie sound with more of a moody and melancholy tone. Tracks “Favorite Song” and “makeup” by waveform* are great examples of the types of sound that may be heard at the concert.

Tags concerts

New Album Review

“Norm” by Andy Shauf Album Review

Post author By Michelangelo
Post date February 19, 2023

"Norm" cover art by Andy Shauf

Andy Shauf is a Canadian singer, songwriter who is known for his storytelling-oriented discography.

In his past work he has fabricated a world of his own, following a list of different characters, social situations and stories. If you are interested in reading more about his past discography, read my Artist Profile of him.

His newest album “Norm” follows the morally questionable actions and intentions of Norm as his pursues his love.

As seen in some of his other releases, Andy Shauf ties in themes of high powers. Past releases such as “Satan” and “Alexander All Alone” have placed God and the devil as passive players in the stories of each character. However, in “Norm” this theme takes root at the core of the album.

Typically throughout Andy Shauf’s work each character has represented an internal struggle, memory of emotion within the singer songwriter himself.

When I attended Andy Shauf’s concert at the Cat’s Cradle early 2022, one of the fellow audience members yelled out between sets: “Who’s Judy?”, one of the most prominent characters in Andy’s past albums “Wilds” and “The Neon Skyline”. In response Andy replied simply with “Me”.

“Norm” takes a different approach. The story unfolds through the perspectives of Norm and God himself. In an interview with Vanity Fair Andy Shauf states:

“There’s multiple perspectives to the story. There’s the God perspective, there’s Norm, there’s another character. It’s a bit of a puzzle, but there’s still a lot of space in it where I don’t really spell out what happens. In the end, I think if you listen closely, you’re gonna get pretty close to an understanding. If you are purely listening to it for the enjoyment of the music, you’re not gonna catch any of that.”

One component I love about his music is the whimsical, indirect, mysterious nature of his lyrics. There are many interpretations to be made. “Norm” provides music that is deeply driven my storytelling with variety and mystery that begs for another listen.

Song and Lyric Highlights

“Norm”, the namesake track off the album is subtle, melodic, and introduces a new thematic boldness to his discography. Andy Shauf has so much control over his lyrics. He adds the perfect amount of description to create a vivid story without overwhelming the listener.

Particularly in the dialog between Norm and the Godlike voice in this track, there is so much beautiful subtly:

“And when the television’s silent
I speak into his dream
‘Stop these wicked ways
And I will lead you to
The promised land”

Following with “Halloween Store”, this song combines joyful pop with eerie illusion. Andy gives us some of his best lycris yet. Andy molds the awkwardness and minutia of daily life into compelling, graceful music:

“I wondered if I’d locked the house
Walked back and found that I hadn’t
But now my keys were in the car
Walked to the car, pulled the handle
And it snapped back, at least I’d locked one door”

This song is one of the best examples of character building within his discography. The back track gives the song such innocent optimism, but the lyrics and vocal work gives the song an underlying darkness. It is a great demonstration of Norm as a character and the world he lives in.

“Sunset” continues some of the innocence heard in “Halloween Store”, but slowly reveals the true intentions of Norm under a sweet and loving musical facade.

“You get quiet, you are scared
Just watching the sunset
And I’m letting you know
Just how long I’ve loved you for”

Each and every song off this album has such depth. If you are interested in learning more about some of Andy’s intentions and stories behind each track, Andy Shuaf had an interview with Sterogum that perfectly walks through each track.

I’m looking forward to hearing more from Andy Shauf. If you are interested in seeing him live, he will be touring to the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw, NC. Tickets and show information can be found here.

Tags Andy Shauf, New Album Review

New Album Review

“Heavy Heavy” – Young Fathers: A Review

Post author By DJ Southpaw
Post date February 18, 2023

Young Fathers is a Scottish indie rock trio that I’ve been following for a bit now. Their newly released album, “Heavy Heavy” is exemplary of the group’s creative spirit, and it’s one of the more unique projects I’ve heard so far in 2023. Despite the name, the album tries to bring with it uplifting energy encouraging dance and a celebration of life.

Scottish band Young Fathers at the Melt! 2015 in Ferropolis/Germany. Photo Courtesy of Stefan Bollmann, under Creative Commons. — Young Fathers at the Melt! 2015 in Ferropolis/Germany. Photo Courtesy of Stefan Bollmann, under Creative Commons.

“Rice”

Take a look at album opener “Rice” for example. The percussive groove on the track alone is enough to get your body moving. Towards the end of the song, the ensemble of voices chanting the chorus feels like a concert with everybody invested in ramping the energy up towards its climax.

By far the most powerful segment of the song, though, is the chant “these hands can heal”. You can’t help but join in the power of this phrase, and I think there was a missed opportunity to bring this chant back at the end of the track. Instead, the chant on the back end of the track calls listeners to “see the turning tide”. This feels less powerful, though it does more cleanly fit with the theme of sticking through the rough patches of life.

I need to eat more rice
It’ll take some time
Gonna take some time
Gotta bide my time
Lyrics from “Rice” by Young Fathers.

“I Saw”

The second track on the album is where Young Fathers seems to get into some thematic consistency. “I Saw” doubles down on the message of waiting out the rough times to get to better ones. At least here, they actually get into the source of these bad patches: abuse, especially parental abuse. Wordplay is improved considerably here, even if the music itself is more repetitive and harder to really get into.

“I Saw” also foreshadows one of “Heavy Heavy”‘s biggest flaws: not knowing how to end. Again, the track ends with a chant that feels like it goes on a bit too long given the dynamic nature of the rest of the song. Here, it’s not a big deal, but on later tracks like “Sink or Swim” the energy dies off without feeling like an emotional resolution has been reached yet.

Music video of “I Saw” by Young Fathers.

The rest of the album

While there are still great tracks left on “Heavy Heavy” the first half of the album–especially the first three tracks–is far more powerful than the latter half. A track like “Tell Somebody”, while it has a good message, has little uniqueness or clarity. It feels too direct, especially compared to the other tracks mentioned above.

“Ululation” is a pleasant embrace of two of the members’ West African histories, but it doesn’t blend all that well with the rest of the album tonally, not just linguistically. It’s an elongated interlude trying to be its own track. “Sink Or Swim”, meanwhile, feels derivative of the prior tracks on the album, as if the song was created after the album’s singles came out. It sounds shallower and more cheaply produced. “Holy Moly” sounds like a track off of a JPEGMAFIA album as opposed to Young Fathers’ own style.

Concluding Thoughts

There’s a lot to like about “Heavy Heavy”. The great songs on the album are on repeat all the time on my playlists. However, the rest of the album feels incomplete and rushed. Some songs on the album did not need to be nearly as long as they were. Others either failed to recreate the celebratory sound of “Rice” or failed to create a rich, darker sound that compliments its lyrics.

Rating: 6/10

–DJ Cashew

Tags Heavy Heavy, WKNC 88.1, young fathers