Yung Notes

Quelle Chris' second single leading up to the release of Deathfame this year continues to build on the soulful and lyrically style he has owned throughout his career.  So to start off, I would admit that I have limited experience listening to Quelle Chris -- my first album of his was the 2018 collaboration Everything is Fine between him and Jean Grae. While I really enjoyed the project, it did not really click for me in a way that would entice me to go back and listen for months on end. However, with the release of Innocent Country 2  in 2020, I became a huge fan, finding soulful cuts like "Graphic Bleed Outs",  "Sacred Safe", and "Sudden Death" to be warm and emotional. The variation on the project between these songs and "Mirage" also really heightened my appreciation for this project. So after loving Innocent Country 2 , I have been actively looking for new features and songs of his. The song loops a piano riff, incorporating various gues...

St. Vincent takes us on a beautiful and magnificent trip back in time with 70's influenced instrumentation and stunning vocals on her 2021 album Daddy's Home .   Coming out a in early 2021, Daddy's Home was the latest release of musician Annie Clark, known professionally as St. Vincent. Her prolific solo career started in 2007 with her debut album Marry Me , St. Vincent has won multiple Grammys for both songs, "Masseducation", and albums, St. Vincent . Daddy's Home carries the spirit of her musical style as it appeared on past projects, with an orientation towards various subgenres of rock including indie, psychedelic, and others. The psychedelic undertones of the entire album permeate every song across both the instrumentation and the singing.  Diving deeper into the album, the best place to start is certainly the instrumentation. A diverse arrangement of hazy and bright sounds litter the project. Despite this sonic contrast, Clark does a really good job in c...

Once Twice Melody takes the listener on a long and complex journey of serene and dreamy sequences interwoven with eerie interludes.  Beach House consists of Baltimore duo Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand. The two met up in Baltimore’s indie rock scene in 2004, releasing the self-titled debut album Beach House, to critical acclaim in 2006. The band followed up with projects such as Devotion, Teen Dream, Bloom, and Depression Cherry between 2008 and 2015, receiving positive reception for each project. Most recently, the group released 7 in 2018 to high praise for its creativity and sound. Once Twice Melody is the duo’s 8th studio album, a refreshing addition to their already massive catalogue. The group is fairly well known in dream pop circles with their heavy and unique use of synths and overall sound. Words that I would say capture the spirit of their discography include celestial, spacy, melodic, and luscious. While Once Twice Melody very much follows in this tradition – it does ...

Hope everyone is having a good summer! 2021 has been just as wild as 2020, and I sincerely wish that those reading this are doing alright. Since we are about halfway through the year, I figured I would share some of the best projects that I have listened to this year. While I expect many other excellent albums to be released throughout the next six months, the ones that I have written about here are for sure must listens.  5. Conway the Machine - La Maquina I honestly had my reservations about this album after the first three songs. However, the skepticism quickly evaporated as the album picked up with Clarity, barely missing a beat for the rest of the project. Conway drops banger after banger, with witty lyrics and impeccable rapping. The energy he brings on each song is complimented by excellent guest verses, with vintage performances from artists such as 2 Chainz on "200 Pies". Furthermore, the production across the entire album is so good it could stand on its own as a un...

  One of the best albums to come out in 2020, Spanish Love Songs' Brave Faces Everyone wrestles with what it means to survive in a tumultuous and uncaring open world.  Spanish Love Songs are a Los Angeles based punk rock band founded in 2014. Their first album, Giant Sings the Blues had solid reception, a level of success and notoriety that was furthered by their 2018 sophomore project  Schmaltz.  Traditionally, I would say their sound normally features catchy guitar riffs over banging drums that accentuate emotional lyrics. In terms of the actual review, I honestly do not know where to start with what I like about this album. Almost every track has been a favorite of mine at one point or another, which is a testament to the overall messaging and strength of the project. Slocum's singing on each song is heartfelt and emotional, the lyrics are thought-provoking and relatable, and the project is cohesive with no "filler" tracks. Brave Faces Everyone  is an album ...

    Happ y new year everyone, I hope you all are having a wonderful start to 2021! 2020 was a rough year with the coronavirus pandemic drastically affecting individuals and communities globally. I hope everyone reading this is safe, and I send condolences and support to those who have suffered great loss from the pandemic. For the actual article, I listened to many great albums this year across all music genres. These featured projects are what I believe to be the five best projects to come out this year. 5. Innocent Country 2 - Quelle Chris and Chris Keys      Vibrant and soulful production set the backdrop for this colorful rap album. Consistently good, the album is full of memorable lines, great songs, and entertaining guest features from artists such as Earl Sweatshirt. While the album came out in late April, I found Innocent Country 2 to be a great listen on a cool summer night. The section of songs from “Sudden Death” through “Mirage” is one of the b...

  On Bandana, Madlib and Freddie Gibbs produce an album of the year candidate in a hard hitting sequel to the critically acclaimed Piñata. Producer Madlib, otherwise known as Otis Jackson Jr., or his rapping alias Quasimoto is from Oxnard, California. (Sentences bout his music career until 2003 and 2004). The early 2000’s was met by Madlib with the release of the collaborations Chapmion Sound (J Dilla), and Madvillainy (MF DOOM), the latter of which is considered one of the most prolific hip-hop albums of all time. Most relevant, however, is Madlib’s collaboration history with Gibbs. He spent the 2010’s exploring this through the 2011 release of the “Thuggin” EP, and the release of two more EP’s “Shame” (2012), and “Deeper” (2013). These lead up to the eventual release of their first collaboration Pinata (2014), and hints at a future sequel project. Hailing from Gary, Indiana, Freddie Gibbs gained notoriety with the release of projects like The Miseducation of Freddie Gibb...