Though I would rarely say a record slaps in a review, .Paak delivers so consistently on this record that it’s one of the most accurate ways to describe how great this record feels.
It may not be as beautifully consistent as Malibu, but during those glorious pinnacles when Oxnard is firing on all cylinders, it’s undeniably some of the best music of 2018.
Post-mainstream breakthrough, ‘Oxnard’ is a deft dissection of the fallout, just as free-ranging and hopeful as you’d imagine.
It may not be quite the full-marks classic he’d hoped, but Oxnard is an intriguing next step for the 2016 XXL Freshman that demands repeat listening and hints that he may have a Blueprint in him yet.
Despite its adherence to the new school of West Coast Funk, and despite .Paak’s brilliant performance as MC – Oxnard does not feel like it will have the staying power of 1993’s Doggystyle, 2005’s The Documentary, or Kendrick’s DAMN. Still, this album bumps.
Oxnard has a stronger sense of direction than its predecessor and is a breath of fresh air in the current state of pop rap and neo-soul.
It’s less cohesive than the high watermark he set with Malibu, but hitching a ride back to Oxnard is a freewheeling and occasionally exhilarating quest into Paak’s sonic curiosity.
Oxnard boasts several great moments, but the album is merely good.
Ultimately, the bigged up production doesn’t suit .Paak’s soulful tendencies, which are further lost in his switch to rap. There are a few highlights, sure, but not nearly enough for an artist who I would’ve placed bets would be the next Big Thing.
Paak can do nearly anything, but that doesn’t mean he should do everything. With its often effortless synthesis of funk and rap, Oxnard is a wide-angle portrait of Los Angeles’ hedonistic landscape—it’s just a little out of focus.
With Oxnard, Paak proves that he’s an artist built to last and a musician who has earned his place among hip-hop’s elite
Oxnard's penchant for twisting, not sticking, coupled with a Dre-shaped emphasis on beats and bars, leaves it woefully light on actual songs. The hum-able hooks and slow-burning arrangements of previous albums cast shadows over it.
Oxnard doesn't wow on the first, third, or even fifth listen. But it isn't short on bright spots either, even if they take a while to reveal themselves.
This meeting of joy and aggression is what defines Oxnard, and the effect is not always pleasant – it makes .Paak’s trademark grooves difficult to luxuriate in – but it is still a compelling mode, and one that rehomes his old-school tastes firmly in the present.
Oxnard doesn’t fulfill his dreams for creating a West Coast hip-hop soul epic for the age, but it’s not for lack of trying.
Oxnard isn’t quite the epic final chapter .Paak clearly craved for his trilogy – it certainly fails to compare to his 2016 breakthrough masterpiece Malibu – but you have to wonder if he really cares that much. On so many of these tracks he sounds restless, like he’s already thinking about moving on to bigger and better things.
Oxnard is a breezy and charming listen front-to-back, but while it’s a treat to watch Paak work through his creative processes and explore these funk variations, most of the songs here fail to sink their hooks in in the way it feels like they should, perhaps the fault of releasing such a summery album on the brink of winter.
Oxnard tries so hard to be a masterpiece that it forgets what made .Paak’s music so compelling in the first place, swapping out his easy-going, straightforward persona for stiff storytelling and jumbled verses that aren’t nearly as engaging as he is.
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#90 | / | NME |
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