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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
‘Heavy is the Head’ absolutely hits it out of the park. It’s the same winning mix of grime bangers and radio friendly singing as last time, but, crucially, it’s better at making sure they work together on the same project.
90
From career milestones to addressing grime beefs, to expressing the precarious position he finds himself in as a spokesperson for a generation of black British youth, a shorter album wouldn't do justice to these experiences.
80
He’s become so famous that even the Archbishop of Canterbury loves him – but this brilliant second album shows how difficult Stormzy finds stardom.
80
The labyrinthine complexities of human nature are explored here in all their grit and glory, but it’s the combination of Stormzy’s charm and his knack for storytelling that allows ‘H.I.T.H’ to glimmer with a universal appeal that will please both his mainstream audience and grime fans of old; an almost impossible task that he’s amazingly pulled off.
80
Not only is it a drastic step up from his impressive debut, but it shows an artist keen to test himself emotionally, as well as artistically.
80
If Heavy Is The Head is one thing, it’s aware of its own worth. It doesn’t need me to tell you that.
80
Throughout this album, he wrestles with the privileges and burdens of his success. The result wittily, emotionally and triumphantly affirms his position at the head of the British rap pack.
80
Stormzy isn’t aiming to be the biggest name in grime, or UK rap, or indeed even be one of the biggest UK artists; Heavy Is The Head is him trying to go for everything and become the sort of culture-defining talent that only pops up a couple of times in a generation.
80
More enjoyable overall than Gang Signs, Heavy Is the Head is a well-rounded mix of toughness and sentimentality, and another rightful triumph.
80
Stormzy delivers one of the most introspective and prayerful works of the year, solidifying his elite status in hip-hop.
80
Stormzy realizes his pop rap ambitions on Heavy Is the Head.
70
While HITH sees Stormzy navigate second album syndrome with apparent ease, it also leaves open the question of where he goes from here.
70
The 16-track Heavy Is the Head comprises a mix of snapping bangers and reflective slow jams.
70
A solid album but also not a surprising one.
60
The fondness for schmaltz gets a bit overwhelming, and the album is only great in patches.
60
It’s a solid album, but the fact it comes from a king means you’d be right to expect a lot more. Stormzy is still an invaluable symbol in British society, but you’re left with the feeling that he’s a symbol that’s been momentarily bent out of shape, the music just one facet of a vast empire.
11mo
This is a solid album. It has a nice sound to it. It has nice flows. And it is just a good rap album. Good stuff. The production is really nice to. It's a likable album in general
Big Michael: 67/100 (Decent)
I DO NOT like the flow on the first part of the track. It's like he can't write a full song so he writes half of it and stretch it out. The beat is a SLAP though
Audacity (feat. Headie One): 65/100 (Decent)
I liked it a lot at first but then it just kept going.
Crown: 83/100 ... read more
Big Michael: 67/100 (Decent)
I DO NOT like the flow on the first part of the track. It's like he can't write a full song so he writes half of it and stretch it out. The beat is a SLAP though
Audacity (feat. Headie One): 65/100 (Decent)
I liked it a lot at first but then it just kept going.
Crown: 83/100 ... read more
I’ve never really gotten into Stormzy’s music, or UK Grime in general. But after seeing Fantano’s positive review, I decided to give this a listen, and I’m pleasantly surprised.
The production on here is pretty good, and I love the shifts from genre to genre on here. This album doesn’t have one specific sound and I think that helps it tremendously. I also think Strormzy is a very good rapper. His more aggressive rap tracks are more interesting to me than the pop ... read more
The production on here is pretty good, and I love the shifts from genre to genre on here. This album doesn’t have one specific sound and I think that helps it tremendously. I also think Strormzy is a very good rapper. His more aggressive rap tracks are more interesting to me than the pop ... read more
A friend of mine recommended I listen to Stormzy so I decided to give his new album a try. I’m pleasantly surprised. Normally I don’t really like UK rap/grime because I find their voices off-putting but man. Stormzy can fucking rap. The musicality here is diverse too, with elements of trap, R&B and dancehall. If you’re into bars and want something different to listen to, give Stormzy a try.
Best: Lessons, Pop Boy, Own It, Handsome, Rachael’s Little Brother, Vossi ... read more
Best: Lessons, Pop Boy, Own It, Handsome, Rachael’s Little Brother, Vossi ... read more
This is just another okay album that gets overrated by critics because the artist is from the UK. Audacity, Rachel's Little Brother, Handsome, Wiley Flow and Bronze are all worth a listen. The rest is either just mediocre or bad(Ed Sheeran).
UK hip-hop artists always seems to have great promises, but the actual projects they release always feel lacklustre and lacking focus. Heavy Is the Head is (mostly) the exception to that rule. Stormzy's heavy hitting, fast paced flows sound incredible over these rickety trap beats ("Wiley Flow", "Bronze"), and scattered throughout the album are straight bangers that really showcase the complexities of Britain's urban musical shift. Sadly, the album falters when it strays ... read more
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Year End Lists
| #4 | / | GQ [UK] |
| #10 | / | The Observer: Kitty Empire |
| #12 | / | Gaffa (Denmark) |
| #16 | / | The Vinyl Factory |
| #19 | / | The Line of Best Fit |
| #20 | / | Clash |
| #24 | / | The Independent |
| #37 | / | NME |
| / | Esquire (UK) |
Track List
- Big Michael
- Audacity (feat. Headie One)
- Crown
- Rainfall (feat. Tiana Major9)
- Rachael's Little Brother
- Handsome
- Do Better
- Don't Forget to Breathe (feat. YEBBA) [Interlude]
- One Second (feat. H.E.R.)
- Pop Boy (feat. Aitch)
- Own It (feat. Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy)
- Wiley Flow
- Bronze
- Superheroes
- Lessons
- Vossi Bop
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1y
I probably shouldn't get too ahead of myself since there's a Ed Sheeran feature which means he'll probably be rapping. But fuck, it I'm hyped.
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Added on: November 19, 2019