TAYLOR SWIFT DISCOGRAPHY DIVE #1

Just to preface this review, I want to say that I’ve never heard the original version of this album outside of the big hits. I’ve heard all of her albums after Red, but up to Red I’m only gonna listen to the two with “Taylor’s Versions” (so this and Red). So to me, this is basically a new album and the rating is for the new versions of the 13 original album songs. Anyway, onto the review:

While I am not the biggest fan of ... read more

While "Dirt Femme" may not be amazing and may not impress me all that much, it is still an solid effort from Tove Lo with some catchy hooks and solid dance pop production that help make it an enjoyable listen nonetheless.

“Being Funny in a Foreign Language“ is yet another solid album from The 1975 with some great highlights, but for some reason it doesn’t ever really come together for me and I can’t fully connect with it as a result.

Edit: with more listens it has grown on me a little. 70 to a 75.

Unfortunately, on “It’s Only Me” Lil Baby isn’t able to translate the talent and potential shown on his features to full album length and comes through with an occasionally decent but overall boring and bloated album.

I’ve liked Lil Baby in small doses, whether on one of his many great features or on some of his better singles such as “The Bigger Picture”, but I had reservations about him being able to carry an entire album. That is why I think I liked ... read more

I thought Willow’s last album had its moments, but “<COPINGMECHANISM>” is an improvement in every single aspect.

On this project, her potential feels like it is finally realized and she completely improves upon the the pop-punk foundation that was established with her last album. The songwriting is sharper, the production is much better overall, and her vocal performances are improved too. I also really like that it doesn’t feel the need to overstay it’s ... read more

"CHARLIE" has shortcomings and is pretty cheesy, but Charlie Puth being kinda likeable and the music being overall pretty inoffensive makes it cancel out and end up leaving it kinda feeling like nothing. So while I definitely don't hate this, I just hope going forward his talent manifests in more compelling pop music.

Even though "Only Built For Infinity Links" isn't amazing or anything, it's a pretty solid listen and is definitely the best project anybody from Migos has been associated with in quite some time. It's way too long and absolutely nothing about it is special, but for a trap project in this lane it gets the job done and is pretty enjoyable.

While I do think “CHAOS NOW*” is pretty great and think it’s better and more enjoyable than his last album, I still see more potential and room to grow for Jean Dawson, which says a lot considering how much I still like this.

I did find some enjoyment in Jean Dawson’s last album, but it didn’t connect with me like it did for other people. I was excited to see what he did next though, and when I heard the singles for this album I was very excited. I liked all of ... read more

“Entergalactic” ends up being an underwhelming but still enjoyable release from Kid Cudi, even if most of the songs feel like leftovers and kinda blend together. There aren’t really any great songs here, but there’s nothing terrible either and mostly everything ranges from decent to solid.

While this is a little underwhelming and not as great as I hoped it could be, “Soul Sold Separately” is still a really solid album from Freddie Gibbs that sees him going in a more mainstream direction and mostly sticking the landing.

DaNother One (and by one I mean another formulaic album where he does the same thing he always does while trying to stay relevant and distract us from his Fetty Wap-esque decline and how he has massively fallen off and can’t get anybody to buy a ticket and see him perform live…)

While Baby on Baby 2 comes nowhere close to the level of the first one, and while it may not be very good, it does provide some very funny and entertaining moments in the forms of the hilariously loudly ... read more

Spirituals does not necessarily blow me away, but I do like what’s here and can see it growing on me more.

I saw Santigold at a festival a few years ago and she was great. As a result, I checked out her first album and really liked it. I was hoping this would be great, and while it is definitely not amazing I do like it. There are a few great highlights and some solid production throughout, and I like that the album doesn’t overstay its welcome. It maybe doesn’t live up to ... read more

While “Hold The Girl” may not quite reach the level of her debut record for me and may not take as many creative risks, it’s still a really great pop album that showcases what makes Rina Sawayama such a compelling and refreshing figure in pop music.

I was introduced to Rina with her debut album “SAWAYAMA”, which was a fantastic pop record and one of my favorite albums of 2020. I thought she did a great job at blending genres and balancing making forward-thinking ... read more

NAV continues to show zero improvement and make the same decent yet boring and bloated album he has made numerous times. I’ve liked some of his music in the past, and I really want his music to be better, but outside of a few highlights here this really doesn’t do anything at all.

On “Lyfe”, Yeat improves exponentially from “2 Alive” and makes a shorter, more concise, and more interesting listen and further distinguishes himself from Carti and the others in this lane.

I enjoy Yeat as a character in rap, and he has an insane cult fan base, but his music hasn’t really impressed me up until this point. His last project had some great production and he showed some potential, but it was way too long and repetitive and the songs just blended ... read more

I heard the title track for the first time a few days ago and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. I decided to check out the full album as a result, and this is fantastic. Why was the reception to this not positive?

This is my first time listening to a Whitney Houston album in full, so I don’t have much context for this, but I’m so confused why it’s not more positively received. I know this was her going in a more R&B direction after her more pop-leaning stuff, ... read more

While “Close to Heaven Far From God” may not match their best material, it is a pretty solid project that recaptures some of the magic of the 88GLAM tapes for me.

88GLAM is a group that I am very nostalgic for. I first heard them in 2017 with their “88GLAM” project after The Weeknd signed them to his XO label. I loved that project at the time, and I’m really nostalgic for it and enjoy it still. Their next project “88GLAM2” wasn’t as good, but it ... read more

I haven’t heard this yet but that fucking cover is ridiculous LMAO

Edit: This was better than his last two albums I guess but this was still such a dull listen.

Outside of “Major Key”, I have never enjoyed a DJ Khaled album as a whole, but it’s usually kinda cool and intriguing to hear the weird combination of artists that he usually gets together, even if the songs are boring and mediocre. There are usually also a highlight or two in the middle of his ridiculously ... read more

JID really leveled up and the result is INSANE. So many amazing tracks. I need more time with this, and there are a few songs I’m not sure about and didn’t love first listen, but this blew me away multiple times and I’m sure with more listens it’ll be even better. Full review soon.

Edit: alright, here’s the review:

On “The Forever Story”, JID solidifies himself as one of the most exciting rappers out with what will likely end up being considered a ... read more

While "HOLY FVCK" is a decent transition into pop-punk for Demi Lovato, it doesn't come without its flaws, such as the usually pretty generic and cliché songwriting. And while this album does have quite a few good things going for it, the flaws here do unfortunately end up hindering the album as a whole a little bit. However, the album still ends up being pretty enjoyable and has some really good highlights, production, and vocal performances throughout. It is these qualities ... read more