JAMESPATRICK

Since I’m trying to clear out and finally finish the dozens of half-written drafts sitting in my queue, I figured I’d go back to one album from 2025 that I just never found time to properly articulate my thoughts on.

A lot of people constantly ask why R&B isn’t as mainstream or culturally dominant as it was in the 90s and 2000s, and honestly, I think the answer is pretty obvious: modern R&B has become a fucking snooze fest. What made 90s and 2000s R&B so massive ... read more

With the exception of Azealia Banks, whenever artists make a right-wing MAGA pivot, it suddenly becomes a lot easier to unstan them, because as their politics get worse, the music usually follows. Kanye post-DONDA has been a mess, Gwen’s country pivot has zero originality, Grimes sounds half-finished these days, and Nicki’s output has been straight up embarrassing, "Big Foot" being the clearest example. And now M.I.A. feels like she’s fallen into that same trap. As ... read more

I know people are sick of the term, but it is so applicable here. This album, its features, its sound, it’s all Khia Asylum core. I can literally picture everyone from Caroline Polachek to Cupcakke gathering in the courtyard in orange jumpsuits recording vocals for this thing.

But on a serious note, this album is such an important cultural monument. I remember the online chatter around this record in 2017, even though I was literally 13 and definitely should not have had a Twitter ... read more

Welcome to Madonna summer on my page as we gear up for Confessions II. Madonna truly has one of the most legendary discographies ever, and I’ve been meaning to actually sit down and articulate my thoughts on each record, so we’re starting from the beginning with the album that introduced her to the world.

Madonna is a quintessential 80s synth-pop and dance-pop record. Endless grooves, super catchy hooks, and that funky, rubbery production that just makes you want to move. ... read more