New York rapper and viral sensation Ice Spice delivers a surprisingly entertaining debut album. While there isn’t much substance, the drill production and flow mesh relatively well. A mere 10 tracks, (the entire album is only 23 minutes) Y2K! gets straight to the point. Ice confidently shows you who she is, and she doesn’t care what you think. It’s not exactly an artistic record, but it’s probably a little better than what you’d expect.

- Lyricism 12/30
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Camila Cabello dyed her hair blonde to signify the beginning of a new era in her music career. From the moment she released C,XOXO’s first single, I LUV IT, she’s received boatloads of criticism. However, when judged objectively, Camila’s fourth album is not an absolute disaster. It’s her version of Miami-influenced hyperpop. There are high points. For example, Chanel No. 5’s off-key piano and catchy hook create a fun pop moment. However, the less-than-stellar ... read more

On her sophomore album, Gracie Abrams has tweaked her typical whispered vocals and raw songwriting to fit more of a pop-star sound. She reminisces on past relationships to mellow guitar and production by Aaron Dessner. She wears her influences on her sleeve. From the carefully crafted bridges to the metaphorical speaking, her music clearly takes heavy influence from Taylor Swift. Taylor herself even features on the fifth track—a song that sounds like it could be one of her own throwaways. ... read more

Former Fifth Harmony member Normani’s long-awaited debut album is mellow, sensual, and surprisingly pleasant. Where it falters lyrically, there’s atmospheric R&B-inspired production to keep things together. Her light voice compliments the sound well, and the whole project plays like the perfect background music for a late-night drive. While the record does lose momentum past the halfway point, she keeps your attention with a flow reminiscent of an early SZA combined with the ... read more

Timeless is a fitting name for Meghan Trainor’s fifth LP—considering it sounds just like everything she’s made previously. It’s yet another attempt at an ultra-positive collection of self-love anthems that play more like a kid's album. There isn’t much to say. The first track was somewhat of a delightful surprise, and for a split second, I was thinking that maybe Meghan would try something new—whether it was production or subject matter. She didn't. ... read more

Any artistic growth that Meghan Trainor might have shown on her last album is gone. Takin’ It Back shows Meghan reverting right back (or should I say…takin’ it back…) to her comfort zone. This project fades into her others—any tracks from this record could be confused for anything on her first two. It’s bloated, repetitive, cliche, and an unfortunate waste of Meghan’s vocal talent. 

- Lyricism 9/30
- Production & Instrumentation 12/20
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On Treat Myself, Meghan Trainor steps to the plate with her freshest production yet and some notable features (ex. Nicki Minaj, The Pussycat Dolls, etc.). The album starts on a surprisingly solid note with Wave—likely the best work I've heard from her—but the momentum quickly falters after the first quarter. On the bright side, we do hear glimpses of more vulnerability from the ultra-positive bubblegum pop singer, and it’s a step forward from her previous work. With a bit more ... read more

The puzzling aspect of Meghan Trainor’s career is her musical talent/ability compared to the quality of work she releases. Her second album, Thank You, is a slightly more polished version of her debut. Once again, there are some beautiful vocal performances, but they’re overshadowed by the shallowness of the overall project. On most tracks, she sings of confidence and empowering women—which is great in theory. The reality plays like an album of Little Mix throwaways or an ... read more

The debut of doo-wop pop singer Meghan Trainor attempts to be a fun, soulful celebration of body positivity and youthful love songs. While it has a few catchy hooks and groovy moments, it falls short of its vision. The record as a whole comes off as cringeworthy, juvenile, and sometimes hard to listen to (ex. Bang Dem Sticks). Title contains a few radio hits, but it feels like that’s what every track was written in hopes of. The project ends with a Christmas song thrown into the mix, and ... read more

The queen of electronic club bangers is back—but there’s more to BRAT than meets the eye. With her glossy, heavy production and robotic voice, Charli XCX reveals her feelings about stardom and shows the jealousy and insecurity behind the confident party-girl persona. On Von Dutch, she compares herself to a unique cult-classic brand, and on Rewind she walks a fine line between not caring about mainstream success and feeling like she deserves more. I Think About It All the Time has a ... read more

Similarly to their last album, Model recounts the aftermath of a relationship and coping with a breakup—and this record is written with more vulnerability. There’s denial, bitterness, and acceptance paired with light drums and synths. It’s a relatively mellow project that’s easy to listen to, but I can’t help but feel like it didn’t quite reach my expectations. The theme becomes repetitive, and most songs start to blend throughout the listen. Towards the end, ... read more

Tell Me That It’s Over finds Wallows recounting a story of a relationship ending and its aftermath. It’s a decently solid indie pop album with a bit of experimentation, but its theme is sometimes repetitive. While there are no specific dull moments, certain tracks are forgettable—and as a whole, it doesn’t leave as much of an impact as their debut. The final track, Guitar Romantic Search Adventure, is by far the highlight of the record. With its signature nostalgic ... read more

In terms of indie bands, it doesn’t get much better than Wallows. On their debut LP, Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters, and Cole Presston ponder adolescence, young love, and the bittersweet reality that comes with finding your place in the world. There’s a youthful exuberance and angst woven into Nothing Happens that feels both nostalgic and authentic. With the fuzzy guitar and occasional trumpet, it’s rarely boring. Though imperfect, this record feels like a sign of the ... read more

Room Under the Stairs finds Zayn more honest, confident and inspired than ever. “Don’t take me for what I’m saying, take me for what I am,” he asks on What I Am. After becoming a father and moving far from LA, he’s reflecting and finding peace. He’s recruited a Nashville producer for a more soulful, country sound behind his typical R&B runs. But he doesn’t sound like he’s trying to be anything new or present himself in a certain ... read more

Gen Z’s brightest pop star is still shining on her third record. Billie Eilish’s HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is a brief yet solid project with masterful, experimental production from her brother Finneas. Billie glides over groovy beats—opening up about her insecurities, past relationships, stalkers, and a new flame. BIRDS OF A FEATHER’s chorus is reminiscent of an early Clairo, and THE GREATEST’s booming outro picks up where she left off on her last album’s title ... read more

What A Devastating Turn of Events is a wonderful surprise—rising star Rachel Chinouriri delivers a perfect blend of British indie and bedroom pop. She picks up perhaps where Girl in Red or Holly Humberstone left off, with a softspoken yet sarcastic demeanor. Throughout the record, Rachel wrestles with modern romance and self-love with angsty guitar or R&B beats. The instrumentation is well done and rarely stale. As a whole, the project feels authentic and fresh. It’s a stellar ... read more

After the innovative galactic dance journey that was Future Nostalgia, Radical Optimism is a step backward for Dua Lipa. While it boasts some notable collaborators (ex. Kevin Parker of Tame Impala and Julia Michaels), it’s a relatively uninspired and bland project that raises some questions regarding Dua’s songwriting and artistic vision. Production is by far the highlight of the record—there are delightful summery moments and club beats—but they're often overshadowed by ... read more

When it comes to Taylor Swift, you must shed your preconceived notions. Since the release of her 10th studio album, Midnights, Swift has taken home Album of the Year at the Grammy’s, become TIME’s Person of the Year, and embarked on the (current) highest-grossing tour of all time. She also began dating football player Travis Kelce, which resulted in countless headlines and photos swarming social media. It’s safe to say that she's one of the most famous musicians in the world ... read more

*Recommendation from @Missing_Lyriks
Thank you so much!

Slayyyter’s STARFUCKER is a pleasant surprise from one of pop’s rising stars. This album gives its take on the dirty, glamorous, party scene aesthetic without feeling too overdone. The heavy club production is executed well, and the sound is pretty cohesive. It plays like a less chaotic version of Charli XCX, and I’m shocked it hasn’t sent more shockwaves around the pop world. While it falls off a bit towards the ... read more

On her magnum opus, Amy Winehouse solidified herself as a cultural icon. With sharp, witty lyricism and personality, she tells stories of love and infidelity to a jazzy R&B sound. Back to Black was nothing like the records her peers were making at the time—and yet you can hear its influence in so many of today’s artists. Modern Lana Del Rey echoes Love is a Losing Game and Rihanna’s Love on the Brain could perhaps pay tribute to the magic of Wake Up Alone. Back to Black is ... read more