FKA twigs - CAPRISONGS

EDIT (3/22/22) - this grew on me a lot lmao
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6.2- Goodish?

WOAH WOAH WOAH, STOP TYPING THAT COMMENT BUDDY, LET ME EXPLAIN.

This is the most conflicted I have been listening to a project in a while. It’s really hard to articulate. I feel like this album is good, or should be good, but at the same time, I feel like it’s just going in one ear and out of the other. I feel like many people’s problem with CAPRISONGS for many is that it’s cohesion can be spotty, but honestly, it didn’t really bother me. I am fine enough with the mixtape format, and it works in this case, as it sounds like a hand-selected set of tracks curated by her, as she finds her way through the pandemic. This is what I was expecting. But I don’t know, with this release, there are so many tracks that sound half baked. Other than maybe ride a dragon, tears in the club, darjeeling, and thank you song, CAPRISONGS struggles with a lack of two things: memorability and execution. Many tracks on here are just ok, which bothers me a ton, knowing the talent and entertainment I have gotten out of her past works. Half the time it just seems like someone put in “FKA Twigs mellow banger” in an AI, until it was able to be made into many, slightly distinct tracks. Even though it is a pleasant ride, it doesn’t really feel like something other artists in the pop sphere couldn’t achieve.

Another issue with the tape is that I feel like many tracks on here have a glaring problem, that being how many tracks kinda just lie as “middle of the road” cuts. See the thing is, when twigs’ knows how to make a banger, she can make a banger. A prime example of this would be “In Time” off of M3LL155X, with its intoxicating, building production, and her stern cadence. And this can also be said about her heartwrenching tracks, like “cellophane” off of MAGDALENE, where twigs delivers an unbelievable chorus in a piano ballad that sounds like twigs will crumble at any moment. Going back to the tape, the issue at hand is that even though she has perfected these types of songs, instead of going in a more “banger” oriented direction, or a more “depressed as shit” direction, she makes a trap influenced combination of the two, resulting in tracks that feel messy, unfocused, and honestly just boring. You might ask, “well what about holy terrain? That’s a sad banger?” However, that works because the production is unique and hard enough to be enjoyable, with a hook and vibe good enough to be immersive and engaging. And again, sometimes this works on the tape, with tracks like Tears In The Club, which go hard enough to be considered “a slapper,” but still have a melodramatic tone. But there are too many tracks that just kind of feel like they are having an identity crisis, them not going hard enough to be considered bops, but not being emotional enough to be melancholy.

Also, this does NOT need to be her longest work. Plain and simple.

Don’t get me wrong, CAPRISONGS is not a bad tape with some great tracks that do feel entertaining and valueable, but idk man I just expected more from an artist I already love. It just feels a little like she is going on autopilot. It just feels like nothing sometimes. This tape makes me angry, but it shouldn’t. Even if it’s good. I just feel like twigs is taking the easy route. I am very happy that she is making music she is happy with, and being more happy in the process, but I just wish she switched it up just a little. I know she can do better than this. I wish she did better than this. It sucks not loving this. Nevertheless, I hope in the next release, she crafts a more concise and memorable listen.

Idk my opinion might change later but sorry cry about it lmao
(this is a joke sorry to rub salt in the wound)

Best tracks (either happy with or thought were interesting): ride a dragon, honda, tears in the club (fav), oh my love, papi bones, careless, darjeeling, thank you song

Least fav: christi interlude, lightbeamers, other tracks I don’t really know? Many tracks are just ok.

Gonna review the new Earl next, which I also am very excited for, so watch out for that

mixtape cover fucks tho what are y’all on