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Track by Track followed by summary and rating...
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Sirens
Oh shit, it's one of the better beats on that Jay-Z album that I didn't care for!
His singing over this really works. Loving how the music was worked around his vocals
and somber, bending melodies. He takes this hard beat and makes it smooth and somewhat sensual.
Very well-done album opener.
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Star Now
Nice instrumental opener to this lulling track. Verses contain Bilal's dreamy, floating
and bending delivery. It's well-done, but I find this one a bit boring and don't really
like the emotional destination, especially after hearing a song that sounds even darker
than the first one. Sure, the sequencing is bad with these two songs back to back,
but this song isn't particularly strong either. This song does, however, hit the emotional
mark it seems to be aiming for... melancholia. It's just almost overload with these
two back to back.
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Open Up The Door
This song is amazing. The melody is there, the music, Bilal's voice. It's become
pretty rare that Bilal writes a straight-ahead song like this anymore, but damnit
I'm glad he finally did. This is a song that Stevie Wonder could have recorded in 1972.
The tempo is a bouncy, infectious Samba tempo, and Bilal makes the absolute MOST
of it. Very strong song here.
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I Really Don't Care
This is that jazzy Bilal that "Sometimes" promised to deliver us in the future.
Actually this also sounds like something Stevie would perform in 1968 or so.
Whereas "Open Up The Door" had a Samba rhythm, this one has a very Rumba rhythm.
It's very relaxing and almost makes you envision a nice stroll in the park. Again,
Bilal delivers on the melody and writes YET ANOTHER straight-forward song.
I'm really surprised we got two of these out of him this time around.
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Pleasure Toy ft Big KRIT
Uptempo 80s drums hit and immediately get your head nodding. You could remix
"Buffalo Stance" with these drums. Bilal with another sensible melody that doesn't
sound like random noodling. I'm kinda like WTF, at this point... not because I don't
like what's going on, but because I DO, and I'm surprised Bilal isn't trying way too
hard to be experimental for 3 tracks in a row. He goes mostly falsetto on this track,
sounding VERY Prince-ish, especially around the 3 minute mark. This is a very nice
and groovy 80s dance track tho. I fux with it. You could play it at 80s party and
people might say "Who is that? I never heard that one!"
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Satellites
Nice boom bap drums with swirling, atmospheric instrumentation while Bilal
offers another straight-ahead melody. This was the lead single that had me excited
that Bilal just might deliver an album with less silly melodic directions. So far,
he's delivered, for the most part.
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Lunatic
Snare-heavy drums and a more rock vocal approach than previous tracks. This song
has a decent melody over the mid-tempo backdrop and pronounced electric guitar.
It isn't necessarily one of the stronger songs, but it's good enough not to be skipped.
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Money Over Love ft Kendrick Lamar
More organ! Drumroll-heavy drums that could double as hip hop drums. I really
get a strong Temptations/Motown vibe from the melody and feel of this one.
Kendrick comes through to offer a quick and potent verse. It's a nice song.
Perhaps one of the better ones on the album
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Love Child
I loved this song from the first time I heard the album. As far as tempo, you have
something of a Mambo here, but the drums are Sade's Sweetest Taboo. Bilal
offers another easily digestible melody and hits the mark with a really catchy
two-word chorus. Very nice song
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Holding It Back ft Kimbra
Here's another drumroll-heavy beat. Mid-tempo but the laid-back feeling makes
it feel slower. It's mid-tempo song you could sleep to, lol. This song's not bad,
but it sounds like a lullabye to a child, both in melody and the tone of voice both
vocalists use here. While not finding it terrible, I don't find it to be one of the
highlights of the album.
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Spiraling
Mid-tempo drums come in, followed by a full band in which the bass and horns
sound awesome... they drop out, leaving synths, finger-snaps and kick drums as
Bilal begins the opening verse. Later in the verse, the drums and bass return,..
then back to the full sound of the beginning for the chorus. This repeats at the
second verse. He's gonna get your attention in the middle of that 2nd verse, lol.
This is another nice song.
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Bury Me Next To You
Laid back beat and funky bass over which Bilal's silky falsetto soars. Some horns
come in to set everything off as the bass continues to keep it funky. That bass really
does make this song. This is something to ride to on a gloomy day... or just listen
to as you listen to the rain fall outside.
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The biggest drawback here is the way the album starts. I think that second song
is gonna turn alotta listeners off from giving the entire album a chance... not because
it isn't good, but because it really drags the energy of the album down after the first song.
Otherwise, this is a great easy listening album. This is probably my favorite Bilal
album thus far, because it seems to fit him so well, yet delivers some straight-ahead
music that can connect to the people. I know the brother likes to throw convention
out the window, but sometimes convention is the best way to go. He seems to have
realized that alot on this album after some more experimental outings.
Personally, I have to be careful about praising Bilal simply for NOT doing something
wtf-worthy with the melody on a song. I love an artist who experiments and comes
up with new stuff... just don't leave the scraps on the album for me to hear. He didn't
this time, and I appreciate that.
Overall, he's delivered an easy-listening experience that can play as you ride in the
car, as you clean the house, on a rainy day, or as something you just wanna sit and
listen to. A few of the songs are great, while some are just ok, but they all are
playable and decent, so the album flows swimmingly beyond the 2nd track.
Nothing's necessarily mind-blowing here, but it's all good.
It has the value of a Sade album for me, even tho I often feel like Bilal
wants to be in the same company as Radiohead with his releases... wanting to
be a soulful Radiohead, if you will. He kinda hits that mark here, being heavier on
the soul side than the Radiohead side. But that's who Bilal is. And I like Bilal.
I give this one a strong 8.0 ~
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Days like this I miss Sha Mecca
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