https://open.spotify.com/album/3zjcu4Ejw43pByGix5kUSU?si=ku6-__8xQMCZS_dpRQwI6A

Out now. I prefer this to Gold and Heaven - better orchestration and more developed concepts IMO. Not quite up to Mother, but that is ok 'cause that record is v/ special.

All Because of Love is an early highlight.

other than Inflo at this point

both for music and lyrics

bc at this point I feel like she's just sort of making the same album over and over again?

and the lyrics keep getting worse. like a therapy session that is only affirming that you are right in all matters, and everyone else is wrong, lol, complete with all the worst cliches.

it's not that there's nothing good here. i need to listen again, closer, to highlight a few tracks.

but even the good stuff feels like a re-tread.

jimmy jam/terry lewis helped switch things up on Sault's Chapter 1 a bit, to good effect. something similar could go a long way for her.

(copied this from my response in the new music thread -- thanks for making a specific post for the release)

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

I wonder how each party would take to your advice.

I was looking forward to listening to this, but this sounds as if the album is quite boring and is a chore to listen to.

Sad if that's the case.

"Sean sparks like John Starks, nah, Sean ball like John Wall" - Rest In Power Forever Sean Price.

and I only listened once. I didn't feel like my opinion would change much on subsequent listens, but I'll still go back and try again.

in the end, though, this is probably going in the list of the year's disappointments for me, except that it's only disappointing in the sense that it's about what I expected.


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

I don't disagree to a great extent - I absolutely felt the same way about the last two records.

I do feel this one is a bit different from an auditory perspective; a bit of a return to her older stuff that always reminded me of minnie/rotary connection ('miles song' anyone?). That is probably why I gravitate more towards this one.

To push back a little... Cleo isn't really an immaculate lyric writer and is definitely retreading steps. But do we really think working with a different producer would change that? Maybe a songwriter, but I get the sense that the music is super personal so I doubt that ever happens.

>To push back a little... Cleo isn't really an immaculate lyric
>writer and is definitely retreading steps. But do we really
>think working with a different producer would change that?
>Maybe a songwriter, but I get the sense that the music is
>super personal so I doubt that ever happens.

It certainly couldn't hurt. And of course there are plenty of musical examples where working with someone new changes the dynamic, gives us something unexpected.

But of course, the artist has to be into it.

I find myself wishing more and more these days that more insular/insulated artists who do everything themselves, or with a very small particular crew, would break out of their bubble and work with new people. It so often leads to obvious stagnation. (I'm thinking of Oddisee as I write this...)

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Family Ties
Their Smiles are Not the Same
All Because of Love
Sentimental Love
Thank You

Lots of vocal stacking, loving the return of strings into the arrangements. Definitely her best since Mother, and much better than Gold and the other one that I can't remember.

Might be one that keeps growing on me on repeat listens