Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight by Travis Scott
Following the commercial and underground success of his 2015 offering “Rodeo,” Travis Scott comes back with an experimental and dark record consisting of fitting instrumental and good feature artists (Kid Cudi, Andre 3000, Kendrick Lamar, and more).
Some tracks that stand out are the opening track “The Ends” featuring former Outkast member Andre 3000, “Goosebumps” featuring Kendrick Lamar, and “Way Back.”
Riding off the “Rodeo” hype train and placing atop the Billboard top 100 chart, “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight” is a solid addition to Scott’s discography.
Blonde by Frank Ocean
Almost half a decade after releasing his debut album “Channel Orange,” California-born crooner Frank Ocean returns with a brand new full length album, “Blonde.”
In its entirety, the record consists of 17 tracks with a run time of 60 minutes, and if you break it down to specifics, “Blonde” is a well thought out artistic masterpiece. Heavily sought after singer/songwriter/rapper Andre 3000 finds his way onto the record for a solo feature.
Though this track only runs one minute and 19 seconds, its effect is felt heavily by the listener. Other tracks that stand out include “Nights” with a fantastic R&B outro, “White Ferrari”, and “Seigfried”. This is a bonafide classic in the realms of Pop and R&B.
P3 by PARTYNEXTDOOR
Toronto crooner PARTY-NEXTDOOR amassed quite the following in previous years with hits like “Recognize” featuring OVO frontman Aubrey “Drake” Graham. With PND being an OVO signee himself, one would expect Drake’s influence to run rampant amid his work, and this record is no exception.
However, not everything modeled after Drake’s music turns out as an incredibly appealing record. The 16 tracks encompassing 65 minutes get mildly repetitive, and the vocals seem forced and at times mundane. There is a good amount of solid tracks though, such as previously released single “Come and See Me” and “Don’t Run.” Not many people expected anything groundbreaking from Drake’s young apprentice, but he still comes through with a satisfying project for late night drives.
The Divine Feminine by Mac Miller
It is rare in music, and hip-hop in particular, for an artist’s content to get dramatically better as they propel to the mainstream. However, most of Mac Miller’s career has been a testament to this rare occurrence since dropping “KIDS” in 2010. “GO:OD AM” and “Watching Movies with the Sound Off” are two great examples of his artistic ability. However, “The Divine Feminine” is a completely different story. Tracks like “God is Fair” along with the previously released single “Dang!” stand out, but other than that, Miller’s 2016 offering is disappointing. He seems out of his element trying to croon his way through a record. The youthful Pittsburgh emcee missed the mark with this one.
