Here’s a list of all the current and upcoming album reviews on thursday email. All of the reviews except First Listens and Album Look Backs are done using a 5 heart rating system, using 3 characteristics that I pay attention to the most when listening to a project: cohesiveness of sound, cohesiveness of story, and vibe check. You can find my definitions of those below. The average of the 3 scores is taken to find the overall rating for the album, rounded to the nearest half or whole point (ex. 1.6 = 1.5 or 2.8 = 3). Each reviewed project has been listened to front to back. Click the rating for the review.
Sonic Cohesion
How the song sounds all together. How the lyrics and instrumentals blend and move with each other. Bars aren’t always needed, but something of substance is helpful.
Thematic Cohesion
How the songs on the project work together to create a certain theme or story that is easy to follow and is easy to recognize song by song. A good example of this is Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city.
Vibe Check
Did I do the Pharrell scrunch face, say “ooh” or “mm,” nod my head, or bounce my shoulders? Goosebumps are an automatic five.
Replay Value
How often I revisit the entire or the majority of a project – 81% or more. These are given in whole numbers (so 0-20% = 1 heart, 21-40% = 2 hearts, 41-60% = 3 hearts, 61-80% = 4 hearts, and 81-100% = 5 hearts).
Saba, CARE FOR ME (April 2018) | rating 5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Denzel Curry, TABOO (July 2018) | rating 5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
IDK, Is He Real? (September 2019) | rating 5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
IDK, IWASVERYBAD (October 2017) | rating 5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Tyler the Creator, IGOR (May 2019) | rating 5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Carter Ace, Music’s Better Than People (September 2019) | rating 5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Juto, Wool (November 2019) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
J. Cole KOD (April 2018) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
KIDS SEE GHOSTS, KIDS SEE GHOSTS (June 2018) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
The Weeknd, My Dear Melancholy, (March 2018) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Bren Joy, Twenties (May 2019) | rating: 4 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Denzel Curry, ZUU (October 2019) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Buddy, Harlan & Alondra (February 2019) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
The Sunday Service Choir, Jesus is Born (December 2019) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Kanye West, Jesus is King (October 2019) | rating 4 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Lil Nas X, 7 (June 2019) | rating 4 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Juto, Velvet (March 2019) | rating 4 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Pusha T, DAYTONA (May 2018) | rating 4 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Emile Mosseri, The Last Black Man in San Francisco (June 2019) | rating 4 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Latrell James, Still (July 2019) | rating 5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats, UNLOCKED (February 2020) | rating 5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Jay Electronica, A Written Testimony (March 2020) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Childish Gambino, 3.15.20 (March 2020) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Orion Sun, Hold Space for Me (March 2020) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Denzel Curry, Imperial (March 2016) | rating 4 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Denzel Curry, Nostalgic 64 (September 2013) | rating 4 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
JMSN, Blue (December 2014) | rating 4.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Kanye West, ye (June 2018) | rating 3.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Mick Jenkins, The Circus (January 2020) | rating 3.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Lil Uzi Vert, Eternal Atake (March 2020) | rating 3.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Denzel Curry, 32 Zel (June 2015) | rating 3 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Dreamville, Revenge of the Dreamers: Director’s Cut (January 2020) | rating 2.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
Chance the Rapper, The Big Day (July 2019) | rating 1.5 out of 5 | Listen | Lyrics
none rn but check back soon 🙂
thursday email. 