This Week's Releases 30/11 - Earl Sweatshirt, The 1975, J.I.D., Jeff Tweedy
Releases of the week 24/11/2018 - 30/11/2018
Featured Release
Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs (Hip Hop, Abstract)
It’s always been Earl versus the world. Fame found him at the age of 16, making him an internet sensation, then a meme, then an enigma, and finally, an icon. For an introverted kid who knew he could rap but was reluctant to accept the exposure and invasions of privacy that came with being a bona fide pop culture phenomenon, it’s been an uncomfortable evolution. Voracious fans threatened to consume not just his music but his personal life too. That same entitlement caused the “FREE EARL” campaign to mutate from eager appreciation to scary obsession and stoked fans’ demand for music during the three years since his last album—even as he was mourning his father’s death earlier this year. Rather than bask in the attention, he recoiled from it, setting himself apart from peers who maintain relevance through carefully strategized ubiquity. As he receded from the spotlight, his mystique grew—as did fans’ desire to hear him to do what he does best.
Other Notable Relases
The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships (Pop, Synthpop)
J.I.D. - DiCaprio 2 (Hip Hop, Trap)
Jeff Tweedy - Warm (Indie, Alt-Country)
Meek Mill - CHAMPIONSHIPS (Hip Hop, Trap)
Feel free to discuss or feature any and all other releases in the comments below
Discussion Points
Have you listened to any of these releases?
What are your thoughts?
What are you looking forward to listen to?
What have you enjoyed from these artists in the past?
// All feedback on this format welcome below.
Disappointed by the new Earl, though it's still acceptable and I don't hate it or anything. Imo he has the skill to be in the GOAT conversation and IDLSIDGO was going in the direction where keeping that up would get him here, but this stylistic change covers up everything good about him.
It's like he made a good beat tape / instrumental thing (seriously, some of those chops are INSANE) then decided he didn't want to make one of those and mumbled over it with the mic inside his mouth so people would stroke their chins and say "oh yes, how experimental and unique!" There's no room for anything to breathe, and not in the cool claustrophobic atmosphere way either, so that the whole of eahc song is worse than the sum of its parts. I love things that are much more erratic and seemingly messy than this, but I really don't think this comes together into anything beyond what's there on the surface. I'll continue giving it listens because it's Earl, but I doubt my opinions will change much. The more I think about it and listen, the harder my heels dig in on this.
If this were a new artist out of nowhere, I'd just recognize the inspired moments and evidence of untapped talent and be excited for the future even based on this only okay project. But coming from someone who has mastered rap music like Earl managed to? This just looks like searching for a new sound without any thought to your own strengths or how to make it actually come together. Understandable for an artist, not of much worth for a fan.
Thanks for doing these threads.
Funny, I could never quite get into his previous releases, but 'Some Rap Songs' has immediately hooked me. I think the 'claustrophobia' felt to me like the album is very concentrated, with all bells and whistles pushed aside - just <30mins of bars and beats. I've always been a fan of abstract, jazz rap beats so I fell right in, and his mumbling felt like the perfect extension of his nihilistic delivery and outlook he's been known for.
You're right though, this isn't unique, the sound is totally derivative of the lo-fi beats that are popular at the moment. It isn't a world away from what Milo has been doing from Scallops Hotel, but the important thing is that Earl is bringing Earl to the sound - and his writing is coming along leaps and bounds, and it's best when he isn't trying too hard. I definitely need to give it a few more spins. I think we're yet to hear Earl's best work, but first impressions is that this is one of my favourite records of 2018.