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Album Reviews

Album Review: Au by Peyton
Au solidifies Peyton’s place in the contemporary R&B landscape and alternative soul as a formidable, idiosyncratic voice, one that few artists can…
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Jill Wannasa
Album Review: Swag II by Justin Bieber
After surprise-releasing Swag, a 21-track album in July that feels overstuffed and uneven, Justin Bieber returns almost two months later with a sequel…
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Tai Lawson
Album Review: MALIK by Venna
Venna’s life is a journey, being the youngest voice in nearly every room he enters. MALIK is a record of bridges: between youth and age, home and…
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LeMarcus
Album Review: Heat the Streets by Elmiene
On Heat the Streets, Elmiene channels classic soul romanticism with a raw honesty that’s entirely his own, unafraid to belt out big feelings yet…
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Jamila W.
Album Review: Wake Up Supa by D Smoke
Wake Up Supa is D Smoke at his most self-assured and purposeful, blending the personal and political, the hood and the heart, in a way that few albums…
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Tai Lawson
Album Review: No Validation by Ché Noir & The Other Guys
Ché Noir moves from the external to the internal, mirroring her evolution as an artist and individual, packed with lessons learned and lessons taught…
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Harry Brown
Album Review: wHIMSY by Destin Conrad
For an artist known primarily for slick R&B, wHIMSY is a bold pivot that could have fallen flat—but Conrad mostly sticks the landing, introducing him in…
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Jamila W.
2
Album Review: Heels Have Eyes 2 by Westside Gunn
It’s not a radical reinvention, but it doesn’t need to be: this is the Flygod doing what he does best, with just enough new twists (in theme and…
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Randy
1
Album Review: Miss Black America by KIRBY
KIRBY’s debut is a powerful, culturally significant statement from a Southern daughter who isn’t afraid to sing her truth. Mississippi should be proud…
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Imani Raven
Album Review: Lonely at the Top by Joey Bada$$
With Lonely at the Top, it captures a rapper who can still eviscerate his peers while cradling his infant child; it honors the East Coast’s boom‑bap…
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LeMarcus
1
Album Review: Man’s Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter
With Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter is staking a claim for pop superstardom that feels increasingly within reach. She has made a convincing case…
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Charlotte Rochel
1
EP Review: Sellout II by Jae Stephens
Sellout II is a win for Stephens, a cohesive and compelling statement that proves polish and personality can indeed go hand in hand.
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Charlotte Rochel
1
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