Listen:
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https://play.spotify.com/album/4xcYY...tm_medium=open
ScHoolboy Q - Blank Face LP
This is Q's fourth studio album, the follow-up to his huge of succes of an album that came out it in 2014: "Oxymoron".
This album begins with the track "TorcH", where Anderson .Paak beautifully opens this LP with his a heart-warming voice, (it's raspy and amazing) someone who really deserved their spot in the XXL Feshmen 2016 Issue IMO. For this song he sings and screams like he is isolated, terrified and somewhat scared.
ScHoolboy Q's vocals come in and there are stunning, this maniac sound to it sounds badass, very criminal-influenced, brutal spitting. The instrumental comes in nicely and i like it, but i thought it was a little stretched out in to the song. The track is 5:35 minutes long and the riff stays steady througout it. THere are some nice interludes and all, but the riff stays steady, so that it becomes old at the 3-inute MaRk, but its that not it's annoying or anything, you get the point.
And nice beat Percussion!!
The next song is a short track called "Lord Have Mercy", its 1:44 minutes long.
Its keep the album in the flow. Even though its short, its sweet. Swizz Beats sings and delivers a catchy and smooth hook, whilst also being the producer for this cut. You can hear him improving on this track. A greatly-chosen jazzy sample called "Donald Byrd" by Cristo Redentor. Not only that, but effects on both side of years, very detailed with adlibs in the back and more little voices.
"THat Part" featuring Kanye West is already getting tired on my ears.
The drop is nicely executed, not gonna lie, its a good trap banger, but it doesn't stay revelant very long. Kanye West starts with a weak beginning in his verse, he's more like freestyling then doing his best to deliver some great lyrics. His bars are punchy and very Kanye-like, but i hear no effort, just some fooling around. Q first thought it was a troll verse when Kanye send it through to him, i understand why haha
But don't get me wrong, its not awful, i think in the end Kanye his agression mixed with the dark tone change-up in the beat is very entertaining, its just that that is not enough for me.
Probably gon bump this one some more on those chill summer eves with music on. tho
"Groovy Tony / Eddie Kane" Ft. Jadakiss - I was already very pleased with "Groovy Tony" when the video came out. Q's flow on here is better than ever and his bars are clever ass hell. I just love when he raps fast, in an agressive way, spitting in a commanding way. Great-ganster rap ****. "Eddie Kane" is also very dope. The beat reminded a bit of some things i heard on Kendrick Lamar's "Untitled Unmastered" that came out earlier this year, which is funny 'cause you can hear Kenny singing occasionally on this album. Gotta have that Black-Hippy back-up.
"Kno Ya Wrong" Ft. Lance Skiiwalker (the newest signee of TDE) easily has the most beautiful sound to the instrumental on his album. Its that very subtle, feel good piano sound i love so much. ScHoolboy Q is really sounding like a dad with a warm-heart on here. Nice flow-switch ups throughout the track, giving it a nice melodic touch.
6th track "Ride Out" Ft. Vince Staples is cool, but nothing too special to my ears. It doesn't blow me away like everyone claims it does. Even though the production is great, it has a greedy dark tone, its not satisfying enough for me.. Let's talk Vince for a bit, he comes through with high energy, a nice bounchy verse, his flow is on point, as expected and i must say i was actually pretty impressed. This is personally, the best guest-verse he's done, in the last couple months. I know people were really impressed with Vince's verse on Clams Casino's "All Nite", but i think otherwise.
in "WHateva U Want" Q has a sudden attitude switch-up, all of a sudden he sounds like a really life-loving guy. Wanting to take care of his girl and buying anything for her she wants. Even though i don't really find Candice Pillay her vocals all that interesting, they are ok.
"By Any Means" is a easy-going trap-influenced song that is very relaxing on the ears. Kendrick Lamar singing on the hook, in multiple layers, so it sounds like there is a voice changer-used. The classic slow-mo sound vocal Kendrick uses a lot is also involved - "By any meaanss". Q singing right after the hook in an ear-grabbing melody is lovely.
"Dope Dealer" Ft. E-40 is a banger produced by Metro-Boomin. He put a lot of work in to this beat, its actually amazing and on of the best material i heard from metro yet. He's gonna be up there with the big producers if he keeps it going like this.
E-40's verse is okay, people are giving this ****, but i don't mind it. It sounds okay and it's on of Q's childhood rappers, so its awesome that these two share the mic today.
"JoHn Muir" brings it back to the smooth produced beats with sexy samples. Verses are on point, no complains about that at all. The hook sounds very welcoming, with angels singing in chore, in a very hip-hop way. Sorry if my explanations aren't always clear, i have some weird fantasy world going on in my brain or whatever that twists my ****, i'm not sure, but anyway let's keep going..
"Big Body" Ft. Tha Dogg Pound is a nice uplifting sounding track. The beat has a melodic undertone that comes through very smooth, butter-like, and gives you a warm breeze. Hook is again some catchy shoot Q pulled, its some fooling around, but it makes up for a great chorus!
That's all i have for now! Its 3 am here, i wanna finish this review, but i'm just so tired
I'm going to get some sleep and finish it, but for now, i'm posting the opinions on tracks from the first half.
What do you think about this album? I'm still figuring out personally, but i wanna hear some opinions, and eventually i will be giving it my final score.
See you in the comments
