VVV, Vol. 3 (R&B Edition) - SZA, Syd, Bryson Tiller & Sabrina Claudio

The first R&B projects that I'll be reviewing in this very special edition of Very Velocious Verdicts!

I named this blog "Hip Hop and Other Things" for a reason. Variety is the spice of life, and even I, an avid hip hop fan, can get "burnt out" or "tired" of the genre from time to time.

Which is why I'm switching it up and reviewing R&B projects that have come out this year. A couple projects that are well known (SZA, Bryson Tiller) and a couple that are not so well known as the aforementioned well known projects (Syd, Sabrina Claudio).

As far as R&B as a whole goes. I do have my episodes where I listen to exclusively R&B for like a week or so. Obviously, I'm more experienced in listening to hip hop BUT music is music, and a lot of the times, R&B and Hip Hop intersect so much the line between the 2 genres become one giant smear. 

But I've talked for long enough, let's get to reviewing these R&B projects in the very non hip hop edition of VVV!

Let's start with SZA...

• SZA - Ctrl

Cover Art for "Ctrl"

Background Info On Artist

SZA (AKA Solana Imani Rowe) is a steadily rising R&B singer who is probably most known through her many vocal contributions to the songs of the artists on Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) (These artists include Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Isaiah Rashad, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and more).

After first getting into music by recording a song on accident, the young SZA would go on to come into contact with TDE head honcho, Terrance "Punch" Henderson and following her signing to the label, SZA would release an EP called "Z" in 2014.

Fast forward to 2017, 3 years later...after getting some personal affairs and record label situations in order, SZA has finally arrived with her debut album titled "Ctrl"!  

And how does "Ctrl" sound? Is SZA only good for a simple, catchy hook in a rap song? Or is she capable of making a fully fleshed out, body of work? Let's find out...

Review

The Good:

~ SZA has unique and lively inflections in her voice that really makes her voice pop out from the instrumental and makes the listener want to focus in on the lyrics.

~ "Ctrl" has nice, off-kilter instrumentals that elevate the project above your average R&B album.

~ Great, ear-catching lyrics and songwriting that keeps the album from being stale and in fact compels the listener to listen to the album all the way through until the end.

The Bad:

~ Certain tracks were given less care than others, it is most notable on the songs "Anything" and "Go Gina". Both tracks feel underwritten compared to other songs, those songs actually feel more like interludes than the actual interlude on the album.

~ The album can be inaccessible to a fault to listeners who don't care to hear about the woes of the introspective side chick. Certain audiences will gravitate toward this album more than others.

~ Isaiah Rashad's contribution on "Pretty Little Birds" wasn't memorable or necessary.

Overall though...

My general reaction to SZA's "Ctrl" in gif form...

Whenever I hear "Ctrl", I picture a girl in her room, standing on top of her bed, singing songs from this album at the top of her lungs. SZA makes "Ctrl" relatable in the best way.

Now, SZA isn't a powerhouse Whitney Houston/90's Mariah Carey type singer. She keeps her vocals in the mid to low range with the occasional high note. 

BUT what sets SZA apart from other singers is her uncommon, yet groovy instrumentals and her unique voice inflections that allow her to tap into pleasant melodies & harmonies.

This is in addition to her catchy lyrics that allow her to be relatable to just about every girl out there who has gone through feelings of insecurity or the experience of thinking that they are not a priority.

It may not be for everybody, but the people who "Ctrl" was made for, will be satisfied 100%.

Closing Words:

Side chicks have problems too! And a good side chick who plays her position and isn't trying to become the main seems to be rare nowadays.

Everyone wants to be the main character and not everyone can be that. There's nothing wrong with being a good supporting character! Ever see a Bollywood film where there's like 30 different main characters? It makes the movie too chaotic to follow and more importantly, it doesn't lead to a satisfying conclusion.

Being a side chick comes with its own set of obstacles and I'm glad SZA is here to address them on "Ctrl", because I feel like being the "other" woman is something society in general doesn't like to talk about although it is very common. One of those "Sweep-It-Under-The-Rug-And-Hope-It-Goes-Away" type deals. "Ctrl" is basically side chick reasonable doubt. 

Shoutout to all the side girls out there who know what it is, don't get too attached, and are ready to move on at a drop of a hat. Y'all are the real unsung MVPs, and I thank the "Ctrl" album for helping me consider another point of view in a dynamic relationship.

Sometimes, the best control is just feeling like we actually do have control, even if in reality, we actually don't. 

*Trey Songz Voice* IT'S MRS. STEAL YO GIRL!

Favorite Track(s): Love Galore, Doves in the Wind, Drew Barrymore, The Weekend, Garden (Say It Like Dat), Broken Clocks, 20 Something

Least Favorite Track: Anything

Recommended If You like Artists like: Rihanna, Kehlani, Tinashe, Jhené Aiko, Erykah Badu

Score: 7/10

Listen to SZA's "Ctrl" here. 

Written by Joseph Sanker II in July 2017

• Syd - Fin

Cover Art for "Fin"

Background Info On Artist

Syd (AKA Sydney Bennett) is a singer, songwriter, producer, and DJ from Los Angeles, California who is probably most known for being the lead singer for the neo-soul band "The Internet" in addition to her involvement in the hip hop collective "Odd Future".

Born into a family with a strong musical background, Syd naturally pursued music. Shortly after joining the notorious Odd Future collective, Syd formed her own band called "The Internet". Following the band's success with The Internet's critically acclaimed album "Ego Death" in 2015, Syd announced her official departure from Odd Future in 2016.

Now, in 2017, Syd has returned with her first solo outing titled "Fin". I did listen to the Internet's breakout album titled "Ego Death" and Syd IS the lead singer of that group so I should like this, keyword "should" not "must".

Review

The Good:

~ Syd has a very pleasant tone of voice. It allows her to deliver well on all the instrumentals on here.

~ The instrumental choices made in this album were very wise. The word "smooth" fits this album to a tee. Syd keeps a very nocturnal feeling throughout the project.

~ Syd channels some 90s Aaliyah type vibes on here without trying too hard, she recreates a sound while still adding her own, modern twist on it.

The Bad:

~ Syd keeps an almost monotone flow/rhythm for an entire song. It doesn't give Syd's voice any real, strongly defining traits. The lack of vocal risks on here can make Syd's "Fin" very forgettable. 

~ Way too easy to tune out Syd most of the time. It really takes a concerted effort to keep your attention fully on Syd, 100% of the time. This goes back to her one rhythm/one vibe cadence throughout the project.

~ Album doesn't become actually captivating until track 5. The album truly feels like elevator music for the first 4 tracks.

Overall though...

My general reaction to Syd's "Fin" in gif form...

Syd has a nice lounge singer voice. Her vocals are perfect for filling up the ambiance of a room with light-hearted, slightly mischievous, relaxation. It doesn't make her particularly memorable, but you do remember feeling "comfortable" at that lounge or what have you. 

Being that this is her very first outing as a completely solo artist (reminder that Syd has been more or less apart of a group for most of her career) it was a decent first foray into being a solo artist.

Closing Words:

Syd's biggest problem is creating an attention grabbing presence on the mic. Vocally speaking, I feel like this album is very safe. Not once was I compelled to care what Syd was talking about.

The only fluttering thought I had while listening to this project was "hey she sounds nice" but I was never like "WOW she really laid down her vocals on that track!" Not once.

I'd like to see more vocal experimentation from Syd as well as more lively production from her as well in the future.

There's this loosie track that didn't make the album called "Treading Water" produced by Steve Lacy that sounds better than 90% of "Fin".

Listen to the "Treading Water" song I linked. THAT'S more of the sound I want to hear more in Syd's music.

Favorite Track(s): All About Me, Smile More, Over, Insecurities 

Least Favorite Track: Shake Em Off

Recommended If You Like Artists Like: Aaliyah, Toro y Moi, Kali Uchis, Steve Lacy, 6LACK

Score: 6/10

Listen to Syd's "Fin" here.

Written by Joseph Sanker II in July 2017.

• Bryson Tiller - True to Self

Cover Art for "True to Self"

Background Info On Artist

Bryson Tiller (AKA Bryson Djuan Tiller) is an American R&B singer who is most known for his 2015 breakout debut album "Trapsoul".

Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Bryson first began his musical journey in 2011 with his first mixtape entitled "Killer Instinct, Vol. 1". 4 years later, Bryson finally caught the attention of the music industry with his single "Don't".

Following the release of his 2015 effort "Trapsoul", Bryson finally barged through the door of the music industry and saw almost instantaneous success from the project. Songs from "Trapsoul" charted onto the billboard 200, he was offered record deals (this included an offer from Drake's own imprint OVO).

The following year in 2016, the mayor of Louisville gifted Tiller with the key to the city, he was then nominated for (and won) various BET awards as well.

After achieving and enjoying the success of "Trapsoul", Bryson has returned with his sophomore effort "True to Self", the follow up to his breakout album...

Can Bryson recreate the magic that got him so much success with "Trapsoul"? Or is he going to fumble and drop the metaphorical, musical ball?

Let's find out...

Review

The Good:

~ Tiller switches between singing and rapping with relative ease and keeps rhythm at a nice pace.

~ The lyrics make for great Instagram captions because they are just relatable enough for the average teenager on Instagram.

~ Good to put on in the background as you do other things.

The Bad:

~ The album is WAY. TOO. LONG. The songs bleed together in the worst way. Bryson cannot hold a 19 track album by himself with no features. Too many filler songs and not enough memorable or distinguishable tracks.

~ Compared to "Trapsoul", "True to Self" feels like the leftover tracks to "Trapsoul", Bryson keeps a repetitive cadence for the majority of the album which makes most of the songs sound like one long song for the length of an hour.

~ Tiller's singing is very bland, there's no real flavor or color in his voice. The instrumentals are very monotonous as well.

Overall...

My overall reaction to Bryson Tiller's "True to Self" in gif form...

Like my colleague Mr. Mophead said, this album, for me, in one word is boring. Bryson keeps a very formulaic, very passive, boring song structure for the majority of his songs. 

The subject matter is really R&B 101, "My first R&B album" territory...in that Bryson, for the length of 19 tracks talks about how girls are doing him dirty, how he's doing them dirty, how haters are "jealous" of his success, etc. but what makes "True to Self" so frustrating is that Bryson has a very limited, non-distinct vocal range. 

He's just so passionless on this album. I think Bryson wanted to recreate the unexpected success he had on "Trapsoul" on "True to Self" so he literally made another, less interesting version of "Trapsoul". That's honestly it. "True to Self" is actually just an inferior, less focused version of Tiller's previous work.

Closing Words:

"True to Self" is Bryson Tiller's "Trapsoul" MINUS the "Soul" part.

The funny part is, I actually listened to "True to Self" before I heard "Trapsoul". I had only heard the singles on "Trapsoul", I never actually sat down and listened to "Trapsoul" in its entirety before this review. 

I remember, on my first listen through "True to Self", I was like "There's no way this guy got this much hype off of making music like this (the songs on "True to Self"). So, I went back and listened to his 2015 debut and my God, what a difference, you can actually feel the passion in Tiller's voice, you can hear the catchiness in the songs on "Trapsoul" and most of all, you can see why Tiller accumulated such a large fanbase, seemingly out of nowhere.

To put it simply, picture "Trapsoul"...now remove everything that made "Trapsoul" enjoyable and memorable...that's "True to Self".

Favorite Track(s): Don't Get Too High, Run Me Dry, Before You Judge, Set It Off

Least Favorite Track: Money Problems/Benz Truck

Recommended If You Like Artists Like: Tory Lanez, Bryson Tiller, The Weeknd, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Ty Dolla $ign, Jeremih 

Score: 5/10

Listen to Bryson Tiller's "True to Self" here.

Written by Joseph Sanker II on 7/31/17

• Sabrina Claudio - Confidently Lost

Cover Art for "Confidently Lost"

Background Info on Artist

Sabrina Claudio (AKA Sabrina Claudio [Either that's her real name, or my google skills are weak cause that's the only name that keeps popping up for her lol, it's probably both tbh]) is an American R&B singer who is not that well known but is steadily becoming the next artist to look out for in 2017.

Originally from Miami, Florida, Sabrina made her way to Los Angeles, California and has been bubbling ever since in the local and internet music scene. Her music has slowly, but surely, been  spread to more and more listeners over the past few months, mostly through word of mouth (aka Social media). 

I know this because I first heard of her through Joe Budden's podcast. Joe Budden had played her song as part of the podcast's "Sleeper Pick" segment where they play relatively unknown artist's songs. Joe played "Confidently Lost" (the title track) and I was instantly hooked. I checked out her only (publicly) available project called the "Confidently Lost EP" and the rest is history.

I had to include her in this version of VVV, Vol. 3 cause this is the best R&B project I've heard all year (so far)...

Review

The Good:

~ Her voice is super silky smooth, but it also has personality, very good vocal range that makes you remember her.

~ The way she hits those high notes...phenomenal. It's not Minnie Riperton meets Frank Ocean on "Thinkin Bout You" type notes, but she can hold her own, and compared to her competition. She's miles ahead of them.

~ Great sense of melody and songwriting, makes for hooks that you can't help but sing along to. 

~ Production is great, whatever Sabrina sings over perfectly compliments her, like the beat was built around her singing. Great, jazzy feeling throughout the project with a danceable opener to kick the whole project off.

The Bad:

~ "Runnin Thru Lovers" had a little bit too much of a repetitive hook, would've liked more variance in the lyrics of the hook.

~ It's only an EP, I hope Sabrina is able to keep this quality for a full length album.

Overall though...

My general reaction to Sabrina Claudio's "Confidently Lost" in gif form...

Sabrina gets you in your feelings, there's no 2 ways about it. Be it in a good or bad way, her singing does something to me. It's smooth but her songwriting about problems in romantic relationships is very dexterous. Nothing is ever "on the nose" or just blunt. 

There's a right amount of both specificity and vagueness that let's her get away with lines that could have multiple meanings but she does it so smoothly you almost don't notice.

I'm rarely, if ever, urged to check out an R&B artist out, especially one I haven't heard before. But sometimes you just know talent when you hear it. I hear talent on Joe's podcast, raw, unearthed talent that I knew I needed to hear more of and that YOU need to hear too!

Closing Words:

This project is great. It's only 7 songs, with the last track being an acoustic version of the 2nd track (but it's SO WORTH listening to the acoustic version of the second track. I literally have it on repeat as I type this. This might be my favorite R&B song of the year, yes, even beating out Frank Ocean's "Chanel" although I'm not ready to make that leap just yet as "Chanel" by Frank Ocean is OH SO GOOD too!)

But yeah, even though the project is short, Sabrina manages to capture different moods as the EP progresses. The day time, riding-around-in-the-car feel is best captured in the opening track (which has a killer beat switch up, by the way). 

The night time, my-significant-other-is-coming-over-so-I-need-to-set-the-mood songs are also here. Most notably the title track which just sounds like it was made for late love making sessions. It's THAT smooth. 

The relationship problem songs are also here in "Tell Me" and "Runnin' Thru Lovers" as well. 

Look man, the EP is GREAT. Listen to it RIGHT NOW!

Favorite Track(s): Too Much Too Late, Confidently Lost, Orion's Belt, I Don't, Tell Me (Acoustic)

Least Favorite Track: Runnin' Thru Lovers

Recommended If You Like Artists Like: Daniel Caesar, Khalid, SZA, H.E.R., Jessie Reyez, Kehlani

Score: 8/10

Listen to Sabrina Claudio's "Confidently Lost" EP here. 

Written by Joseph Sanker II on 8/1/17

Annnnnnnnd there we have it folks! The first non-hip hop post on hip hop and other things blog! Hope you enjoyed!

See you soon for whatever else I have planned! 

Until next time, keep listening! (I'm trying out new sign off phrases)

~ Joe

Written on 8/1/17