Music Review Grab Bag | Quinn Satterlund

Ice Spice - Like..?

When I first heard this E.P., I was damn near gobsmacked (is that a word?). Perhaps it was the low expectations from her past work, but I actually enjoyed it. The bouncy production blends well with Spice’s lighthearted bars and “walking” flow, allowing for an entertaining listening experience. Tongue-in-cheek references to Spice’s newfound stardom on Social Media (the track “Princess Diana” is a reference to a widely circulated meme that Spice is the reincarnation of the late Princess of Wales), along with her unique NY lingo add to the unquestionable likeability that Spice provides on Like..?

The project's short run time benefits it greatly, and Lil Tjay’s feature on “Gangsta Boo” adds some much-needed versatility to one of the E.P.’s standout tracks. Other highlights include “Princess Diana”, “In Ha Mood” and “Actin a Smoochie”. Although I was not a huge fan of the viral single “Munch (Feelin’ U) and was quite indifferent towards “Bikini Bottom”, both songs are still catchy, and the project is captivating. It’s no To Pimp A Butterfly, but it’s still a fun listen, so i suggest you check it out. 7.5/10

Lil Yachty - Let’s Start Here.

This album is overrated. Perhaps it will grow on me, and although I appreciate the Minnesota rapper's change in direction, I still find this album to be completely average. Singing has never been Lil Boat’s forte, and on an album where he exclusively sings, his inability to do so is painfully obvious. This is a shame because even the phenomenal, sun-soaked production cannot save it. There are a few bright spots on this otherwise middle-of-the-road album, like “WE SAW THE SUN!” and “drive ME crazy”, but the glimpses of greatness, are, well, just glimpses. I think this album would have been so much better if they had transposed the songs down into Yachty’s vocal range, and then pitched them up, similar to Tyler, The Creator’s seminal 2019 album Igor, but it is what it is. Perhaps you will like this album more than me, so check it out if you like bands like Tame Impala, but otherwise, I can’t recommend it. Points for creativity, though. 5.5/10

Trippie Redd - MANSION MUSIK

There’s not a lot to say about this album. It’s way too long, way too bland, and way too much. I struggled to get through this entire project, as every song feels longer than it should be, and Trippie does not try to innovate his sound like in his last album, Trip At Knight. Every beat is repetitive despite the A-List roster of producers he had available to him. Beatmakers known for their experimental and unique beats were delegated to the role of creating boring, uninspired Chief Keef copycat beats that do nothing to show off thier talent. It honestly amazes me that with all the features and production, he was able to make something so bad. The entire album feels rushed, with many songs (most noticeably “CRZY TRAIN” featuring Travis Scott) having noticeable mixing and mastering issues. The obviously inspired MANSION MUSIK takes more than just its name from Chief Keef’s 2018 album, with the Chicago rapper handling the role of executive producer along with featuring on two of the project's deep cuts. How Trippie managed to squander this much musical ability is beyond me, and I hope that his next project will learn from these mistakes. Don’t listen, not worth your time. 3.5/10