Quick Hits, Vol. 245 (Earthgang, Mayhem Lauren, Brittany Howard, DaBaby)

This platform just lost like an hours worth of my work on another post about ACL, and I want to gnash my teeth.  But being that I've already had braces twice in this lifetime, I ain't messing with my teefs.  But still, DAMMIT.

Earthgang - Mirrorland.  I was a fan of some of their stuff from their 2014 album - especially "Machete."  This one pulls a HUGE draw right out of Outkast's bong to create a very similar sound and beats and style.  Well, maybe just the Andre side of Outkast, less so with the Big Boi end.  But the cadence of the rapper, the asides, the singing style, the beats and music, they all evoke Outkast from the very first song "LaLa Challenge."  When he manically sings "lalalalalalalalalala," as tambourines freak out and a bass line rips all over the place, it feels extremely The Love Below.  And some of that music underneath makes me think of that Flying Lotus thing I just recently reviewed.  But, since I think Outkast was amazing, this is a very welcome style for me.  I like that opener, I like "UP," I feel like "Top Down" steals a sound from an old U2 song (that I can't identify right now), but "Proud of U" with Young Thug has the streaming crown for now at 20.7 million.

Has a Chance the Rapper vibe on this one.  "This Side" is kind of boring for half, and then the cadence speeds up and the beat kicks in and its pretty hard.  I surprisingly like the one with T-Pain, that has a little Spanish flair to it.  Solid album of rap.

Mayhem Lauren - Frozen Angels.  Speaking of solid rap, here is a guy I've never heard of before, who has an Action Bronson/Wu Tang vibe to him, with the legendary DJ Muggs making all of the beats.  Muggs was the guy behind (and in) Cypress Hill, and also made some classics like Ice Cube's "Check Yo Self" and House of Pain's "Jump Around."  So these beats are in the vein of classic stuff - samples and grime and ominous loops, none of the modern synth garbage.  "Psychedelic Relic" sounds like a drugged up trip through an old Doors song that your brain plays when its time for you to do a drive by.  "Champion Style" is the top streamer at 190k.

On top of the tunes being good, I dig that cover art.  I think I need it on a chain. [mortgages house, buys chain, the spike at the top of the angel's pike immediately stabs me through the mouth and I die].  I also had another short EP of these guys too, called Members Only, and it is likewise tasty.

Brittany Howard - Jaime.  I wish I could have pulled off going to see her play live last year at ACL.  I forget what was in the way, but I loved Alabama Shakes back when I saw them a few years ago, and I think I would have liked this show as well.  This is good bluesy rock and soul with fine grooves in songs like "Georgia."  "He Loves Me" is the song that gets stuck in my head each time I listen to this album - I love the sentiment, that God loves her even when she screws up or can't live up to her own hopes for herself.  "Stay High" is the hit, with its toy piano and gentle strumming guitar, and its a nice little ditty.  7.7 million streams.

What up, Terry Crews!  I laughed out loud when Brittany Howard popped up a second time, as the checkout girl.  Video is clever, with all of the visual pieces linked to the beat.  And then I wanted to cry.  Growing old can be a real bitch, kiddos.  Sweet video for a sweet song.  I dig it.  Some songs get further afield and I'm not as into it, like "13th Century Metal," but then "Goat Head" comes up, and I want to hear the whole story told in detail, because the lyrics are interesting and weird, even if the actual song itself isn't that memorable.  There are some really nice pieces to this album, but I won't say that I love it as a whole.  Good, not great.

DaBaby - KIRK.  I tried out his Baby on Baby album a few weeks ago, and I just didn't understand the excitement and appeal.  This one connects a little better - feels like he's coming up with a real sound instead of just spitting whatever he feels like.  I like "INTRO."  "TOES" has a cool beat with a touch of cowboy flavor (even if the rap itself isn't interesting).  I don't like many of these tracks - I'm not sure what he dislikes about good choruses.  Come up with a good chorus, man!  Even where he has a chorus, it sounds exactly like the rest of the song, so it takes a sec to realize this is more rap you have heard before.  Very weird.  Interestingly, none of his collaboration tracks are nearly as popular as several of the ones by himself.  You'd normally see the opposite, but for some reason his collabs (with Nicki Minaj, Lil Baby, Chance and Gucci Mane, Kevin Gates, or Migos) have significantly less streams.  Top one is called "BOP," with 184.7 million streams.

As I watch that video, I can't help but think that they have specifically created those background dance moves to become a TikTok thing.  And then I realize that my daughter has probably listened to this song 50,000 times while she has practiced those frighteningly suggestive moves.  I like the video though!  A better album than the last one, but still nothing that feels like I need it in my life.