The Burbs Music Staff came together to provide an update on the albums that have (so far) remained staples in their ever-evolving listening rotations.
VINCE STAPLES by Vince Staples
“Vince Staples is a fully loaded pistol that fires confetti. This self-titled project sees Vince continue his ascension from an intrinsically philosophical bar-dropper to a ghetto-tortured frequent-fun-haver. He exists in a rarified air where scarring storytelling and club-thumping sounds melt into one glorious sundae.”
I wrote that after my first few listens to the album. It sounds great, right? Now, a couple of months later, all I can say is that this remains my favorite project of the year. Even after releases from people I consider gods, like Tyler, the Creator, Isaiah Rashad, and Kanye West, Staples remains atop the pinnacle. It’s the Fousheé feature on “TAKE ME HOME,” and the smile that radiates across my face every time “THE SHINING” comes on shuffle. It feels like a miracle that this project exists. -Ralph James
THE HOUSE IS BURNING by Isaiah Rashad
After a half-decade hiatus, an artist’s return can nearly make or break their career. This is especially true when an artist has to follow-up what many consider to be the best album of their career. We saw it with Tame Impala last year, and artists like Frank Ocean and Rihanna are about to find themselves in the same hole. We saw it unfold this summer, too, with TDE talent Isaiah Rashad, and luckily for us, Zay (more than) redeemed himself with his latest installment.
“Wavy” is the most applicable adjective for The House is Burning. Boasting butter-smooth tracks such as “HB2U,” “RIP Young,” “Headshots,” and “Claymore,” THIB is straight-up soulful. But “soulful” only begins to scratch the surface, as THIB also brings some of Zay’s best bars, magnificent production, and a highly entertaining cast of guests. Though THIB could’ve been a classic without any features (insert a 2014 Forest Hills Drive joke), Lil Uzi Vert, Smino, SZA, 6LACK, Amindi, and many others only helped make the album more memorable.
In my opinion, it’s yet to be seen if THIB is Isaiah’s magnum opus (The Sun’s Tirade and Cilvia Demo are difficult to top), but it doesn’t even matter. THIB is easily his most personal album to date, and he executed it beautifully. And out of a stacked summer of hip-hop, THIB succeeded as one of the highest-quality projects to quench our thirst. -Evan Linden
HAPPIER THAN EVER by Billie Eilish
Billie’s sophomore album is almost as depressing as the album cover itself — but like the album’s sardonic tone, you might not get that right away. The project isn’t the most cohesive LP, both sonically and thematically, but I don’t think that hurts it. This album is best appreciated when you look at it for what it is — a teenager holding onto the last wisps of adolescence, having it ripped away from her by her status as pop’s biggest icon.
These tracks aren’t the bedroom pop we’re used to, because, well, she’s not in her bedroom anymore. She’s in big studios, and she doesn’t have the time to see her friends or her significant others, as she laments on “Halley’s Comet,” a song that sways back and forth like a ballroom dance. I find some of the best parts of this album to be its most subtle, like Billie’s admission that she’s lost some love for the art of making music on the opener, and the closer, where Billie riffs on more teen dread, fearing for herself that this is how she’s “always going to feel.” “NDA,” “GOLDWING,” and “Oxytocin” are all certified bumps in the car, but make sure you’re watching your speed limit when they’re playing. You might just get pulled over — if not from the speed, then from the bass shattering your windows.
All in all, Billie’s sophomore effort gets more personal and more specific, with the same level of head-banging bass and late-night-drivability. A great project that satisfies all my wants in a pop record in 2021. -Sriman Narayanan
DONDA by Kanye West
After being delayed for over a year and being teased in stadiums for over a month, DONDA holds the distinction of being 2021’s most dramatic release — in the best way possible.
One of the earmarks of Kanye’s artistry is his unpredictable approach to rollouts. We’ve witnessed epic rollouts for his masterpieces such as The Life of Pablo and Yeezus, yet DONDA managed to be his most memorable rollout yet. After the numerous changes and improvements to the album — basically seen in real-time — it’s a blessing to finally have unfettered streaming access to the polished 27-track opus.
Kanye is 44 years old, but on DONDA, he’s younger than ever. Unlike many of his 40+ counterparts, Ye embraces the “new school” with open arms. Today’s talents such as Don Toliver, Roddy Ricch, Lil Durk, Vory, Lil Baby, KayCyy, Pop Smoke, Playboi Carti, Baby Keem, Fivio Foreign, and Lil Yachty are utilized wonderfully across the album. There's still features to satisfy the oldheads, too, with JAY-Z, Jay Electronica, The Lox, Westside Gunn, and Conway the Machine leading the pack. And we’d be remiss not to praise generational talents such as The Weeknd, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, and Young Thug for supplying the same elements that make them such special artists.
With so many guests, it takes quite a few listens to truly zero in on Kanye, but doing so is worthwhile. On his tenth studio album, Kanye brings some of his most personal and emotional songwriting to date. However, that’s to be expected on an album dedicated to his late mother. On the other hand, he indulges his playful and melodic sides on many tracks, while there’s numerous other occasions where we can see Ye at his most refined. It’s quite evident that creating DONDA was therapeutic for Kanye as he navigated one of the rockiest periods of his career.
In typical fashion for Kanye, DONDA has been one of the most — if not the most — polarizing projects to touch down this year. Kanye’s loyal stans have found everything to praise about the album, while his cynics have found everything to tear apart about the DONDA era (with much of it being unrelated to the music, unfortunately). No matter where you stand on DONDA, it’s truly a larger-than-life work of art that will be remembered forever — much like its namesake. -Evan Linden
CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler, the Creator
It's an odd year. Even though odd numbers aren’t as visually appealing as those crispy even numbers, there’s always one thing that gets me excited for these years: a new Tyler album. Like clockwork, every other year since 2009, Tyler has dropped an album. As the weather slowly gets nicer, my anxiety bubbles up and my urge to hear Tyler becomes a necessity.
So when Tyler dropped his highly-anticipated seventh album, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, my ears perked up and a never-ending smile was permanently glued to my face. This rollercoaster of an album contained DJ Drama ad-libs, outstanding and diverse features, vivid and tasteful chord and drum progressions, and a whole bunch of Tyler rapping, which I honestly thought could only be seen in features these days. On top of this, he raps his ass off while still maintaining some of the most appealing aspects from IGOR. We get to enjoy slow-building ballads like “SWEET,” reminiscent of the IGOR era, while still hearing bass-bursting tracks like “CORSO,” reminiscent of the WOLF/Goblin era. This explosion of creativity atop the themes of traveling and love triangles puts this album on the pedestal of fantastic projects this year. -Marty Gross
AT THE BBC by Amy Winehouse
At The BBC, a 38-track compilation of live television performances and unreleased sessions, is 129 minutes of pure virtuosity. Amy Winehouse is one of the great talents in music history. There are few artists that possess the command and soulfulness of Winehouse — it’s hard to imagine anyone being able to ever replicate it.
Sure — it’s a reissue, but this is the essential Amy Winehouse collection. “Me & Mr Jones,” “Tenderly,” “Valerie,” “Just Friends,” “Rehab,” “Tears Dry On Their Own.” I could keep going. Winehouse is so honest and vulnerable in her songwriting — she was one of the best to ever write about the aches of love. If you’ve never dove into Winehouse’s legendary catalog, At The BBC is an incredible place to start. -Jack Martin
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