B-Side Magazine “Album of the Year” Blurbs
Beauty Behind the Madness by the Weeknd (2015)
Abel Tesfaye (better known by his stage name, the Weeknd) makes it a goal to sing filthy things in “the most elegant and sexiest way ever.” And if there’s one thing that the Weeknd is good at, it’s dressing up alarming themes behind the guise of his dark, infectious R&B grooves and buttery falsetto runs. In his latest album, Beauty Behind the Madness, he holds on to a lot of the style that made him the artist who he is today, but sheds the ambling, unorthodox songwriting conventions of his past mixtapes in favor of a tighter, more marketable sound.
Though it is considered by some to be a “departure” from his earlier, less commercially-viable work, Tesfaye has simply adapted his old sound to fit a new attitude towards his music--one that is more accepting of the idea of breaking into the mainstream. He started out as a mysterious, faceless persona, but he didn’t construct that enigmatic image on purpose; i+n fact, the reason that he refused to put his face on any of his albums or conduct any interviews was his crippling insecurity. Now, though, he wants to be heard by the world, and dares you to “go tell your friends about [him].”
Surf by Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment (2015)
Late last May, as the weather was finally warming up and the dust had settled from spring semester, a mysterious new group called Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment spontaneously dropped their debut album on iTunes--completely free of charge. Though its release tactics were pretty low-key, the album was pre-emptively perceived to be Chance the Rapper’s new album, and old fans and new listeners alike flocked to download it. As it turns out, the album is built around Nico Segal and his trumpet chops--hence the alias “Donnie Trumpet.” Chance, though integral to the album’s sound, is just another member of the Social Experiment, along with Peter Cottontale and Nate Fox.
Studded with high-profile guests (Jeremih, J. Cole, Big Sean, Busta Rhymes, Janelle Monáe, B.o.B., Erykah Badu) and hometown favorites alike (Raury, BJ the Chicago Kid, Noname Gypsy, Francis Starlite, Jamila Woods), the album has a decidedly nonlinear feel. Rather than follow any particular plot, its brassy jazz fusion/neo-soul/hip-hop tracks seem to expand outwards in a haze of warm, welcoming vibes. At times, it feels like basking in the comforting summer sunshine; at others, it’s like gulping a mouthful of iced tea and tasting its refreshing sweetness on your lips. All in all, ‘Surf’ is 51 minutes and 34 seconds of unabashedly positive, unapologetically self-affirming, feel-good music.
Blonde by Frank Ocean (2016)
In the summer of 2012, Frank Ocean released his full-length studio debut, channel ORANGE, and secured his status as an up-and-coming R&B powerhouse. Through his prolific ghostwriting career (and a critically-acclaimed Internet mixtape), he had already garnered a small-but-loyal following, as well as a reputation for avant-garde vocal chops and deeply personal, narrative lyricism. But when the world needed Frank most, he vanished.
After four summers and a lengthy, enigmatic social media campaign, Frank Ocean pulled off one of the biggest musical stunts since that of Beyoncé’s legendary self-titled visual album. In less than 48 hours, he leaked a music video, 45-minute visual album, full-length LP, and an accompanying zine titled Boys Don’t Cry. Though perhaps released in the most traditional format of the four works, his LP Blonde is anything but. Never having been one to conform to conventions (of genre, of sexuality, of fame), Ocean toggles between themes of lovesickness, nostalgia, and drug-fueled introspection as gracefully as he slides in and out of his masterful falsetto. From its spare, sparkling guitar riffs (“Nights”) to its clouds of droning synth (“Nikes”), Blonde is an album of thematic and tonal highs and lows--and proof that the king of dreamy, alternative R&B has returned to reclaim his throne.