Sean Sharp's Diary

I like my own music, but I can do better.

Felt like a long ride, but the first half was really spot on. It's always a shame when an album has such a great start and then by the end, you are just waiting for it to be over. He could have cut 1/3rd of this album, and it would have been much better. Medicine through dumbstruck is a pretty solid streak of tracks, but after that point, it starts to lose its uniqueness and fades into typical high-energy pop. I always feel conflicted when reflecting on albums like this because I do like a good portion of it, but I have to evaluate it as a whole, and as a whole it misses pretty heavily about halfway through. But man, that first half as an EP or a short album would rival some of my favorites this year.

Listen 1: At some point their sound will certainly start to feel old right? Nearly every artist either evolves their sound and old fans are unhappy because they're no longer what they used to be (see $b's were better in 2015). Or they just keep making the same thing over and over again and people lose interest. $uicideboy$ have not only changed their sound but essentially created their own path within the music industry. Their older music wasn't different, but more so needed refining and polishing which they have reached since the late 2010's. Since they haven't really switched up their sound too much other than one off tracks here and there but still they retain that ravenous fanbase. I don't think this album is going to go down as their best but their music always tends to be a slow burn with me so I'll appreciate it the more I listen. Only true downside that sticks out to me is the fumbled Night Lovell feature. Dude usually murders in conjunction with the duo but this time his verse falls awfully flat. Listen 2: $uicideboy$ is going to be (if not already) one of this generations non-mainstream sounding cult artists. Such a unique sound to them and I have never heard anything remotely close to this on any radio. This album is the definition of "eating good". It's some more catchy verses and dark beats in their trademark style. It often seems to me that they are just astonishingly good with coming up with catchy choruses but then use them in the verses instead. Almost taking a more pop philosophy of making everything as catchy and memorable as possible. There is a reason why pop music so mainstream and it's because of catchy elements and melodies. $b$ use similar aspects of catchy song writing but push even further by straying away from much repetition. There is just countless moments on this album alone that are extremely memorable and it's not even the chorus.

Loved the singles coming into this. Was extremely excited to see what they would put out into the first major release. Downside is the songs that weren't already released weren't as good as the singles. They showed their cards a bit early. Of course, those singles are also part of the album and make up a pretty good portion of it. As for the release of the album, I am disappointed because I didn't get something great to chew on. I have already gotten the taste of the good stuff and sad this didn't have more of it.

Just the Deluxe Tracks One of those deluxe's where it just comes back even harder, packing an even bigger punch. Djo is slowly building a reputation in my eyes as one of these cult artists that may never be back to the mainstream like he was with "End of Beginning" but will have a dedicated fan base that will be around for years to come. As long as there is some continued creativity like this, idk how anyone that enjoyed his last few albums wouldn't continue to listen to his work. Pretty rare, but I do think this is a case where the deluxe outdoes the initial release

I really hope her material reflects a previous time in her life. She writes excellently about toxic relationships that she has gone through/is going through, but jeez, hope she can get the help she needs. From the outside looking in, it seems like they are often both at fault, hurting each other. As music, this slaps. The instrumentals are a greatly modernized version of this pop rock from the 2000's and it's hard not to appreciate the delicacy that goes into it and the lyrics. Additionally, Lola's vocals and melodies are becoming increasingly refined, enhancing the overall experience. Definitely her best to date. Hopefully, she keeps this improvement with this creative process, both for the sake of her music and herself.

Love a lil side quest like this. Gus has always made dance tunes but really embraces the dance side of his music here. More clubby, more fun, more Gus. What's not to like.

This is a band that is truly maturing as a whole. I have listened to everything they have ever released, and it's a great feeling to see a band age well like this. The dissonance in their music is unmatched, particularly given their large following. In a way, I see them as a successor to Nirvana. A soundtrack for a newer generation's hopelessness and melancholy. This album, in particular, employs innovative techniques to interweave key changes and unique instrument blends, keeping its traditional "Sweater Weather" style fresh and engaging. Additionally, it features songs that can be enjoyed on their own as great singles and work well as a full album. The only main downside is that it is a bit long. With more somber or ambient rock/pop that this genre sometimes delves into, it can start to feel a bit lengthy. That said, checkpoints like Planet, Mama Drama, and Stupid Boy, throughout the album, do keep it refreshing.

There are several Pouya songs that I really like/love, and a few are even on this album, but I had only listened to one of his other projects in full prior to this one. I really wanted to give this a good shot since I have some deep love for "Void". Listening to albums that are even 7-8 years old is fun, but sometimes even the aging of an album can start to crack open after only a few years. Not at any fault of his own, as timeless albums are something that nearly every artist chases to some degree, and only a few will ever achieve. Being a product of your time is a part of being human, as we are built by our experiences and the culture that surrounds us. Even modern timeless classics are still modern. How today's generations look at classical music from centuries ago, people will look back upon timeless music from now to a similar degree, regardless of how timeless we say it is. Pouya's album does age itself in just this 3/4th decade since its release, but where it succeeds, it does the heavy lifting. Starting with the weakest aspect of this thing. The lyrics. Bad lyrics have always been around, but the latter 2010s hip-hop scene had a pandemic of its own before COVID. Pouya has come down with a bad case of it here, as the lyrics center around the typical stereotypes of the time, like haters, success, money, and women. Music will always explore these topics, but Pouya exhibits a distinct characteristic of late 2010s rap, where nothing is actually being said when he raps about these subjects. Not only that, but it bounces around from one to another at a whim's notice. I've seen worse regarding that ladder point, but it still exists pretty persistently on "FIVE FIVE". Even the introspective sequel, "Suicidal Thoughts in the Back of the Cadillac, Pt. 2," doesn't really deliver on any great lyrical ability. He does stick mainly to his mental state and messed-up past, but it isn't written in a way that positions him as a poet. There are three main styles of instrumentals on here. The 2010s' gritty trap banger, featuring a southern-influenced guitar tinge over trap beats, and a calmer, subdued electronic production. Some of the songs have a mixture of these. The main culprit for the 2010s gritty trap banger is "Don't Bang My Line". Featuring Night Lovell, he's rather beside the point. The synth in the background plays throughout the entire song and undergoes a change only at certain moments, when a filter blocks out the higher frequencies. To make electronic repeating production feel more organic, a backlog of properly mixed effects needs to be applied. "Back Off Me" is the prime example of how to do this right. Still aggressive in nature from a production standpoint, the bells used at multiple points in the song have an expansive sound, dancing around your speakers instead of remaining static. The southern-influenced guitar tinge complements the album nicely, with songs like "One Time" and "Aftershock" utilizing it at the forefront to bring raw emotion to the track. Something the more electronic tracks fail to do so at points. The calmer electronic production is sparse but presents itself quite well on "Weighting on Me." A strength for Pouya is his ability to write catchy choruses. The worst chorus on here is still good on most rap records. There is one exception, however. On "Weighing on Me", Pouya repeats the same sentence multiple times for the chorus. This practice has its place, but if overdone, it makes it dull and boring. I think Pouya could have pulled it off a bit better with 20% less chorus and 20% more verse in this case, as the song has all the right components around it and would favor verse-heavy lyrics. On the other hand, "Aftershock", "Void", "Handshakes", and "Back Off Me" have A+ work in this field. "Void" is a masterclass in crafting an addictive yet speedy chorus with a melody that defies many traditional formulas. The last two have his signature choppy flow, but break it up with a word or words that sway the melody before he resumes his typical pace. This break in the action creates fun and memorable choruses.