Aloe Blacc: All Love Everything Album Review

Family:  It’s a warm start to the album, speaking of love and support.  I think it’s an accurate harbinger of where the album will go.  The music itself has a string pluck I like, and the bridge is almost variable enough to do something extra for the song.  But alas, it repeats too much.

All Love Everything:  The soulful singing is the strong point.  Also the faster cadence is engaging.  And the lyrics are all love.  It’s genuine, not saccharine.

My Way:  I love this song.  The vocal range, the positivity are infatuating.  It’s got a rock-gospel feeling.  I enjoy how uplifting this song is, in both words and musically.

Wherever You Go:  Not that John Legend has a copyright on all emotive, rangy songs performed by a POC, but this one reminds me of his catalogue (in a good way).  And the acapella “oh ohs” is the perfect end.  Unique.

Nothing Left but You:  I like that all the songs are tied together.  He is still singing about a person that tries to hide their emotions and feelings.  And he wants more than that.  He wants it even if the result is a little messy.  He wants this love stripped down.  Original topic for a love song.

Glory Days:  Nice rhyme scheme.  Playing with the tempo makes the song fun to listen to–I’m waiting to see where else it will go.  It could benefit from more lyrics, as it says the same lines over and over.

I Do:  When Blacc changes his register it’s the best!  It lends a soulful element to the song.  I also like how the lyrics indicate that he was just fine on his own.  There was nothing wrong or missing.  And he didn’t understand what all the love cliche’s meant.  Then he says how his perspective changed when he met his soulmate.  Beautifully done, on stripped down piano.

Corner:  This song is also very warm.  The tinkling on the piano is pleasant.

Hold On Tight:  The beginning of the song has very little instrumentation as a way to point to the words and make them central.  It’s another love song, saying he’ll be there no matter what.  The bass beat shows a line of strength and consistency, which matches up with what Blacc is singing about in his lyrics. 

Harvard:  Descriptive and complex language.  All the SAT words are used.  It tells the story of living a regular life, and having common problems.  But also the perspective of the song is positive and speaks of dreams.  The base and sparse guitar sound nice with this relatively flat (I’m talking octaves, not falling flat, or one note).  I guess it’s a nice close to the album.  Lyrically, it ties a bow on the story being told.  I might have liked some bigger instrumentals to finish the album a little more solid.

Overall, a very strong album.. Each song builds on the last, and it fits a cohesive theme.  I’ve heard Blacc use his voice more and would have liked to see more low and super-high notes, but it still left me with a lot of feeling.

Lauren Alaina: Getting Over Him EP Review

Arrrg–seriously, put your Spotify page together with the latest album release at the top!  I started listening to the album until I got to “Road Less Traveled” which I was certain I had judged before.  

If I Was a Beer:  The bass drum is on point!  And I like the comparison.

Bar Back:  When she speeds up, it makes the song great.  I also like how relatable it is to have to split all the favorite and routine places a couple went to together, after the break up.

Getting Over Him:  About the rebound after a relationship ends.  I never like the idea of rebounding.

What Do You Think Of:  Lukas Graham’s voice sounds perfect with Lauren Alaina’s voice.  Seriously, they should consider joining up as a band forever.  This song was the standout of the entire–I’m going to call it EP since there are only 6 songs.  The high notes are nice, with Graham doing most of the heavy lifting hitting that one note.  Alaina shows her vocal skill though, which I had been wanting all along.

Oh. Now I see what happened with the Spotify order–this is not a true album, but an EP.

Overall, I was disappointed.  If your EP is made of a few really great songs, put it out.  But if the songs are not perfect, either edit til they are better, or add some stunners and make a full album.  Also, the two things I liked best about her past album, was Alaina’s positivity and good messaging, and her vocal strength.  This EP showcased neither.