Issue 7: The Kids Are Alright
Reviewing albums from Lizzo, beabadoobee, and more!
Welcome back to Band Practice where I listen to a new album every day and write about my favorites. This week I’m doing things a little differently. I’m a bit behind on these and there were a lot of albums I wanted to cover before I review Beyoncé’s new album, so I’m giving you a few short reviews instead of one or two big ones. We’re going to take a look at Lizzo’s new album, as well as new albums from beabadoobee, Superorganism, and Rico Nasty. Let’s get started!
Intro
I wasn’t sure if I was going to write about Lizzo’s album this week (it didn’t super excite me—read on for why) but certain people were pressuring me to share my thoughts on it so I’m going to give the people what they want! But there were several albums that did excite me this week, and I wanted to find a way to write about all of them. So, I’m keeping everything brief this week. These issues have gotten long lately (ideally I’d like to keep the reading time to 10 minutes), so maybe this will be a nice change of pace?
The three albums that wowed me this week checked off a few boxes for me. They are all strong start to finish, they feel fresh, I want to keep coming back to them, and they have no skippable tracks. They all happened to have another thing in common: they were all made by Gen Z artists.
I probably sound like the elderly part of “elder millennial” here, but I am constantly blown away by the creativity coming from this generation. Pop and rock music have been around for almost a century now (with their roots going back way further) and yet, new sounds and genres are still being invented. I saw this with 070 Shake’s genre-breaking album, and I see it with Superorganism, Rico Nasty, and beabadoobee. I have absolutely no reference point for Superorganism except for their own sound. Rico Nasty has carved a distinctive space for herself in the rap world. And, while beabadoobee’s music is more referential, it still feels fresh and unique.
After listening to so many lackluster albums that sound the same, it feels magical to be surprised. It gives me joy to know that there’s a new generation of artists out there creating music that no one has heard before. It gives me hope that, after thousands of years of music, there is still something new to be discovered.
Let’s talk about Lizzo
Special - Lizzo
Pop
Though she probably needs no introduction, Lizzo is an acclaimed singer, rapper, songwriter, and flutist whose soul, hip hop, and R&B blend of pop has lead to multiple Grammy awards and regular spots in the top of the charts. In Special, she brings her brand of positivity and self-love to an ebullient set of tracks about love, friendship, and not-giving-any-fucks-about-what-anyone-else-thinks. Musically, it’s a slight pivot from the R&B-driven Cuz I Love You—dipping its toes into disco territory—but it still contains her clever, brain-sticky lyrics delivered with her cheeky charm. At its best it is an empowering love letter to herself and to her fans, but it has too many moments where she trades true vulnerability for templated pop songs.
My first listen of Special was emotional. I was pummeled with positivity, feeling so uplifted that I truly felt, well, special by the end. I shed a few tears during her message at the end of the album. When she said, “you’re special and I’m glad you’re still with us,” I genuinely felt that. I felt seen. And Lizzo is an artist that truly sees her fans—whether she’s stitching their videos on TikTok or including their voices in her songs (Birthday Girl). But positive messages and good intentions are not enough to carry an album.
On my second listen, some of the magic and hype I initially felt faded away. The album started to feel a little one-note. The album was originally meant to be a collection of “protest-oriented rock songs”1 and I would be very interested to know what that album would have sounded like. I suspect it would have been more progressive with more depth, and I would have welcomed that direction. Instead, Special lacks some of the soul that was present in Cuz I Love You, but didn't replace it with anything particularly interesting.
There are still some great moments on the album. “About Damn Time”—which inspired a viral TikTok dance craze—is a banger that’s hard to be mad at with lyrics like, “it’s bad bitch o’clock, yeah it’s thick thirty.” Its disco companion “Everybody’s Gay” is a light-hearted let-your-hair-down number that will melt all insecurities and get you out on the dance floor. And there’s much to be loved in “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)” with its 80s pop key-changing splendor. The positivity in this album is a gift. But ultimately it falls flat and has me skipping tracks like “Naked”—which is somehow both over the top and has negative energy—and the lyrically thin, “I Love You Bitch”.
In an Instagram post, Lizzo stated that, “self-love is not a trend. It is a radical act of revolution.” I believe her. And I believe that she is at the frontlines of that revolution, leading the charge for her millions of fans. But Special is not a major advancement in the cause. It’s not a step backward, but it’s not much of a step forward.
Also available on Apple Music
Top picks this week
The picks this week are listed in order of most to least easy to listen to, so proceed at your own discretion.
Beatopia - beabadoobee
Alternative
Beatrice Laus, who performs under the name beabadoobee (pronounced bee·buh·doo·bee), is a Filipino-British singer-songwriter who launched her music career as a teenager (which was, like, five years ago). Inspired by artists like Kimya Dawson, Daniel Johnston, and Elliott Smith, she taught herself to play guitar at the age of 172 and started recording her first songs shortly thereafter—gaining popularity when they were uploaded to YouTube.
In her second full studio album, Beatopia, Laus draws upon her teenage years for inspiration and delivers an intimate set of songs that embody bedroom pop in its purest form. Listening to it, one can picture band posters lining the walls, high pile shag rugs, lava lamps, and a secret stash of weed tucked into an old metal lunchbox. Her lyrics are written as if they were pulled straight out of her high school diary—with hearts dotting the i’s. All of it is convincingly delivered by a voice so light it could surf on a feather.
But don’t get it twisted that there’s anything about this album that feels immature. The production is polished and sophisticated, with her range showcased in songs like the “The Perfect Pair” which marries bossa nova with fluttery string arrangements. (She has another lovely bossa nova moment at the end of “Don’t Get The Deal”.) The album also has a delicious 90s alt-sounding through line that gives it some meatiness (best displayed in “Pictures of Us”). She uses this nostalgic feel in a way that sounds effortlessly fresh. My favorite track is the acoustic “Lovesong,” which feels like a song that longs to be played around a campfire, with everyone swaying to the chorus as she sings, “I missed the train again, I called your name as if you'd drive it back.” It’s light and sweet and deceptively simple—which pretty much summarizes her sound overall.
Our teenage years can be full of agony but, in Beatopia, Laus treats her teenage self with compassion and acceptance. She also extends that compassion and acceptance to the listener, inviting them to return to a simpler time. So, pull up a bean bag chair, relax, and set aside 46 minutes to daydream with beabadoobee.
Also available on Apple Music, bandcamp
World Wide Pop - Superorganism
Alternative
There’s a spirit that we hold when we’re younger that everything is limitless and rules don’t apply. The vastness of our creativity only starts shrinking when someone else imposes boxes and labels and rules upon it. Superorganism is what happens when those rules are ignored—their creativity never shrinking but expanding. Its members (who are from across the world) found each other online and came together as a collaborative operation, sharing roles like writing, producing, and even back-up dancing3. Current band members are Orono Noguchi (vocals), Harry (guitar), Tucan (mixing, drums), B, and Soul (both B and Soul contribute background vocals and background instruments).
The product of Superorganism’s limitless creativity is the colossal sound machine that is World Wide Pop. It is maximalist, hyper-produced, experimental indie pop that will require you to reboot your brain after you listen to it. Right off the bat the bright and dance-y “Black Hole Baby” hits you with an array of sound effects, synthesized vocals as a bass line, and an interpolation of the “Welcome Back, Kotter” theme song. Then there is an actual explosion in the middle of the song. The sugar-binged “Teenager” is probably the most earwormy song on the album. If you’re a Brian Jordan Alvarez (Caleb Gallo) fan, its music video is required viewing. But it’s worthwhile for anyone if you want to get a sense of their cartoonish, psychedelic aesthetic. My favorite track on the album, “Solar System,” is driven by a sweet little xylophone melody that contrasts nicely against its cacophony of sound.
If it sounds like a lot, it is. But somehow it all magically works together. It is honestly some of the most fun I’ve had listening to an album this whole year. I can’t help but smile when I listen to it. I hope you will, too.
Also available on Apple Music, bandcamp
Las Ruinas - Rico Nasty
Hip-Hop/Rap
I first heard of Rico Nasty from the latest season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars when drag legend Yvie Oddly impersonated her in “Snatch Game”. After listening to her latest album, Las Ruinas, Yvie’s choice to impersonate her makes perfect sense. Rico Nasty is the Yvie Oddly of rappers: she is wildly creative, punk, a bit strange, and there’s nobody else in her lane. (Apologies to anyone who doesn’t follow Drag Race. I assure you this comparison makes sense.)
Las Ruinas is the second studio album from rapper, singer, and songwriter Rico Nasty (née Maria-Cecilia Simone Kelly) after a roster of mixtapes. Her music falls into a genre she created and trademarked for herself called “Sugar Trap”, which she describes as “bubbly, upbeat rap.”4 What it actually sounds like is a fusion of punk, metal, electronica, and rap—with some r&b and pop moments. But even that is too simple a categorization for this album. Las Ruinas is like an artichoke: layers are slowly peeled back throughout the album from an initially spiky exterior to a soft, vulnerable core.
The album begins with tracks that sound like they were produced by The Prodigy with deep bass, hyper-fast beats, and synthesized sounds that will scrape up your insides. It was this rough edge that hooked me immediately. I could have listened to a whole album of just that, but the transformation that happens later in the album is what sold me. As you make it further in the album, Rico Nasty’s sound becomes less brash and gets more accessible in dance numbers like “Jungle” and “Dance Scream”. When it gets to “Focus On Me,” we are invited into a more introspective side of her—she trades rapping for singing, veering into soft, pop territory. “Easy” is perhaps the most vulnerable moment on the album both lyrically and in its stripped-down production style with acoustic guitars and piano. My favorite track, “Black Punk” is in the first section of songs, which captures her punk attitude well. She spits her rhymes like they’re being dislodged from the back of her throat, and it has a nice oozy breakdown at the end.
Rico Nasty has range, smart lyrics, and she knows what she’s doing is good enough to trademark. If you’re not with her, then get out of her way because she’s becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Also available on Apple Music
12 more albums I listened to
Love, Damini - Burna Boy (Worldwide)
Jazz Codes - Moor Mother (Hip-Hop/Rap)
Mil Coisas Invisíveis - Tim Bernardes (Alternative)
From Capelton Hill - Stars (Alternative)
Makin’ a Move (2018) - Lady Bri (Pop)
Me - Lady Bri (Pop)
The Other Side of Make-Believe - Interpol (Alternative)
Gemini Rights - Steve Lacy (R&B/Soul)
Hellfire - black midi (Alternative)
Love Is Yours - Flasher (Alternative)
Emotional Creature - Beach Bunny (Alternative)
Raise Hell - Fresh (Rock)
The Playlist!
These are my favorite songs off of each new album I listened to this year listed in chronological order of listening. The playlist is long so, if you want to hear the songs from the albums in this issue, scroll to the end. I update the playlist with every issue.
365 Albums in 2022 - Apple Music playlist
365 Albums in 2022 - Spotify playlist
Thanks for reading! In the next issue, I will share my thoughts about the new Beyoncé album. But I’m listening to at least six other albums, so I may have more recommendations to give. If you haven’t already, make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss it.
What have you been listening to lately? Anything good? Let me know in the comments.
Source: Apple Music
Loving Rico Nasty!
Great description of the beabadoobee album! metal lunchbox stash is *chefs kiss*