After a short hiatus, July’s winner of the Song Of The Week is a gentle Motown track, “Just My Imagination” by the Temptations. With such tasteful instrumentation and pitch perfect harmonies, this track is a love song with a bittersweet chorus. As with every Temptations song the vocal performance is so exquisite, but on this track so much care has been taken over the decorations that accompany the vocals that they deserve to be appreciated in their own right. From the marimbas during the intro to the sultry strings and horns that help dictate the flow of the track, the arrangement of this track elevates it above the rest of their incredible discography.
Check out the track below and make sure to add to the Community Playlist this month to see more of what the other readers are listening to!
After a bit of a hiatus we’re back with another deluxe update of the Monthly Playlist. Summer is finally here and so far it’s still lacking that hit album. Jack Harlow and Drake’s latest efforts to seize the summer have fallen extremely flat and whilst Kendrick’s album was incredible, it doesn’t really capture that summer energy. However there is still plenty of time for the right album to claim Summer ’22 as its own, and we all know that Beyonce drop/house rene is right around the corner.
Now while there isn’t a hit summer album, this month’s playlist is packed full of them. With tracks from ENNY, Wet Leg and Beyoncé, take advantage of the good weather, get outside, touch some grass and relax to some impeccable tunes.
Check out the playlist below and make sure you add to the Community Playlist!
When Kendrick Lamar drops a new project the whole world stops to pay attention to one of the most visible but reclusive artists of the modern era. With his sixth studio album ending a five year absence that saw fans absolutely chomping at the bit for something to sink their fangs into, Mr Morale & The Big Steppers is Kendrick’s latest tour de force and supposedly his last album with TDE. The album almost takes the form of a public therapy session, bringing the listener into Kendrick’s considerable woes and giving us a personal understanding of topics ranging from sexual abuse, generational trauma, LGBTQ+ rights, gender roles and the all encompassing impact of social media on the music industry.
Over the last few months Kendrick has hinted at the direction his latest album would take in his features with Baby Keem. While his flows are still as fluid and effortless as ever, he has incorporated a more abrasive vocal delivery particularly on ‘N95’ and ‘Saviour’ where there is clear Baby Keem influence. Throughout the album he includes more prominent drums, some beautifully graceful strings and some production in the same vein as the Black Panther album. It follows a similar formula to DAMN which has no clear stylistic focus and focuses clearly on the lyrics, contrasting To Pimp A Butterfly which was very overtly funk infused.
Still of Kendrick Lamar from the video for N95
Mr Morale & The Big Steppers brings up many important topics that are at the forefront of public awareness and speaks to Kendrick’s self-proclaimed role as the ‘voice of the people’. One of the most consistent themes is reconciliation which he comments on through the discussion of his experience of therapy, the use of excerpts from Eckhart Tolle, a prominent spiritualist, and his inclusion of Kodak Black, who’s controversial criminal history isn’t covered on the album but can be interpreted as an acceptance of an assumedly changed man. On ‘Father Time’ Kendrick reveals his struggles with his relationship with his father how this coloured his views on the world and relationships, using his confusion regarding Kanye and Drake’s reconciliation as an example of his differing perspective and highlighting the importance of understanding and reconciliation. Kendrick’s perceptions of gender roles are also explored here, noting how even with a father figure in his life he still obtained a warped view of what it means to be a man, similar to his peers who grew up without fathers. This commentary reveals the impact of therapy on Kendrick’s changed worldview and the importance of introspection and changing outdated perspectives.
One of the most talked about aspects of Mr Morale and The Big Steppers has been Kendrick’s exploration of his evolving understanding of LGBTQ+ rights. ‘Auntie Diaries’ details Kendrick’s familial relationships and their impact on shaping his views of the LGBTQ+ community, culminating in a deepened understanding of the impact of slurs and a sense of personal growth. Kendrick’s characterisation of his old views has been criticised due to his use of dead-naming and using the f-slur, however it seems like an intentional choice on multiple fronts; to target those who may still hold similar views and to emphasise his point about sensitivity. Whilst still attempting to act as an ally, his efforts are tone-deaf to the community he is trying to champion. The song also explicitly criticises specifically Christian, but broadly religious, views on the LGBTQ+ community. This all connects to the overwhelming theme of freeing the collective consciousness from restrictive, archaic thinking, moving towards a more inclusive and understanding society.
Transformation, then reciprocation, karma must return
Heal myself, secrets that I hide, buried in these words
Death threats, ego must die, but I let it purge
Pacify, broken pieces of me, it was all a blur
Mother I Sober – Kendrick Lamar
The final section of the album deals more explicitly with the impact of sexual abuse on women and men in the Black community. Kendrick explores abuse generally throughout the album with Eckhart Tolle’s discussion of “pain-bodies”, Kodak Black’s interlude where he details the neglect he suffered growing up and on ‘We Cry Together’ which lays bare the emotional abuse he dished out and received in his own relationship, but goes even deeper into the pervasive influence of sexual abuse on the two penultimate tracks ‘Mr Morale’ and ‘Mother I Sober’. In the second verse of ‘Mr Morale’, Kendrick acknowledges the role sexual abuse in the Black community in perpetuating generational trauma and uses the stories of prominent figures including R Kelly, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry and his own mother to illustrate his point. He develops this point further on the following track ‘Mother I Sober’, an intensely emotive performance that lays bare Kendrick’s personal struggles with the sexual abuse in his family, his suppression and subsequent reconciliation of that grief and that of the Black community. The ending of the album drives home the therapeutic nature of the album, culminating in a sense of healing from his individual and generational traumas.
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is a deeply emotional album that runs the gamut of human experience. Kendrick’s albums are often significant cultural moments and this album is no exception. On first listen the album doesn’t have the same musical extravagance or hit track replayability as his other albums, but after a few listens the themes of the album leave a palpable impact in the mind. Kendrick has used the past few years creating this album to absolve himself of his trauma and also his role as an idol for his listeners. His opinions throughout the album may not sit well with everyone but that is exactly the point. Even without the self-proclaimed status as the King of Hip-Hop, Kendrick still plays an important role in making the public think, as all good lyricists do.
Spring has well and truly sprung. The trees have regained their leaves, flowers are blooming and hayfever casts it’s ominous shadow over it all. But as we move into May and exam season for many, take a relaxing break and enjoy the sunshine with this week’s Song Of The Week and my favourite from the Community Playlist.
“If You Love Me, Really Love Me” by Esther Phillips is a foreboding but sweet love song from the perspective of a completely smitten lover. The first thing that struck me with this track is Esther’s ability to capture so much emotion in three and a half minutes. With such a simple but beautiful message, the short verses combined with the powerful vocals, acoustic guitar and smooth jazz backing tug on the heartstrings in such a visceral way that reflects the profound, inexplicable nature of love.
Make sure to check out this wonderful track below. Many thanks to all who contributed some stellar tracks to this month’s playlist, tell your friends and keep them coming for next month’s edition!
Skillibeng is the freshest artist out of Jamaica to make a splash on the UK scene and this collaboration with Unknown T is a match of two of the most intimidating lyricists out right now. With Skillibeng’s flow pushing the pace on this track it brings out the best of both artists. The delivery, wordplay and instrumental are all in a class of their own on this track with booming kicks, well-timed ad-libs and a plucked violin and piano providing a menacing harmonic backdrop for some genuinely chilling lyrics.
Check out the track below and remember to add track to the Community Playlist. Have a look at what other fans are listening to and have a chance for me to review your track!
Amplified Sound 