Sunday, May 27, 2018

Best of May 2018


May was definitely the best month for music in 2018 so far.  Some of my favorite albums of 2018 were released this month.  We also got some great singles too.  This will be very long, but here are all 15 albums I listened to that I ranked this month along with the top 10 songs of May 2018 [NOTE: I counted Rae Sremmurd's triple album as 3 separate albums]:

Albums


15) NAV - Reckless

Score: 3/10

While I did see improvement from NAV on this album, it was still painfully boring and generic.  His production was chill but was so chill it could probably put you to sleep.  The features were at least okay, but couldn't save the album.  While I will compliment NAV on deciding to sing with more emotion, his high-pitched autotune sounded awful.  It was a pretty shitty album overall, which was enough for me to make it the worst album of the month.

Singles
Wanted You - feat. Lil Uzi Vert [Liked]
Freshman List [Ehhhh]

Favorite Tracks
Faith - feat. Quavo
Champion - feat. Travis Scott
What I Need / Daheala Outro

Least Favorite Track
Glow Up



14) Swae Lee - Swaecation

Score: 3/10

Swae gave some nice melodies but didn't have enough substance to make up a whole album, even if it was as short as 9 tracks.  It was incredibly boring and almost put me to sleep.  This was definitely one of the most disappointing albums of 2018.

Singles
Hurt to Look [Disliked]
Guatemala - feat. Slim Jxmmi [Ehhhh]

Favorite Tracks
Touchscreen Navigation
Heat of the Moment
Offshore - feat. Young Thug

Least Favorite Track
Lost Angels



13) Desiigner - LOD

I didn't review this album
Score: 4/10

This was the first of many short 7-song albums from G.O.O.D. Music set to release this summer.  However, Kanye never tweeted about nor did he mention this one.  Life of Desiigner was announced in 2016 when Desiigner had a #1 single in "Panda" and was named a 2016 XXL Freshman.  He dropped a half-assed mixtape called New English and then released five singles since that never reached the success "Panda" had.  Basically, by the time G.O.O.D. Music shelved the album and killed Desiigner's hype, we finally got a surprise drop.  There were a couple songs that surprised me, but this ultimately rounds out as a generic trap album that wasn't nearly as good as his 2017 singles (which didn't make this album).  At least it was better than New English.

Favorite Tracks
Priice Tag
Tonka
LA to NY

Least Favorite Track
Destiination



12) Juice WRLD - Goodbye & Good Riddance

Score: 4/10

I didn't know about Juice WRLD until a couple weeks ago and after hearing "Lucid Dreams" I wanted to hear what he would do on his debut.  Aaaaaaaaaand it's the same song 15 times, including 3 skits that add nothing.  He never deviates from the same melancholic tone throughout the album.  However, there were a few enjoyable tracks, and I still think he has potential to grow as an artist.  The only way he can grow is if he changes his subject matter or at least makes an effort to improve his lyrics.

Singles
All Girls Are the Same [Ehhhh]
Lucid Dreams [Liked]
Lean Wit Me [Liked]

Favorite Tracks
I'm Still
Hurt Me
I'll Be Fine

Least Favorite Track
Used To



11) Lil Baby - Harder Than Ever

Score: 5/10

I liked some songs from this project, but most of them turned out to be pretty forgettable.  The beats were listenable but pretty generic.  The lyrics consist of your typical flexing.  The features did a pretty good job.  I had some fun listening to this project, but it's really a by-the-numbers trap album.

Singles
Southside [Ehhhh]
Yes Indeed - feat. Drake [Liked]

Favorite Tracks
Throwing Shade - feat. Gunna
First Class
Life Goes On - feat. Gunna x Lil Uzi Vert

Least Favorite Track
Bank - feat. Moneybagg Yo



10) Ski Mask The Slump God - Beware the Book of Eli

Score: 6/10

Following a messy rollout and a short-lived leak from Ski Mask himself, we ended up getting this project.  The project was incredibly short, rounding out at 10 tracks and 21 minutes.  Having a project this short is pretty underwhelming given the long months we waited for this.  It was enjoyable, but it being so short was what prevented it from being better.  Oh yeah, and there was also leaving off the best tracks from the leak like "With Vengeance," "SkiMeetsWorld," and "Worldwide."

Singles
DoIHaveTheSause? [Liked]

Favorite Tracks
Coolest Monkey In the Jungle - feat. SahBabii
Child's Play
Bukkake - feat. Rich The Kid

Least Favorite Track
Throwaway - feat. Ronny J



9) Zaytoven - Trapholizay

Score: 6/10

It's your standard beat tape from a trap producer.  There was great production and there were high-profile features throughout.  There's nothing more to this project than that but for the most part, I found it enjoyable.

Singles
East Atlanta Day - feat. Gucci Mane x 21 Savage [Liked]
Left Da Bank - feat. Young Dolph [Disliked]
Wake Up & Cook Up - feat. Quavo x 2 Chainz [Liked]
What You Think - feat. Ty Dolla $ign x Jeremih x OJ Da Juiceman [Ehhhh]
Go Get the Money - feat. Rick Ross x Yo Gotti x Pusha T x T.I. [Liked]

Favorite Tracks
Boot Up - feat. Future
Strong - feat. Lil Uzi Vert
Mo Reala - feat. Future

Least Favorite Track
Black Privilege - feat. Plies x Trey Songz x Trouble



8) BlocBoy JB - Simi

I didn't review this album
Score: 7/10

I never got the chance to review this project, but I absolutely loved this.  I don't think BlocBoy JB is a great rapper, but his energy and stutter flow are what make his music so enjoyable for me.  The album was 18 tracks but didn't feel long since it was only 48 minutes.  The production, which mostly came from Tay Keith, is hard as bricks.

Singles
Shoot [Ehhhh]
Look Alive - feat. Drake [Liked]
Rover 2.0 - feat. 21 Savage [Liked]
Nun of Dat - feat. Lil Pump [Liked]

Favorite Tracks
Asian Bitch - feat. Moneybagg Yo
Mamacita
No Velcro

Least Favorite Track
Feature



7) KYLE - Light of Mine

Score: 7/10

KYLE's studio debut was actually quite enjoyable.  Although it's a few months late, you shouldn't count KYLE out just yet.  He shows lots of talent in his singing and rapping, along with some stellar beat selection.  KYLE is known for his bubbly personality but gets more serious with Light of Mine.  This is definitely KYLE's best project.

Singles
iSpy - feat. Lil Yachty [Liked]
To the Moon [Disliked]
Playinwitme - feat. Kehlani [Ehhhh]
Ikuyo - feat. 2 Chainz x Sophia Black [Liked]

Favorite Tracks
Games
OpenDoors - feat. Avery Wilson
iMissMe - feat. Khalid

Least Favorite Track
It's Yours



6) Slim Jxmmi - Jxmtro

Score: 7/10

I had changed my opinion on Jxmtro in my first On Second Thought... post but that doesn't mean I still won't rank this album highly on my month-end list.  Slim Jxmmi has energetic rapping and flows but isn't really great at making hooks.  This album ended up being very enjoyable for me.

Singles
Brxnks Truck [Liked]
Chanel - feat. Swae Lee x Pharrell Williams [Ehhhh]

Favorite Tracks
Anti-Social Smokers Club - feat. Zoe Kravitz
Cap - feat. Trouble
Changed Up

Least Favorite Track
Juggling Biddies - feat. Riff 3x



5) Tee Grizzley - Activated

I didn't review this album
Score: 7/10

I thought it could have been shorter, but I enjoyed this album quite a bit.  This is definitely a step up from Tee Grizzley's debut My Moment.  He improved on all fronts, including lyrics, storytelling, and even his beat selection.  I do think he should have varied his features a bit.  We didn't need 2 Lil Yachty features nor did we need any sort of Chris Brown feature.

Singles
Colors [Ehhhh]
Don't Even Trip - feat. Moneybagg Yo [Liked]
2 Vaults - feat. Lil Yachty [Ehhhh]
Fuck It Off - feat. Chris Brown [Disliked]

Favorite Tracks
Jettski Grizzley - feat. Lil Pump
Set the Record Straight - feat. Chris Brown
Bloodas 2 Interlude - feat. Lil Durk

Least Favorite Track
Robbin



4) A$AP Rocky - Testing

Score: 7/10

I just reviewed this album today.  A$AP Rocky experimented, or should I say tested, different sounds on his latest album.  While there were some inconsistencies in things like Rocky's vocals and the features, Testing showcases some fantastic flows and beats.  The unpredictability of this album was what made it such an enjoyable experience.

Favorite Tracks
A$AP Forever Remix - feat. Moby x T.I. x Kid Cudi
Buck Shots
Purity - feat. Frank Ocean

Least Favorite Track
CALLDROPS - feat. Kodak Black



3) Playboi Carti - Die Lit

Score: 7/10

I have changed my opinion since that review and I now view this album in a more positive light.  This album was non-stop bangers from front to back.  It was one of the most fun listens I've had all year.  The lyrics are still basic and sub-par at best, but that doesn't take away from how enjoyable this album is.

Favorite Tracks
RIP
Love Hurts - feat. Travis Scott
Shoota - feat. Lil Uzi Vert
Poke It Out - feat. Nicki Minaj [Yes I am aware that I had this as a least favorite before.  However, I have changed my mind, as seen in my On Second Thought... post.]
Foreign

Least Favorite Track
Fell In Luv - feat. Bryson Tiller



2) Rae Sremmurd - SR3MM

Score: 8/10

I originally had this album much lower, but after multiple listens, this is now my favorite of the three albums in SR3MM.  The only flaws were that half of the 9-song album was released as singles and that it was only 9 songs.  There isn't a single bad song on here, even though there were some problems in some songs like some being a verse too long or someone not switching their flow after the hook (cough cough Swae Lee cough).  Other than that, this album was a ton of fun and even has some of their best songs together.

Singles
Perplexing Pegasus [Liked]
T'd Up [Liked]
Powerglide - feat. Juicy J [Liked]
CLOSE - feat. Travis Scott [Ehhhh]

Favorite Tracks
Up In My Cocina
Buckets - feat. Future
42

Least Favorite Track
Bedtime Stories - feat. The Weeknd



1) Pusha T - Daytona

Score: 10/10

The other album I just reviewed today was probably the most enjoyable listen I've had all year.  There weren't any flaws whatsoever.  Its seven track length was perfect and left no room for filler.

Favorite Tracks
If You Know You Know
Santeria
What Would Meek Do? - feat. Kanye West
Infrared

Least Favorite Track
N/A


Songs


10) Juice WRLD - Lucid Dreams

As of right now, Juice WRLD has yet to make a better song than this.  The production from Nick Mira is absolutely amazing and the hook is an earworm.  There isn't much else to say other than that it's catchy as hell.



9) A$AP Rocky feat. Moby x T.I. x Kid Cudi - A$AP Forever Remix

If it weren't for Kid Cudi's infectious verse, I wouldn't have remotely considered this song to be on the list.  I like listening to the solo version, but I knew there was something missing, and Scott Mescudi was the missing piece.



8) Denzel Curry - Percs

Yet again, Denzel Curry came through with another hard-hitting banger.  Denzel Curry combines his clever wordplay with bassy, aggressive trap beats and speaks out against drugs such as Percocets.



7) Playboi Carti feat. Lil Uzi Vert - Shoota

The production from Maaly Raw is incredible.  The song goes from good to great when Playboi Carti starts rapping and the drums kick in.  It's very hard to pick a favorite song from Die Lit, but for now, I'm going with the only song from there to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.



6) Pusha T - Infrared

This song is nonstop bars all the way through, including shots at Drake and the Lil Wayne-Birdman situation.



5) Lil Baby feat. Drake - Yes Indeed

Out of all the Lil Baby songs I've listened to, this is indeed the best one.  Drake's verse was very smooth, Wheezy's production slaps, and Lil Baby delivers his best flows and quotables (Wah, wah, wah/Bitch I'm Lil Baby).



4) Rae Sremmurd feat. Future - Buckets

I almost fell out of my chair when I heard this song.  I love the dark, muddy production so much.  I love Slim Jxmmi's flow on this track.  Future delivers one of his best guest verses.  Swae Lee even had the funniest line on the whole project (What's in my cup, that's wonderful stuff).



3) Travis Scott feat. Lil Uzi Vert x Kanye West - Watch

This is one of the best Travis Scott songs I've heard since Birds In the Trap Sing McKnight.  The beat from Pi'erre Bourne is beautiful, especially the outro after Kanye's verse.  Lil Uzi's hook is very catchy and Kanye managed to deliver an energetic verse.  The weakest part of the song is definitely Travis but he wasn't even bad.



2) Royce Da 5'9" feat. Eminem x King Green - Caterpillar

That beat will get stuck in your head.  Royce's hook and verses showed some amazing flows, but the best part of the song is definitely Eminem.  Why his recent guest verses are way better than his recent solo material is beyond me, but he murders his verse.  What keeps this song from #1 is Eminem ending his verse with too many lines related to fecal matter and this song also happens to exist in the same month as...



1) Childish Gambino - This Is America

This might just be the best song of 2018.  Gambino shows that you don't need complex lyrics to make good social commentary.  What makes this song even more memorable is the accompanying music video and the ad-libs from Young Thug, 21 Savage, and BlocBoy JB among others.


Those were what I thought of the albums I listened to and my 10 favorite songs of May 2018.  June is shaping up to be an even better month as Kanye West and Drake are both rumored to be dropping albums.  My next post will be a playlist additions post of the many songs I've added over the past week and my second What am I listening to? post.
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