Stream Diving: March 31st Song Reviews
By: Thomas Rodriguez
The following 5 songs have all been made available for streaming on music platforms. After having checked them out, here’s what I think!
Lady Gaga- Your Song
It’s extremely tough to pull off a cover of a famous song by an even more famous person, especially a person as acclaimed as Elton John. When it comes to Lady Gaga’s cover of John’s classic “Your Song”, the pop queen does a surprisingly good job. The piano is extremely rich (if a bit lonely in the song’s mix overall), and Gaga’s vocals match up to John’s powerful performance. If you’re looking for a cover that does actual justice to the original source material, you can’t do much better!
A$AP Rocky- Bad Company feat. BlocBoy JB
Man, I hope this new single (among others) is not on A$AP Rocky’s upcoming 2018 project. While BlocBoy JB’s verse is actually pretty good, the main problem with the song lies in its lack of good qualities that other Rocky songs have. The beat is average, Rocky’s hook and flows are not catchy in the slightest, and even Rocky’s trademark personality is lost in the boring “beef” lyrics. Hopefully Rocky’s forthcoming album goes back to the sound that we all know and love.
Cardi B- Be Careful
I am so freaking excited for Cardi B’s debut album, even more so now because it’s coming next week! While Cardi B has been on fire on her most recent singles, featured verses, and TV appearances, this song sounds like a confused mess. While some of Cardi B’s Latin roots are embraced in the song in her trademark vulgarity, and her straightforwardness is raw as hell, the beat and flow of the song are a bit too slow and plodding to make up for her bars. The song is alright, but it could have been amazing if the off-kilter production and unfitting flow were fixed.
Tyler, the Creator- OKRA
I can’t tell which is better on this newly released song from Tyler: the absolutely monstrous tidal wave of bass that makes up this song’s beat, or Tyler’s maniacal flow! The track, apparently a “throwaway” from Tyler’s catalogue of unreleased songs, is another perfect example of how good Tyler’s rapping can truly be, whether he be in his “Flower Boy” phase, or his more nasty side. With a combination of an amazing instrumental and jaw dropping flow, “OKRA” is a must listen.
The Weeknd- Call Out My Name
It sounds like Canadian R&B singer Abel Tesfaye, (aka the Weeknd) is ready to be the reason for our tears again with his surprise release of My Dear Melancholy this past Friday. While a more in depth review may be necessary for the whole project, this song is outstanding. The atmospheric production on Abel’s voice and instrumental are powerful, crushing your eardrums and emotions with incredible sadness. Abel’s lyrics are equally hard-hitting in their raw emotion, making his great vocals all the more engaging. If you want to cry over your ex tonight, this is the song for you!
Did you listen to these songs? What did you think? Leave what you thought in the comments below!
