shaleirose

3y

First listen thoughts:

This album’s clear strongest attribute is its’ production. Wildly experimental (sometimes too experimental) and constantly engaging. There’s definitely a noticeable change in approach to this project vs. his last two albums, Astroworld specifically. Features take much more of a backseat/supporting role on this project, and that seemed like an intentional decision.

For Travis himself, this is the best he’s ever sounded at the skill of rapping. His flows, cadences, and mic presence were all incredible. Lyrically, I need to have a few more listens to really dive deeper, but nothing crazy stood out to me on the first listen (it’s Travis after all). Also, there is a definite focus on raw rapping rather than the melodic sing-rap thing Travis has become known for in recent years, which leads me to my next point.

Where this albums lacks, in my opinion, is in the songwriting. And not from a lyrical standpoint, but from a melodic & structural one. One of Travis’s biggest skills has always been his ability to craft sticky hooks, earwormy vocal lines, and interesting song progressions. This album isn’t really catchy at all, and I’m curious to see how this is received amongst Travis fans being that the catchiness of his music has been an integral factor in recent years.

There are moments where I feel like the album is being experimental just for the sake of being experimental, and I think it both strengthens and weakens the project at different points. Travis is King of the Beat Switch, but there are times where it feels like he’s becoming too reliant on a beat switch to keep a song engaging past two minutes, or just stitching random beats together to make a longer song.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and feel like it’s a strong artistic statement for Travis at this point of his career, but I definitely need a few more listens to see how I really feel this stacks up in relation to the rest of his discography.

Lord Quas

3y

@slutbear First ban of the night

americana

3y

IS THIS CARTI

DS2

3y

blessed track

notbrock

3y

No

My first listen of Astroworld was good

But this first listen blew my mind

BRUNTZ

3y

no1

SteveJobsAndAustin

3y

Did Astroworld have a better first listen for y’all?

SteveJobsAndAustin

3y

Did Astroworld have a better first listen for y’all?

Name

3y

How are you so late

Gross

3y

Who is all on FE!N besides Carti & Sheck ?

americana

3y

bar hopped

cribbed up now

SteveJobsAndAustin

3y

Did Astroworld have a better first listen for y’all?

SegaDreamFlash

3y

Hearing Modern Jam in the theater is an experience I’ll never get out of my head

SuperPork

3y

Ngl having a new trav album makes me so happy

SteveJobsAndAustin

3y

Did Astroworld have a better first listen for y’all?

chip skylark

3y

I think this is why I like this one more

It’s like Owl Pharaoh polished up

SteveJobsAndAustin

3y

Did Astroworld have a better first listen for y’all?

Mechanical

3y

Like literally hearing the first 9 songs of this album was mind boggling
Astro aint have that
hyaena, modern jam, and sirens better than every song off astro