Less than a year since the collaborative efforts on Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho two of the hottest autotune orchestrators give us their standalone offerings. Huncho Jack was an album with so much hype around it was impossible to hit the astronomical standards set (check out my review of that here).
A track by track review of both these projects would be an exceedingly long post (not everyday track by track reviews). With an Astroworld track by track review falling further down in the ever-growing backlog of review a brainwave hit me last week. Why not spare you all the jazz and give you three core things: (1)THE INTRO’S, (2)THE DEEP-ISH (not much expected), and (3) THE HITS & THE MISSES based on songs I deleted vs kept.
1) THE INTRO’S
For me, the intro/opener is probably the most important part of the album it sets the pace for the rest of the project. I haven’t checked recently but usually, if I don’t like the opening song, the rest of the project is meh.
ASTROWORLD
STARGAZING is like most of Travis’s songs with the intense atmospheric transitions being the highlight. There’s so much going on in the first half you’ll just have to bop through the screeching and try to stay in the loop of it. The second half cutting in at around the 2.20 mark is much faster and palatable. Decent intro but not much replay value for me.
QUAVO HUNCHO
The Flute and the “La La La” backing vocals will instantly stick with you when you hear BIG ALLEY OOP. I prefer the clarity on this from Quavo, no autotune saturation here guys(ahemSTARGAZING). Catchy signature style and impactful slapping drums.
AND THE WINNER IS?
Quavo wins the battle of the intros for me. The trap tales and Hot Boy acknowledgment can never miss.
2) THE DEEP-ISH
Neither of these two artists is the sharpest tools in the box when it comes to out and out lyrics. They do have their ways to pour out emotion while crooning(Drugs You Should Try It, Days Before Rodeo) and not(Best Man, HUNCHO JACK).
ASTROWORLD
There are several moments on Astroworld (RIP SCREW, STOP TRYING TO BE GOD, SKELETONS, WAKE UP and COFFEE BEAN) which offer the density beyond the usual “FVCK THE CLUB” UP bravado(NO BYSTANDERS). The song which sits on top of all of them is COFFEE BEAN. Here Travis strips away the trap production and exposes the issues experienced with his relationship with Kylie Jenner.
QUAVO HUNCHO
LOST and BIG BRO are the deepest cuts on Quavo Huncho. BIG BRO (one of the standouts of the project) sees Quavo talking from the position of guidance with drug abuse popularised in today’s world with the youth. LOST, follows a similar flow as BIG BRO with HUNCHO tapping into the awareness side again. Smoothed out with vocals from one of the GOATS Kid Cudi; coming from the bottom, grinding to the top and not getting LOST in the “sauce” is the narrative here.
AND THE WINNER IS?
Travis takes this one, I’ve followed him for a while and I’ve never heard him rap like this. This is a must listen to for those following this post.
3) THE HITS & THE MISSES
As I said in the introduction these are the songs I heard and thought nah this ain’t it kid. Take a look at the list and tell me if you agree or nah ha
ASTROWORLD
HITS
- Sicko Mode*
- R.I.P. Screw
- Stop Trying to Be God
- No Bystanders
- Skeletons
- Wake Up
- 5% Tint
- NC-17
- Yosemite
- Can’t Say
- Butterfly Effect*
- Houstonfornication
- Coffee Bean*
MISSES
- Stargazing (31/08/19 – this is actually a banger ha)
- Carousel
- Astrothunder
- Who? What!
QUAVO HUNCHO
HITS
- Biggest Alley Oop*
- Workin Me
- How Bout That?
- Keep That Shit
- Lose It*
- Big Bro*
- Lost
MISSES
- Pass Out
- Huncho Dreams
- Flip the Switch
- Give It to Em
- Shine
- Champagne Rosé
- Fuck 12
- Rerun
- Go All the Way
- Lamb Talk
- Swing
- Bubble Gum
By a landside Astroworld is the far superior of the two albums, winning on all fronts. QUAVO HUNCHO showed me that Qauvo needs to grow into this standalone role more before he can compete with the likes of Travis. I’ve been so conditioned to hearing the Migos it’s empty when it’s just him or some randoms like Madonna on the track(worst track by a country mile by the way). It’s actually like chewing the same BUBBLE GUM for ages at points.
Astroworld on my first top to bottom listen is a modern day masterpiece. In this “mumble” landscape of meaningless dribble, Travis’s creative mood board stands ahead of many of his peers. The flawless execution of spacious crooning and Kanye esque bars(SKELETONS) this hits hard. All complemented by production streaks ahead of most mainstream artists and features which slot perfectly into the beats
Where to now?
Travis continues to push boundaries with his sound, seeing as Drake won’t do it he should do a collab album with PND(#BringBackParty). In terms of Quavo, the Migos train of music never seems to slow down, with Culture 3 on the way there’s nothing much to worry about for him.
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