Can't Let Go

Episode Notes Trevor - Welcome back to Have you Heard, the podcast where we discuss underappreciated music from different genres, artists and eras. I'm your host, Trevor. In today's episode, we're going to be talking to Northwestern alum Haley Davis, whose album “Smiling Pains” came out in 2019. Hope you enjoy. Haley - Hi there.  T - Hi, how's it going?  H - It's going pretty well, how are you?  T - I'm good. Thanks so much.  H - Thank you for inviting me.  T - So first, in our email, you said that you're actually doing a global music program in Spain? Could you talk a little bit about that? And what's that like?  H - Yes, it's been great. So far, I guess, the beginning of September was when the program started. But yeah, it's a… I'm getting a master's degree in global music business. So, it's kind of...there are like 40 kids in my program specifically. And it's cool. I mean, I'm getting to learn about different areas of the industry. I'm taking music business finance and a law class. So it's pretty comprehensive, but it's very interesting. And it's very international, there's just people from all over the world in the program, which is really cool. And I'm enjoying it a lot so far.  T - Yeah, that's great. Have you found that it's changed the way that you yourself create or even distribute your music? H - I haven't really written too much since being here. But I think it's definitely... I mean, I've learned so much that I didn't know before, especially about music distribution and the law and copyrights. And where you can make money from your music. There might be a lot of self releasing artists who know about PROs and everything. But I didn't really know what a PRO was. And, you know, about publishing rights. And that being a way you can make revenue, so I've learned a lot. And I just haven't quite applied it yet, just because I've kind of been so focused on my studies. T - How's the transition from going, I guess, undergrad to the master's program, you said, you haven't been able to write as much. How's that affected you? H - I guess I just, it wasn't as much to do with me being in the master's program. I just feel like, I go through phases where I don't write very much at all. And then phases where I knock out five songs in a couple of weeks. I think it's more about what I'm going through personally at the time. For me, it's like, that's kind of a therapeutic thing. But I do still want to be able to write and work with people here, because there are so many talented people. And I should take advantage of that opportunity while I'm here. But it's also about balancing time, which is just a lot, especially after the pandemic and everything I just feel like… It's weird to get back into the swing of things and have things be fast paced again, so… But it's good. T - I definitely agree with that. I wanted to ask you a little bit about your process, which is something I always ask. I'm so fascinated with how they write music, or if they even go in with the intention of writing a song or an album. When do you think is the time that you write the best or the most?  H - Oh gosh, I mean, it depends. Usually...it'll be you know, I think if I have a crush on someone, or maybe I've had a friend breakup – that's the worst thing – but it's really to process the emotions, I think, in terms of my relationships. It's when it comes out the easiest. I wouldn't say they're always the best or anything, but I think that's when I find myself naturally writing the most. But I also write just lines at a time. I've got like, a big list of lyrics in my notes that are just one or two lines. And I've kept...I mean, a lot of them kept in there and they never turned into anything. I do a lot of  bit by bit writing, too. So, it really depends, and I don't write songs the same way. Anytime really. Sometimes it's lyrics first. Sometimes it's the melody. Other times you know, guitar, whatever, but it totally varies and that's what I like about it. T - And when I listened to Smiling Pains, your album, a lot of it seemed to be real stories and like self experience, you know – that's what I really, really enjoyed about it. When you sat down to write that was it sort of the same thing you were talking about just, you know, periodic, or were you going in with the expectation to write an album? H - Some of them I had written kinda like in my senior year of high school, processing my freshman year of college. For me, that album was kind of like a coming of age thing where I was...it was such a kind of culture shock of a different lifestyle, everything, and freedom. But it also had that same kind of I'm meeting different people, and I need to process these things emotionally. And I met my producer Tony winter quarter my freshman year. And so, he was like, “I'd love to, you know, work with you, maybe make an album or something.” And then I started kind of like writing the rest of the songs, kind of, to fit an album. So I would say about halfway, like half of the songs are already written. And then kind of spurred the rest of the kind of songwriting from there. So I'd say half of it I had it in mind that I was making the album and the other half, no. T - On Spotify, it says that you made it in someone's bedroom. Was that your producer Tony's bedroom? Or? Could you talk a little bit about how that went? H - We started talking about the logistics of recording and what I wanted, in terms of an album, at the very end of my freshman year. And then sophomore year we came back to school and started recording. And yeah, his bedroom was like in the attic of a house on Foster. And we would do that maybe once or twice a week. And it just took ages…  like it took months and months and months doing it like that. But I also think that worked for me, because I am not the kind of person who can sit down for more than three hours. That felt really draining at times, to work like that. And so it was kind of, I felt like it was good that it took a long time because I really struggled especially, like, once we started to produce it. And he was like, “Okay, do you like something like this?” Eventually, all these things are like, mixing and blending in my mind. And I was like, “I can't even, it all sounds the same.” And so he was very patient and a really calming, patient person to work with. And that was important for me. And it got finished the spring of that year. So it took like, I think like six, seven months. T -That's amazing. And like I said, I really, I really enjoyed the album.  H - Thank you so much.  T- Do you think that… Well, first of all, do you have a favorite song from there?  H - Oh my gosh, it's really, it's really hard to pick a favorite. But I like “Tennis Courts” a lot. It's a song I wrote about my mom and how she grew up. And that's a song about that. So like I just, I was really struggling to write the chorus. I could not get the melody in my head. And I like I mean, I was stuck on it for like a month or two and Tony's like, “Just let me know when you got it.” And I was like, “Okay,” and then it came to me in the shower, and I hopped out of the shower and voice memo'd it so I wouldn't forget. I think because it's personal and it relates to my mom. And also, it just felt very personal. And I felt proud of it once I was done. Maybe that's because I was just stuck on it for so long but, one of my favorites.   T - Were you able to perform any of your songs at all? I know that I'm not sure the whole timeframe of when COVID happened and when your  album came out but, were you able to perform at all? And how was that experience?  H - Yeah, so it came out at the end of my sophomore year, and then I was abroad beginning of my junior year. But I did play one Dot Wave show. It was like an apartment show. Yeah, that winter. And it was really fun. It was just me and my guitar though, it wasn't like a full band. Tony and Kaylee and I were always trying to do stuff together. Kaylee played the drums for a lot of the songs. One of our other friends and I got to play once and that was really fun. But then COVID hit, and tragedy struck so we didn't get to play after that. T - Besides personal experience or stories in your own life, where do you draw inspiration from your music? Or do you think it's all just personal? H - No, I mean, I definitely…  Some of it's totally made up, some of it's fiction.  Like, you know, lyrically. But I think in terms of songs themselves, I steal from other people all the time, like chord progressions that I like and…I've recently started to learn what's actually legal to steal from my law class here. But yeah, I totally do that. I like to take different parts of people's sounds. I started doing that when I was songwriting in high school, I took some stuff from the Beatles. You know, I've taken different kinds of singer-songwriters' chords that I found interesting. But I think generally, I won't write unless I personally connect to it. And a lot of that has to be that I need to emotionally process something. So yeah, lyrically, I think that's why I think I have these periods where I'm not writing at all. I'm just uninspired and I'm not writing, but ideally, it would be a practice. T - Thanks so much for listening. Hope you enjoyed that episode. This has been Trevor Duggins for NBN Audio. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Trevor - Welcome back to Have You Heard. The podcast where we discuss underappreciated music from different genres, artists and eras. I'm your host, Trevor. In this episode, we're gonna be talking to Northwestern artist Jay Towns. Hope you enjoy. Jay - Cool. What's up, man?  T - What's going on? Thanks so much for hopping on.  J - Dude, thanks for having me, for real.  T - Yeah, I remember …  I'm a transfer, I'm new to Northwestern. So, I remember the first, like videos, when I was just applying and everything, you were the first one to pop up.  J - Appreciate it.  T - So it's cool to finally get to talk to you and stuff.   J - Yeah, you too. T - Going back to that sort of social media stuff … It seems like you have a lot going on, just all the time, so I wonder how you balance that with school and everything.  J - Well, the great thing about what I'm studying: theater, music tech and entrepreneurship – lots of the things that I am learning in classes I directly apply to stuff I do outside of class. Obviously, there's still school work that's kind of annoying to have to get done. But I'd say like 80% of the things that I'm learning in class, I apply to some project that I'm doing currently. To me, it doesn't feel so much as school, art, work. It kind of all blends together. Because I'd love to do my art for my job, which is what I'm studying. You know what I mean? It's not too bad, actually – the balance. Obviously, you know, with my own projects, like the YouTube channel and music and things that I'm not actively endorsed to do at school, that is what I use my extra time on. Actually, I feel like this is a perfect time to do this podcast episode, because I'm right now, in the midst of planning for a music video I'm shooting tomorrow – maybe we could talk about that later. But   the balance … I'm very used to it. But I think I think it's pretty, my schedule’s always kind of, like something’s moving. But that's the way I like it. And I think that Northwestern, for better or for worse, has kind of conditioned me with the “and” is in our DNA mindset, which can be toxic at times. But for me, most of the time, it's more of like an encouragement. I feel empowered to do not only whatever I want, but, whenever I want to do it. Oftentimes that coincides with other projects. And that's just kind of the lifestyle that I want to have. Starting it early, I guess. T - Yeah that’s so dope. I guess we could just jump into the music right now if you want. So do you direct your own music videos, and how much creative control do you have in that sort of process? J - So I do direct my own videos, but I've also … I have one video up on my channel right now, that was directed by a friend of mine. But even in that case, which was a great video, that was the “Green” music video that was directed by my friend Hannah because I had made that song to be featured in her film. So that was really cool. And she actually was editing the music video while she was editing the film. And so there are actually clips of the film, like intertwined with the music video pretty seamlessly. So that was dope. And in that case, she directed it because she definitely had the vision for the project. And it was also to serve for promo for the film. But other music videos I've directed, and I'm directing this next one that I'm doing. But even when I'm not, even when in the case of “Green,” I didn't ever feel like I didn't have creative control or creative input to say the least. I think, though, that the director usually is the person who is seeing how it's going to come together in the end product. And so, more frequently than not, the director is also going to edit a music video. And so in the case of  “Green,” I wasn't editing it because I didn't have the footage, so I felt like Hannah would have been more appropriate to bring that vision together – which she's very good at. For songs like “19,” which is another music video that's up on my channel, I had the whole idea in my mind. I just needed somebody to help me shoot it. And so in that case, I directed it because I also ended up editing that. So that's kind of how it goes with directing and creative liberties. T - Yeah and I wonder, how was it when you first started making music and putting stuff out? J - Dude, I was just thinking about this the other day. It is such a combination of kind of … you have to be kind of either like I don't know if it's like in love with your work or just kind of naive. And I mean the passion obviously has to be there. The passion, I think is the number one thing but like, because I look back – I was literally thinking about this yesterday – I am so proud of the music that I'm making currently. And like just the production value of it, I feel like I spend a lot of time on it and I feel like it just sounds professional. And it's strange to think about the music that I made, just like a year ago, that I'm still proud of writing-wise and inspiration-wise, because I'm like, “This definitely came from the heart.” This was something I wanted to get out as, like artistic expression, right? But I'm like, I would never listen to this just because I was so new at producing. Most of the tracks that I've released before like, just aren't at the caliber that my stuff is at now and that when I compare what I make to what I listened to, just isn't the same. And so I was thinking about that the other day, I was like, man, my friends really like … reposted that on their stories. And I'm like, I don't know, we were all just on the train of like, “Yo, this is artistic expression. And so that's what matters,” or if they were all secretly like, “Whoa, this is actually trash, but we support Jay.” And the funny thing is, I'll never have to know because that gave me the confidence to keep going. And now I feel like I am at the place where I really am putting up dukes with anybody who could be on the radio, you know what I mean? But it definitely took that confidence and that support group at the beginning to keep going, because I swear I almost could guarantee if people were like, “Stop making music,” when I had started, I probably would have stopped because it was a new thing for me. And I think that new artistic expression requires support to get going. T - And how were you learning in the beginning? Was it just through YouTube videos, just, you know, throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks? Or…  J - It was a combination of both, you know, I've been a musician, I would say for  the majority of my life, always musically in tune. But when it came to producing, that was a completely different thing. And something I was really excited about doing and never really had time to get into until quarantine hit and there was literally nothing else to do. It was a lot of YouTube. I always suggest when people ask, “How did you learn how to do that?” Just go on YouTube. I learned all the music theory I ever needed to learn on YouTube and more. That translated to me doing, like, AP music theory in high school and being very comfortable with music theory in college. Everything you ever would need to know is on YouTube. You don't need to take classes or anything.  And that was the same thing for producing. So I came into 2020 — I know, musically what I want in my head. But it was so frustrating getting to a computer. Having to figure out routing audio and quantizing MIDI tracks – just things that you don't think about when you're in artist mode. And that's kind of when I started going into producer stuff. And now I understand what it takes to get the idea from the head to the computer and out in the exported track. Which is a completely different skill. And so, yeah, that was really frustrating to work with at the beginning. But it was just, yeah, it was lots of trial and error. Lots of hours just sitting at my computer, hunched over my computer — just my computer crashing, like my laptop not, CPU not being able to work. My next investment probably has to be in another computer just because files are getting too big, et cetera. But anyway, I digress. Yeah, I learned almost everything I know how to do from YouTube. T - It seems like you're sort of able to translate what's in your head onto the DAW, how often are you making music? Is it as frustrating as it was before?  J - To answer the first half of the question. I'm making music consistently, but not frequently. So basically, I consistently, on a consistent basis, I will pour a whole day into a track, but I don't work a little bit every day. My schedule is not really conducive to like, I'm going to work for an hour on this song today. It's more so like I get in the grind. It's usually a Saturday or Sunday. And I sit down with tea at 10am and I'm there until like five. And then I have a song. I definitely have gotten a lot more efficient with my time. And I tend to work in blocks and chunks. And I feel like lots of artists tend to work this way. Producers, I feel like have more of the approach of like, I can whittle this down, day by day. But I feel like I'm more of an artist who learned how to produce out of necessity rather than like a producer who just loves to sit and work at my computer. I'm really hoping to get better at producing to the point where I can feel comfortable producing for other people. Like I'm also thinking about that as a possible route to go with my life. Don't really even know how that's gonna go. But so like, I make music consistently. Consistently, I'll do it about once a week for like hours at a time. And yeah, it's gotten a lot faster. It's just getting comfortable with the DAW. I use Studio One, which I think is amazing. I got it because it also allows me to compose music on there. If you have heard of Sibelius or like Finale, basically, there's like music transcription that is a part of it, which is for me as a composer, musical theater writer type stuff, that's also very useful. So kind of like two birds with one stone. And yeah, I mean, I got it Christmas of 2019, didn't use it until 2020 when everything stopped, and I've been using it ever since. And I love it. And the more you use it, I mean, every song that I've made so far, I have learned something that I wish I had put in every other song before.  T - And I love what you said about consistency, but not frequency. I think, you know, artists – when they're not making music or when they don't feel like making music what do they do to get in that zone? What’s that for you? J - Man, I mean, it's — this is so cheesy — but it's just like living life. It's because, and this is the same thing with acting too, which is something I'm also very passionate about. But when it comes to art, I feel like you need to have your experiences to then pour into your art. If I don't feel like making music, unless I'm commissioned to, like if I'm making it for something. But if it's just me, and I want to sit down and make a song and it's not coming, like, I don't think anything good comes from forcing that. I go out and I just live my life. I hang out with my roommates. I eat sushi. I occasionally freestyle to beats I find on YouTube in my car. I just live and then something happens that inspires me or makes me think of something or I hear a melody. A song I'm working on right now was inspired by — my next door neighbors play violin. And I just was walking out one day going to class and I just overheard this violin classical piece. And something about the melody just was really catchy. Quick on Voice Notes I just was like: Music notes I'll save that for later. That was something that I was able to build off of. You just never know where the next thing is gonna come from. And so I try not to force it. I think I'm naturally inclined to make something when I feel something so I don't really feel the need to, like, force that. It definitely comes when it needs to. I wouldn't call myself like a professional music artist like it's not my only thing. I don't feel that pressure to have to make something to make money. You know what I mean? I think for artists out there doing it, it's a different conversation. For me like, it's a very fun, very invested-in hobby, but still a hobby, so I don't I don't feel the pressure, you know. T - That's great. Honestly, I have a ton more questions, but I just want to make sure we get in your music video that you said you're filming tomorrow.  J - Oh, yes. Yeah, I appreciate you making time for that. I just feel like it would be a great opportunity to talk about while we're here. I am shooting a music video for a song called “Moves” that I made. It was one of those that was, I felt like a really good catchy idea that I ended up finishing it in like two weeks, and was like, “Okay, I'll totally make a music video for this one day.”And then I was selected to compete in Battle of the Bands for Mayfest to compete for a spot a set for Dillo. And they required a 20 minute set. So I was like, “Hmm, got this new song. Got this music video idea. Let's incorporate that.” So now, my plan is to incorporate this music video, another music video that I've been sitting on, and a Tiny Desk-esque kind of set for some stripped versions of some other songs that I've made to compile into one big Mayfest set.  So I'm very excited about the opportunity to put so much of the new stuff I've been sitting on out at the same time and debuting it for Battle of the Bands. I just think it would be a really great idea. So, I mean, I got this together super quick. I put out the first interest call — I think on Wednesday. Since then so many people have just reached out, volunteered to just be like, “Yeah, I'd love to be in it” or “Yeah, I'd love to help out with it.” And so it's always for me, when I see other people investing in my vision — half the people didn't even know what the song was called, or what the music video is going to be about. But they were like, “Jay Towns is making a music video, I'm down.”  That inspires me to make it something that is worth somebody else's time. It's so exciting to me. I can't believe something that I like walked outside, heard this melody, put it into a MIDI track, made a little beat, put some words on it. And now I'm about to meet a bunch of people I’d never met before tomorrow, and make this awesome thing that we can all share. We'll also be serving a purpose for like my set, like, that's dope.I love that process, I fall in love with that process. So that's what the music video is about for “Moves,” and I'm super excited for you to see it for other people to see it. And especially for people to feel like they're a part of it, the people who are going to show up work on it and be acting in it. So I'm very excited about that. T - Hope you enjoyed that episode. Thanks so much for listening. This is Trevor Duggins for NBN Audio. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Welcome back to "Have you Heard?" the podcast where we discuss under appreciated music from different genres, artists, and eras. I'm your host Trevor. Thanks so much for taking the time to listen to me today.  Now, in this episode I'll be talking about Black on Both Sides by Mos Def. Too long didn't listen? This is a classic hip hop album that came out in a time when rap was only just starting to take hold. It has iconic beats, legendary samples, ridiculous bars that will no doubt rival anything you've heard, even 20 years later. It is a celebration of black culture and preaches positivity but invites anyone and everyone into its wide, wide world. It's very old school, but provided a foundation for many of the best rap albums out right now. It is definitely a must listen.  My favorite songs are “Speed Law,” “Know That” and “Mathematics.” So if you want the highlights, go listen to those. But to be honest, there are no bad songs or throwaways anywhere to be found so I'd recommend the entire thing.  Now, Yasiin Bey, better known as Mos Def, is a Brooklyn based rapper and activist who started his professional career alongside Talib Kweli. The 1998 duo named themselves Blackstar and marked their musical debut with their first album released through Rawkus Records in that same year. Mos would come out with his own solo debut in 1999, called Black on Both Sides, but it was much more commercially successful than than the previous project. In many ways, I think, Black on Both Sides is way way ahead of its time. Or maybe it's just that problems people faced in 1999 are really similar to the problems we're facing now. But either way, it's almost unsettling how Mos introduces the album, just talking about how hip hop (or music in general) will reflect the situation it's in. What's funny is he doesn't even start rapping until three minutes in. He says, "You know what's gonna happen with hip hop? Whatever's happening with us." And, true to his word, Mos spends the entire run time of Black on Both Sides just talking about whatever in the world is happening with us.  What's cool about this project is that all of the stories and advice told through it are down to earth and they're all relevant to today's environment. In the second track, titled “Hip Hop,” Mos discusses problems with the 1999 music industry that could easily be applied to the toxic label practices of 2021. [“Hip Hop,” by Mos Def] The fifth track, “Speed Law,” begs the listener to slow down and relax, saying that you need to obey the rules of the road in life before you crash.  [“Speed Law,” by Mos Def] Something about hearing Mos rap about these things is refreshing, honestly. Even if the delivery and features are a little bit dated. It was honestly weird to re-listen to a lot of these lyrics because, while truthful and deep, they’re also just really positive. Maybe it's just because not a lot of music is really being released right now or because of the stressful time we're in, but it feels like a lot of recent popular music has just been empty party songs or doom and gloom. I feel like we need something super conscious and uplifting like this album that can help us in these times. I don't know, I guess Mos is right, you know? Music will just reflect whatever is going on with us. Anyways, not only is the album sort of prophetic in its content, but also in its sound. Like many other albums and artists in the late 90s, Mos uses a wide array of samples to beef up the instrumentals. But, unlike Mos Def's contemporaries (let's say Nas and Jay Z), the range he draws from is pretty wild at times. From Aretha Franklin and Fela Kuti samples to interpolations of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mos doesn't shy away from his influences. And that's what really makes this album for me honestly. A lot of the sounds he incorporates can sound kind of wacky or out of place, but they always complement the mood and lyrics of the song. The experimental and jazzier aspects would eventually inspire artists like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar to incorporate them into their own music and help push the genre forward. It's a hip hop album that's for sure, but like I said before it's also a celebration of music.  Take “Do It Now,” featuring Busta Rhymes. The segmented guitar and bass in the background mixed with the stray voice samples sound choppy on their own, but they match the urgency and delivery of Busta Rhymes and Mos Def going bar for bar. It's awesome. [“Do It Now,” by Mos Def] Or look at “Rock N Roll,” where in the final third of the song, Mos completely switches genres and becomes his version of a 1980s punk rocker.  [“Rock N Roll,” by Mos Def] And although it takes from so many different kinds of genres, it adds even more. This album is just filled to the brim with creativity, it's so awesome. It's hard to understand how forward thinking this album was because it takes so many risks, but all of them just work. I still listen to it and can't believe it came out in 1999.  Finally, I know I talked a bit about the music and instrumentals, but there is still one more factor that I haven't really mentioned yet... and that's the actual lyrics. It's fine to say that he raps about important topics, but it's really hard to convey how well he raps without playing the songs. But I'm gonna try to do it anyway. I mean, just the technical ability it takes to come up with the crazy wordplay and rhyme schemes is just ridiculous. And that doesn't even mention how his delivery and presence on these tracks are just perfect as well. If you're listening closely, you'll understand that no words are wasted and that keeps you hanging on, just enough, just waiting for the next verse.  The best song to describe this is the second to last one, called “Mathematics.” Mos implores young kids to go learn their math, but it's not really in the way you think. He brilliantly uses numbers and statistics to relay important messages that he believes people should hear about.  [“Mathematics,” by Mos Def] And, in the end, that's really what this project is: a message about self-worth, knowledge and positivity that's really almost timeless. Above everything else, it's just cool. And I know that isn't the most editorial word or whatever but that's just how I feel. To be honest, Black on Both Sides has really helped me get through these past couple of weeks. And even if it doesn't do that for you, I think it's important to have something – whether it's an album or a show or a person – that, you know, just helps you get through. Something that lets you nerd out and talk about it for hours. Or something that inspires you to keep on keeping on.  This is Trevor Duggins for NBN Audio. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Welcome to "Have You Heard?" The podcast where we discuss underappreciated music from all different kinds of genres, artists and eras. I'm your host Trevor. Now, with this being the first installment of this show, I wanted to first thank you so, so much for listening. Look, I want this to be a place with good vibes where you can listen to me talk about some of my favorite music that I think deserves a little bit more recognition. Now, I never want to hold you, so there will always be a "Too Long, Didn't Listen" at the start of every episode if I'm talking about an album.   But hopefully in future episodes, I'll be able to bring on artists at Northwestern or in Evanston or in Chicago just to discuss who they are, what they're about and what they're listening to. Now, if you are a musician who likes the show and might want to guest host with me, my email will be at the bottom of the audio transcript. Even if you aren't an artist and just want to give me some music recommendations or tell me why my taste is trash and why I should talk about your favorite album... It's cool, email me, let's talk about it.  Alright, with all that out of the way, let's get into it. In today's episode, I’m going to be talking about Sonder Son by Brent Faiyaz. Too Long Didn't Listen? This album is an amazing interpretation of R&B that never goes over the top and never does too much. It's so genuine, and even though the instrumentals can be a little repetitive and derivative, Brent's voice carries the whole project. It's perfect for long car rides or study sessions or, to be honest, even trying to get over a breakup.  My favorite songs are:“Talk 2 U”, “Gang Over Luv” and “All I Want”. So, if all you want are the highlights, go listen to those and you'll get a good idea for what this project is about ... even though you probably should listen to the whole thing if you can.  So, Brent Faiyaz is a singer, songwriter and producer from Columbia, Maryland whose debut album Sonder Son came out in 2017. This album is a follow up to his first EP, AM Paradox that came out in 2016. Recently, his 2020 single "Dead Man Walking" (which is another great, great song by the way) found its way onto TikTok and has quickly become one of his most popular songs on Spotify.  Okay so, the best thing about Sonder Son to me, is that it feels ... homemade, if that makes sense. In a lot of ways, that can hurt an album just because of quality or the way some of the mixes might sound, but in this case I only mean it in the best possible way. Like I mentioned in the intro, a lot of the instrumentals are really simple but the way the producer blends Brent's voice in these tracks turns them from what could be generic R&B loops into something completely unique.  So take the second track, “Gang Over Luv”, which is one of the most streamed songs on the album. Without Brent’s voice, it's mostly just a simple drum loop over some bass honestly. Now, instead of adding new instruments to make the song interesting, Brent's ad libs are all over the track, bouncing around and making a somewhat familiar-sounding song feel unpredictable. There are harmonies and melodies and countermelodies that fly all around your head if you're listening on headphones. This style of production and songwriting is a major theme on this project and it just pulls it off so well. Songs like “First World Problemz” and “So Far Gone” are other good examples of this ethereal voice effect in action.  Speaking of themes, we have to talk about the school references that appear time and time again on Sonder Son. Whether it's his mother scolding him for his poor grades on the opening track or the transition school bells that open track three, Brent's childhood is all over this album. It’s one of the major aspects of the record that really give it personality to me. If you're just here for singles, you can pretty much ignore those ideas, but they still serve an important role in the album's entirety. Besides his struggles in school, the next major theme is ... well, love. It's not like he's breaking any new ground with this topic, but again, it's approached in such a way that makes it feel familiar but unique. It's hard not to relate to songs like “Talk 2 U”, which captures such a universal feeling in a two-and-a-half minute time capsule. Brent brings up trust issues in tracks nine and 10, where he adds a lot to the album's strengths just with pure vocal ability. I mean, these songs are just so good because of the emotion behind the lyrics and his vocal performance. It’s fantastic, just go listen. The songs are called “Sonder Son Interlude” and “So Far Gone,” so give those a listen too if you just want to skip around and listen to the highlights. There are major musical themes that appear on Sonder Son as well. Along with the amazing ad libs, guitars of all shapes and sizes find their way onto the project at every single corner. I mean, there are reverbed guitars, distorted guitars, guitar riffs, guitar chord progressions, guitar loops ... you get the idea. It gets a bit repetitive when you’re listening to the whole album in one sitting, but it's really not an intrusive aspect of the record if you aren't listening to the whole album on repeat like I had to for this review. In the end, Sonder Son is R&B done right. It doesn't sound expensive or over-produced ... it just sounds raw and honest. It's strong but subtle, you know. In almost every song, Brent's voice is both right in front of you and all around you. There's just so much to like, and I really really hope you do. It's a vibe from start to finish that you should definitely check out whenever you get the chance. Thanks again for listening. This is Trevor Duggins for NBN Audio.  TrevorDuggins2023@u.northwestern.edu This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

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