Music Review
Oswald Wagenseil, ‘22
October 2018
For this review, I will be using the source https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100, to which I will listen to the top 10 songs so far of the week and review them on based on lyrics, singing/rapping, and beats. And at the end, I will calculate the average ranking of that song based on those 3 categories. This list is also in order the way the website lists the songs.
10. “Let It Fly” Lil Wayne Featuring Travis Scott: The release of Lil Wayne’s new album “Tha Carter V” has, in my opinion, some pretty good songs. This song isn’t one of them. Travis Scott and Lil Wayne have both been amazing artists this year with their new albums, but when it comes to this song, it doesn’t have that much to pack a punch with. The beat of the song is not bad, plus Travis Scott and Lil Wayne have pretty basic flows as well when they rap. The lyrics are what’s bringing the song down, like “Rough edges like a box of Checker fries, that's a line” and “Let it fly (brr, fly), Let it fly like the birds in the sky (brr brr)” are basic lyrics that don’t stand out too much. Lyrics: 3/10. Singing/Rapping: 7/10. Beat: 7/10. Average: ~ 6/10.
9. “In My Feelings” Drake: KIKI, DO YOU LOVE ME, ARE YOU RIDING? Now that I have that out the way, this song I just find weird. The lyrics I actually find decent for the first half of the song, then it cuts to “Kissin'-kissin' in the Wraith, kiss-kissin' in the Wraith, I need that black card and the code to the safe, Code to the safe, code-code to the safe-safe.” Plus the beat is pretty decent as well, and Drake can actually be more of a singer then when rapping in this song, surprisingly. The lyrics just throw me off in the end and make me all out confused. Lyrics: 5/10. Singing/Rapping: 7/10. Beat: 7/10. Average: ~ 6/10.
8. “Youngblood” 5 Seconds Of Summer: This song I thought I would actually hate so much considering 5 Seconds of Summer is a cheesy boy band. This song I only mildly dislike. It has a nice guitar beat that I kind of enjoy. The lyrics are all about a girl (as are all pop songs nowadays), and the singing is all you can really expect from a cheesy boy band, including the “ooh, ooh, ooh” and repeating the same nonsense over for more than enough times. Lyrics: 5/10. Singing/Rapping: 6/10. Beat: 8/10. Average: ~ 6/10.
7. “Uproar” Lil Wayne: Before I even say anything, I LOVE THIS BEAT. This beat just brings you back to the old school hip-hop and it just fills you with joy and makes you ecstatic when you hear it. The lyrics for this song are boring in the beginning, but then get interesting and creative in talking about living a ghetto life. This includes “‘Knock knock, who’s there is’ how it won’t go,This the jungle, so have the utmost, For the nutzos, and we nuts, so.” However, Lil Wayne has a basic flow while rapping which may bring down the ranking a little bit. In the end, I find the song pretty good and I like it that way. Lyrics: 7/10. Singing/Rapping: 6/10. Beat: 9/10. Average: ~ 7/10.
6. “Sicko Mode” Travis Scott: This song has three beat switches in a rap song, which is weird but also shows uniqueness in Travis Scott’s music style. The three beats used in these songs are on the same level of being pretty good, Travis and Drake both rap pretty well on this song especially with the many beat switches, and the lyrics aren’t basic. However, they don’t stand out as some others do, like “Now it's 4 AM and I'm back up poppin' with the crew, I just landed in, Chase B mix this pop like Jamba Juice, Different colored chains, think my jeweler really sellin' fruits, And they chokin', man, know the crackers wish it was a noose.” Lyrics: 6/10. Singing/Rapping: 8/10. Beat: 8/10. Average: ~ 7/10.
5. “Don’t Cry” Lil Wayne Featuring XXXTENTACION: This song has a pretty sad meaning to it, which in turn makes it have the best lyrics of any song on “Tha Carter V.” The lyrics show deep meaning about death (R.I.P. X) and how no one will be gone without their name living on forever. It is best summarized by this line in the song: “So if I die young, blame the juice, Bury me in New Orleans, Tombstone reads: "Don’t cry, stay tuned." Bring me back to life, Got to lose a life just to have a life.” In addition, Lil Wayne raps in a sad tone which he can pull off pretty good and X can sing in a way that can motivate you, and the beat goes along with the tone as well. Lyrics: 8/10. Singing/Rapping: 8/10. Beat: 7/10. Average ~ 8/10.
4. “Better Now” Post Malone: This song as well has a really nice, soothing beat that you can listen to get lost in your own world. The last 30 seconds of the song when it is just the music playing is a nice touch to an already good song. Post also sings some not good but not great lyrics about a loved one moving on from you which can be pretty basic, like the line, “And I'm rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', With my brothers like it's Jonas, Jonas.” Lyrics: 5/10. Singing/Rapping: 7/10. Beat: 9/10. Average: ~ 0.7.
3. “Lucid Dreams” Juice WRLD: Nowadays, this is someone’s goth/emo music to listen to. It is not just me is it? Anyway, this song is all about an ex-girlfriend messing with the singer and leaving him torn up after a break-up. One of the lines is, “I’d do it over again, I didn’t want it to end,” which is neither good or bad. Juice WRLD conveys this message through mediocre lyrics and is okay at rapping/singing in a weird, harmonious beat. Lyrics: 6/10. Singing/Rapping: 7/10. Beat: 7/10. Average: ~ 7/10.
2. “Mona Lisa” Lil Wayne Featuring Kendrick Lamar: The breakout song in “Tha Carter V,” Mona Lisa is really good. The lyrics weave a story of two people in a girl getting set up so she can get robbed. The line, “To you, she lie through her teeth cavities, fillin's, She know where you hide to tell me where it's hidden, She know when you're gone, tell me when to visit, We break in your home and take the specifics” perfectly shows how the planning in the song goes down. In addition, the beat is perfect to not only rap but to also lightly talk to tell a story. And of course, both Kendrick Lamar and Lil Wayne perfectly rap on beat and use their voice to condemn emotions on what the story is saying. Lyrics: 9/10. Singing/Rapping: 10/10. Beat: 9/10. Average: ~ 9/10.
1. “Girls Like You” Maroon 5 Featuring Cardi B: This song is… bad. Adam Levine has a nice singing voice, but it gets on everybodys nerves most of the time. And then there’s Cardi B, who honestly can’t rap for anything on this song whatsoever. She sounds off-beat and raps nonsense that is really basic and boring, like the line “I don't really want a white horse and a carriage, I'm thinkin' more a white Porsches and carats,” which just irritates me. However, the beat is okay compared to the rest of the song. Lyrics: 5/10. Singing/Rapping: 4/10. Beat: 6/10. Average: ~ 5/10.