Day One: Big Fish Theory
SEPTEMBER 1
BIG FISH THEORY
VINCE STAPLES
REVIEW:
Big Fish Theory, the latest LP from California rapper Vince Staples is my first experience with the rapper's work outside of 2015 track "Norf Norf" and his collaboration with Jhené Aiko on 2013's "The Vapors," so while I wasn't nervous, I also didn't know what exactly to expect. Overall, I enjoyed the record, which is an easy listen not surpassing 40 minutes. It certainly has a masterful cohesion to it, and there is a dark, eerie, sometimes gritty, sometimes woozy sound to the production. Unfortunately, however, there were many points throughout the record when there seemed to be a disconnect of sorts between the production and Vince's voice -- both great on their own, but something didn't click when they were put together. Furthermore, many of the tracks had killer verses but were brought down by lackluster hooks, so much so that I found myself waiting during some stretches of the album for a song that I enjoyed in its entirety. Despite its flaws though, Big Fish Theory certainly holds its own as a record thanks to Staples' unabashed lyricism (tackling everything from blackness to poverty to love), which emerges center-stage, even with hit-or-miss features and backing vocals from Kilo Kush, Kendrick Lamar, and others.
RATING:
7/10
HIGHLIGHTS:
BagBak, Big Fish, 745, Party People, Yeah Right
LOWLIGHTS:
Love Can Be..., Homage
WOULD I LISTEN AGAIN?
DEFINITELY NOT PROBABLY NOT MAYBE PROBABLY* DEFINITELY
*While Big Fish Theory may not be the first thing I turn to when I'm in the mood for an extraordinary hip-hop album, the record does have some very strong tracks. "BagBak," my favorite track, has been on repeat since I first heard it, and songs like "Big Fish" and "745" caught my attention enough for a second listen as well. I also get the sense that this album as a whole has a potential to grow on me, so I may revisit it for that reason, too.
LISTEN IF:
You like darker, moodier hip-hop that feels like a part of a bigger whole and that indulges in politics as much as it indulges in romance.
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