Fantano Project №4 — Crying, YG, and Perfume Genius

93. Crying — Beyond the Fleeting Gales

I had never, ever heard of this band or this album and I won’t lie, after weeks of listening to this album on and off, I still have a hard time remembering their name, which probably isn’t a great sign. I didn’t dislike the project. On the contrary, I found it pleasant and exciting, at time. Inoffensive. But certainly something that left me wondering exactly why it was on this list. Crying comes through on Beyond the Fleeting Gales with a unique blend of alternative, indie, lo-fi, and synth pop. I won’t go track by track here, but suffice it so say that the band’s amateurish rock sound did not captivate me. The vocals, while never grating or irritating, just aren’t ever all that appealing. The grooves are pretty tight and there are some sweet guitar solos, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m listening to a local band play their hearts out in the basement of some co-op house party. It’s not bad and Crying has talent for sure, but I just listen to it and want to move on within thirty seconds. There are too many albums to get through for this project to labor over this one.

Favorite Track: Origin

Least Favorite: Uhh, I don’t really want to go through the album again to find which one I like the least

4/10

92. YG — Still Brazy

I’ve got to thank Anthony Fantano for exposing a bias of mine; I was pretty shocked to see YG, the guy behind the song My N***a, whose kinda catchy but more so ridiculous refrain and beat got blasted every which way during my senior year of high school, on a list of the best albums of the decade. I had YG in the category of “popular and vapid” rappers that populate the wavelengths these days, but this album straight up proved me wrong. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a sophisticated, refined project. Instead, YG carries the tradition of West Coast gangsta rap forward with bouncing, funky beats and lyrics that don’t care about playing nice. There are serious Dre, 2Pac, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and OutKast vibes on this one, starting with the first song (after the intro track), Don’t Come to LA, which has never felt more timely. The second track, Who Shot Me? is a brilliant reversal of the famous Notorious B.I.G. song Who Shot Ya? that allows YG to go introspective without losing his hardcore, gangsta vibe. You want to hear songs that sound like they were taken right off of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic? Put on Word is Bond or Twist Ma Fingaz, whose saturated bass and drums are the perfect accompaniment to a drive through Los Angeles. Still Brazy delivers track after track of G-funk beats and vivid, personal stories from the hood. If I have any complaints about this album, it’s that it’s a bit overlong and some of the tracks begin to bleed together at a certain point. Either some musical diversity or some more selective editing of the tracklist might have helped the album feel more varied or concentrated its power and appeal.

But let’s be real. The crown jewel of this album, the piece de resistance, the undeniable peak of YG’s career, is FDT. Four years later, it rings truer than ever, especially with Nipsey Hussle’s verse becoming more poignant since his passing. There’s not much more I can say about it. The album closes with two more timely bangers, Blacks & Browns and Police Get Away With Murder, whose aggression and machismo feels tinged with desperation, grief, and fear that lurks just below the surface.

Still Brazy is the kind of album that a lot of people might scoff at because of its violence and outlandish celebration of a culture that many in this country deem depraved, but it deserves honest attention. If the current state of things is any indication (just because the media sensationalism around BLM protests has died down doesn’t mean they aren’t still happening) we need to listen to and take seriously the perspectives of YG and company delivered here. Its sounds and stories and sentiments are representative of a world that a lot of America still does not understand.

Favorite Tracks: FDT, Don’t Come to LA, Bool Balm & Bollective, Gimmie Got Shot

Least Favorite: She Wish She Was

8/10

91. Perfume Genius — Put Your Back N 2 It

Here’s another one that I went into completely blind. I won’t go track by track here, since it’s a short project that flows through a great number of mini songs, but suffice it to say that it’s an intimate, soulful, melancholy journey that is supported by echoing percussion, simple piano and guitars, and low-key yet impassioned vocals. It’s like watching an artist at an open mic slowly unfold himself in front of a small crowd, with simple, beautiful, and pained instrumentation and songwriting. It’s got the emotion of a lo-fi dirge-fest from someone like The Antlers, without ever feeling overblown or melodramatic. You just have to let yourself sink into the swirling sadness, the vulnerability of the artist that is on display from start to finish. The instrumentation and structure isn’t particularly diverse, but the album doesn’t overstay its welcome. It clips along with a “less is more” attitude, reminding us of the ephemeral listening experience that good, emotionally honest music can make use of. I keep wanting to compare Perfume Genius to artists like The Avett Brothers, Bon Iver, Mumford and Sons, or The Antlers, but it honestly would do him a bit of a disservice. He gives us here something more raw, simple, and beautiful than any of those groups have ever accomplished. We have another Perfume Genius album later in this list and I’m looking forward to it.

Favorite Tracks: AWOL Marine, Dirge, Put Your Back N2 It, Normal Song

Least Favorite: All Waters

9/10