Album Reviews: March 2022

By Camden Maggard

Ghost Song | Cécile McLorin Salvant | Vocal Jazz | Spotify

5/10. Cécile McLorin Salvant’s Ghost Song is a unique collection of modern vocal jazz songs that simultaneously embraces and expands upon its genre. The album opens with a rendition of Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights,” the stripped-down arrangement of which offers a fresh view of the original recording. Following this is a collection of short, original pieces that are both accessible and creative, if oftentimes inconsistent in quality. “The World is Mean” combines thoughtful vocal jazz with an upbeat woodwind section, and “Moon Song” successfully blends both piano and guitar as comping instruments; both are highlights. However, despite the album’s highs, the album doesn't hold together as a cohesive product as well as I would like it to. Some of the album’s callbacks to past artists, too, fall flat, such as “Trail Mix,” which sounds like a bad imitation of Thelonious Monk.

The Fearless Flyers III | The Fearless Flyers | Funk | Spotify

7/10. The Fearless Flyers are — and likely will remain — a bit of a one-trick pony, which is why I will be satisfied if they continue to format their releases as short 15-minute EPs. At its core, The Fearless Flyers III is a collection of unique musical ideas: “Three Basses” experiments successfully with bass instrumentation, and “Flyers Funk” liberally employs silence. This being said, I can’t help but feel that The Fearless Flyers III is the weakest of the group’s releases to date. To some extent, the group has lost the intense, original rhythmic sensibility that defined its earlier recordings. For instance, the band’s recording of Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ In The Years” on III feels almost straightforward, whereas earlier covers — such as “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” from their first album — were defined by their creative re-interpretation of the source material.

CRASH | Charlie XCX | Synth Pop, Dance Pop | Spotify

5/10. At just under 34 minutes, CRASH is well paced and makes use of surprisingly diverse instrumentation. While Charlie XCX’s music is clearly situated within the commercial pop industry, the attention to detail on CRASH means that the album is far more engaging than the music of many of her contemporaries. Even so, the album is still limited greatly as a result of its genre, and the overwhelming, extroverted tone of the music that makes it so successful in a commercial setting will likely turn away a more critical audience.

Maloo | Maylee Todd | Synth-Pop, Electronic | Spotify

2/10. At the core of Maloo is a unique instrumental identity built on swirling synths and relaxed vocals. For instance, the synth introduction to Maloo’s second track, “No Classification,” is immediately engaging, which is why it’s so underwhelming when the track fails to develop. Maloo feels like a missed opportunity to transform a unique aesthetic into compelling music. While Todd may have a clear vision, her songwriting is too straightforward, and listeners will quickly tire of her repetitive melodies.