After years of industry struggles, RAYE took control of her career and delivered My 21st Century Blues—an album packed with raw emotions, bold storytelling, and genre-blending production. But does it live up to the hype? In this episode, we give a brutally honest track-by-track review, breaking down the production, lyrics, vocals, and everything in between.
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0:00 - Intro
1:18 - "My 21st Century Blues." Album Info
2:51 - Album Cover5:12 - Introduction
7:21 - "Oscar Winning Tears."
11:35 - "Hard Out Here."
17:46 - "Black Mascara."
23:25 - "Escapism." feat. 070 Shake
28:54 - "Mary Jane."
33:09 - "The Thrill Is Gone."
35:44 - "Ice Cream Man."
40:55 - "Flip A Switch."
45:17 - "Body Dysmorphia."
49:26 - "Environmental Anxiety."
53:00 - "Five Star Hotels." feat. Mahalia
57:04 - "Worth It."
1:00:46 - "Buss It Down."
1:04:30 - "Fin."
1:06:55 - Cut or Keep
1:09:15 - Final Thoughts & Rating
References:
- “Oscar Winning Tears.” Live at the Royal Albert Hall https://youtu.be/BtdBQ1-fzXM?si=4pXbMRO3HgUfZm4B “Hard Out Here.” MV https://youtu.be/AtTgBoUfiuQ?si=1ncQjLLU2lkrwIfW
- “Black Mascara.” MV https://youtu.be/UaAqk2XK4V0?si=8x53y6TtSzlaqE_2
- “Escapism.” with 070 Shake MV https://youtu.be/Dll6VJ2C7wo?si=TufgwjanMNJAZD_7
- “Ice Cream Man.” MV https://youtu.be/Ywunlu42_ho?si=6s06N9IFs5hAN-8w
- “Flip A Switch.” feat. Coi Leray https://youtu.be/5t8mpnj06zQ?si=LdJiXgLormZ_TUKD
00:00:00 --> 00:00:18 Can you believe that today's artist was practically held hostage by her record labels for seven years, making music unauthentic to her? Now an independent artist, Rae is making music on her own terms, and it's time for our track by track review of Rae's debut album, My 21st Century Blues.
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00:01:15 --> 00:01:34 Yay! I'm so excited for this episode because we're finally discussing Rey, who I'm such a huge fan of. And yeah, very glad that she's really getting the recognition that she is now. Yeah! Yes! Even here in the US. Oh my god. Absolutely. Yeah.
00:01:34 --> 00:02:04 So My 21st Century Blues was released on February 3rd, 2023. The album, released independently by Human Resources, was Ray's first project since leaving Polydor Records in 2021. The album debuted at number two on the UK's Albums Chart. And before My 21st Century Blues, though, Ray struggled with her musical identity while at Polydor, feeling pressured to release music she didn't like and she was unsure of who she was as an artist.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:14 Yes, and she left Polydor after the label allegedly prevented her from releasing an album for several years. She was like, F it, I'm going to do it on my own.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:37 And so the album delves into her personal experiences with drug addiction, body dysmorphia, and SA, among other really personal topics. And My 21st Century Blues received multiple nominations and won several awards, including the Brit Award for British Album of the Year. So I'm sure everyone at the record label is really annoyed at themselves.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:52 Big oof. Big oof. That's right. So now we will go track by track and discuss the production, vocals, and lyrics and give our ratings for each song. But watch out. Viewer discretion is advised. Your fave will be criticized. So before we get in,
00:02:52 --> 00:03:11 to it let's talk about the album cover which shows ray's younger sister wearing adult clothing and oversized heels and she's surrounded by grabbing hands which symbolizes the pressures of the music industry while standing on melting musical instruments displaying the album's track names so what do you think of the imagery
00:03:12 --> 00:03:40 I think that's, ooh, it's kind of like uncomfortable because it's like, why are these hands reaching toward this young lady who's being seen as a grown-up? And so it definitely is going to, you know, it's a culmination of what she's been through and how maybe she feel like her younger self wasn't, her inner child wasn't protected, you know? So it's just so layered, it's so layered. And then maybe it's like her sister, she wants to make sure that her sister doesn't go through that kind of thing. There's so many things that could be said about it. Like, what did you think about it?
00:03:40 --> 00:04:09 It's so interesting because if you just look at it from far away, right? It's just like, oh, cool. She's standing on top of a bunch of instruments. And then once you really see it, it's like, oh, it's, you know, there's all these weird hands coming out of it. And then even the way the songs are kind of graffitied on to the instruments, too. Like, it feels like, I don't know, like, it's almost like, I don't know, she's like stepping on everything. So there's definitely symbolism there.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:37 Yes, a little rebellion going on with the graffiti. And you all, I didn't realize this, but when I was looking at the track listing, all the songs are stylized with a full stop, which is a period, at the end of each song. And she, being Ray, considers every single song acts of their own respective chapter. So I think that's really cool as well. So it's very purposeful. I feel like for the first time in a really long time, we're going to listen to an album whose track listing is going to be like...
00:04:38 --> 00:05:06 makes sense to us. We won't have, I want to, I want to see if you have any complaints about the track list because usually we're like, I wouldn't put the song here and oh, I wish this was like there. I feel like this is like purposeful, you know? Yes. I was listening to a bunch of interviews she did too and she was saying that about half-ish of these songs are from over the years of the label and then the other half are actually new. So it's kind of crazy that she was sitting on these songs for like almost seven years for some of these. So...
00:05:06 --> 00:05:33 Craziness. That's insane. Absolutely craziness. All right. So let's get into it. Track by track. And first up is Introduction. And this was done by Ray, Mike Sabbath, Peter Miller, and Austin Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein. Oh, my goodness. I'm so sorry. Oh, my God. If you're new here, we do read all the songwriters' names on the track listings. But, you know, sometimes I jumble it up. Sorry, y'all.
00:05:34 --> 00:06:01 Okay, so yes, this is such a cute intro. I love the way it sets the scene. Like, it just sets the mood perfectly, because it does make you feel like you've just kind of stumbled into this tiny jazz club on some alleyway somewhere. And then this woman's about to come out, and you may not know who she is, but you're here for a show. Like, why not? So yeah, I think it's so cool. I also love the way they use Mike Sabat's voice.
00:06:01 --> 00:06:24 little producer yeah i thought that was so funny but yeah i love i love it it really sets it it sets the scene really well uh and honestly their whole album even though there's so many different sounds on here there is an underlying jazz influence so even even just doing that also is awesome yeah
00:06:25 --> 00:06:42 Absolutely. I agree. I think just listening to her voice, you can hear that, the influences and whatnot. And yeah, I like how she sounds here. You would listen to that voice and like, okay, can she, not can she sing, but like, what does that singing voice sound like? And I like how she just comes on like, hey, if you just kind of want to listen to my story...
00:06:42 --> 00:07:07 My accent's terrible. But, you know, if I was telling my story, here it is. Just, you know, here it goes. And it sounds so humble. And then we get right into the tracks and you're like, oh, there's nothing. She should not be humble. This lady should be like, I am the biggest, best thing that's happened to pop in the past seven years, literally. So, yeah. Do we need to rate this one, though? I feel like. I don't think we need to rate this. I feel like when we did Janet, we didn't rate the interludes, did we?
00:07:08 --> 00:07:19 Unless it's a full track, I feel like we never do it. So for now, we'll spare this one. I mean, I feel like if there are, like, actual singing vocals or a melody to it, then maybe. Yeah, I think we can skip this one. So we'll spill some mercy.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:50 So let's move on to Oscar-winning Tears, which was done by Ray and Mike Sabbath. And according to Ray, this is about a man who put her through hell, having added something to her beverage on one occasion, and then cried as if he was the victim. And this was released as a single from the album in November 2024. And she did perform it at the Grammys, too. Yes, she should perform it everywhere, actually. She's amazing. Oh, my God. All right. This song...
00:07:50 --> 00:08:20 Oh, I think I heard the bridge of the song first because of Tiki Taki, and then on their social media sites, because the baby, baby part, the go ahead and just cry, I think that went viral. The sarcasm is super real in this one. It's giving Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen how a little musical baby, and it's just the sarcasm of Lily Allen's smile, the vocal kind of timbre of Amy, because she does get compared to Amy Winehouse quite a bit, and if that makes you guys upset,
00:08:20 --> 00:08:45 I would not be upset if I got compared to Wamblin. I don't think she's even upset by that. Right. So it's fine. That's a good thing, you know? But yeah, no, I think this is really, really good in terms of its tone. Because it's misleading. You have this orchestral kind of sound. And then you have this very like, oh, here he goes. There goes those tears again. Oh, you're crying again. And I think...
00:08:45 --> 00:09:00 this is probably one of my favorite bridges that's come out of pop like this whole year. It is so powerful. Like if you're going to perform and be dramatic, you better give me all of the tears, give me all of them. Like do your best to make me feel something. And it's like,
00:09:00 --> 00:09:21 the actual victim is the person that's like being the comforter, but also like she's being so condescending. It's just so many different kind of nuances in what she's saying and how she's saying it and singing it. And I just got to say, someone made a parody version of this and they were like, baby, baby, won't you just go ahead and go and just hit the road, Jack. And it's like,
00:09:21 --> 00:09:50 And Ray reacted to it. And that's great. Like she understands how someone could listen to this and hear the drama and appreciate it, but also like add their own stink to it. Because honestly, we've all met someone, gone to a job where the boss is like, oh, you're leaving? You're like, yes, I am gone. Like, but we do so much for you here. So I think it's relatable on so many different fronts. Obviously the inspiration behind it absolutely sucks. But I think overall, this song is probably one of the like,
00:09:50 --> 00:10:04 the best song and the performances have been absolutely amazing. You can hear this. Oh my Lord. Yeah. It's sippening. And what makes it even, what makes it even funnier is that the fact at the end that she goes, and then I left the room and never saw him again. And I was like, what?
00:10:05 --> 00:10:34 so dry i love that yes what's your sign girl is she an aquarius because i was like yo she's so cool about it super cool yeah no it's interesting because i love just the storytelling i mean across the entire album but this song especially right because even right at the start it is the all right let me let me set the scene here yeah and at first it sounds kind of like like kind of i don't know she's like oh i made this mistake and i trusted this man
00:10:35 --> 00:10:58 But then her confidence in herself grows throughout the song. And then by the end, it feels more cathartic. Like, I no longer care about you. You can do all the crying and stuff that you want to do. I'm done. Yeah. So even just across the song, there's already this whole processing of the situation, which is really cool. And the production is so...
00:10:58 --> 00:11:22 good like it feels empowering there's so much drama to it it's made for performance so it i understand why this was performed on so many television appearances and stuff and yeah i do think this is one of those songs that will stand the test of time because it is quite timeless for sure yeah a classic on our hands okay so yeah what do you rate this classic
00:11:22 --> 00:11:50 Okay, I do give this one a 10. We're starting off strong. Yeah, no, me too. So guys, listen, the standard is already high. Okay, the standard is. So yeah, 10 for me too. All right. Up next is Hard Out Here. And this was done by Ray, Mike Sabbath, Justin Tranter, and Brandon Colvin. And this interpolates Give It Away by Red Hot Chili Peppers and was released as the lead single of the album on June 30th, 2022.
00:11:50 --> 00:12:17 The first version of this song was created when Ray was 19. Like we mentioned before, some of these songs were from like years ago. So this is an example of that kind of song. But she wasn't allowed to release it back then. But after leaving Polidore, a week later, she rewrote and re-recorded the track and expressed herself freely about all the hardships she faced under her label and like throughout her career. Because, whoo, she got it out of her system with this one. Wow.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:38 Yeah, I mean, you were talking about the sequencing earlier, the way it starts, you feel like after the first song, you're like, okay, you're like into this like organic kind of like jazz thing. But then no, it's like, no, now we're going into like more of a hip hop kind of beat here. And the lead into it just makes it so impactful because it's like, okay, we're like somewhere else now, which is cool.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:54 And I think the way this song is written It's almost more like a rap track With the way the verses are lined out There's like 5 or 6 verses Kind of in between The whole thing I think that was really cool It's just different from the rest of the album
00:12:55 --> 00:13:25 But yeah, you know, obviously I've been on the other side. I've been at a record label and I've been in meetings with these artists where they don't like the songs that they are recording. And then they're told, all right, here's your next single. And they're like crying in front of the entire label. You know, and then they're the ones who get blamed for not doing well. You know, I've seen this many, many times. So, yeah, the way traditional record labels are set up, like...
00:13:25 --> 00:13:38 It's tough. Like artists really do have, you have to sign your creativity away in order to gain these resources that the label provides for you. But if you're unlucky and you just end up with people who don't really believe in you,
00:13:39 --> 00:14:08 you know, which happens more often than not, you know, it's tough. It's really, really tough. And I think she, yeah, she encapsulated that just feeling really, really, really well. I will say, I think I prefer the live version, like the Royal Albert Hall version, especially with the choir. Yeah. Because it makes it feel even more powerful. It hits so hard. So yeah, that's, that's my fave for this one. What do you think of the song?
00:14:08 --> 00:14:31 Super valid. This is like the burn it all down anthem. Just in short, Ray takes on the whole industry. She takes on a bunch of people calling out the men who's men, people in general, but I think it's mostly men who have tried to silence her. The line, all the white men CEOs, F your privilege, get your pink chubby hands off my mouth. I was like, ooh, girl. Ooh.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:59 come for them, take their lives, get it, get it, get them now. It's like now when I was working in music, as if I'm not now, but like the whole thing, when I was working in like studios, I've been put in situations where someone was like, oh, we brought you in the room because the director thought you were cute. I'm like, why am I here? Why did you not just send me home and then say, oh yeah, she had to go. You put me in a situation where now I'm getting like spoken to a certain way because you want to look good in front of another like person.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:28 up higher up it's not cool it's not okay um i would say i'm a lot luckier than most a lot fortunate than most but it happens so often people like how did that happen because there's there's like this whole like clubhouse of just nastiness and people don't care and i'm so happy that she's like all right whatever cool i'm about to set it all ablaze uh the production slabs like these aggressive drums chaotic energy like the sound of a woman absolutely fed up um and honestly
00:15:28 --> 00:15:50 This one stands out in particular because of the connection I have to it. But just the way it sounds, again, she has such a jazzy approach to things that the cadence in the rap sounds super cool. The way her tone is, it just sounds like she's almost aloof and unbothered, but she's very much bothered. And it's, she's not, oh, there's something about a woman that is super fed up. Yeah.
00:15:50 --> 00:16:07 As opposed to just being angry. There's anger here. There's like a burn here. But she's not yelling. She's just like, at this point, I'm saying who you are. If you're upset about it, then just understand that I'm no longer afraid. And I love that for her in this song. For sure. What did you think of the music video?
00:16:08 --> 00:16:37 Oh, honey! First of all, she gives it. I don't want to get too much into the physical aspect of her, but she was giving body. She was giving face. And I appreciate that even though she does have a classic vocal style, her movements, her approach, the way she's being presented in the visuals isn't uptight and stuck up. Like, yeah, she's wearing a corset. And then in one scene, she's on a motorcycle wearing a red wig. The experimentation is there. But also, it's just her performing...
00:16:37 --> 00:16:54 For a bunch of seated CEOs. And it's so gross. It's so gross. But she's not baring her soul. She's like, you like this? You like this? You like this? Does it make you uncomfortable? And I was like, ooh, yeah. Yeah. Oh, interesting. I thought I was more like, these are all the...
00:16:54 --> 00:17:09 They represented kind of all the annoying songs that she didn't want to sing, basically. And it was like, here, try this feature on this DJ. Like, here, try this type of sound. And she has to put on all these costumes to try and make it work.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:36 for these people. That was what I was thinking. But, you know, it could be both, right? It could be both. Yes. It reminds me of what Jade's doing right now. Jade from Little Mix. Yes. It's not like copying each other, but both of them are making a statement of like, I've been in the system and nothing was ever right. So this is what I'm going to do this and see if you like it. If you don't like it, whatever. But here it is, what you wanted. I'm dancing, I'm singing. Sorry. Yeah. I like it. Yeah. Okay. So what do you rate this one?
00:17:36 --> 00:17:58 I'm going to give this one a nine. A fat nine. Okay, I will match you. I will also do a nine. Okay, moving on to Black Mascara, which was done by Punctual, Ray, Will Lansley, and John Morgan. And this is released as the second single, and the artwork features Ray staring into the sky with mascara running down her cheeks
00:17:58 --> 00:18:22 cheeks and she's surrounded by a bunch of men rushing past her and paying no attention to her pain and the track is about a situation where her drink was spiked by a man that she trusted i wonder if it's the same one as as the one oscar winning tears was about because if it was another one like really uh but yes she has described this as the only upbeat dance track or the most upbeat dance track i guess on the album
00:18:23 --> 00:18:43 Yeah. Ooh-wee. I remember when I first heard this one, and I really wasn't, I can't say I was paying attention. I knew who Rae was because she has this music video of hers where I think she's on an ice rink or like an empty ice rink. That's how I first got introduced to her. That and maybe a feature or something like that. But I liked how she sounded. I just didn't keep up with her. Wow.
00:18:43 --> 00:19:05 Okay. And so when I saw this one, I was like, okay, she's coming back with a banger. Hey, hey. And then I listened to the lyrics. And I was like, wait, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. What is happening? What's what's the what are the what is the narrative going on here? I think the line what you've done to me, you're done to me that switch up. I was like, the wordplay.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:23 Brilliant, first of all. The reasoning behind it, I absolutely hate. Again, I thought it was a girl boss moment, was quickly transformed into something more sinister. Like, gone is the euphoria of this pulsing track, and here comes the seedy underbelly of...
00:19:24 --> 00:19:45 certain relationships and certain things that do happen to people at the club, at bars, any place, just, or just happening amongst people that you thought you could trust. I don't even like being around people when they're more than like a little bit tipsy. So I can only imagine how someone could be feeling when they're in this kind of situation. It's like, how do you,
00:19:45 --> 00:20:02 Your faculties are all over the place. You have no control of what's going on. And I think the world that's built in this whole song is so unsettling and so unsuspecting, much like how tampered beverages are. But again, it's almost kind of strange how...
00:20:02 --> 00:20:20 I hate to say, but how good she is at creating a banger to something like this. It makes it almost even more palatable as opposed to being like this heart wrenching, gut wrenching, heartbreaking gut wrenching kind of track. It makes you get the commentary. Yeah.
00:20:20 --> 00:20:39 as well as something that you could, like, dance to. So I think there's something very interesting about it. The contrast between the electronic beat and the terrifying reality of the lyrics, unsettling but genius. It's like dancing at 3 a.m., realizing you've lost your phone, your wallet, and then your dignity. Like...
00:20:39 --> 00:21:07 Blown away from this one, for sure. Definitely blown away. Yeah, this one's definitely a standout. And yeah, like suddenly we're in a dance electro kind of situation. Like even just across these first couple songs, she's showing so much versatility here. And even in her voice as well, you get a totally different side of her voice here. Yeah. And so, yeah, she's just such a cool artist. Yeah. Without even getting into the song, she's just such a cool artist. But yeah, so...
00:21:08 --> 00:21:27 Yeah, but I pretty much had the same note as you. Like, that juxtaposition behind this really euphoric dance beat. And then the sadness of the story and the lyrics are... Yeah, it really hits you quite hard. Because, yeah, just why are there so many horrible people...
00:21:27 --> 00:21:48 In the world, right? Like, it's just insane that, you know, you can't trust anyone. Yeah. But, you know, she managed to turn this horrible thing into a really interesting song. Right. It's so strange. And then watching all her live sets and stuff, like, this is always one that really gets everyone going. Yeah.
00:21:48 --> 00:22:04 Because I think it's awesome because she doesn't have too many of these dance-ier tracks, as a solo artist at least. So just towards the end of her set, she's like, okay, let's bring in some idiot. It's kind of cool. It really switches it all up.
00:22:04 --> 00:22:25 Yeah, so strange. Yeah. And then the video. Uh-huh. First off, I love that there are no men in the video at all. Like, I love that it wasn't just a very literal kind of story of what happened to her. Yeah. And the whole kind of just setting with the pool tables, all the women kind of around and doing this kind of, like...
00:22:25 --> 00:22:38 It's like contemporary, but there are kind of more hard hitting, kind of more street style moments to it. And then they added that whole kind of woozy, kind of dizzy visual effect to it as well. So yeah, I thought it matched the song really well.
00:22:39 --> 00:23:06 Yes, I love the movement. Again, she has a classic hairstyle. She's wearing the corset. She looks as beautiful as she could look in a song like this, right? But then you have all this grabbing and touching, and I'm like, ooh, ooh, ooh, my gosh, ooh. But yeah, I think Black Mascara is one of those songs, even if you don't watch the video, you can appreciate the video as well, but definitely the video adds to the whole effect of it and also takes the grossness away from,
00:23:06 --> 00:23:23 from listening to it. So again, it's just layer upon layer of brilliance that I really do appreciate with the rollout for this song. What a short. Yes. What a short. Okay, so I will give this one a nine. I give this one a 9.5. Okay.
00:23:24 --> 00:23:43 Up next is Escapism, and this was done by Ray and 070 Shake, and also this was produced by Mike Sabbath. This is Ray's first ever entry in the Billboard Hot 100, and it's her first number one UK single. A sped up version of this song did go viral on Sikki Sok, and I'm pretty sure you guys have heard it.
00:23:43 --> 00:24:09 it um and the artwork features an inside shot of a mouth with a violin and a saxophone on the tongue the mouth could also be seen in the visualizer for introduction so i think that's really interesting i do wonder what it means um maybe this kind of just looks like a little bit of like a substance i don't know it's because that white shape is kind of melty um you know i'm or music is her way to escape things now yes come on
00:24:09 --> 00:24:29 She's now sober, right? So like music is now her kind of getaway. Nice. Awesome. Yeah. And this song was actually released as a double A-side with the single The Thrill Is Gone. And it won Brit Award for Song of the Year. So Escapism was that big track that I think everyone was like, ooh, who's this? Love this. Yeah.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:50 And it deserves all of its accolades. I can never get bored of listening to this song. Like ever. And like watching her perform it too. It's so cool. I mean, it's a tough one to sing live. I was watching one of her like interviews about it. And she was like, I gave myself no room to breathe.
00:24:50 --> 00:25:09 all in this song it's hard because yeah there's definitely a drive to it and again the storytelling is just so awesome because like at first at first like with those just that first like four lines it's like okay like is this a slut anthem um
00:25:09 --> 00:25:28 But then no, she's like, okay, but wait, let me backtrack and give you some context to let you know what my mindset was and how I ended up in this situation with this random man. So like the imagery and all of the lyrics are just awesome because you can literally close your eyes and it can play like a movie, like the entire thing.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:48 Yeah, yeah. And the production is so cool. The beat hits so hard. There's kind of a balance of a sadness and a melancholy to it. But then there's also kind of a joy to it too. Because even though she's kind of trying to escape from this horrible situation that she's just trying not to think about, she's still having fun.
00:25:48 --> 00:26:15 doing it in some ways even though the reason is quite sad she's trying to hide her sadness but it's like she's also enjoying moments too so yeah i think it's just a cool concept honestly it's true i think a lot of people when they go through their woe phase um it's art they feel this way it's like well this person broke up with me and i'm about to get sweaty with another man um which she does say in the second verse um it seems like with this song though
00:26:15 --> 00:26:32 Ray's ignoring all the stages of grief and seems to focus on the one hidden stage, self-destruction. Because I was like, girl, what are you doing? What are you doing? No. But sometimes people do need that to feel something or to not feel something. So it's like this nice little juxtaposition there. Yeah.
00:26:32 --> 00:27:02 I think the whole not being able to trust the people that you're hanging out with is insane. I would hate that. That is so scary. Yeah. But it happens. Sometimes you're just going out and you meet people and you're like, listen, I don't know these girls. I don't know these people, but we're having a good time. I'm not going to question it. Even the music video kind of has that vibe where she's just like, well, I'm here. I'm in a car. I look hot. I don't care. Like, whatever. And I think 070 Shake's verse. Oh, goodness. Sorry.
00:27:02 --> 00:27:08 was no offense to that person of them I'm not sure what their what their pronouns are but I'm not sure if
00:27:09 --> 00:27:36 Like maybe the spin-off version just wasn't focusing on that main hook, but I didn't realize how cool their verse was. It's like cold and monotone and really numb. Like the moment in the night where everything slows down and nothing feels real anymore, that's what 07-0-Shakes kind of part was. Like this reminds me of like if The Weeknd's House of Balloons had a female perspective, when he was really into talking about the, you know,
00:27:36 --> 00:27:54 the substances and love and for heartbreak. Like, wait, the song over has a cool girl unfazed sound to it, but truly the girl is bothered. You know, just trying to erase the pain she feels with the, you know, bad late night decisions, but still a good song. Still a good song.
00:27:55 --> 00:28:13 Yes, really good song. And yeah, the video does play out kind of exactly what's in the lyrics as well. But even the imagery of it, like the way those other women look where they're kind of like mannequins, right? So they're not her friends. Like she just needs, she doesn't even want to be around anyone she knows, so she doesn't even have to think about...
00:28:13 --> 00:28:40 what she went through right so so yeah i think it's i think it's an awesome song yeah like i said it deserves all of its accolades uh i do i i did have a lot of fun listening to the some of the live versions because when she has the choir with her when they're they're like you know they're they're singing all these like drug names yeah like in the most spiritual way possible yeah
00:28:41 --> 00:29:09 I was like, okay, go off. Amen. Yes. Yes. Okay, so yeah, this is a definite 10 for me. Yes, I will match you with a 10. Okay. Moving on to Mary Jane, which is done by Ray and Mike Sabbath. And according to Ray, this is her messed up love song to addictions. So now we're going to blues. What do you think of this one? Oh, you know...
00:29:09 --> 00:29:27 This little bluesy ode to 420 grass and addiction. It starts out so smooth and sultry before just spiraling into desperation. Like, coating in my blood, sleeping my life away. It's a shame that someone feels so...
00:29:27 --> 00:29:46 like so much despair that they need to almost drown themselves in things like this. And I always feel, my heart goes out to people who have to go through this. I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but I have raw dogged life. Anything that happens, we raw dogging it. So for the people who do have to go through this, it's just...
00:29:47 --> 00:30:12 It's tough to escape it because now not only are you trying to use this to cope, you have to fight this addiction and things like that. So it's it's heavy. And obviously the blues choice was just, oh, man, I don't want to call it clever. I just think it was very intelligent to use it because the singing about the woes to a blues track will always be welcome, especially if it's if it's with a voice like hers. Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:12 --> 00:30:29 The song makes you feel like what could have happened or what could have been had Amy Winehouse like been able to see past her own pains and addiction. Because, again, they have a similar timbre that that raspy, husky voice that's very influenced by jazz. I just it's one of those things where it's like, dang, had Amy Winehouse.
00:30:29 --> 00:30:51 had the opportunity to climb out of her own situation where could she have been it would have been so interesting you know um this kind of honesty on a record from a you know quote and unquote pop star really does hit differently though like can you imagine like having listened to her prior to this album and then hearing this and you're like oh my goodness what you know um especially
00:30:51 --> 00:31:12 Especially when we hear the previous songs, she's not blaming someone else, but she's holding someone else accountable for what they've done to her. Like, you've done something to me. I've been treated like this, but this one is like, I've done this to myself. And I think that is, it definitely hits differently when you're taking accountability. Because pop music does have a way of glossing over ugly stuff. So I think this is something that...
00:31:12 --> 00:31:40 She doesn't hide, which is very good. She has no interest in sugarcoating anything. And I think that's good. Because she has the chop, the vocal chops to make it sound convincing. But also it really happened. So, yeah, I think that it's good that she acknowledges her, what is it, the reliance on these things. But, like, she knows now that she can do better, you know? So I think that's awesome. Yeah.
00:31:40 --> 00:31:57 Yeah, and I think the way she wrote it, where it is a love song to these various substances, I think it's an interesting angle to it. And by having it be a blues track, then you are able to kind of have that...
00:31:57 --> 00:32:14 kind of yearning kind of just naturally in there but then it's also kind of haunting and and and obviously quite dark as well because these substances helped her in a way but also of course they're not great for you so it's like i don't know it's just an interesting kind of
00:32:15 --> 00:32:42 like juxtaposition there and i think the build of the song is really great because it really does draw you in at the beginning when it's just that kind of the very kind of slow guitar and just her voice and then little elements kind of kick in and the drums kick in in the second verse the strings come in and then the backing vocal layers are really really cool so yeah i think it's definitely made for performance it's it is a definite highlight and all of these live sets that i've watched she's usually just like sitting on the floor and just you know
00:32:42 --> 00:33:07 melting her face off and it's just super captivating as you can add a lot of different jazz riffs and stuff to it because it has so much space within it as well uh so this is one of my favorites in terms of the live performances i don't know if it's a favorite for me on the album but i do still like it a lot uh so yeah i give this one an 8.5 you know what i'll give this one an eight okay i'll give this one eight yes
00:33:07 --> 00:33:25 All right, up next is The Thrill Is Gone by Ray, Anton Goranson, Isabella Holstrand, and Mike Sabbath. As I mentioned before, this was released as a double single with Escapism, and the song was recorded live with the help of her collaborators and their band, The Moon Girls.
00:33:26 --> 00:33:47 This is a fun one. It's very funky. And again, she just loves these juxtapositions because there is kind of a joy to the music. And if you aren't listening too carefully, you're just like, okay, this is cute. And then the lyrics are so sad. They're about this toxic person. You can't make it work with them. And you're just in this...
00:33:47 --> 00:34:05 really frustrating kind of place in your relationship. So yeah, I think it's cool that you could kind of, that it changes so much when you actually start to really listen to what the song is even about. Yes. My favorite part is for sure when it slows down for that second verse.
00:34:05 --> 00:34:27 Because it just really catches your attention. And there's just so much drama and emotion there. And then it just picks up again, like nothing happened for the chorus again. So it just takes you on a really good ride. And yeah, you said you've mentioned Amy Winehouse a few times. This is one of the ones where I was like, oh, like Amy Winehouse would kill this. It feels very reminiscent of her style for sure.
00:34:27 --> 00:34:54 Yes, yes. I love how all these UK singers are really into sounding like a jazz, like Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughn kind of like they just I don't know why you guys gravitate toward it. But go ahead. Do your thing, ladies and gentlemen. So the vintage jazz lounge meets the breakup blues. I think her vocal delivery here is just just resignation. I don't know much pain, but definitely resignation. She's like, I'm done. I'm so done. Um, yeah.
00:34:54 --> 00:35:24 Like the lines that you call me crying, tell me how it feels to be somebody's nothing. I was like, oh, oh, oh. I was like, oh, goodness. That is, oh, that is rough. She doesn't raise her voice. She doesn't need to. And I think that's perfect. The production does the work for her. The production is the aggression, is the, like, the rage, the female rage, if you will, with the twangy blue guitars and the sultry saxophones just painting the picture
00:35:25 --> 00:35:42 You know, I don't know what else I can do. I'm done. I'm good on you. Like, you know, I'm over it. So I definitely appreciate this one. I will give it. Oh, I was thinking 8.5. Of course, my mind may change, but I'm going to give it an 8.5 for now. Okay, I'll go a little higher. I'll do a 9.
00:35:43 --> 00:36:12 Moving on to the next track, which is Ice Cream Man. And this was done by Mike Sabbath, Ray, and Blood Pop. And this was released as the fourth single from the album. And Ray has said that this is the hardest song that she's ever written. And the lyrical content depicts her experience with physical violations throughout her life. And she first wrote the song around the age of 18. But it was quite a difficult topic. So she wasn't ready to put it out until this album came around.
00:36:12 --> 00:36:32 So yes, definitely the darkest moment on this album. What did you think of it? Yeah, this one wasn't like, oh yeah, let me disguise this with an EDM track or some grandiose sarcasm with Oscar running tears and escapism. Yeah.
00:36:33 --> 00:37:00 and black mascara those ones are you know you can kind of get around like ah this one is nothing to avoid here it's right in your face um definitely the most gut-wrenching track on the the album it's like minimalist uh and it leaves space for everywhere to land like a punch in the gut uh i think the line that stood out to me the most was definitely the he said i was overreacting and should learn to take a joke that is so like that's wild to me um
00:37:00 --> 00:37:16 But it does happen. When I first heard it, I think I had caught the video first. Like, I saw the video for it. And I was like, ooh, Ice Cream Man. Like, the title is so misleading. It's like, you know, those stories from the 70s where someone had, like, candy in the van. Yeah.
00:37:16 --> 00:37:34 you know, and they lured like children in, it's the same kind of, cause you don't think that this was going to be that kind of song. And I think that is again, not even a matter of being clever, but just highly intelligent. It's unsuspecting and unbelievable. And I think I couldn't finish the video. Yeah.
00:37:34 --> 00:37:49 Because it was just so dark and so deep. And she was sitting, crying, and like being angry with herself. Like feeling that resentment. You could see that she resented herself in the video. And I couldn't finish it. I had to for this video. For this review. Yeah. But I.
00:37:49 --> 00:38:19 Even still, I kind of like double sped it up because I just, it's just, it's rough to watch and to experience like almost, what's that word for it? Vicariously. Because she also listed ages in the song, was it 21, 17, and 11? Like those are all vulnerable times in anyone's life, but specifically a woman's life for different reasons. You know, you're a child, you're coming out of high school, like experiencing life in a different way. You're 21, maybe you're finishing college or like you're just becoming a woman.
00:38:19 --> 00:38:44 it's this is gross um at any point in time anyone could be violated obviously but those are the ages where i remember my my younger self being like oh my god what was i doing around these times when i was 11 i was 17 um it's it's raw it's haunting but it's absolutely necessary and it's it's it's like okay after all the stuff i've been through bam i am still
00:38:44 --> 00:39:13 a woman. I'm still good enough. I'm still worthy of whatever goodness should come into my life, you know? So I feel like that's like, chef's kiss. Absolute chef's kiss. Yeah, I think the way it's written is really well done because I feel like because the verses are where the storytelling is and then the chorus is the more empowering or the self empowering kind of just like, I'm an effing brave person and I went through all this stuff and now I've come out of it. Like, you know,
00:39:13 --> 00:39:35 And survived it. So yeah, I think the way that that was done was nice. And it gives you a little bit of a break kind of from the darkness and kind of the horribleness of the verses. It's like, okay. Like she's like, okay now. You know, before you then have to kind of, she kind of keeps going with the story. But yeah, the vocal delivery is...
00:39:35 --> 00:39:51 beautiful. It's extremely vulnerable. And the production really helps it as well because it's quite minimal. But there is kind of a spiritual vibe to it as well. Oh, yeah. Which I love. Yeah.
00:39:51 --> 00:40:13 And I think the beginning, the mm, mm, mm, is like very interesting because it's kind of like the heart rate monitors at the hospital. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And it kind of loops kind of throughout. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I thought that was an interesting choice as well. But yeah, that music video was really tough to watch. I was like cringing the whole time. I mean, that's.
00:40:13 --> 00:40:43 That is so brave to do, to do a video like that. And it's just, it's so vivid. And yeah, like you said before, like she just does not sugarcoat anything. And yeah, when she introduced this at one of those live sets I was watching, she was like, I hate singing this song, but I think it's important that people actually hear about this and know that they should be able to talk about it. And I want other people to feel like that they can talk about it. So I'm going to come out and talk about it.
00:40:43 --> 00:41:09 That was really cool of her to do. So, yeah, this is definitely one of the most powerful ones on here. I will give it a 9. Yes, I will match the 9. Up next, we have Flip the Switch, and this was done by Ray, Mike Sabbath, and D-Genius. And a remix with Coil-A-Ray was released along with the single in April 2023. And a version featuring Normani has leaked as well. Yeah.
00:41:09 --> 00:41:38 So flip a switch. This one is the most quote-unquote contemporary one sounding song in terms of like R&B, I think, on the album. Yeah. How do you feel about this one? I'm going to be honest. This is one of the ones that I didn't actually think much about the first few times on the album. I think part of it is because it is kind of one of the more chill ones, I would say. And I think I was kind of used to all the dynamics of all the other songs before. So it didn't make as much of an impact for me. Mm-hmm.
00:41:38 --> 00:42:01 And then also after the last song, it's kind of hard to follow. X-Cream Man, like in general. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, because it's kind of like you get put in kind of like this kind of really kind of sad place that it's like, okay, like now we're back to something, you know, a little cooler, I guess. But I will say this has grown on me quite a lot. I don't, it's still not one of my favorites on the album, but compared to,
00:42:01 --> 00:42:22 Kind of the first few times It's one that I do still enjoy And I like the production of it It's got a trap beat It still has that kind of haunting vibe That some of these other songs on the album has And her delivery is great It's very conversational And this one She really does sound like she's just over it
00:42:23 --> 00:42:50 Yes. Like, we're done. Genuinely. Yeah. But yeah, melodically, it's definitely one of the less dynamic ones. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I agree. I think... Oof. The spoken intro about being stupid for opening up to a man, I was like, girl, don't say that, okay? Because some of us out here actually trying right now, don't say that. That's kidding. Like, don't make me doubt people, girl. What's the trust issues? But yeah, no, I think...
00:42:51 --> 00:43:14 Like, listen, some of us are out here hoping we don't have to flip any switches. OK, but I also understand the sentiment where you're like, dang, you know, I tried. Why am I trying so hard? I don't. This is so stupid. This is what stupid girls do. And some people get to that point. I understand that sentiment so much. I've been there. I'm like, what am I doing? Why am I? What is what's happening? Let's stop it from happening. Um.
00:43:14 --> 00:43:42 I think for me, I do appreciate the Quayla Ray version of the song a little bit more. The remix is a little bit more fun for me. I think it's funny that it's not funny, but I love that she adopted a British accent. But I think overall, like you mentioned, the melody of it is not terrible, but I think is just like, okay, it's not bad. I can sing it back to you right now. But I think in comparison to the other songs and then...
00:43:42 --> 00:44:06 Yeah, compared to other songs, I think this R&B approach, I guess it could work in American music. It's just, it wasn't as dynamic. I don't, it's okay, it's okay. But it's not terrible, it's just okay. Yeah. And then the music video, like there was that whole kind of weird story where she was like shot, and then he, she shoots him at the end, spoiler alert. Yeah.
00:44:06 --> 00:44:30 But that whole kind of story doesn't actually show up much. Like the majority of the video is just her on this, like, on the bus with all the dancers. She's on the way there to get to him. Remember? She was like, I'm gonna take a bus to get this man. Yeah, I don't know. I just, this video is not, I think some of the dancing sequences and stuff were cool. But yeah, just not, again, just didn't make as much impact as some of the others.
00:44:30 --> 00:44:53 No, same, same. I think I just was like, okay, all right. You look great though, girl. Go off on that double-decker bus. I would have gotten an Uber because I'm not going to ride no bus trying to murk a man. I'm going to get you, I'm going to get you. Right when the window rolled down in the big black truck, you know what I'm talking about, y'all. Right, y'all? Okay. Do you want to save money on the way there?
00:44:55 --> 00:45:13 You can Uber to escape. So they can track my butt? No, thank you. That's so funny. All right. So that being said, I will give this song a 7.5. Yeah, I'll match you with the 7.5.
00:45:14 --> 00:45:40 Okay, moving on to another track. We have Body Dysmorphia, which was done by Ray and Mike Sabath. And Ray has noted in a few interviews that body dysmorphia is something that she's dealt with for many years. And she wanted to make a commentary on all the societal pressures on women today. So, yeah, this is another really sensitive topic. Like, that's really, again, really brave of her to be so open about it.
00:45:41 --> 00:45:58 Yes. Yeah, I think for me, this might sound strange, but her vocal control in this one is one of my favorites on the album because the notes are sharp and they're short. And she has a great deal of accuracy. Like, yes, there is some editing effects on her voice when you get things mixed and such.
00:45:58 --> 00:46:26 When she sings it live, honey, she's on it. I think she's one of the people who actually was blessed with not effing up while she's singing. Her pitch is probably really good, if not perfect. But she's one of those people that just have a good ear. And you can hear it. I love the Royal Albert Hall version, the orchestra, the background singers. It's all so grand. And it makes you feel like there is someone who feels your pain. Whereas the album version feels so long.
00:46:26 --> 00:46:33 and isolating and I'm like oh my goodness oh no um I mean I can imagine
00:46:33 --> 00:47:02 if you're listening to the song, how you may, if you've been in athletics, if you've been a dancer, if you've been in any kind of forum where you have to display yourself, you can definitely feel this. Even if you weren't on display, you could feel for this. Like there's the little girl's voice at the end of the song, or sometimes in the beginning, depending on like the performances that she's doing. It reminds me of how I felt when I was a kid, like Ray is someone's representation, like all of us, maybe, but you know,
00:47:02 --> 00:47:31 for someone for sure. I think being in the public eye and looking the way she does and existing in the space that she does. She even speaks for songwriters. Like for a while when she was winning awards, she's like, give songwriters their freaking credits. Like, come on, what's going on? It's like, she represents so much more than just herself. And I think it's great to have that because I remember when I was a kid and I hated how muscular I was. And then I saw Janet and I didn't like my nose, but then I saw Rihanna with her button nose and accepted mine. So it's like,
00:47:31 --> 00:47:57 Even though she may be going through these kind of like pains, someone else is. And because she's so brave and open about it, someone else can be like, you know what? I too have this going on in my face or I too have this, you know, these big ears or something that I'm a little insecure about. And I don't have to be insecure about it just because society says otherwise. Hmm. Yeah, I mean, I think it's tough, like, just given the way society is now. Yeah.
00:47:57 --> 00:48:23 everyone is filtered on social media and you know plastic surgery etc etc is just so common place now like it's almost like with a lot of these like influencer circles and stuff it's almost more common to to have had a procedure done than have had nothing done oh my god yeah so i think yeah this is definitely a really important topic actually i think uh and it's good that
00:48:23 --> 00:48:47 And yeah, I think it is important for people to be open about it, for sure. So yeah, I think, I agree with you. I think the vocal delivery of it is probably the highlight for me. That kind of robotic, kind of staccato kind of verse that she has. And I think having it be this kind of more monotone, kind of robotic thing does reflect kind of this whole idea that everyone is supposed to be perfect, and they're like...
00:48:47 --> 00:48:56 You know, it's unrealistic, essentially. Yeah. So, yeah, I think that was a cool choice. So, yeah, I think...
00:48:56 --> 00:49:22 I think the lyrics are really good for this one, but melodically not my favorite. Like, this is one I can't really sing back to you, actually, right now. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's valid. Ooh. Yeah, I think because it's not super strong, it's not one of my favorites. So, yeah, I'm going to give it an average score of a seven. I'll give it a seven. Yeah, I also have it as a seven. Yeah.
00:49:24 --> 00:49:49 Okay. Up next, we have environmental anxiety. And this was done by Mike Sabbath, Ray, and Jenna Felsenthal. And this is a commentary on the political climate in the state of the world. So here we are, back to back commentaries about society now. So it's not just like a personal issue with, you know, an antagonist of some sort. This is like a full macro vision.
00:49:49 --> 00:49:57 Oh, yeah. You know, of her opinions about things were like the criticism of what's happening rather. Excuse me. What do you think about this one? Yeah.
00:49:58 --> 00:50:28 It's right after by this Marfian. Yeah, you know, I feel kind of the same way about this one as I do the last one. Like, I think the lyrics are so beautifully written. I think they're very poignant. She makes some really, really good points. But melodically, again, it just doesn't really do much for me. I will say the outro is probably my favorite part, where the sirens come in, you get like the newscaster kind of coming in, and then she has that sarcastic PSA at the end, which I think is hilarious.
00:50:28 --> 00:50:51 I think what she's saying is very important to list the issues, especially in that second verse. It's very true. It's very, very true. Oh my God. It's just insane. And the way they did the production, it does have a drive to it. It's like there's an urgency to it. Like we need to solve this now or like this world is going to be destroyed. Yeah, I think it...
00:50:51 --> 00:51:18 You mentioned the Royal Albert Hall. We've mentioned it a few times, but this version of this song, oh, it's so good with the horns and the choir. Like that urgency that I mentioned is so much more powerful, I would say, on the live version. But yeah, on the album, yeah, these last couple songs here or this little group of songs here, they all kind of blend a little bit for me. Not them, melodically, just not the most impactful, I would say.
00:51:18 --> 00:51:47 Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Okay. Agreed. Agreed. I agree. Well, you know, melodically is not my favorite. The message is necessary. And I did see a comment on YouTube where someone said, like, this could be the Earth song of this generation. And I can't agree with it because, like, MJ sounds super anguished. And I think there is a lack of drama in order for it to feel...
00:51:47 --> 00:52:06 as big as that song. I don't think anything's ever going to top Earth's song. I mean, at this point, like, it's got to be hard. Yeah. Not that she was trying to make an Earth song, so don't be like, oh, she wasn't trying to do that. I'm not saying she was. Someone in the comments said that this could, you know, contend with that. I do appreciate the sentiment, but...
00:52:06 --> 00:52:29 it's okay i am happy that someone in her position made a song like this but the delivery isn't as strong as again the other tracks on this album so it's kind of just down the middle of the road for me and having it right after by dysmorphia although it makes sense to have these two next to each other um they do kind of have the same impact on
00:52:30 --> 00:52:55 which is kind of middle of the road. I don't dislike it. You sound great. The concept is great, but it just did not. Unfortunately, it's not as earwormy. It's not even fair to say, but like it's not as memorable in terms of melodics for me. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Same page. Okay. Yeah. I gave same score. I gave it a seven. You know, same, same, same, same.
00:52:55 --> 00:53:16 Okay. Moving on to Five Star Hotels featuring Mahalia. And this was done by Ray Mahalia, Mike Sabbath, Eddie, Benjamin, and Kennedy. And Ray describes this song as a smooth, sexy song. And it was in her Dropbox for many years. Okay, that's cute. All right. So this one...
00:53:18 --> 00:53:48 I like the intro, right? It sounds delicious with the vocalizations. I love the effect on her voice. It sounds robotic and sultry. I would say this is kind of, I don't know if it's a toxic relationship, right? I have toxic written down my nose, but I think it's just more about being non-monogamous, a situationship. I don't know. I don't want to call it toxic. It's a non-exclusive situation. Yeah, situation. Yeah. So I think she wants that main person back, the main, the bottom B back. She wants her bottom B back.
00:53:48 --> 00:54:16 And I think having Mahalia... Is it... I'm sorry if it's Mahalia. I'm trying to get the name right. But I'm familiar with the singer. But not all the way. But I do recognize her voice. And having that same kind of... Not same kind. Similar approach to the jazzy singing. And just being a different voice in R&B in the UK. So I think they both complement each other very well. But yeah. I think for this one... Yeah.
00:54:16 --> 00:54:43 This is, I guess, less heavy, which is great. I love that it's less heavy. I enjoy it. But, but, but, but, but, but, I don't know what more I could want from it. I just feel like something else could have happened to kind of like shush it up some more. But I think lyrically, it's so clever. I enjoy it. Like the you've always been distant, just kind of existing, let's exist together kind of thing. Where it's just like, okay, come on, come on, come back home.
00:54:43 --> 00:55:00 So I appreciate the sentiment. I think this is a little bit better and it's kind of growing on me in terms of like what it sounds like. But I can't think of like, I think it's a little bit better than Flip a Switch. I'll say that.
00:55:01 --> 00:55:17 I think it's a little bit better to flip the switch. For sure. Okay. I would say that. Yeah. Okay. Interesting. Yeah. I mean, I will say this whole album, all we've heard about are these horrific men that she's had to deal with in her life. So it's nice that she found one that she's into and wants to, you know, invite over. Yeah.
00:55:18 --> 00:55:39 Yeah, okay, yeah. No, valid, valid, absolutely valid. So that's nice. That's good for her. Yeah, I will say I kind of felt the same as you. Again, like it just didn't make as much impact for me as kind of the first half of the album. But I will say this is one of the bigger growers on this album. Yeah.
00:55:39 --> 00:56:06 Because now, like, because I've just been listening to this album just nonstop. So now when it comes up, you know, I'm more into it. And you kind of want, like, body roll to it. And it is different from the rest of the album because it is a little sexier and a little cheekier. And that's just, it's nice to kind of just have this little break, I guess, on the album. And the vocal execution is really cool. I love how low the chorus is.
00:56:06 --> 00:56:34 Because the way she's saying it, it feels just very confident. You know, it's kind of cheeky. It's like, I know you want to come here, so just come here. I think it's just an interesting concept. Yeah, yeah. And I think Mahalia has a nice voice. It's not as hard as Ray's. It's a bit softer. So yeah, it adds an interesting dynamic to the track. It does elevate it for sure. Yeah, this is definitely...
00:56:34 --> 00:57:04 This is actually one that I rated maybe the lowest, actually, the first few times I heard the album. And I feel like each time around, it's bumping up a little bit. So I'll actually give it an 8. You give it an 8? Okay, I will give it a 7.5. It's not bad, but I think you're right. I think it's one of those songs where I didn't skip it or didn't go like, oh, I'm going to come back to this. I let it play, but I just don't remember it as much. So I'll give it a 7.5. I think my score probably will change as time passes as well.
00:57:04 --> 00:57:32 up next is worth it and this was done by ray john hill worldwide fresh and mike sabbath and this appeared on the soundtrack for ruby gilman teenage kraken which helped the song gain more popularity i did see that movie i do remember being like oh this is very okay this is giving nautic nautical nonsense i'm here for this um and this song has been described as the happiest song on the album and it was recorded entirely with live instruments
00:57:32 --> 00:57:45 All right. Worth it. You know, we love live instruments. Come on now. I did. I was watching another performance and she was the intro that she said that the man that the song about was written about was not worth it.
00:57:46 --> 00:58:04 No, and he's married now, apparently. His wife is pregnant. I thought that was hilarious. But, you know, kind of going off of, you know, what we were saying about the last song, you know, she did at one point, you know, find someone that, you know, maybe actually could be a good person.
00:58:04 --> 00:58:27 So that's good. It's like, you know, we're going into the light now after kind of all the darkness for the rest of the album. And it is really sweet. It is really sweet. It's such a standout on the album because it is the happiest song on the album. So it is nice to have something that really is just genuinely feel good and there's no kind of underlying issues there. Yeah.
00:58:27 --> 00:58:47 Oh my god yeah And the instrumentation is awesome Like having the live band Just kind of take over this And really let each instrument shine And you get all those great dynamics That you can get when you have a live band Yeah So yeah this is a really good one It's a fun one to sing along to too
00:58:47 --> 00:59:16 Absolutely. I think Corinne Bailey Ray would love this song. Could you imagine her singing? Oh my gosh. What girl happened to her? You know the funny thing is we say what happened to so and so but it's literally like they're fine. They're just probably releasing Indy and we just haven't kept up with them because literally I'm pretty sure Corinne's fine. I'm pretty sure she's fine. I love the sailing on the boat in Capri vibe of this. It's giving like you know you're on the boat you're laughing you're he he ho ho hoing. Um
00:59:16 --> 00:59:43 maybe on a rooftop i remember this not going viral on tiktok but people were using it for like the person they were seeing or maybe just like a nice day having brunch with people it's very easy listening um i can hear it being played on ac radio it is a song that is palatable um i think it's so ironic if that's the right word i want to use here i think it's ironic head um she's talking about this person being worth it and then like how a year later she's like yeah no he wasn't
00:59:43 --> 01:00:10 But it was cute, but it was psychic. I mean, but she's questioning it, right? In this song, it's like, is he worth it? This is true. Yes, you're so right. Literally, because she's like, am I going to not do this inner work just to focus on you? I thought that was hilarious. I think this is a shimmering feel-good moment of romantic optimism, which, let's be real, is rare on this album. No tea, no shade. But it's just one of those things where it's like...
01:00:10 --> 01:00:36 OK, a little optimism here. Nothing kind of, you know, five star hotel is blank. Nothing like anything, you know, bad is just let's step away from the chaos. And, you know, let me believe that maybe love can be good after all. And I think that is very, very good to have on an album like this. Yes. OK, so what do you rate it? Oh, yes. Sorry, I give it a 10. I like this one a lot. OK, I will go a nine.
01:00:37 --> 01:01:02 All right. Yes. Okay, we're now at basically the final track. We have Bust It Down, and this was done by Mike Sabbath, Ray, Eilar, and Antoinette Smith. And during an Instagram Live in 2021, Ray actually shared a snippet of a few songs that were supposed to appear on her debut, and this was one of them. So this is one of those ones that was just, like, locked in a dungeon for a minute, so...
01:01:02 --> 01:01:22 she managed to get it out, which is great. So yeah, what do you think of the last, I guess, like full track on the album? I am so annoyed. Like, honestly, I used to complain like, oh man, I wish I was, I wish I had labeled mine. I don't think I ever thought like that, that heavily, but like, I can only imagine. You have a song like this. It's not terrible. All the other songs that were held back. It's like, girl, ugh.
01:01:22 --> 01:01:49 Oh my gosh. Yeah. I mean, Bust It Down is great in terms of the messaging, the tone of it. I think this like reminds me of Beyonce's Church Girl, but like it's actual gospel. I think it's so funny. Yeah, you know. The live version of the song obviously goes off. As we mentioned, there is a bit of a choir and it makes sense for the, she go bust it down. She go bust it. And you know, it feels a little bit more like...
01:01:49 --> 01:02:07 Like mild blasphemy, but not complete and utter. I'm totally joking. It's not blasphemous. It's like just using vocal dynamics that is, you know, gospel adjacent. You know? Styling. Yeah, there we go. Thank you for the English. Thank you so much for the English. And I think...
01:02:07 --> 01:02:27 It's she says, like, I'm trying to prioritize who I grind for, who I take my time for. And which is great because you have this whole album where you're like, here's my story. This person has done me wrong. This person, these people don't deserve my artistry. This has happened to me. This is happening to us. This is happening to the world. And now this one is like, you know what?
01:02:28 --> 01:02:48 I've cleansed. I'm done with this. I'm going to focus on me, my money, my girls until I find something more, something to ride for. And I love this for her. And I think this is a very, not a very strong ending, but it's a strong enough ending to make sense and kind of give the story, this book, this book.
01:02:48 --> 01:03:14 a good ending in terms of like what she's been through. Cause I was like to say, girl, if we end this album on the worst note ever, I don't know what to do. I don't know. Yeah. But this one actually ends nicely, especially after worth it. It feels not, what's the word? Not anticlimactic, but it just feels very satisfying. Like it's not super big. It's not like, uh, understated. It's just right in the middle, you know, or it leaves you kind of wanting more for like, what's next for her.
01:03:16 --> 01:03:45 Yeah. Like, I think of this song or I almost think of this album like a musical. Right? Like, the last song of a musical is never the climax. Like, that happens in the middle, right? Or like, yeah. So like, she had her darkest period kind of with Ice Cream Man in the middle. And then it was kind of like a slow, and then it was like, okay, some self-discovery going on. And now she's like, in a better place. So that's what the song kind of feels like. It does feel like this is the end of this chapter. I'm in a better place than I've
01:03:45 --> 01:04:06 like accepted and grown from all this other crap that I went through and like not everything has resolved but I'm at least in a better place than I was at the start yeah so that's kind of like this song has that whole vibe to it so I think in terms of the project it's a really yeah it has a
01:04:06 --> 01:04:27 I will say the tiny desk performance is my favorite. This one, it's so cute because she asked the staff to do the background vocals. She does a little vocal production telling them how to do it. Yes, super, super cute. So, yeah, I think this one's a good one. I give it an eight. Oh, yeah. You know what? I'll match you, actually. I will match you. Eight for me.
01:04:28 --> 01:04:57 last on the album is Fiend. And this is, I feel so weird reading Finn, but it is Fiend. Yeah. Yeah. And this was done by Ray and Mike Sabbath. Shout out to Ray being able to claim so much, so many credits on this album. I mean, she's written for so many other people, right? So I think this is only befitting that she's been able to maintain her voice throughout, which is amazing. So we're here at the end, the Fiend, the Finale. Thoughts on the Finale.
01:04:58 --> 01:05:28 Yeah, I mean, that's really cute. You know, it's just, it's very cute. Thank you. She sounds very, very authentic and genuine in it. Part of me wonders if they maybe could have done it like it was the end of the show from the jazz club, just so it was like a full circle kind of moment. But she has such a fun, like cute voice. It's so expressive. And she's so genuinely thankful. Like after all this crap, she's like, oh my God, I've waited seven years for this to finally come out. So it's cute.
01:05:28 --> 01:05:46 Yeah, that's all I can really say. I don't know. What do you think? Super valid. I mean, when we were talking about the album and the concept of everything, you know, the full stops and the album design, she actually has a long forward, like really long. I mean, what artist doesn't like, thank you so much. Thank you so much. But she essentially says...
01:05:46 --> 01:06:02 in this track, what she said in that forward in the album. So I think it's great. It's like, yeah, it's been seven years and here's what I made for you. Thank you so much for listening. Okay, bye, I love you, I love you and I love you. And it's super cute. Again, it just goes back to how...
01:06:02 --> 01:06:27 If you think about how she speaks on this album and how long she's had to wait, I can see why maybe this is her moment to really just like let loose. Because if you listen to how she speaks, there is a humility that is there. There is a kindness. There is a softness that is there and that is constantly present. You can tell that's who she is as a person. Maybe I'm wrong. But there's something about the way she speaks, the way she says things.
01:06:27 --> 01:06:44 She is not completely jaded. And there's a sense of renewal. There's a sense of pride here. And I love that for her. So I think at the end of this album, this was befitting. And I thought it was absolutely adorable. She's such a little peach. She's such a peach. I want to take care of her. So adorable.
01:06:46 --> 01:07:10 No rating for this one, y'all. Yeah. Yeah. So we're at the end of the album. So before we wrap it up, we have our cut or keep section. Yeah. So guys, if you guys are new here, cut or keep means we can, if we can save one song, we keep it. If we could kick one song off the album, we cut it. That's it. Simple as that. Don't get upset. Let us know what your cut or keep songs are. Join us for the day.
01:07:10 --> 01:07:25 All right. So yes. Okay. So if I had to cut a song, obviously, I'm not going to count the intro or the feed. That's too easy. Okay, I think I would cut environmental anxiety.
01:07:26 --> 01:07:44 Ooh, you know, you know, yes, I understand. I think lyrically speaking of the content of it, like we get it, we completely get it. But I just think in terms of like delivery is not the best. I agree with that one. I almost said that one myself. I think I'm going to do flip a switch because I. Oh, yeah.
01:07:44 --> 01:08:09 yeah i mean football switch isn't terrible oh it's so hard i think i'm just gonna do football switch i feel like it's okay it's definitely okay love the video for her dancing but honestly it's not like the strongest song on this album like really relatable but not strong that's super strong though yeah okay how about if you had to keep a song oh boo boo okay if i had to keep a song i would say i would keep oh my god
01:08:11 --> 01:08:37 I mean, Oscar winning tears is obviously the standout, but I think I'm going to keep I would keep black mascara because I do believe the sinister euphoric euphoria of it all is just so twisted. But again, she got her message across. She made a catchy track. Like it's one of those songs where I'm like, dang, this is a sleeper cell. And I didn't even realize I was infected until I sat here and listened to the lyrics. So I think just in terms of that, I'm like, yeah, keep that one.
01:08:38 --> 01:09:08 Yeah, that's a really good one. I mean, I know this is like the most stereotypical choice, but I have to choose Escapism. Like, I think it's just... Ooh, yeah. It is such a cool track. Like, I feel like you could show that to anyone and it's impressive, like in every way. Yeah. Yeah, so I know it was the most obvious, but I have to go with that one. Was it? I didn't think of it just until... I thought of Oscar winning and I was like, oh yeah, duh. So, maybe that's for me. Probably between those two, yeah. I feel like Escapism was like the big break, you know, so...
01:09:08 --> 01:09:33 yeah yeah okay so yeah what was your experience with ray before what do you think of this album oh again it's one of those things where i think i got introduced to her because of the pop singles heard her name in the past i do not remember the song that i heard again it was one of those things where i was like oh she's really talented move right along no fault of her own obviously she's a great artist i think this album is
01:09:33 --> 01:10:01 It's so good. And I think what keeps her from sounding like this retro, like a retroactive singer, for lack of a retroactive, but like vintage sounding singer, excuse me. I think what keeps her from sounding that way is her lyricism. There is a sense of cleverness and I kept trying to avoid the word, but honestly, she is very witty and you can hear it. She has, I'm not sure if you want to call it the dry humor of everything, but the sarcasm's there. Um,
01:10:01 --> 01:10:23 the wordplay is there, the melodies are there, the top line is, on a lot of these songs, are undeniably brilliant. And I used that word a couple times when we were filming. So at this point, I think I'm really impressed. And then on top of that, again, she sounds so jazzy. And for her to be able to tap into this jazzy sound, and then also a little bit more of a...
01:10:23 --> 01:10:41 I don't know how to not. I forgot the terminology for like no vibrato, no tremor, no extra frills on her voice. She's just singing straight, singing lower register, higher register. She's very, I would say, musically talented and her placements like undeniably like amazing.
01:10:42 --> 01:11:08 yeah yeah so good yeah i i remember ray like during kind of her label days i remember all like the edm features and stuff and i do remember her her name popping up with like beyonce's album and little mix's album and stuff uh but i'm gonna be honest i never really paid too much attention uh right and it was when kind of all of this started when people kind of
01:11:08 --> 01:11:33 Or when she came out and had that whole rant on social media about how she was trapped under the steel. That's when I was like, oh, wow. Like, this woman's been, like, going through it. Yeah. And this is just such... This project is insane. Like, it's so, so good. I can see why a major record label would be scared to release it. Because it isn't the most commercial thing, right? Ooh, yes. Yeah.
01:11:33 --> 01:12:03 Yes. Like they're not clear radio hits here. But, you know, with the way music is going anyway, I think people like authenticity and it is just a balance between all of that. Like I feel like it is still a very kind of radio centric kind of music industry, at least in the U.S. So you do need those one or two kind of radio friendly moments still. But then once people are into you, you can then kind of go and do your thing and people and if you're authentic about it and genuine about it, people will usually be here for it, I would say. Yeah.
01:12:03 --> 01:12:31 And so she's, yeah, I think she's found her. Yeah, she's come out at a good time, I would say. And yeah, the lyrics are just so poetic. Like the storytelling is just so beautiful throughout it. Because this is one of those albums that you really can't, I mean, she kind of says it at the beginning, like lock your phones, like I'm here to tell you about my life. And this is one that you can really just focus in on the lyrics and stuff. And it really takes you into her world.
01:12:31 --> 01:12:53 and not many pop songs do that you know yeah so yeah definitely one of the best albums i mean i'm gonna be honest like i did listen to it when it came out and it was one of those where i would kind of keep revisiting it every once in a while but it wasn't one where i was like oh my god i'd like need to listen to this all the time uh so i i feel like now we're like what like two years late a little bit uh
01:12:54 --> 01:13:18 But she's, yeah, but she's just getting more and more popular as well. And this album deserves all the attention. So, yeah, I really enjoy it. Absolutely. Absolutely. So what is your final rating? What is your final rating on this one? Ooh, okay. I will give it a nine. How about you? Yeah, I'll give it a nine. Oh, shoot. Yeah. Give it to her. Give her her nines. Yeah.
01:13:20 --> 01:13:40 Yes. All right. Okay. Well, fans, let us know what you think about Ray and My 21st Century Blues. You can let us know in the comments. And you should also let us know what other albums you'd like to hear us review. And if you want priority choice, you can join us on Patreon at patreon.com slash cctvpops. And you should also follow us.
01:13:40 --> 01:14:04 at CCTV Pops on social media because we have a lot of cool guests coming up. We give things away. We do. Lots of fun things over here. Yes. So on YouTube, don't forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications. And if you're on a podcast platform, please give us a follow, rating, and review. Until next time, that's Chantel. That's Chris. Signing off from CCTV, the nonstop pop show.