I Listened to Cuz I Love You by Lizzo + The B Side by Dainá....

It’s been a hot minute since I did a post entirely dedicated to some of the music I’m currently listening to that’s not weekly meme related. And with the arrival of Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You and Dainá’s The B Side this past Friday, I suddenly had a lot to talk about.

Cuz I Love You

With singles like Juice, Tempo, and Cuz I Love You, the hype for Lizzo’s long awaited album seemed endless on my end. Well, it’s finally here, and it doesn’t disappoint. From the first track to the last—with songs featuring Gucci Mane and Missy Elliott—Cuz I Love You is an experience. Lizzo’s powerful vocals pairs perfectly with the deep, meaningful, and inspiring lyrics prevalent throughout the album. The beats are excellent and catchy, and there isn’t a song I don’t like. You can almost hear the work that went into this album, and I appreciated every minute of it. Besides the well-known singles, there are a number of other noteworthy songs as well. For example: Like a Girl is snazzy; Jerome and Crybaby are like two-peas-in-a-pod with smooth beats and strong vocals; and Heaven Help Me noticeably features flute music and has an upbeat sound. Overall, Cuz I Love You was worth the wait. It’s the best album I’ve listened to so far this year...

• (Cuz I Love You was released on April 19, 2019.)

The B Side

Also out last Friday was The B Side by Dainá. I’ve listened to and liked music by this artist before, and was excited for what she would do next. I'm not going to lie, for me, as an EP with just five songs, The B Side was a surprise weekend hit. It’s stylish and entertaining with songs like Say My Name, Stacks, and Dainero—with the latter being one of my favorite tracks from the EP. Overall, The B Side is great, and it left me wanting more music from Dainá....

• (The B Side was released on April 19, 2019)

Have you listened to any music by Lizzo or  Dainá? Do you plan to listen to Cuz I Love You or The B Side?

Album Review: Dark Matter by Les Friction

Title: Dark Matter

Band/Artist(s): Les Friction (Even Frankfort, Helmet Vonlichten, Paint), also Featuring Emily Valentine and Laura Fabian

Source/Format: Les Friction; CD

Label/ Release date: Moriposa Lane Music, INC/ Would Work Sound LLC; August 25, 2017

OfficialSite Bandcamp     Itunes     Spotify       Amazon      CDbaby

I first heard of Les Friction in an epic music compilation. This was a few years ago when I first began listening to this genre of music. Like any music junkie, I’ve checked to see if new music was on the horizon. My day lit up when I saw the tweet announcing Dark Matter was coming out.

Not only did this album meet my expectations, it exceeded them. Every millisecond is perfect, starting with Your World Will Fail. This song starts calm and then changes about midway. At this point it morphs into something more, resulting in a pleasant mix of instrumentals and vocals. Other songs including Who Will Save You Now, Dark Matter, and Firewall seems to follow this pattern somewhat too. Obviously, like any album, Dark Matter has calm moments too. I Remember and You Always Knew add a touch of sincere tranquility. These two duets with Emily Valentine and Laura Fabian, respectively, occasionally misted my eyes. The album ended with Kashmir (which is a cover of a song by Led Zeppelin); the only thing I can say is that it is the perfect way to end an album.

Due to the fact that each track was diverse in sound and lyric, the whole album maintained a certain aesthetic. Not one felt out of place. Actually, a host of emotions were elicited as I listened to each song. I’m not even sure they are nameble. To put it simply, it’s like finding that perfectly tailored dress. I love it!

I recieved this CD from Les Fricition for this review.