This album starts off with “Man On The Moon (Reprise)”. It’s a pretty stunning into, and Moses sounds pretty incredible. I’ve always thought he has such a beautiful voice, nobodies gonna take that away from him. I mean, these are some really incredible harmonies. But I feel like this just could have been so much more of an intro. Moses could have really laid down some more harmonies and done something with a little more substance. Obviously, I can’t sit here all day critiquing a 30-second intro, but I wish Moses started this album off a little differently. On the other hand “Don’t Bother Calling” is ear-grabbing right off the bat. Moses’s vocals here sound almost otherworldly the way they’re just dripping in effects. But it certainly sets him aside of what else going on in Alternative R&B right now. His very sweet and raw vocals really bring this one right back down. It’s a beautiful track, that’s made even bigger by some seriously wonderful strings and some guitar lines that don’t interrupt Moses’s stellar performance. But this unbelievable sense of loneliness is quickly growing apparent. It’s made even more apparent by just how alone Moses sounds occasionally between these big instrumentals. “Don’t Bother Calling” is a near tear-jerking track that puts Moses on the map very quickly. Plus, sonically this track was so well done. In every way, this is what I wanted to hear after Moses’s debut EP. The very sweet, swirling atmosphere continues with “Plastic”. Now, I do understand that a lot of these tracks are very stripped down and often end up leaving Moses on his own with these very quiet atmospheres. And I totally get why it’s done too. But I really would love to hear more instrumentation, because that’s where Moses is really blowing me away. It’s these very cosmic and foreign atmospheres, which thankfully there is enough of on here. Moses just sounds so soulful, and his voice is seriously impeccable. While I wouldn’t say this hits me as hard as the last track here, it’s still very pleasant. Also, lyrically, Moses has a way of really making himself vulnerable and letting us into his thoughts and feelings which I do enjoy quite a bit. On the other hand, “Quarrel’ grips me so much more right off the bat. The very cosmic, futuristic environments continue to hit very hard, and I love the opening jazzy instrumentals. All around, this track just works so well, from the incredibly lush instrumentals to Moses’s awe-inspiring vocal performance. The harps here that are plucked through most of this track, along with some really solid backing horns as well, make for an instrumental palette that I want to hear Moses on more and more. “Quarrel” is breathtaking, and lyrically this continues to be such an engaging and revealing album. Not only that but a really heartbreaking one at that. Moses almost constantly sounds so lost, and more importantly truly along. And it really does shake you to your bones, but man is it effective. This track is incredible. And while I don’t think it needs to be 7 minutes long I really don’t mind it. Plus, that last two minutes of instrumentals just gets cooler and cooler by the second.
Now usually, I’m not into short interludes. But I feel like “Stoicism” actually ties this album together really nicely. It’s a surreal image, no matter how sweet it is. But I think it works really nicely in painting this picture of Moses’s life. Then we have “Lonely World” which instantly hits us with a huge barrage of warm vocals, and so many of them. Loneliness has been a major theme of this album, but it’s never been this up front. It’s nice to hear, however. This one is a whole lot more based on Moses’s vocals, but here, it works. “Lonely World” contains some of his most outrageous falsettos of the entire album. There are just enough instrumentals to keep this one afloat, and certainly enough to keep me awake. And honestly, that's something I was certainly worried about going into this album. As this one rolls on, it picks up really well. When those handclaps come in as well as all of that vocal layering, this one becomes pretty stunning. Those swirling, intensely beautiful atmospheres are all of a sudden back in a big way, to the point where they’re almost overwhelming. Hell, they sound like they’re eating Moses alive. But his ridiculous vocals come out on top, and it’s stunning. “Make Out In My Car” is up next, and this very vibrant and colorful picture Moses has been painting is just getting more and more massive by the minute. But I think what makes this one work is the sheer desperation to feel love from Moses. In this case, it’s not even love, just the want to be touched or have a fling, which is something we’ve certainly felt out of loneliness. But outside of that, I just love how minuscule the environment is here. And some of those sweet flute melodies that pop in are seriously classy. For a short, straightforward tune, this one packs a punch. “The Cocoon-Eyed Baby” is up next in our supply of stripped down interludes. But to be honest, this one really doesn’t hit me nearly as hard as Moses intended it too. It’s a little head scratching, and not nearly as necessary as the earlier interlude. However, I will give it this: The short poem stated by Moses is VERY telling and hits home hard.
Now, I may be the only one, but I’m not really that into “Doomed”. This one is absolutely all about Moses, which in theory should be fine, even refreshing. And let me tell you, his performance is seriously compelling. But like, as far as the atmosphere, not his one goes, I’m practically begging Moses to bring in some sort of instrumentals, whatever they may be. And it’s a shame because everything about this track is stunning. Lyrically, this may be his most compelling and deep song yet. And as far as vocals go, they might be some of his best yet. But I just am really not into this very bare-bones feel. It’s the reason that I didn’t go as wild over his EP, and it’s holding me back from obsessing over this one too. Now, there really isn’t that much more outrageously different about “Indulge Me”. But just that little-added strumming makes this so much more of a compelling listen to me. This one is also one of the more straightforward tracks here. Lyrically, there's only a handful of lyrics. But it’s moments like this that hit me the hardest, Moses knows how to make a lot out of a little. Moses sounds so soulful and hurt, and I know I’m beating a dead horse but the guy sounds lonely. It’s simple, but it’s beautiful and it’s heart-wrenching. This album ends with “Self-Help Tape” which brings back the sort of whimsical atmosphere that we haven’t heard on a few tracks. It also brings in some really stunning vocal harmonies that in a weird way reminds me of something Fleet Foxes would do. It’s very pretty, and easy on the ears. But the only thing that’s sort of holding me back from absolutely going crazy over this, is how this one sort of sounds like way too many other Alternative R&B acts that are out there right now. Moses this entire album has built up such a distinct sound, and he just sorts of throws it all away here to sound like a lot of other current acts. Outside of that though, this is just as stunning, futuristic, and compelling as other tunes here.
Rating: 7.6/10
Give A Listen To: "Don't Bother Calling", "Quarrel", "Lonely World", "Make Out In My Car"
Genre: Alternative R&B / R&B
If You Dig This, Check Out: I mean, check out Moses's EP from last year. Outside of that I'm stumped on this one.
Overall Thoughts: There's gonna be tons of people who enjoy this album much more than me, and that's fine. Vocally this album is impeccable, and lyrically this album really backs up just how desperate and lonely this album's instrumentals and atmosphere come off as. But I just expected a little more out of this album. For an album with this much hype, it's a little short, with a few tracks that easily could have been stretch out, as well as a few tracks that went on maybe a little way too long. Also, a lot of these tracks have a lot of the same elements, that occasionally blur together a bit. Outside of that, this is a totally refreshing and easy listen for anyone who digs Alternative R&B.
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