Glasses has dropped another decent West Coast hip hop album here. As he did on his last project, again we have some very familiar samples and homages to well known songs. The title title track borrows from a classic for the hook. 'One of Those' is basically Scarface's 'They Down With Us'. 'Bring Em Out' borrows from T.I.'s song of the same name for the chorus. Consistent from front to back without anything outstanding. Best Tracks: One of Those, Put On, Out West, Da Bloodz,

Brooke Valentine's one and only studio album opens with two decent bangers and the best moments are in the first third. All of the first five songs offer something and some enjoyable variety. It starts to falter for a few tracks from the Dupri assisted and co-produced 'Playa' though where it does fall into the crowd of everything else in mainstream R&B from the era this was released in. When the hate-filled 'I Want You Dead' came on, I thought the album had finished and moved on to another release. It sounds quite different, with its baroque pop vibe, than what you'd expect to find on most R&B albums like this in the mid '00s. 'American Girl' sounds a little different as well. There's a Spanish verse on 'Million Bucks' from the featured artist, Queenz Deliz, that I don't see the point of being here. There's nothing amazing from Brooke, but I don't dislike anything either, and there is some variety and some different sounds. She deserved a second album. Best Tracks: Girlfight, Taste of Dis, Long As You Come Home, Cover Girl, Dying of a Broken Heart

As I started listening to this, I read, "Putting aside the glossy R&B of his earlier releases in favor of a more rustic and soulful sound inspired by the likes of Stapleton and Nelson," which, as a fan of Zayn's discography so far, in particularly his first two albums, made me sigh. I just don't like the sound/genre enough to love enough of this. At times the vocals sound choppy-See 'The Time'. 'Stardust' is the best thing here. Best Tracks: Star Dust, False Starts

According to the info on the Bandcamp page, this was a 'lost' EP. It's interesting because in the same year, Ben Cenac, aka Dream 2 Science, aka Push/Pull, also released the better 'Bang the Drums' album that seems to have many similar components of songs to this that will be easily recognisable to anyone who has heard both albums. Best Tracks: My Love Turns To Liquid, Breathe Deep, Liquid, Dream 2 Science

I just finished revisiting Scarface's previous solo album, 'The Untouchable', before this, and this one feels like it has a similar sound in lots of ways that is surprising as they were released three years apart. This doesn't have the high points though. About halfway through 'O.G. to Me', it seems to be building to some kind of amazing beat switch, but it doesn't eventuate and feels underwhelming. 'Watch Ya Step' interestingly has a hook that Face would reuse the rhythm for on 'Yes, Yes, Y’all' from the Geto Boys' 'The Foundation' album. The best song to me has always been the Erick Sermon produced 'It Ain't Part II'. It falls away in the middle with songs like 'The Gangsta Shit' and the aforementioned 'O.G. to Me' overstaying their welcome to some extent. One of Face's weaker albums is still a solid 3 out of 5 though. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: It Ain't Part II, They Down with Us, Conspiracy Theory, In My Time