Banks is not my cup of tea and neither is Goddess. I had a hard time trying to get into Banks earlier this year after a friend of mine recommended her to me. (Noted: Not because she seems like an artist I'd like but instead because the friend in question was really vibing out to her.) I could not hear the appeal to her and, even after listening to Goddess, I still can't hear it. Her lyrical content is ok. Her singing voice is ok. The production is ok. Nothing of hers sounds spectacular, extraordinary, or unique. It is all just... ok.
I went into the album hoping for the best, but I was left unsatisfied after my first listen and that did not change on my second and third listens. "Waiting Game", "You Should Know Where I'm Coming For", "Change", "Someone New", and "Warm Water" are the best tracks for me. She shines the most on tracks where her vocals are to the front. While I do think the vocals I have heard from her are very ok in general, she does have some really nice moments with her more 'stripped' material ("Change" and "Someone New").
Banks has a nice voice, interesting lyrics, and good production, but she has a hard time combining those three things (or even just two at a time) to consistently make incredible songs as evident by the very meh Goddess. I'd like to hear an acoustic album from her though.
Banks is not my cup of tea and neither is Goddess. I had a hard time trying to get into Banks earlier this year after a friend of mine recommended her to me. (Noted: Not because she seems like an artist I'd like but instead because the friend in question was really vibing out to her.) I could not hear the appeal to her and, even after listening to Goddess, I still can't hear it. Her lyrical content is ok. Her singing voice is ok. The production is ok. Nothing of hers sounds spectacular, extraordinary, or unique. It is all just... ok.
I went into the album hoping for the best, but I was left unsatisfied after my first listen and that did not change on my second and third listens. "Waiting Game", "You Should Know Where I'm Coming For", "Change", "Someone New", and "Warm Water" are the best tracks for me. She shines the most on tracks where her vocals are to the front. While I do think the vocals I have heard from her are very ok in general, she does have some really nice moments with her more 'stripped' material ("Change" and "Someone New").
Banks has a nice voice, interesting lyrics, and good production, but she has a hard time combining those three things (or even just two at a time) to consistently make incredible songs as evident by the very meh Goddess. I'd like to hear an acoustic album from her though.
The Lowdown: Magnificent dance-pop is perfectly constructed, not generic or cheesy, and obscenely catchy.
Blame is the newest track from EDM master Calvin Harris. Featuring vocals from British singer John Newman, the song is an excellent track and one of the best dance songs of 2014. The song kicks off with an instantly catchy synth line, and Newman's vocals kick in. His vocals aren't perfectly smooth and even have a hint of soul, which really adds to the song. The first verse is very short, but it works out very well for this kind of song. The prechorus melodies are great. The chorus is rousing and leads up to the EDM breakdown perfectly. The breakdown itself is not innovative but stellar. It doesn't sound like a cookie-cutter breakdown. The 2nd verse is equally great, carrying over the momentum from the big chorus. The piano in the instrumental is absolutely brilliant, and not over-emphasized. The song continues with a bridge, which is also done very well. It features Newman's vocals over an instrumental that has been stripped of most synths. We are then kicked back into a final chorus, which is like a victory lap for Newman and Harris.
Blame is an extremely well done dance-pop song. The beat is not too hard-hitting, and its intensity and the sincerity of the track echo Avicii's masterpiece Wake Me Up. Newmnan's vocals are infused with a bit of soul while still staying very poppy. Everything feels in place on this song, and all of the elements work together. The synth line is addicting, and the chorus is powerful and not cheesy. The prechorus is great as well, and very easy to get caught singing along to. This song will likely become a classic in the vein of Wake Me Up. The bridge does not seem simply thrown in near the end; it's a smart change of pace. Nowadays, it is very hard to come up with a dance-pop song that doesn't seem generic (just ask Coldplay and Ariana Grande) and yet Calvin Harris has done it twice this year. Blame is truly an outstanding song and clearly one of the best of 2014.
Banks is not my cup of tea and neither is Goddess. I had a hard time trying to get into Banks earlier this year after a friend of mine recommended her to me. (Noted: Not because she seems like an artist I'd like but instead because the friend in question was really vibing out to her.) I could not hear the appeal to her and, even after listening to Goddess, I still can't hear it. Her lyrical content is ok. Her singing voice is ok. The production is ok. Nothing of hers sounds spectacular, extraordinary, or unique. It is all just... ok.
I went into the album hoping for the best, but I was left unsatisfied after my first listen and that did not change on my second and third listens. "Waiting Game", "You Should Know Where I'm Coming For", "Change", "Someone New", and "Warm Water" are the best tracks for me. She shines the most on tracks where her vocals are to the front. While I do think the vocals I have heard from her are very ok in general, she does have some really nice moments with her more 'stripped' material ("Change" and "Someone New").
Banks has a nice voice, interesting lyrics, and good production, but she has a hard time combining those three things (or even just two at a time) to consistently make incredible songs as evident by the very meh Goddess. I'd like to hear an acoustic album from her though.
Most of the reviews I've seen so far about Goddess spent a lot of time comparing her to FKA Twigs. And to be blunt, I think that's neither fair nor appropriate. Sure, they are both female artists, both associated with the genre of the moment, PBR&B, and both have made a name for themselves online before their debuts were even released, but once you look past these superficial similarities and the music comes into play, it is obvious that BANKS has her own style and her music, artistry and approach are vastly different from FKA's.
BANKS took the internet by storm with her fusion of catchy pop melodies and a bass-heavy production that is pure bliss to listen to on any sound system. Added to this mix is her voice, which is not only soulful and able to transmit emotion very well, but also versatile, alternating between powerful belting, haunting coolness and seductive smoothness.
The album has a nice flow, the stream of dominating synth-heavy mid-tempos being broken around the middle by standout ballad You Should Know Where I'm Coming From, creating a climax that truly allows this song to shine. After that, the album picks up again with some more ear candy, most notably Beggin For Thread which seems to be the most accessible representation of what BANKS has to offer.
Unfortunately, the album loses its momentum quite a bit before it actually finishes, and the previously built flow just dies off with an accumulation of downtempos at the end. Being preceded by the aforementioned Beggin For Thread, which exudes energy en masse, it feels like you're being left by yourself on the dancefloor without music in the middle of a rave. That's not to say the last few songs aren't good, but they just don't quite fit with the rest of the album and show perhaps one of BANKS's and Goddess's weaknesses: Too much was tried to be crammed into this album, which also shows itself in the total length.
It's just a little bit too much, but that does not take away much from the great debut this album is; BANKS presents herself well, confident in her own brand and what she represents as an artist - a unique and interesting approach to creating personal yet accessible music, something that is different yet likeable, lyrics that hit hard combined with irresistible beats. This is something everyone can be intrigued by, and it will be interesting to see where BANKS ventures off in the future.
