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I never know what to make of NME reviews. They always seem to pander to fanbases and rarely take a more critical stance. Is this album truly worth checking out? Because I've kinda checked out from Normani. :,)
Edit: I did enjoy *Fair*, fwiw!
Dragging TTPD was a safe and pandering thing to do though.
Like the dogpile on that album was so immediately apparent that I don’t really think it was a risky move on anyone’s part at all.
People get death threats for existing nowadays
There was (unfortunately) nothing unique to the TTPD death threats. Fuck for real anyone who doesn’t kid dopamine will *also get death threats*. The reality of our situation now is no matter your opinion you will get death threats
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way… there was zero significant or relevant backlash for panning an album that was in the middle of getting dogpiled by critics. In fact it was the pandering thing to do— go with the flow and toss your log on the fire.
I’m not saying it didn’t deserve the criticism. I’m just pointing out that just because a few publications seemed to have broken their stance on pandering by hating it doesn’t mean they weren’t pandering. Pandering to haters is also lucrative
TLDR:
Their negative review was in fact just more pandering. It’s always pandering
And you get death threats for existing now. You can say “I like poppyseed bagels” and then get a death threat from a plain bagel lover
If you liked any of her post-motivation singles, you’ll probably like this. 1:59 is one of the weakest songs on the album, and Candy Paint got some touch ups that improve it, so if you didn’t like those as much, I’d still give it a shot. “Big Boy” is probably Normani’s boppiest song in a while so I’d at least spin that
i like it but i don’t think it’s great. i think it would’ve been received a lot better years ago. all the waiting for an album this lowkey is…not great
yeah part of the lukewarm reception from most people i fully believe is largely due to the wait & how all the hype was killed multiple times with empty promises lol but im glad she finally got it out. hopefully future releases won’t follow this same horrid pattern
I want to love it, but I was hoping for a lot more like "Motivation" and even though we got a few tracks in that lane, the whole vibe just feels like "We have SZA at home"
You're not wrong. I admit I know a bit more (very small bit) than SZA but she definitely set the crossover standard as of late IMO. If this album was more Jazmine Sullivan or H.E.R. vibes, I probably would have made those comparisons but a lot of this album really did give me SOS.
That's because it's popheads not r&bheads.
And this is also why pop is its own genre and not a reference to "popular music", otherwise there wouldn't be a lack of reference points.
Brilliant if they created an EP, really cute for an album. There are some really good songs on there (Big Boy, Still, Tantrum, Insomnia), also a couple of uninspired filler tracks. I do feel like lyric wise there’s more potential and we don’t really get to know her (we know she’s a bad girl, that’s about it, I don’t want her to be Taylor Swift at all but I am just saying maybe more storytelling than *booty drip grip thighs hips*). I’m not mad at it, people should check it out. She’s got a bit of that early Ciara vibe to her, I like it.
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I never know what to make of NME reviews. They always seem to pander to fanbases and rarely take a more critical stance. Is this album truly worth checking out? Because I've kinda checked out from Normani. :,) Edit: I did enjoy *Fair*, fwiw!
it’s fine and quite cohesive but don’t expect anything groundbreaking
I mean they dragged TTPD so i hope their pandering era is over
Dragging TTPD was a safe and pandering thing to do though. Like the dogpile on that album was so immediately apparent that I don’t really think it was a risky move on anyone’s part at all.
So "safe" people were getting death threats over negative reviews
People get death threats for existing nowadays There was (unfortunately) nothing unique to the TTPD death threats. Fuck for real anyone who doesn’t kid dopamine will *also get death threats*. The reality of our situation now is no matter your opinion you will get death threats Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way… there was zero significant or relevant backlash for panning an album that was in the middle of getting dogpiled by critics. In fact it was the pandering thing to do— go with the flow and toss your log on the fire. I’m not saying it didn’t deserve the criticism. I’m just pointing out that just because a few publications seemed to have broken their stance on pandering by hating it doesn’t mean they weren’t pandering. Pandering to haters is also lucrative TLDR: Their negative review was in fact just more pandering. It’s always pandering And you get death threats for existing now. You can say “I like poppyseed bagels” and then get a death threat from a plain bagel lover
If you liked any of her post-motivation singles, you’ll probably like this. 1:59 is one of the weakest songs on the album, and Candy Paint got some touch ups that improve it, so if you didn’t like those as much, I’d still give it a shot. “Big Boy” is probably Normani’s boppiest song in a while so I’d at least spin that
i feel like you'll enjoy it if you enjoyed fair, it's a solid r&b album
Ooh, that's good! I'll give it a shot tonight :)
It’s good but it’s not my jaw is on the floor good. It’s a cool sound
It’s solid
To what fanbase would they pander here?
Compared to so many other amazing releases this week and last it didn't stand up as one I wanted to fully immerse in. Unfortunately!
It’s a good album! There wasn’t a song that I disliked. It feels a little dated sometimes.
She started losing me after the first few tracks then I started skimming but nothing really drew me in
The album is only 42 minutes long. It’s probably worth giving a full listen.
yeah this screams underpaid intern
The hate is strong 😂 she’s proving all of you miserable haters wrong and still y’all gotta find an excuse to hate. Go outside everyone, it’ll be ok!
Girl, I’m not hating. Y’all here actual convinced me to give it a shot and I’m listening to the album right now and am really enjoying it, haha.
i like it but i don’t think it’s great. i think it would’ve been received a lot better years ago. all the waiting for an album this lowkey is…not great
I wonder if she hadn’t kept implying it would come out way earlier than it did if this would have gone better
yeah part of the lukewarm reception from most people i fully believe is largely due to the wait & how all the hype was killed multiple times with empty promises lol but im glad she finally got it out. hopefully future releases won’t follow this same horrid pattern
Oh I shall give it a listen
Brilliant IKTR
I want to love it, but I was hoping for a lot more like "Motivation" and even though we got a few tracks in that lane, the whole vibe just feels like "We have SZA at home"
sometimes i feel like popheads just doesn't know any r&b artists outside of sza
Yeah this sounds absolutely nothing like SZA lmao
You're not wrong. I admit I know a bit more (very small bit) than SZA but she definitely set the crossover standard as of late IMO. If this album was more Jazmine Sullivan or H.E.R. vibes, I probably would have made those comparisons but a lot of this album really did give me SOS.
I don’t see it, it shares none of the same themes or sounds. It’s more akin to a bad mix of Victoria Monet and Chloe than SZA
That's because it's popheads not r&bheads. And this is also why pop is its own genre and not a reference to "popular music", otherwise there wouldn't be a lack of reference points.
Not a single track on this album sounds like SZA or even slightly derivative.
No more like Brandy - Two Eleven meets Ciara and Keri Hilson
Brilliant if they created an EP, really cute for an album. There are some really good songs on there (Big Boy, Still, Tantrum, Insomnia), also a couple of uninspired filler tracks. I do feel like lyric wise there’s more potential and we don’t really get to know her (we know she’s a bad girl, that’s about it, I don’t want her to be Taylor Swift at all but I am just saying maybe more storytelling than *booty drip grip thighs hips*). I’m not mad at it, people should check it out. She’s got a bit of that early Ciara vibe to her, I like it.
Is it really tho
I don’t know why people think a review is bad cause it’s belated when it’s actually the exact opposite.