ALBUM REVIEW - "NEVER ENOUGH" - Daniel Caesar

Written by Al Currie Jr. - June 22, 2023.

“NEVER ENOUGH” - Daniel Caesar (Shot by @trentmunson)

Okay, I know I been MIA but like life been “LiFE-ING” for real. In all the chaos, music has been the life raft that has kept me afloat, with that same regard some of my favorite artists have been doing an amazing job. Notably, Daniel Caesar to say the least.

After listening to his sophomore studio album, “CASE STUDY 01”, I knew the next project would be transcendent. It was one of my most anticipated albums of the year, so I had high hopes. Once I heard the rollout of singles like, “PDNL” (Please do not Lean), “Let Me Go”, and “Do you Like Me?” I knew we were getting another classic, and I was right (kinda).

My first initial listen had been in my bedroom that midnight as the rain poured heavily with my AirPods fully engulfed in Daniel’s smooth melodic voice. The album opened up with “Ocho Rios” solidifying Daniel’s themes of heartbreak and lost love. The composition of chords and drums with the mixture of rain in the background was a *Chef’s Kiss*. I knew he had me. The rest of the album consist of 17 more tracks with themes of love, self reflection, self empowerment, and so much more to dive in. My favorites (excluding the singles) were “Superpowers”, “Toronto 2014” and “Homosexual”.

I think overall Daniel knows exactly what to do in that booth. He has perfected his craft and sound with the help of his producers and engineers for sure. My biggest criticism towards the album was that unlike “CASE STUDY 01” there wasn’t any upbeat songs. I really liked the island vibe from the previous album and tracks like “CYANIDE” or “FRONTAL LOBE MUZIK” had a pace to them that made me want to dance and move. I think I missed that element on this album. I also love that Daniel experiments and isn’t afraid to try new things. It’s what separates artists from singers in my opinion and he is definitely not afraid to try something new! I think that worked in his favor for the most part but some songs did feel a little too far fetched for me. Overall, I’d give the album a solid 8/10. It’s definitely got gems on there that can be added to your personal playlist but also the replay value on this album is grade A. I think it was a solid follow up and nice addition to his discography.

Who is CothePhotographer and why should I care?

Written by Al Currie Jr - March 31, 2022

Captured by Zay J. (@treesintheville)

“Dreamville”. “Fayette-nam”, “The 2-6”. All of these nicknames may be familiar to you if you know who J Cole, the GOAT, is. BUT, if you don’t know who that is in the slightest then maybe you’ll know where Dennis Smith Jr is from. Fayetteville, the home of a “dollar and a dream”. The city of hard knocks, go getters, straight out the mud hustlers. This is beyond no exception when it comes to Art. 

From artists, like J Cole, to Morray, to “that dude from Atlanta” (Brian Tyree Henry). These artists have proven to be immensely talented, so much so they’ve catapulted themselves from a small city to sharing their art on a global stage and @cothephotographer is no different. 

Courtney Cheatham is a photographer in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I was made aware of her work through Instagram. When I first saw her page, I was blown away. The vulnerability within her subjects was breath taking. I felt like her subjects weren’t looking through a lens but at the viewer themselves. Her art was captivating and had me in disbelief that this was only through Instagram, a social platform that diminishes art down to a system of likes and emojis. Nevertheless, her art has spread far and wide attracting the eyes of model & actress, Ebonee Davis. Which lead to the two of them working together on a new piece, which is apart of Courtney’s recent exhibit, “Raised by Angels”.

Captured by Courtney Cheatham (@cothephotographer), modeled by Ebonee Davis (@eboneedavis)

“Raised by Angels”, is a collection of photos described as “Black Women in their angelic light“ and strives to showcase “their strength, guardianship, and grace.” The exhibit was held by the Fayetteville Arts Council and was shown from the 11-16 of March. I had the pleasure of seeing this art in person and was amazed. The collection had 6-7 pieces with a mixture of B&W images to Color, all shot on film. The images captured the beauty of black women and seeing what mimicked a real life angel. 

Hosted by the Fayetteville Arts Council.

I know you may be wondering, “okay, but why should I care?”. My reply is that you don’t have to, but you should be able to appreciate and have an opinion on art. While Courtney’s work is impeccable, the real reason you should care (especially if you’re from Fayetteville) is that she represents something we rarely see. “Co” Cheatham is a BLACK WOMAN creating the belief that you can be a successful artist. She has proven that you can use your skill to create art and have it affect others in an immense way. While being from a small city like Fayetteville you rarely see people make it out the city but Courtney is showcasing that you can have success in the city itself.

If you can, I urge you to check out her work via instagram. It’s amazing and you’ll be glad you did.

REVIEW - "OGB - Take Some Time"

Written by Al Currie Jr - March 24, 2022

Have you ever found yourself on a late night drive thinking about how tough life is, but an angelic voice saves you from your deep thought? OGB is that angelic voice. 

“Take some time” talks about a relationship that has come to a close but it doesn’t seem like this is the first or the last time this conversation has come up. OGB sings melodically “Are we cutting down the whole tree? Are you serious about this?”. She uses this tree to symbolize the relationship, and in turn invites the listener to truly imagine her lyrics visually. The song continues by diving into OGB’s perspective on the relationship saying “Babe we do this sh*t like clockwork, let’s not play pretend. We do this fighting sh*t a lot, now you trying to make it end.” The lyrics are vulnerable & relatable which gives the song qualities that listeners can attach to. In some ways the song really reminded me of the end of your first love. There are times where you want to call it quits because of an argument and you think maybe something will be different this time if I stay, but deep down you know the best thing is to walk away. I think “Take some time” really covers the break up of the relationship in such a beautiful way that it’s hard not to reflect on past loves.

The song overall is well written with a chorus that is conceptually complex but very simple. She does a very solid job with capturing the aspects of the relationship in both verses and sonically delivers gorgeously. 

The song is very recent and only on SoundCloud but she does have a couple more tracks that I think are worth checking out if you like it!