August Alsina: This Thing Called Life
August Alsina
This Thing Called Life
(Def Jam Recordings)
I must admit that I donât really know much about Mr. Alsina except for the singles heâs released so far. It wasnât that I didnât like him as an artist, I just hadnât really had the time to dig deeper. Right off the bat though, there are a few things I like about his sound. Itâs gritty, but conceptual and that to me makes or breaks a song. âHollywoodâ is cruise music; it feels like a late night âhoodâ evening. âWhy I Do It,â featuring Lil Wayne, shows what makes them both special. I really enjoy âChangeâ; its a beautiful song. This song makes me happy to have made time to get into August. âDreamerâ and âBeen Around the Worldâ are average and keep momentum with the album, but donât have that wow-factor. Iâm also a bit over samples, which is in âBeen Around the World.â âWould You Know?â has nice melodies and rides the rhythm perfectly. I appreciate the delivery and a sample is used here, but cleverly. August has a nice blend of classical love songs and melancholy-but-raw, honest compositions. âOther Sideâ is also a well-written R&B track and makes you reflect on lost loved ones. Itâs a pretty big album, so youâll have room to fish around for yourself. I feel like the message is an important factor in creating this project and for me, that matters, whether Iâm excited over every single song or maybe just needing time for it to grow on me. What makes any art great is truth and this album feels authentic. I have my favorites and you will too. If this could be an introduction to those who donât or rarely listen to R&B, I would explain it by stating, âhood,â but mood music. Yeah, thatâs it.
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