review on an album

Assignment Summary

Review an album, in any pop genre—hip-hop / rap, reggae, EDM, &c.—that was released within the last three years. You are welcome to discuss an album you know well, but I encourage you to consider something new.

Content Suggestions

• Your discussion of extra-musical aspects may include:

Relevant biography

• Relevant socio-political context
• Number of songs, or song list
• Discussion of collaborators: who wrote the material, who played or sang it, &c.
• Discussion of media: was it released as a vinyl LP, CD, digital files, &c.

Discussion of album art

Discussion of music videos

Your discussion of general sound aspects may include:

Discussion of genre(s)

Discussion of production or aesthetics

General comments on lyrical themes, song forms, instrumentation or arrangements, &c.

• General comments on recorded vs. live versions of the songs
• Your discussion of 1–2 selected tracks may include:
• Specific discussion of genre(s)—what genre signifiers do you hear in this track?
• Specific discussion of production or aesthetics—what production aspects or effects do you hear in this track, how is the aesthetic conveyed, &c.
• Specific comments on lyrics or words-sounds relationships
• Specific comments on song form, formal sections, instrumentation or arrangement, melody, harmony, &c.
• Organization Suggestions

You could successfully organize this review in many ways. Here is one suggestion:

Introductory paragraph, with thesis (~50 words)

1st content paragraph, on extra-musical aspects (~250 words)

2nd content paragraph, on general sound aspects (~150 words)

• 3rd (and 4th) content paragraph(s), on 1–2 selected tracks (~250+ words)
• Concluding paragraph (~50 words)
• Note on Rhetoric
• As a final note, the review should be rhetorical. That means, you should present and defend a perspective. Is the album successful, by whatever metrics you choose? Why or why not? Is it distinct, by your metrics, and if yes, how? Avoid sharing “empty facts.” Give some insights into what you are discussing: what is the impact of X, Y, or Z aspects?