2022 Grammy's Album Of The Year Review: "Planet Her (Deluxe)" - Doja Cat

 

For this year's reviews of the album of the year nominees, I simplified my grading. I grade each song (not any interludes or preludes) out of 10, coming up with a final score out of 100. 

"Planet Her (Deluxe)" - Doja Cat

(All Rights To Kemosabe/RCA Records)

1) "Woman"

An empowering ode, this starts off with a nice intro; "And for no reasons, they wanna see us end up like we Regina on Mean Girls..........Princess or queen, tomboy or king". It feels like the message deviates a bit at the start of the track.

2) "Naked"

A sensual sounding track, the bridge is lacking.

3) "Payday" ft/ Young Thug)

The intro is gorgeous.

4) "Get Into It (Yuh)"

While catchy, the track is somewhat annoying.

5) "Need To Know"

There's a nice beat and solid flow. The track knows what it is doing.

6) "I Don't Do Drugs" (ft/ Ariana Grande)

There's sort of a tropic feel, about chasing the feel of desire.

7) "Love To Dream" 

She really shows off her vocals.

8) "You Right" (w/ The Weeknd)

"Don't believe in fairy tales, but we got our fantasies".

9) "Been Like This"

This track was a bit forgettable.

10) "Options" (ft/ JID)

JID's bridge is lacking.

11) "Ain't Shit"

This really grooves, with Doja being authoritative.

12) "Imagine"

There's a really solid beat.

13) "Alone"

With a nice guitar intro, this slows things down. A well-placed track for a tempo change.

14) "Kiss Me More" (ft/ SZA)

This is a perfect collaboration. They mesh really well.

15) "You Right - Extended" (w/ The Weeknd)

The added bridge adds to the track.

16) "Up And Down"

A very catchy track.

17) "Tonight" (ft/ Eve)

A funk feel, this is another solid collaboration.

18) "Ride"

This is rather forgettable.

19) "Why Why" (ft/ Gunna)

I wasn't sure what quite to expect from this album, and I found myself pleasantly surprised. There were a number of misses for me, but there was enough to make this album enjoyable. (82)

 Olivia Rodrigo "Sour" - 100

Billie Eilish "Happier Than Ever" - 97

Taylor Swift "Evermore" - 95

Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga "Love For Sale" - 94.58

Jon Batiste "We Are" - 94.54

Lil Nas X "Montero" - 85

Doja Cat "Planet Her (Deluxe) - 82

H.E.R "Back Of My Mind" - 78

Justin Bieber "Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)" - 65

Kanye West "Donda" - 61 

2022 Grammy's Album Of The Year Review: "Evermore" - Taylor Swift

 

For this year's reviews of the album of the year nominees, I simplified my grading. I grade each song (not any interludes or preludes) out of 10, coming up with a final score out of 100. 

"Evermore" - Taylor Swift

(All Rights to Republic Records)

1) "Willow"

With a solid instrumental backing, this is a fantastic start to the album; "I'm like the water when your ship rolled in that night. Rough on the surface, but you cut through like a knife".

2) "champagne problems"

This is about a turned down proposal; "bustling crowds or silent sleepers, you're not sure which is worse because I dropped your hand while dancing, left you out there standing crestfallen on the landing". She really paints a picture lyrically.

3) "Gold Rush"

Depicting jealousy, she dreams about what her life would be like with this person; "I don't like that anyone would die to feel your touch".

4) "'tis the damn season"

The chorus is well-paced; "The holidays linger like bad perfume, you can run only so far".

5) "Tolerate It"

Lyrically heartbreaking, she struggles of wanting love from someone not paying attention; "If it's all in my head, tell me now. Tell me I've got it wrong somehow. I know my love should be celebrated, but you tolerate it".

6) "no body, no crime" (ft/ HAIM)

This is a country take on an imaginative true crime story about being cheated on by a husband.

7) "happiness"

This deals with moving on from a relationship while acknowledging the parts of joy that was in it; "There'll be happiness after you, but there was happiness because of you".

8) "dorothea"

Following the narrative from " 'tis the damn season ", compared to the rest of the album up 'til now something feels slightly off with this track.

9) "coney island" (ft/ The National)

A well balanced duet on the loss & nostalgia of a past relationship; "gift-wrapped suburban dream".

10) "ivy"

This is about a married woman falling in love, leading to an affair; "your touch brought forth an incandescent glow. Tarnished, but so grand".

11) "Cowboy like me"

With a dreamy feel, this is about swindlers falling in love; "Forever is the sweetest con".

12) "long story short"

This is about her public demonization, and coming through to the other side.

13) "marjorie"

An ode to her late grandmother; "the autumn chill that wakes me up, you loved the amber skies so much".

14) "closure"

Starting off with a wild drum sequence, this deals with her moving on from a friendship; "Don't treat me like some situation that needs to be handled.....I know I'm just a wrinkle in your life now".

15) "evermore" (ft/ Bon Iver)

This details her personal journey with regards to her mental health; "Staring out an open window catching my death. And I couldn't be sure, I had a feeling so peculiar that this pain would be for Evermore". A therapeutic closing to the album.

Along with "Folklore", this is a nice 1-2 combo for Taylor Swift. I wouldn't have been at all shocked if Taylor had enough for a 3rd album coming off that initial writing session. I can't wait to see where Taylor goes from here. (95)

 Olivia Rodrigo "Sour" - 100

Billie Eilish "Happier Than Ever" - 97

Taylor Swift "Evermore" - 95

Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga "Love For Sale" - 94.58

Jon Batiste "We Are" - 94.54

Lil Nas X "Montero" - 85

H.E.R "Back Of My Mind" - 78

Justin Bieber "Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)" - 65

Kanye West "Donda" - 61 

2022 Grammy's Album Of The Year Review: "Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)" - Justin Bieber

 

For this year's reviews of the album of the year nominees, I simplified my grading. I grade each song (not any interludes or preludes) out of 10, coming up with a final score out of 100. 

"Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)" - Justin Bieber

(All Rights to Def Jam Records)

1) "2 Much"

This is full of a variety of cliches on missing your partner.

2) "Deserve You"

The bridge is poor lyrically.

3) "As I Am" ft/ Khalid

Their voices don't mesh well together.

4) "Off My Face"

There's a nice guitar intro. The framework is there for a good song, but its let down by the lyrics.

5) "Holy" ft/ Chance The Rapper

There's a good mix of imagery.

6) "Unstable" ft/ The Kid LAROI

This is about being in a relationship while dealing with mental health issues.

7) "MLK Interlude"

8) "Die For You" ft/ Dominic Fike

Just a bizarre transition from that MLK Interlude to this track about dying for your partner.

9) "Hold On"

A basic enough radio top 40 song.

10) "Somebody"

There's a nice beat.

11) "Ghost"

Lyrically this is a complete song; "If I can't be close to you, I'll settle for the ghost of you....And if you can't be next to me, your memory is ecstasy".

12) "Peaches" ft/ Daniel Caesar & Giveon

This song personifies the idea of annoyance.

13) "Love You Different" ft/ BEAM

This is lyrically shoddy.

14) "Loved By You" ft/ Burna Boy

The lyrics are particularly gag-worthy.

15) "Anyone"

There's a nice chorus.

16) "Lonely" w/ benny blanco

This deals with feeling lonely despite the fame and spotlight.

17) "There She Go" ft/ Lil Uzi Vert

There isn't a lot to this track.

18) "I Can't Be Myself" ft/ Jaden

There's a different feel with this track; "They could open Heaven's gates but without you I'm just stuck in the clouds".

19) "Lifetime"

There's a pleasant backing.

20) "Wish You Would" ft/ Quavo

While there's a nice groove beat, this track is slightly let down by its lyrics.

21) "Know No Better" ft/ DaBaby

Just lyrically poor.

22) "Name" ft/ Tori Kelly

Tori's voice is refreshing to hear. A nice closing duet on what was otherwise a mess of an album.

The chosen singles from "Justice" are solid enough for radio play, but there isn't much beyond that. There doesn't seem to be any sort of theme (and I'm not sure where actual 'Justice' or MLK fits into it all). Overall, like with 'Donda' I have no idea why this got an album of the year nomination. (65)

Olivia Rodrigo "Sour" - 100

Billie Eilish "Happier Than Ever" - 97

Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga "Love For Sale" - 94.58

Jon Batiste "We Are" - 94.54

Lil Nas X "Montero" - 85

H.E.R "Back Of My Mind" - 78

Justin Bieber "Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)" - 65

Kanye West "Donda" - 61