Hey friends,
A little known fact about the KB is that, before poetry, music was my first deep & true love. I’ve wanted to be a Black music & Black culture critic since I was 10 at least so this is a long-time-coming first venture into this realm of writing :)
It feels fitting that this is the first album that has made me feel something in a while, but I’ll let my review do more of the talking on that lol. Let me know that you think!
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Today, infamous pop star & social media extraordinaire Lil Nas X released his debut album, MONTERO. Despite critiques from men who have the everyday diet of a pregnant person, Nas X shuts anybody that doubts his long-term success all the way down. Through this sonically diverse & surprisingly dense record, we finally get a peek into the intimate musings of Montero the person & the possibility of Montero the artist; truly, this kid is bound to continue breaking barriers for years & queers to come.
Below I give a DJ Booth-esque 1 listen review; no skips, no fast-forwarding, no rewinding. It’s likely that my opinions on these things will change but I SAID WHAT I SAID & hope you have some fun reading.
MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)
An inevitable bop. As soon as the strings start I am listening. I love that this is a different sound for both TakeADaytrip & Nas X. His voice is just deep enough; idk if I can explain that further. “You cute enough to fuck w/ me tonight” always makes me smile. Love that I feel like I’m in a dusty cowboy standoff with Nas X wearing uber-tight leather with red flare when I hear this song. CAN ANYONE LISTEN TO THIS SONG & NOT SEE THE SNL PERFORMANCE. It is sex redefined. A tape that I will pay to see. I’d love to see this kid do a live tour album. It’s giving excellence. It’s giving Black queer supremacy. It’s giving new-age gay cowboy fantasy. 10/10.
DEAD RIGHT NOW
Love the rhythm of this song right off the bat. Lil Nas X & trumpets is the best pairing we’ve seen since Bennifer. I’m such a bird for a phone chirp in a song; it brings me back to early 2000’s Black culture somehow. “You know I never did you wrong” cmon Dr*ke; give us light misogyny. I’m so easily impressed by a line of 808’s coming in, but it feels like perfect timing in this song. CMON RAPPER. The hallelujah part: omg. Will def play this back after I finish this review. Feels like the typical “don’t call me now that I’m famous” sentiment that happens in debut albums (& the first 5 albums if you are Dr*ke). Why am I thinking of Dr*ke while listening to this song (hate that for me)? “You ain't even all that pretty” ok mr ma’am. I think that that filter that makes things sound like they’re in a tunnel works for him; it’s used multiple times in this song. I think it’s often used to connote a bridge or some sort (music purists correct me if I’m wrong but I hear this filter a LOT in trap music). Good song. 10/10
INDUSTRY BABY (feat. Jack Harlow)
CMON 2 SECONDS OF NEW INTRO. Back at it again w/ the trumpets. TakeADaytrip was really in their bag w/ this one. I can’t not see the line of gays walking when I hear the intro of this song. This may be the only song that has ever made me memorize a white boy rapping; brava, Mr. Nas X. “But these niggas bitches like Madea” always makes me chuckle because aint Tyler Perry homophobic? Anyway. A great song to lift weights to. A great song to dance naked to (not that I know or anything — hehe). Makes me feel like I gotta yell these lyrics at my haters. I will say that the “handprint on her ass cheeks” line made me say “ok mr rapper”. I’m maybe the only Black person that thinks this, but Jack Harlow fits this song. Don’t cancel me for that last sentence. YOU WAS NEVER REALLY ROOTING FOR ME ANYWAY. Makes me feel like an industry baby though I have no industry connections. Playback-worthy. 10/10
THATS WHAT I WANT
CMON GUITAR. This definitely adds a new element to the album. I enjoy that me & Mr. Nas X have the same type. The “these days I’m way too lonely” part sounds exactly like another song I’ve heard; I can’t remember what the song is. Maybe something by a white person. Anyway. This feels like a pop charts song; get your money, boy. I do genuinely like it. “That’s what I fuckin want” SAME SISTREN. Love the talking part. Love the rhythm of the “But your loving, your body, & a little bit of your brain” part. I enjoy the diversity of rhythm in the way he speaks in this song overall. Good song to run in a field to. Good song to to feel like Natasha Beddingfiel to. It’s giving running around amongst corn stalks in the dead heat. It’s giving “I got left at the altar & now I’m drinking away my pain”. Good song. 10/10 (I can’t believe all the songs have been good thus far; sign of a good album).
THE ART OF REALIZATION
Love that he’s essentially explaining what your 20’s feels like: “going nowhere fast” (in my usher voice). I feel you, Nassy Nas X (though I think that I will skip this on a 2nd listen cause I hate a talking interlude, I will give it 10/10)
SCOOP (feat. Doja Cat)
Doja Cat was in that racial chat teaching those white boys how to make an album; I’m glad sis gave Lil Nas X the recording afterwards. Love the pilates line; it’s fun (& reminds me to do these damn downward dogs after this review). The “scurr” is giving Migos; love that rap is all over this album. “I’m tryna fuck lil nigga cut the chit chat” ok lil bb trade. UNDERSTAND I’M JUST TRYNA BE THE DAILY… SCOOP *DW meme*. “& now my body look like something you’d eat cake off” I love miss Doja really forreally. She is so talented. Love when she hits a quick harmony & harmonizes over herself talking. “I really only need you for tonight” I’m realizing that romance & sex themes are a lot of what this album is; that along with the boasting thing that rappers do when they make it. I ain't mad at it, but I am hoping for some diversity in subject matter in this next set of songs. 10/10
ONE OF ME (feat. Elton John)
Aaaaand this song gave exactly what I was hoping for lol. Ngl the piano has me wanting to cry; I love intergenerational queerness in action. Especially queer manhood; such a specific experience. Love the visual of Elton John sending this over & the producers niggafying it up a bit. Love that this feels like a legit thing that Nas X has been dealing with as he rises in prominence. I imagine that it’s so hard to continue a career after one song goes diamond like OLD TOWN ROAD did. But he did it, & we’re all better for it. Love his presence in this music thing, & love how touching & personal the lyrics of this song feel. My only “critique” I guess is that it feels a bit nursery rhymey. The rhythm of it is not my usual thing, & it feels not as sophisticated/sonically interesting as the songs that come before it. I do like the message of this song though, & I’m happy that the ordering of it feels perfect after a string of songs that feel similar in subject matter. 8/10
LOST IN THE CITADEL
Love that he is a having a boy band moment in this song. Also love how he’s dipping his toe in many genres throughout this album thus far (though trap feels like his pocket of comfort). This is giving Fall Out Boy in their prime. It’s giving All Time Low, Linkin Park, Paramore. I honestly would love to see Hayley Williams on a remix if he decides to do more with this one. It would be paying homage to PARANOIR (Black Paramore fans). The elements of that angsty boyband energy is all here & it fits him well! Damn, this is a good album thus far. 10/10
DOLLA SIGN SLIME (feat. Megan Thee Stallion)
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees king. I’m a bit biased since I was in the top 1% of Megan listeners last year & I’m on the brink of standom when it comes to her, but this is an objectively good track. The “song of the year” contender off of this album I fear. Black queer excellence (Megan please beeee whooo you aaaaaare for all of us). Real lesbian shit feels like it’s oozing from her but I’ll let Pardi have his moment. Anyway. “I’m the same dolla sign sliiiiime” ugh now I wanna buy gold fronts. This song is reminding me to visit Houston soon. The syncopation of verse 1 reminds me of someone; trying to remember who (maybe Dr*ke?). As soon as the laugh from Megan happened I got wet ngl. She really should have her own genre of porn the way the girls jack off to anything negative about her in the press. Sorry my standom jumped out. Anyway. “Everything bout me came from genetics” let em know Megan. You can always count on her to make a quotable. I honestly would love to see a set of quotes that suburban people put up in their houses from Megan. Instead of “Live, Laugh, Love” it’s “Classy, Bougie, Rachet”. Sassy. Moody. NASTY. I’m ready to buy it whenever you are ready to sell it to me Megan. Anyway. “Miss one catch one I aint new to fish” beee whooo you aaaaare. Fooooor your priiiiide (I spend way too much time on the internet). Back at it again w/ the trumpets. This is my favorite thus far. 10/10
TALES OF DOMINICA
When Nas X said “this plastic bed don’t blow up no mo”, too many grown men who can afford to get an actual bed felt that. Very emo. The “sometimes you’re angry” sounds like some other song I know; not sure what. This song seems to adopt the “singer-songwriter” kind of vibe. I don’t dislike it. I’m glad that he’s trying new things throughout this album; it usually makes an album for me. The diversity of sound makes me really excited for this kid’s future. So many places to go from here. I will say that this song sounds simple rhythmically & sonically; not bad but not my thing generally. Not immediately a song I would replay, but I want him to keep making songs like this. If the confidence & playfulness in this tradition gets to a place where, say an “industry baby” is, he could be in his bag. 7/10
SUN GOES DOWN
Ngl this was the single that didn’t do it for me out of the 3 that he dropped pre-the album dropping. It isn’t bad, just (again) not my usual go-to unless I am in a mood. Listening to it again has it growing on me, though. “Since 10 I been feelin lonely” resonated a little too much on this playback >:’(. Love the honestly of like, “am I too dark”; those kinds of thoughts feel so present in grade school & young adulthood. “Imma make my fans so proud of me” you have, baby. You have. I think the production & adlibs on this song are superb; there’s so much more going on. Harmonies, layering of sound in the background — feels spacey but also still singer-songwriter. I enjoy it. 8/10
VOID
Awwww shit. The guitar at the beginning has me ready to cry. He has such a cute singing voice actually. This is definitely the “FEELINGS” song on the album that I will replay while in the shower after a day of capitalism beating my ass. The “tell me what you know” part is so nice to the ears. I enjoy the echo & the emotion behind the voice. Cmon falsetto. Ed Sheeran wishes he could. Jkjk, don’t want the stans of him coming for me. “Trapped in a lonely, loner life; Looking for love where I'm denied” ooooooof. Seems like a continuation of the sentiments expressed in Sun Goes Down. This is the replay for me because the vocals are a bit more diverse & interesting to me. Awwww the ending. Gets me all in my queer feelings. 10/10
DONT WANT IT
Continuation of the same sentiments, except now we are moving into uplifting lyrics. “Tell the devil I can't have him inside” yeeeees. After y’all tried to make this man out to be a child of the devil he was like “actually no”. I love the stunt of the audio from winning awards in this track. “I've done things in my past I'm sorry for, so please don't hold me” haven’t we all. I’m glad he’s at least addressed his past shit (looking at you, T the C). I wonder what the science is behind “hatefulness” & “being a Barb”. I know correlation doesn’t equal causation but studies should be conducted about it. I literally saw a Barb this week call someone an ableist slur because the original tweeter didn’t agree with her misleading statements about the COVID vaccination. If you’re a barb reading this, seek help. Anyway. I like this one. Something feels like it’s missing though; I can’t really put my hand on it; maybe this one feels, again, weaker than some of the stronger songs? 8/10
LIFE AFTER SALEM
YEEEEEEEES. Another rock moment. Honestly would gag if Willow was on the remix (please listen to me Mr. Nassy X). Feels like the “ending” track of this album. It’s like stripping yourself of all that shame, blame, other people’s projections, bad love, all of it. Also feels like succumbing to the fucked up-ness of a lover because you see their fucked up-ness of a lover. Honestly would go to a concert to hear this one. Love the whistle; recalls the OLD TOWN ROAD era. Thank you, Mr. Nas X, for this one. Looking forward to listening to this again when I’m needing to purge whatever needs purging from my body. 10/10
AM I DREAMING (feat. Miley Cyrus)
Am I weird for thinking of the Cheetah Girls when I heard verse 1? Sounds like the part before AND WE ARE SISTERS to me. I like it. A part of me is still mad at Miley Cyrus for having a rap moment & then denouncing it in a kind of condescending way, but I can’t deny that the woman is talented. Feels like the perfect song to have her on. How many people can say they’ve worked with Billy Ray AND Miley?! This feels so full-circle. I kind of want to cry at the end of this album honestly. I’m so happy for Mr. Nas X & everything that happens for him after this album. An undeniably tough body of work & a great song to end this textured & beautiful ride. 10/10
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141/150 = 9.4/10
For the KB, this album is a 9.4.
You heard it here first (or second) (or third, who cares really). If pitchfork doesn’t give this album a “Best New Music” & if every other blog is not doing 8/10 they are racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-Black even. Or maybe they are just haters. It is a good album & a Grammy nom contender. This is his exclamation point. This is Montero (the person & the album)’s emergence into what I hope is a long & great career for him.
Love, peace & chicken grease,
-KB