Anderson .Paak Is Authentically Himself on His Exceptional New Album "Ventura"
Ever since the release of his debut album, Venice, Anderson .Paak’s undeniable talent has been unanimously appreciated and celebrated by music critics and fans alike. The soulful California MC could seemingly do no wrong, that is until his 2017 release Oxnard was met with mixed reviews. The album was his Aftermath debut and executively produced by Dr. Dre and while everything seemed to be lined up for Anderson to deliver the best album of his career, some fans felt as if the project had major identity issues.
Just five months later, Anderson .Paak began the rollout for his forth solo studio album with the release of the excellent single “King James”. Paak took to Twitter to announce that he would continue to work his way up the California coast and title his album Ventura. Three weeks after “King James” Paak released one of the best songs of 2019. The beautiful “Make It Better” features music legend Smokey Robinson and is about the pain of falling out of love and still trying to make things work. Excitement for Ventura continued to build as fans felt Anderson return to his sound and make the music that they had come to adore on previous releases.
On April 12th Anderson dropped Ventura and any identity issues that existed on Oxnard were absolutely nowhere to be found.
The album opens with “Come Home” and after the first 30 seconds it is clear that listeners are in for a treat as .Paak’s soulful voice floats over a precisely arranged instrumental that we’ve come to expect from the multi-talented artist. The elusive Andre 3000 makes an appearance for the last verse and absolutely snaps with the best verse we’ve heard from the legendary MC in years.
The third track “Reachin’ 2 Much” is as groovy as it gets and showcases some of the best drumming I’ve heard. Regardless if you can get down with Anderson’s style or not, his ability as a pure musician is indisputable and “Reachin’ 2 Much” is a prime example.
On “Winners Circle” Paak sings about how ever since the fame he’s use to girls throwing themselves at him left and right, so when the particular girl he’s singing about makes him work for her it is oddly refreshing and allows him to experience something he rarely gets to anymore, the thrill of the chase. His third verse is one of my favorite on the album. Anderson is in his element when rapping about girls and the minimal beat allows his seductive wordplay to take center stage.
“Bring her home and I’ma bust it out the residence
When I get the gushy, I go dumb like the President
Yes, lawd, I’m way up
word to Sacagawea
If the gushy was a sneaker, it’d be moccasin trainer”
“Good Heels” is far too short with a run time of one minute and 38 seconds and leaves listeners craving for more of the addicting chemistry that Paak shares with featured artist Jazmine Sullivan. Fans can only hope that the two collaborate again in the near future.
The up-beat bop “Chosen One” features Anderson yet again searching for a women who loves him for him rather than his fame. Musically, the song delivers on every level and halfway through the beat switches introducing an infectious piano-driven instrumental. On Anderson’s verse he beautifully mixes current slang and witty punchlines (bonus points for the clever bar about MF Doom).
“Jet Black” features Brandy and just might be the catchiest song on the album. A pulsing kick drums keeps the song moving forward and perfectly complements with funky piano chords to make this song sound like a perfect night out on the town. “Jet Black” is sexy, up-beat, and just like everything else on Ventura, conceptually layered.
The album ends with the timeless “What Can We Do?” featuring the late Nate Dogg. There is something beautifully ironic about the fact that we received a rare feature from the deceased LA legend the same day that Nipsey Hussle was buried. Nate Dogg and Anderson compliment each other so perfectly on the hook making any west coast purist shed a tear upon first listen. Paak’s conversation with Nate Dogg at the end of the song is reminiscent to Kendrick speaking to Tupac on the To Pimp a Butterfly outro and is the perfect icing on the cake for an excellent piece of art.
Anderson .Paak’s Ventura showcases everything we love about the soulful California native. It is musically unmatched and conceptually rich. It’s both sexy and politically charged but always in moderation to keep it tasteful. Ventura is my favorite album of the year so far and potentially my favorite album in the talented artist’s deep discography. Thank you for existing Anderson .Paak.
Best Songs:
Winners Circle
Chosen One (Feat. Sonyae Elise)
Jet Black (Feat. Brandy)
Rating: 9
Listen to Ventura here:
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