Albums to Ride Out Quarantine 2

By StereoVision Staff

Last year, the Stereovision Staff compiled a list of some of our favorite records for our readers to enjoy while indoors safely riding out Covid-19 (also known by its government name, Coronavirus). Since then, it seems like this Covid business has only gotten worse, with the emergence of an anti-mask brigade, negligent partygoers willing to risk their lives to see The Chainsmokers, and more new strains than a PDX dispo. Here we are, a whole year since the world shut down, and we’re still stuck inside. We at Stereovision commend those that have spent the past year living responsibly - either by social distancing and/or simply maintaining a sacred love and respect for their fellow neighbor. Let this article deliver you a handful of records for you to revisit - or potentially discover - as we all wait patiently for life to go back to normal. With multiple vaccines in production, let’s all hope this is the last article of its kind. -Carter Fife

---

What’s Going On (1971) - Marvin Gaye

On what is probably my favorite record of all time, Marvin Gaye takes his confusion and frustration with the current state of the world and focuses it into 40 minutes of the best R&B/Soul music you’ll ever hear. At the time of its release, America didn’t look quite so different to how it appears today - multiple wars were being fought overseas, racial discrimination was plaguing the sociopolitical realm like a moral rot, and barely 3-weeks prior a massive march on Washington D.C. took place condemning the Vietnam War. In what can only be described as musical catharsis, the next month Marvin Gaye released a collection of ethereal and sentimental tracks that would forever alter the lives of many - including himself. Though What’s Going On did not end a war on its own, or achieve universal racial equity and justice, what it did do was offer a lifeline of hope to those struggling, letting people know that things would get better and that they were not alone. While stuck inside in the midst of a deadly pandemic, we could all use another album like this one. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks: Flyin’ High, What’s Going On, Mercy Mercy Me

---

Madvillainy (2004) - Madvillain (RIP)

Being back home has its perks, but for the most part, it is hard not to feel like you’re stagnating. Sleeping in my childhood bed has actually made me feel as if I had been reverting into my past self, filled with existential terror that 7 years have passed since I was 16. This has led me to revisit some of my high-school favorites while safely-nestled in the protective cotton of my old comforter and low thread count sheets. I should probably start talking about the record though - we’ve all heard it, we know it’s a classic. Already-nostalgic samples paired with some of the oddest and most infectious rapping heard on a record to this day, DOOM and Madlib did not have to snap like this. Hearing of DOOM’s passing was one of the lowest points of the past year, but it was a healthy and sobering reminder to appreciate the legends around us while they’re still here. Even though DOOM may be gone, his influence will never be forgotten. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks: Curls, Accordion, Eye

---

Honest (2014) - Future

Because of the intense listening fatigue that is inevitable when you’re a music junkie in a global pandemic, going back and combing through the catalogs of your favorite artists is an absolute COVID essential. Very few deep dives were as enjoyable as that of Future Hendrix and while listening I was reminded of all the amazing drugged-out atmospheres I hadn’t explored since high school. If there’s one obvious observation I made during these sessions though it was that Future’s 2014 sophomore studio album Honest was the peak of the first act of his career and is without a doubt the most underrated thing in his discography. From the moment you press play on the intro and hear Pluto preach over the infectiously epic “Look Ahead” instrumental you can tell you’re in for a wild ride. Honest is so special because it’s the moment that Future evolved from a gifted young trap-rapper to one of the most influential artists of our generation. He takes countless risks over the course of the 66-minute run time and every single one results in an exciting moment that plays its part in moving the genre forward and cementing Fu as a true visionary. All this goes without even mentioning the legendary list of features that includes the likes of Kanye West, Drake, Andre 3000, Pharrell Williams, Lil Wayne, and many more. Honest is an absolutely essential piece of Future’s legacy and is home to some of his most prolific songs ever. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks: Look Ahead, Special, Benz Friendz

---

Some Rap Songs (2018) - Earl Sweatshirt

An album with endless layers, Odd Future alumni Earl Sweatshirt’s sophomore record Some Rap Songs is best listened to with an attentive ear. With stripped-back, minimalist, and oftentimes rugged production, the beat palette allows Earl to be cathartic, grieve, and mourn across an extremely tight 24 min runtime. Frankly, the raw emotion displayed on Some Rap Songs is something that millions are going through during a time like this. It’s nice to know that you aren’t alone in misery at times, and Earl does just that. -Luke Modugno

Favorite Tracks: Nowhere2go, Eclipse, Riot!

---

Donuts (2006) - J Dilla

School, exercise, sleep, repeat. For many people, quarantine has been a constant cycle of repeating the same day over and over. If you want an easy way to break that, give J Dilla's classic beat tape Donuts a spin. Donuts keeps you on your toes, relentlessly throwing extravagant, intricate beats at the listener through the project. Besides being a quintessential classic in hip hop, with no lyrics, it’s the perfect background music for any quarantine activity. -Luke Modugno

Favorite Tracks: Workinonit, Time: The Donut of the Heart, Gobstopper

---

Control System (2012) - Ab-Soul

For many people (including me) quarantine is accompanied by a perpetual boredom and lingering anxiety that we frequently evade but is always there. For these moments I found myself grasping for a record that could capture me entirely and allow me to escape my reality through vivid storytelling and profound ideas for my mind to explore. Over the past year, no album has been able to consistently hold my attention like Control System by Ab-Soul. Over the course of the record, Ab-Soul is strikingly honest which results in him finding something he had yet to discover prior to the 2012 release: His sound. This psychedelic sound he’s able to pull on sounds nearly biblical and his unique perspective on these emotions as someone with a foot in the streets makes his music powerful. Well tracks like “Terrorist Threats” and “Pineal Gland” showcase Ab-Soul’s cryptic mind, he doesn’t forget to have fun on his sophomore project, and songs like “Mixed Emotions” and “Illuminate” allow him to flex his ability as a generational rapper and can be added to playlists intended for lighter listening sessions. The prophetic project is Solo’s best work and should definitely be included in the conversation about the best TDE releases of all-time. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks: Mixed Emotions, Illuminate, The Book of Soul

---

Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again? (2020) - Kacy Hill

To be honest, I don’t have a long-winded explanation for why I’ve listened to this record so much since its release last July, or even why I recommend it to those struggling in quarantine. Kacy Hill’s sophomore record is a beautifully written and performed meditation on romance, growing up, and becoming the person that you are - and though I can only speak for myself, quarantine has really fucked my shit up. Let's be real, staying inside in your early 20’s can not be a good start to some of your most formative adult years. Perhaps it is for this reason that I find myself circling back to this record so frequently, for it offers me a rare dose of perspective and serenity that other albums lack. Yeah, things are borderline terrible right now, and I know that things will get better, but in the meantime, I want to be able to feel the reality of it all - all in hopes of avoiding age’s jaded numbness that quarantine seems to be catalyzing. Anyway - listen to this record. Cashmere Cat produced one of the tracks and it is god-tier music. Maybe I did have a long-winded explanation after all. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks: Palladium, Everybody’s Mother, Unkind.

---

Hell Hath No Fury (2006) - Clipse

Although the majority of modern listeners seem more ready to talk about Clipse’s classic debut Lord Willin’ due to its energy and bite, it’s really the darker tone of their 2006 sophomore album Hell Hath No Fury that’s been pushing me forward through quarantine. With palpable chemistry that could only exist between brothers, Pusha T and No Malice craft a cocaine classic jam-packed with punch-lines like daggers and dazzling wordplay. That goes without even mentioning the emotional depth that the duo explores across the entire project - something that Push credits to Pharrell’s consistent encouragement to push boundaries and go deeper well recording the album. Speaking of Pharrell, Hell Hath No Fury (which was executively produced by The Neptunes) contains production which was so unique and electric that it would inspire an entire generation of hip-hop producers. The true beauty of Clipse’s second classic is that it isn’t even about coke, but rather everything that surrounds life in the dope game, from shinning highs to sobering lows. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks: We Got It For Cheap, Hello New World, Nightmares

---

Finally, when writing this article I reached out to some people on Instagram to hear what they had to say about their favorite records to listen to in quarantine. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the albums were either extremely low-tempo or the exact opposite. Selections like Tame Impala, Solange’s When I Come Home, and Raveena’s Moonstone EP were juxtaposed against Ken Car$on’s TeenX, redveil’s Niagara, and Kanye West’s Yeezus. There were also a lot of guilty pleasure records like Nothing But Love by Just Friends and Bath’s Ocean Death EP, but above all, I saw a lot of artists responding with their newly-created records. Even Nashville Rapper $avvy took the liberty of recommending his own record - which actually warmed my heart for a moment. It was a nice reminder that despite all the shit that has plagued the past year, there has still been an inspiring amount of resilience, strength, and creativity from the artistic realm. Without artists - especially now - quarantine would have been somehow worse than it already has been, so for that Stereovision wants to shout out every artist that has not let Covid-19 fuck with your creative spirit. Keep doing your thing, as long as it involves staying indoors, and hopefully, we’ll see you all at a music festival safely later this year (fingers crossed). 

---

 Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to never miss a post:

• 
  StereoVision

  A year ago we compiled a list of albums to help everyone weather the quarantine. Here we are a year later, still st… https://t.co/fdusHMOSLK

  Mar 17, 2021, 1:39 PM
• 
  StereoVision

  Happy 6th birthday to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ one of the best albums ever released 💿🦋 What’s the be… https://t.co/4boKEsxxJM

  Mar 16, 2021, 9:01 PM
• 
  StereoVision

  Extra extra! Check out some of our highlights from last night’s Grammy’s 💿 https://t.co/Og7RkYCDGg

  Mar 15, 2021, 1:09 PM
• 
  StereoVision

  Kendrick Lamar performs “The Blacker The Berry” and “Alright” at the 2016 Grammy’s ✊🏾💯 What’s your favorite Grammy… https://t.co/IVbP8S5GG3

  Mar 14, 2021, 3:28 PM

Kacy Hill, Actualized: 'Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again' Album Review

By Carter Fife

The past few years have been quite strange for Kacy Hill.

Three years have passed since the release of Hill’s 2017 debut record Like A Woman, which was not only executive-produced by Kanye West but also released by his label, G.O.O.D Music. At the time of its release, Like A Woman was a lightning rod for critical acclaim as it established Kacy Hill both as a powerful force in pop music, and as a contemporary mainstay that masterfully occupied opposite emotional registers of delicacy and power. Even today, sifting through her Instagram comments always yields a few hopeful fans asking Kacy to make another “90210” with Travis Scott, or to work with Kid Cudi or Cashmere Cat again. In 2019, Kacy Hill decided to leave G.O.O.D. Music, citing a desire to regain creative control without having to be flexible to those from the label. Independent and driven, the past few years have seen Kacy starting training for Olympic weightlifting, collaborating with Cashmere Cat on his 2017 record 9, and dropping 5 singles before last week’s release of her sophomore record, Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again. 

Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again sees Kacy Hill both at her most pensive and vulnerable self, as well as her most inspired and uplifted. This is a welcome reflection of growth considering how on Like A Woman, we heard the Phoenix songwriter delve into her own desires, whether it was to be loved, to find love, to seek fairness in relationships, or to be strong, respected, and powerful. Ultimately the 2017 record was a reflection of Hill’s struggle of self-actualization in the midst of emotional and romantic turmoil. This was even reflected in the wake of the record’s release, as several headlines identified her only by her proximity to her label, or as Kanye West’s protégé. While at the time this may have seemed harmless, it seems likely that his treatment led Kacy Hill to develop a sense of Impostor Syndrome instead of earned confidence after graduating from Yeezus Tour dancer to established industry talent. Even when her label departure was covered by HotNewHipHop, the writer mistakingly included an image of a redhead woman that wasn’t even her. Thankfully years later Hill has no need to find her identity, as now she has found serenity with herself and what she wants. Both of these things are illustrated in the album’s 11 tracks, where Kacy Hill navigates self-doubt and relationship anxieties alongside her own fears of time and everything temporary.

Kacy Hill’s sophomore record completely shattered my expectations, as it is rare that a record like this balances narrative cohesion, profound writing and lyricism, and subversive musical styles that achieve soaring highs and relaxed lows at every turn. The album begins with two songs that grapple with the past, as Kacy Hill looks within and faces her own self-doubt on tracks like “To Someone Else” and “Much Higher”. The former is full of steady and rhythmic moments where Kacy is forced to bravely look to the future, before the chorus breaks through with layered vocal and little falsetto melodies that aid in transitioning to the next track. The latter song, “Much Higher”, is both catchy and glitchy, synthesizing older and newer styles of pop music as Hill looks to the past and accepts her past romances for the good, and the bad.

Hill’s narrative stays on a clear trajectory throughout the project, as the next few songs are concerned with a newer and more positive relationship. On tracks like “I Believe In You” featuring Francis and the Lights (who was a writer and producer for many of the songs on this record), Hill’s optimism and confidence shine as she sings about quelling hopelessness with positivity, love, and mindfulness. She sings “I believe in you / and you are my proof / that everything gets better and / that love can be true” over a space track whose minimal ambiance serves as a foundation to elevate the performances of Kacy and Francis. The song “Porsche” is a glittery and indie-pop banger about unlearning past behaviors and thoughts about oneself, getting a fresh start, and learning to love another person, and in the process, yourself. The whole time this is happening, Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again never comes off as indulgently saccharine or emotional, instead providing Hill’s signature touching approach to a broad emotional register.

While there is certainly much to love about Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again, the album is not without its moments of weakness. Upon seeing the brief tracklist for the first time, it was strange to see that over half of the record was made up of previously-released tracks, including Dinner that, while a great track, came out almost two years ago. This record may also be too laid-back for some people’s tastes, as many of the songs adopt a much softer aural register than Like A Woman’s, perhaps to more intimately convey their message and meaning. This, however, is done at the expense of making a more universally consumable pop record, and although I have a great deal of respect for every song the album, it is unlikely that I will play “Told Me” next time I get aux in my friend’s car. Despite the fact that these songs are much more relaxed and minimalistic than we may be used to, this is more than made up for with tracks like “Everybody’s Mother” and “Unkind” that are more intense by comparison. 

Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again is one of the strongest records of the year so far, and though the album may have benefitted from a handful of additional tracks, it was definitely worth the wait. Kacy Hill once again has established herself as a powerful force in pop music, and I sincerely look forward to what she makes in the future. 

favorite tracks

Everybody’s Mother

Palladium

Unkind

Rating: 9

Listen to Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again here:

Listen to Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again on Spotify. Kacy Hill · Album · 2020 · 11 songs.

---

Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter to get updated whenever we post:

• 
  StereoVision

  A year ago we compiled a list of albums to help everyone weather the quarantine. Here we are a year later, still st… https://t.co/fdusHMOSLK

  Mar 17, 2021, 1:39 PM
• 
  StereoVision

  Happy 6th birthday to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ one of the best albums ever released 💿🦋 What’s the be… https://t.co/4boKEsxxJM

  Mar 16, 2021, 9:01 PM