#iTunesSounds – Alessia Cara – “Four Pink Walls” – October 20, 2015

On her debut five-track EP titled “Four Pink Walls,” Alessia Cara came out of the box swinging lyrically. She caught my attention with a song playing on Sirius XM during a trip to Seattle in late-August. Cara’s smooth vocals mixed with quality production set the stage for a debut album that should arrive sooner than later.

By: Brandon Clay @BBallPlusMusic

Here are my two favorite tracks from the EP:

1) “Here”

BREAKDOWN: The song has been a major hit for the 19-year old Canadian singer. It’s charted as high as No. 20 on the Billboard ladder. Cara sings an easy relatable story about attending a party with her friends but wanting to just chill somewhere else.

2) “Four Pink Walls”

BREAKDOWN: The title track off of the album has all the makings of a follow up single to “Here.” An uptempo beat with some bounce gives Cara a chance to let her voice dance on rhythm with a cadence that floats between singing and almost rapping parts of the song.

FINAL GRADE: B

Brandon-Clay-Bio-2 Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his #iTunesSounds reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @bballplusmusic.

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#iTunesSounds – Bryson Tiller – “TRAPSOUL” – October 19, 2015

Bryson Tiller came out blazing on his first album titled “Trapsoul.” The 14-track output is a nice mix of uptempo songs and more traditional R&B. It’s a must have for fans of the genre as Tiller establishes himself as one who we’ll keep an eye on over the next 12 months.

By: Brandon Clay @BBallPlusMusic

Here are my five favorite tracks from the album:

1) “Exchange”

BREAKDOWN: Tiller samples the “Shawty Swing My Way” beat from the 90’s and delivers a homerun in the process. I expect this one to hit airwaves soon.

2) “Don’t”

BREAKDOWN: First single off the album to touch the airwaves has been on fire. Slow tempo, Tiller’s voice carries the track.

3) “Sorry Not Sorry”

BREAKDOWN: The song starts with a mean “Street Fighter” drop that the most hardcore video game fans have to appreciate. Tiller goes on to show the 502 love (as he does throughout the album) while explaining that he’s not the one for his ex-girl.

Listen to more about this topic on the PSBPopCulture.com Report at the 5:30 min mark:

4) “Been That Way”

BREAKDOWN: Tiller addresses the rift between him and his girl. There’s love there but a combination of time, money and success has taken it’s toll on the relationship.

5) “Right My Wrongs”

BREAKDOWN: The album’s final track gives Tiller a chance to display his vocals with a soft track in the background. For an album where the beats assist his voice much of the way, Right My Wrongs is very much the opposite and it works for him.

Honorable Mention: “502 Come Up”

BREAKDOWN: In an ode to his Louisville area code, Tiller brings the heat while putting the city on his back in the process. He even shouts out Louisville native D’Angelo Russell (Los Angeles Laker rookie guard) in that gold and purple.

FINAL GRADE: A

BREAKDOWN: This is a complete album with enough substance to satisfy pure R&B fans but enough uptempo tracks to keep mainstream listeners entertained.

Brandon-Clay-Bio-2 Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @bballplusmusic.

Category: #iTunesSounds | LEAVE A COMMENT