Travis Scott’s third studio album, Astroworld, had all the odds stacked against it. Travis’ fans had been anticipating this release for two years, with the constant speculation as to when it would drop only ever resulting in disappointment - until now.
However, while there was obviously immense excitement at there finally being a release date, the prolonged hype meant it was always going to be virtually impossible to meet fans’ expectations. On the other side of the fence were Scott’s critics, who have maintained since day one that he offers nothing more than an unimaginative combination of his idols - Kid Cudi and Kanye West. His relationship with Kylie Jenner has also opened him up to sceptics who will view any success the album enjoys as purely a result of this limelight. But that’s enough negative energy for one post. I admit I’m a massive Travis Scott fan, but I also admit I was nervous as to whether Astroworld would match its promise. ‘Watch’, the lead single, was okay, but it wasn’t of the calibre of Scott’s main Rodeo singles, ‘3500’ and ‘Antidote’, nor was it close to Birds in the Trap Sing Mcknight’s ‘Pick Up the Phone’. Furthermore, I have written previously of my reservations about long tracklists, and Astroworld reads 17 songs long. My fears, however, were proven to be groundless. The album rocks, to a level that is epitomised by its dramatic title. ‘Stargazing’, the opener, ensures Scott hits the ground running, with his pitched vocals reminding the listener of his untouchable mercuriality. This was the summer that left room for someone to step forward and claim the Hip Hop crown, with all the heavyweights producing fine projects, but nothing spectacular. On Astroworld, Scott takes aim at the pantheon, and he warns anyone who tries to halt his mission to either step aside or be blasted out of the way by his thunderous, Auto-Tuned roar. He has always been a master of aesthetics, composing Rodeo with an unwavering loyalty to the theme, making it sound like a sleepy desert quest, with the mood meandering from intensely hot to uncomfortably cold and back again. Birds in the Trap played like a beast rattling furiously against a metal cage, with anarchy and dejection flaring up in equal measure. Astroworld is no less of an enthralling journey, with the cheery, fairground-esque instrumentals providing an eerie backdrop to Scott’s dark storytelling. The album is named after the theme park that was torn down in the artist’s home of Houston, and he’d outlined previously his goal to make the project sound exactly how it felt to have that emblem of youth and fun torn away from the heart of the city. Boy does he stay true to his word. There is the spinning, nauseating tea-cups of ‘NC-17’; the snaking, rip-roaring coaster of ‘Astrothunder’; the stomach-somersaulting drop of ‘Who? What!’; and the psychedelic yet murky fun-house that is ‘Houstonfornication’. The lyrics are undoubtedly his most personal yet, and show that Scott has worked hard to bring the content of his songs up to equal their unquestionable sonic quality. His newborn son and Kylie feature prominently throughout, with Travis offering us some tenderness to balance out the power posing on tracks like ‘Stargazing’ (“I was always high up on the lean/Then this girl came here to save my life”), ‘Stop Trying to Be God’ (“You can’t win a trophy or a plaque off her/But never turn your back on her”) and the concluding ‘Coffee Bean’ (“I know they told you I’d be bad for you/Don’t worry I’ll be back for you”). He interpolates a depth that we haven’t seen previously, addressing issues of sexism on ‘Skeleton’ (“If you take your girl out, do you expect sex?”) and interpolates a metaphor for the fickleness of fame on the aforementioned ‘Stop Trying to Be God’ (“The signal’s far from what you can be/‘Cause air traffic controls the landing”). But the rapper doesn’t have such a strong following amongst the young generation because of his lyrics - it’s because of his anthems. Travis Scott cannot feature on other artists’ songs without his trademark ‘It’s lit!’ and ‘Straight up!’ ad-libs bringing aftershocks to each seismic hook and verse. On his own turf, on his planet, Astroworld, he expects his guests to bring just as much verve, and they generally do not disappoint. Drake churns out yet another classic refrain on ‘Sicko Mode’, while the slower ‘Stop Trying to Be God’ boasts Stevie Wonder playing the harmonica. The Migos of course pop up, while Frank Ocean and Swae Lee offer soothing melodies to soften the blow of Travis’ fiery bars. The Weeknd, however, undoubtedly steals the show, with his angelic but eerie vocals contributing to the hazy nightmares of ‘Skeletons’ and ‘Wake Up’. Despite the success of Migos member Quavo’s joint project with Scott, released late last year, you can’t help but think that The Weeknd would have been a far better suited collaborator. The feeling of having something to prove seems to be the permanent mentality of an artist, but as cliche as it may sound, Travis Scott undoubtedly proves his point on Astroworld. Yes, some critics will lazily claim that he was born great, due to having met Kanye West so early on in his career. And yes, some will look with envious eyes and argue that he has had greatness thrust upon him, due to him having had a child with such a high-profile celebrity. But don’t get it mixed up. On Astroworld, Travis Scott achieves greatness. So my advice for listening to his latest project? As he wrote in the album’s accompanying Apple Music note - ‘Just buckle up’, and enjoy the ride. Yours sincerely, but not too seriously, Max.i’m
2 Comments
8/21/2018 08:22:49 am
Haha thank you! Love your blog - and yes definitely check out the album!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorHello! I'm currently studying Philosophy & Theology at Oxford University, UK. Having always loved writing and music in equal measure, and having always hated decision-making, I figured hey, why do I need to choose between the two? Archives
May 2020
Categories
All
|