Post Malone is, in many ways, the perfect embodiment of our current amorphous musical landscape, where questions surrounding authenticity and originality have become moot in the age of AI. The rapper-singer’s Top 40-friendly mix of bawdy trap, smooth R&B, and anthemic pop requires a certain level of swagger and showmanship to effectively pull off—one that now feels part and parcel to achieving any sort of mainstream relevance.
Malone has transcended his questionable beginnings as a perceived culture vulture, which included donning cornrows and christening himself as the white counterpoint to Allen Iverson. In the process, he’s aimed for higher echelons of stardom, attempting to reinvent himself with each new release in order to further distance himself from accusations of appropriation.
But even with a fresh coat of paint, Malone’s writing is still overly serious. Most of the songs on his fifth studio album, Austin, are self-loathing ditties about wanting to “feel something real,” as he states on the track of the same name. The album, the title of which references his birth name, aims to be Malone’s most straightforward statement yet, and one that, oddly enough, seems most concerned with proving his chops as a semi-decent guitarist above all else.
With Austin, Malone continues to sidestep any conversations regarding his place within Black artistic spaces, but that’s mainly because little on the album could be regarded as hip-hop-oriented. Sure, there’s the occasional bulky 808, as on tracks like “Novacandy” and “Mourning,” but those songs are primarily structured around stadium-sized pop hooks.
While each of Malone’s previous albums has felt less indebted to his sonic origins, Austin seems to fully embrace the idea that, in order to be taken seriously, he needs to veer even further away from hip-hop. Yes, Malone is still able to whip out some sticky refrains, but the songs here all follow the same overly simplistic pop structure, to the point that their catchiness is less an affirmation of his songwriting talents and more of an inevitability of pop formula.
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to each their own.. but this review feels more about woke-ness than music.
Bro reviewed a pop album and complained that it was a pop album. But god forbid he makes hip-hop again cause that would be appropriation. He came into this album planning to hate it.
What a very shallow and almost political review, not about the music at all.
Your review is rather oddly skewed. It’s as though Posty stole your lunch money and this is how you get your revenge through a catty little review.
As a disclaimer, this is the first full length Post Malone album I’ve listen ed to so I don’t know if what I heard on this album applies to his previous ones.
Skew 1: the writing is “overly serious” wym? You mean like, it was well written and emotional, truthful? It’s creative, clever, and peppered with double entendres?
Skew 2: something about the pop formula Austin follows being an “inevitability” huh? You mean a successful transition into pop …? You even referred to their “catchiness” — doesn’t that mean GOOD pop? That’s what good pop is, No?
Skew 3: “proving” his “semi decent guitar skills” WYM??? Like, using his guitar as his “feature” throughout the album?? And it being skillfully done ? And doing so added another “voice” to his story ..??!!!
Skew #idr: not addressing his issues with the hip hop community or some shid. Who says he has to address that in the form of an album or in music in general? If what I’m understanding here is that he wasn’t wanted in hip hop. But now this REALLY GOOD pop album is also not wanted….?
Was it the lunch money Paul?
Common music critic L… This might be his best release yet
Your critic was a joke. This is his Best album, soundly and lyricaly.
You’re being really mean to him.
Post evolves completely. If he “raps” he’s stealing culture. He is a mixture of everything and to produce a deep self reflective album like Austin is the definition of an artist. The album is perfect. Best work every. Kudos for him for evolving and having the guts to go at it alone without stupid collaborations. He doesn’t need anyone and never has. The ozzy ozbourne collab was so forced and he would be a joke if he kept going with the same old style. Dude is the most versatile artist we’ve seen in decades. Overdrive is “terrible”? I guess you have to say ridiculous things to stay relevant. He’s the ONLY authentic artist going. Everyone else is canned bs. Like he said record companies trying to clone him. Give him his props. Im 46 and so glad this dude is around because no one can do five legit albums, perform on that level, and be such a professional dude.