Tag: Erykah Badu

audio review : Before The World Blows ( album ) … Erykah Badu + The Alchemist

audio review : Before The World Blows ( album ) ... Erykah Badu + The Alchemist

Fans have been waiting for a new Erykah Badu album for over a decade. It’s a shame how long this took and it’s not even a solo project. Instead she follows the trend of sharing artistic credit with the main producer; a decision I can’t make sense of. That’s not to say The Alchemist doesn’t belong. His psychedelic soul beats are a fitting soundscape for the singer’s melodic ramblings.

That melody is what sets Erykah Badu apart from most of her diva peers. She is a true talent not just when it comes to singing but making songs. This is probably her best set yet. It’s effortlessly good. When she stops singing and starts talking is when her personality starts to annoy. Her ultimate sin is inviting Westside Gunn to degrade the experience with retarded gun noises.

my rating : 4 of 5

2026

audio review : I’ll Call U Back ( song ) … Erykah Badu

At just under two minutes long, this may be more of an album (mixtape) interlude than an actual song. Either way it serves as one of Erykah Badu’s best. I’ll Call U Back, the busy party prepper says to someone on the phone over a lush soundscape produced by Zach Witness. If there’s a flaw, it’s that the beeps go on a bit too long at the end.

my rating : 4 of 5

2015

audio review : But You Caint Use My Phone ( mixtape ) ... Erykah Badu

audio review : But You Caint Use My Phone ( mixtape ) … Erykah Badu

audio review : But You Caint Use My Phone ( mixtape ) ... Erykah Badu

New Amerykah Part Three was supposed to come out in 2012, but Erykah Badu has apparently abandoned that series, which would be okay if this were her next album. Instead we waited nearly six years for a mixtape. The title comes from Tyrone and the concept is based on, meaning literally every track has to do with, phones. Why phones? That’s a good question. Why a whole mixtape about a song she made nearly two decades ago is a better one.

Telephone is one of her best songs and a portion of it is Screw Mixed here, but it just makes you want to listen to the original; the same with her version of New Edition’s Telephone Man and Drake’s Hotline Bling. That’s not to say Badu’s renditions don’t improve on them; I like her soulful quirky style; it’s just disappointing to hear so many covers. The rest of the tape sounds like demo bits from what could be another good album. I’ll Call U Back is especially groovy.

my rating : 4 of 5

2015