By Jake McEvoy ’18, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Summer ‘17 was a good season for music. With a few exceptions (17 by XXXtentacion), I was pretty happy with most projects that’ve been released in the past few months. To elaborate on my distaste for his latest project, X basically put out a karaoke album – rapping on tracks that have already been completed by lo-fi hip-hop artists and claiming them as his. Not to mention, he re-released his hit song Revenge on 17. This would have been a smart move by him – had he not already released this song on his previous album. Why did X put out the same song on two different albums? How did he rip off so many other electronic artists without anyone batting an eye? When will he stop riding the wave of edgy 12 year olds? All questions remain unanswerable. But that’s enough of that, let’s get into the best that Summer ‘17 had to offer.

In June, well known rapper, producer, clothing designer and actor Tyler, The Creator released Flower Boy, which, in my opinion, is his best project yet. Tyler pulls off his signature diversity of beats and style within an album especially well, as he still manages to make the whole thing cohesive, while instrumentation on each track is refreshing and creative. This is an emotional album for Tyler; we get a deeper look into how his success has impacted his life, especially through songs like 911/Mr. Lonely and, my favorite, Boredom, which features a relatively new artist, Rex Orange County.

Rex’s summer appearance doesn’t stop at Flower Boy, however. In early summer, he released Apricot Princess, one of the most unique records of the year. Even though he is only 19, Rex Orange County has already pioneered his own sound, characterized by jazz-influenced chord changes, bright instrumentation and thoughtful, honest lyrics. It’s easy to relate to down-to-earth songs like Untitled and Apricot Princess because of their unfiltered passion and tinge of humor. Even though they aren’t on the album, go listen to his songs Best Friend and Sunflower right now! This kid is gonna do big things.

Possibly my favorite record of the summer, entitled Freudian, came from Daniel Caesar. The harmonies on this album are enough to give anyone chills, if you don’t already get them from the heartfelt vocal melodies and lyrics. Think Frank Ocean, but more gospel. The soaring anthems – Take Me Away, We Find Love – are just as nuanced and beautiful as the gentle ballads – Loose, Blessed. Caesar’s incredible range and emotional tone as a singer carries us through this album with ease. The songwriting is beautiful and the hooks are catchy. What more could you want?

While these are the favorites from my summer, I thought I should also throw in some honorable mentions. Along with the aforementioned Flower Boy, SATURATION II by BROCKHAMPTON stood out to me as a progressive and innovative rap album. Songs like QUEER and JUNKY tackle the struggle of homosexuality in rap culture, some of the first of its kind. On the opposite end of the genre spectrum, relatively unknown artist boy pablo released his summer rock EP roy pablo. This project has the ethereal elements of psych-rock while retaining the upbeat tempo and dance-ability of pop rock. Once again: a very young artist to watch out for in the future.

NA, I hope like the summer selections! If you disagree with me, agree with me, or just want to discuss opinions, email me at jmcevoy18@newarka.edu or find me in school! Be sure to check back every month for more music reviews and recommendations.