BEATS VIBES
In this edition we take peek at the recent album releases of three true superstars. Each had their own reason to make the music, and each tell a tale that most will relate too. Snoop vents at the algorithms that control much of what we see and do, Neil Young
reflects on the hurt of the pandemic, and Taylor Swift aims to set the emotional record straight with her reworking of RED.
NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE
BARN
Neil Young returns with his 41st studio album, Barn. This is the second Neil Young and Crazy Horse record since longtime guitarist Frank Sampedro retired and was replaced by Nils Lofgren. The first single, Song of the Seasons, is available on Spotify and is a gentle acoustic ballad with lyrics clearly inspired by the pandemic. “Barn is very special,” Young wrote to fans on the Neil Young Archives. “It rocks, it rolls… It's got songs that are part of these times.”
General release is on 10 December 2021.
TAYLOR SWIFT
RED (TAYLOR’S VERSION)
First released in 2012, Red was a heartfelt portrayal of heartbreak and every painful aspect of failed and fractured love. In a much to be applauded reworking, Taylor Swift has added nine new tracks to the studio album, which include guest appearances by Chris Stapleton, Phoebe Bridgers and Ed Sheeran. For fans of Taylor, this will feel like an exercise in catharsis. Her voice has developed and the synthesis of this with the often-haunting lyrics adds a maturity that most fans will adore. Available since 12 November 2021.
SNOOP DOG
ALGORITHM
Algorithm is a Snoop Dog hosted album where he tries to instigate a move away from the current age of computer algorithms controlling what people listen to. With a group of friends and Def Jam affiliates, the album aims to shine a spotlight on what
Snoop reflects upon as pure rap and hip-hop without the hype. Throughout the recording, he mimics the role of old-time radio presenters who would play the freshest talents to listeners eager for new sounds. Old-school hip-hop at its best. Available 19 November 2021.