ALBUMS THAT SOARED
‘SOUR,’ ‘Donda,’ ‘Back of My Mind’ and ‘Happier Than Ever’ among year’s best
Associated Press entertainment journalists have selected some of the best albums of 2021. Here’s a partial list:
Olivia Rodrigo, “SOUR”
Olivia Rodrigo kicks off her debut album “SOUR” with the words “I want it to be, like, messy” and she goes on to deliver just that. The 11 songs from the 18-year-old singersongwriter’s breakup album are raw and angry, dreamy and mocking, playful and profane, with shards of punk and princess pop. It’s an astonishing human hello from the youngest solo artist ever to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Taylor Swift is clearly a role model — and even gets a writing credit for a Swift interpolation in “1 step forward, 3 steps back” — but there also are echoes of Alanis Morissette’s fury from “Jagged Little Pill.” It’s indeed a messy album, and messy was perfect for 2021.
Mark Kennedy
Kanye West, “Donda”
Kanye West took his religious musical walk a step forward on his 10th studio album “Donda.” The highly anticipated album — named after his late mother, Donda West — lived up to the hype with a healthy dose of talent from Jay-Z on “Jail,” “Pure Souls” with Roddy Ricch and Lil Baby and The Weeknd on “Hurricane.” Throughout the album, recorded wise words were featured by his mother, who died in 2007 following plastic surgery complications.
Ye’s latest project is a follow up to his gospel-themed album “Jesus is King,” which won a Grammy for best contemporary Christian album. But with “Donda,” West strived to create a hip-hop gospel album — not an easy task, especially with so many top-line features who he convinced to buy into creating the 27 tracks filled with an array of gospel undertones. West opens up about his marital issues with his estranged wife Kim Kardashian on “Lord I Need You.” Much like that song, he often speaks out loud in hopes that a higher being can help answer his prayers.
Jonathan Landrum Jr.
Yola, “Stand For Myself”
The British singer-songwriter Yola perfectly encapsulates the freedom of finally feeling alive after years of sacrificing yourself to society’s expectations. As a Black singer whose artistry was often shoved into tiny genre-specific boxes, her sophomore album “Stand For Myself ” is a glorious exploration of her musical breadth. Yola, the musical therapist, is telling you she’s been in your shoes, barely struggling to get by, but she’s making you dance away in tears to a ’70s disco beat. The Grammy-nominated “Diamond Studded Shoes” is a self-reflective protest anthem that acknowledges that the kids are not all right and you gotta put up a fight. Yola’s impressive vocals carry you along a soulful, rocking journey of discovery.
Kristin M. Hall
Tyler, The Creator, “Call Me If You Get Lost”
While it was presumed that two of the biggest personalities in hip-hop, Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Drake, would battle for the No. 1 spot with their new albums, one clear winner emerged: Tyler, The Creator. Following his 2019 Grammy rap album of the year, “Igor,” this record masterfully displayed both Tyler’s MC chops and producing expertise. Whether it was the gritty, hard-hitting “LUMBERJACK” or taking “Backseat” by popular ’90s R&B group H-town and flipping it into “WUSYANAME,” Tyler again proved he no longer draws in listeners with the shock rhymes he once spit as a rap rookie, but because his talent and creativity are limitless.
Gary Gerard Hamilton