Banks - Goddess (Album Review)

Jillian Banks, known as Banks, has been creating a huge buzz. Her debut album Goddess has been an album I've really been looking forward to. I've been really interested to hear what she would do on her debut album. I really enjoy her sound. It has pop elements mixed with other darker and grittier elements that create this trip hop, soul, R&B style that her music has.

Overall this Banks album and previous Banks music has a dark and moody R&B vibe that is really similar to The Weeknd. In fact, at times, it really feels like this is a female version of The Weeknd. This may not be as original sounding as when The Weeknd first released his mixtape trilogy. That doesn't mean it isn't just as good because it is. In some ways Goddess is more impressive than The Weeknd's proper debut album Kiss Land. It's easily one of the better female fronted albums I've heard this year. In fact the only other female album I've heard that is in competition is the new Lana Del Rey album.

"Alibi" is the first track on the album and it introduces the sound of the album nicely. Right up front you get those dark, moody R&B vibes. The buzz of the bass and somber beats leading into Banks vocals which are nice and clean sounding offers the right amount of uptempo somberness that you hear with this current style of pop meets R&B. This has really became popular over the last two or three years. "You Should Know Where I'm Coming" is a song I really like from this album. It's a little stripped down from some of the tracks with somber piano and Banks vocals at the forefront. At times, and in this song, some of the ways she works her melodies really remind me of an artist like Fiona Apple, which is really neat.

The big drawback and nagging thing that bothers me about the album that I think will hinder some listeners enjoyment of this release is the fatigue of this style and how many artists sound a little too similar to The Weeknd or Frank Ocean. After both of those artists struck big we've seen and heard a ton of people with similar styles. This year alone we've heard this Banks album and a PARTYNEXTDOOR album that are heavily influenced by the style that The Weeknd really captivated audiences with on his debut mixtape House Of Balloons. That's on the highly publicized portion of the sound. Tons of emerging artists are releasing mixtapes trying to cash in on this style of R&B. I've definitely seen some listener fatigue with the style. However, I like this style and I think Banks vocal ability adds a lot to this album and really saves it from being lumped into "oh this sounds exactly like The Weeknd" club.

I really like this album. It's well constructed. It has a great mood and vibe as we head into the fall and out of the summer. Like I said it doesn't quite grab me the same way as when I first heard artists doing this style. I'm not saying The Weeknd or Frank Ocean were the first, but I remember listening to House Of Balloons in 2011 and Nostalgia Ultra and both of those releases just really captured my ear and sounded sort of unique and fresh. Although Goddess may not sound as fresh, it is a nice sounding album and she certainty crafts an album of some of the best songs I've heard from this style. Ultimately this album comes out strong and maintains throughout the entire album. It's a super solid listening experience.