Blackbear - Deadroses (Album Review)

I've been listening to a ton of R&B from artists like The Weeknd, Miguel, and Frank Ocean lately. I revisited Miguel's Art Dealer Chic trilogy recently and was anticipating Blackbear's Deadroses. Well the wait is finally over and the album is out now. How does it stack up in this current R&B landscape?

Right off the bat with "4U", the song that kicks off the album, you know this album is going to be treading some familiar territory we've heard from some of the current artists I've mentioned above. In fact, about any time I hear one of these newer artists with this sound, it's hard not to reference artists like The Weeknd and Frank Ocean. They seemed to have jump started and influenced so many new artists that it's nearly impossible for me not to mention and quickly make the connection. That being said it's all about whether an artist can take what has now become the familiar and perform admirably and keep you interested. For the most part Blackbear does a good job with that on this album. There are those dark dreamy hazy instrumentals that seem to be fit for moody moments coupled with songs that could be slow jams at late night clubs. "Ain't Trippin" to me is the highlight of the album. The song screams single and hit. I'm a big fan of the beat and Blackbear's vocal performance is on point throughout the entire track. It's a really solid song. "Idfc" at moments sounds like Blackbear is at times in Drake mode. That's not a bad thing though; the song is solid and a good listen.

This album is really solid, nicely produced, the instrumentals are great, and Blackbear's performance puts him on the list of artists who have successfully crafted albums with this sound and style. The downside and only real criticism I have is that as good as the album is, and I really do enjoy it a lot, it doesn't really do anything new with the style. The weight of newer albums with this style is that The Weeknd's debut mixtape felt so immediate and fresh. The more I hear artists toying with that sound dubbed dark R&B, PBR&B, etc... the less fresh and new it feels. At this point it's up to the artists to see if they can keep your interest without the "fresh" feeling. Blackbear succeeds and shows he's talented. I can easily go back to more than a few songs on this album and really enjoy them. It's a great afternoon/night album. I'm excited that artists keep producing music of this style because I really enjoy it, but admit I'm starting to get eager to see more of these artists advance and find new elements. Even with that this is an exceptional album well worth your time to check out.