Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Nice and chilled and worth a second listen
I'm not really a fan of 10s R'n'B but I found this quite listenable and both lyrically and musically interesting.
I enjoyed it. I like her voice. Obviously nice to have a recording studio and all the tools needed from big sis, but she created her own sound. Lots of black culture education fueling the lyrics. Wish there was a more standout hit.
Limite 3
cool
Surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. Not really my thing but would happily give it another listen.
really nice
An album that’s easier to admire than love. It has something to say and the production is really interesting, I just wish the melodies were stronger.
Not bad, but forgettable. 2.5/5
"It's Silk da Shocker's birthday" - Master P when on WCW Television. I didn't realize that when the Master was "making 'em say UNHHH" it was about "his pain." That sampled anecdote possessed the rare two punch combo of being a poignant statement on race as well as gut-bustingly hilarious. This record also hit me as not terrible! I saw the year and the cover and knew that it wasn't for me and as I listened, the singer expressly said that it was "for us" which I don't think includes me. While that all may be true, I couldn't hate this. The samples were varied and interesting, and I found myself actually listening to R & B vocal lines without wincing as if I'm get a tooth removed sans anaesthesia. That in itself deserves a full star upgrade. A true surprise on this dismal early summer Tuesday. 3 HIGHLIGHTS: Stop trying to touch her hair, alright? I've heard a few of those clips are LOADED with poison
3.5/5
6 - great voice, mediocre songs
-first time hearing Solange and i definitely understand the hype among R&B enthusiasts. i usually hate albums with a lot of interludes but i think she did it ok. really good vocals on here too -fell a liiiittle flat for me due to personal taste but i respect it a lot. i miss this type of woke -Favorites: Rise, Cranes In The Sky, Borderline
I thought this album had a fresh, more electronic, R&B sound to it. With some solid vocal work too.
Solid pop album. Cranes in the Sky is the clear stand out for me.
Pretty good R&B. I liked the track with Lil Wayne.
Lovely voice with sleep inducing songs.
A nice album with some good social commentary. But not really my thing.
Solange’s voice is angelic. The production is amazing. Not really “for me” in terms of genre but clearly a great album.
A pleasant surprise. The list should be more like this, rather than "albums you've never heard of because they absolutely suck."
So boring, perfect for H&M. 3/5
I didn't know Beyoncé even had a sister, let alone one with a musical career. Solange Knowles does have some talent, as shown on tracks like "Cranes in the Sky". After a while, "A Seat at the Table" seems like your average modern RnB album The biggest problem with "A Seat at the Table" is the number of unnecessary interludes. They take up half of the tracklist. 3 stars for "A Seat at the Table".
Very well produced and pleasant to listen to. But it feels like she hiring all the coolest collaborators and producers of the time to make something very calculated and on brand so it lacks a certain spirit.
Decent. ei oikein muuta sanottavaa.
Smooth and easy listening music with no really excellent stand out songs. Some of the more soul like songs were nice and the singers voice is really good. I just weren't hooked by anything.
Great voice with good vibes
Important topics addressed by an able singer in a style that wasn’t for me.
Don't Wish Me Well was the only song that stood out in a formless sea of pretty vocals.
Double blind. I was aware of the existence of Solange but was not aware that she had music worthy of inclusion on this list. It’s not my favorite but I understand why it’s on the list. It feels like an obvious homage to “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”, between the smooth vocals and the filler tracks. It seems like Solange has done a good job of living up to her own last name, while creating music that feels uniquely her own
Weird album for me. I can tell the music is quite good but it’s absolutely not my style… too moany etc High 3*/5
Solange's life experience is very different from mine, and I respect what she's trying to do, but I'm not sure the music matches the message. Actually, it's low-key enough that I get the self-care and maybe grief, but not anger. Maybe determination and strength. I was unaware that she's Beyonce's sister. Guess that's where the high energy in the Knowles family went, as my kids are very different, too. Cranes in the Sky was really the only memorable tune for me. The interviews with her parents on the interludes were nice, but otherwise, the interludes felt like a forced attempt to create some flow on an album that was often repetitive.
There are a number of concepts in this album - all of which are good but not fully realized. Choose one, make it tighter and it's a great album.
This was decent. You can tell she's Beyonce's sister, their voices sound similar. The interludes were kind of Lauryn Hill-ish.
I didn’t realise before listening that Solange is Beyoncé’s sister. Going in, I wasn’t sure this would be my kind of album, but I was open to it. Overall, it’s a very pleasant and easy listen. Solange has a great voice, and the production is smooth, polished, and really well put together. There’s also a clear social message running through the album, which adds depth and purpose. That said, nothing really jumped out at me as a standout moment or a track I’d go back to. It all blends together a bit too much. There are some solid collaborations throughout, and while the album is consistently good, it never quite reaches that “wow” level for me. Interestingly, I’d say this is better than any album I’ve heard from Beyoncé, even if it didn’t fully connect with me. Favourite tracks: Nothing really stood out, but everything was a decent listen Least favourite tracks: Same as above, nothing I’d single out either way Album artwork: A standard cover, nothing particularly memorable
No soy muy fan del r&b, pero es un álbum que esta muy bien
Deep. Helps me understand what some folks have to go through, and we absolutely need constant reminders. Which sucks. Hopefully there will be change someday. Oh, also great music by a excellent singer. Solange delivers her message in a sweet-tasting way, making it easy to listen to - gets your attention, makes it enjoyable while not berating or lecturing. Just brings you to the experience.
smooth 7/10 Will I add this album to my library? maybe
Muzikaal niet onaardig, relaxte R&B, niet al te veel geklets. Wel weer een boel preken. Neem dan op z'n minst de moeite om de preek op muziek te zetten.
Musically is very very good! Greatly layered with such soothing vocals mixing R&B and pop and a bit hip hop. Not much my taste but i get it.
The production was really nice but overall I was lukewarm about the album.
R&B, nice voice
the messaging is clear, but the listening experience as a whole is just good, not spectacular.
It's so annoying to finally listen to an album you've been meaning to check out for 10 years only to realize it kind of super sucks. This would be 2 stars but it does bring a smile to my face to think about Solange beating the shit out of Jay-Z in that elevator, so she gets 3 stars for throwing hands like the true ride or die bitch she is.
2.5
Mycket intressant med ett ganska nytt album. RnB, Beyonces syster. Lugna låtar och beats men blir aldrig riktigt ointressant. Kul med "interluden" med kommentarer. Tydligt tema på svartas situation, rasism osv. Hög nivå på produktionen. Kanske inte lyssnar på hela igen. 3:a
Deux albums de néo-soul en 3 jours et je pense que je peux conclure sans me tromper que le genre n'est tout simplement pas fait pour moi. Celui-ci était beaucoup plus dépouillé musicalement que celui que j'ai entendu avant-hier, mais il se distingue par une construction un peu différente, avec de nombreux interludes avec des gens qui parlent de racisme (et qui en parlent bien, d'ailleurs). Le reste du temps, j'ai pas fait attention aux paroles, mais des chansons comme "Don't Touch My Hair", me font me dire que c'est l'un des grands thèmes d'A Seat at the Table. Si le côté politiquement chargé me plaît, au niveau strictement musical, ça ne me parle tout simplement pas. 3, parce que je ne pense pas qu'il s'agisse d'un mauvais album, bien au contraire, mais sur ce site, je note avec un peu plus de subjectivité que je le ferais ailleurs.
hard not to compare her to her sister, but sounds like she could've used some of the projection lessons her mum had already obviously paid for. She's got a great voice but I wish there was better production at times.
In think this does what it aims to do very well. But what it aims to do is not for me. I added “Cranes at the Table” to my Generator playlist.
3.5 perfectly enjoyable
Quite a talented lady
great message... not particularly great music. interesting interludes. 2.5
When the beat drops, this is a solid album with an important message. However, slow R&B never did it for me, and a lot of this one is exactly that. The comparisons to her (admittedly more talented) sister are inevitable, but at least Solange has carved her own path.
I can see why some people same that Solange's music is better than Beyonce's.
Criticising this as the sole product of being related to Beyoncé seems incredibly reductive. Is it the greatest album ever? No, but it does have some pretty great production and featured performances. It lacks dynamism and everything is maybe overly mellow, but I’d struggle to be upset if anyone popped this on as background music. I can’t even find it in me to be upset by the multiple interlude tracks. I came in thinking I’d be making a snarkier review where I’d shove 8 of my own interludes in. But they barely take up any time, are woven into the tracks, and aren’t filled with content designed to shock like many male artists historically seem to find so amusing. They all offer insight and positivity and I’m not so cynical that I can’t find value in that.
I liked it. Didn't love it.
This is far better than how others have rated this. She's a great voice and the production is great but no real change in tempo and the voice over things get in the way. Done on other albums too. Use a song to connect the story. You don't need to do this
This wasn't bad at all, but no clue why it was included on the list.
I recognise is an album full of meaning but i didn’t find a song that stuck in my head
It's aight, but it's boring
I actually like her music more than other similar artists, like her sister.
listened to this a few days ago and didn't have anything bad to say but already can't really remember anything about it. so that's the review.
Well produced with nice vocals. 3.6/5.
Een prettige ervaring. Zou me ook wat moeten verdiepen in de teksten. Thema ‘black’ komt regelmatig naar voren. Bij eerste keer luisteren is het ook wel een beetje kabbelend.
Fell asleep halfway through so it gets three stars
ok
Good vibes
Bello, ci stavano anche le 4
Pretty easy and languid R&B and soul. Solange seems very interested in her albums reaching a very niche audience but one that will understand her. It’s not me.
It's better than I expected, but I'm not sure it's special. HOLY SHIT - they selected this album but there is no Lemonade by Beyonce? No Blonde by Frank Ocean? That is extremely wild. Those albums were released the same year. Blonde is a masterpiece that resonates over culture and music to this day, and Lemonade was an extremely massive hit that moved mountains when it was released. They selected 3 albums from 2016 and while Blackstar absolutely deserves to be here, they easily could have dropped their FIFTH Leonard Cohen album and included Blonde - an album you absolutely need to hear before you die. Even though I'm almost 850 albums in, I'm considering just stopping. This project has lost all legitimacy.
Nepotism. 3. Just kidding. This isn't really my thing, and I'm not sure how qualified I am to critique it. I loved her voice, and liked much of the album. But didn't really love any of it. Can't go as high as four, and don't want to go as low as three. So 3.65
The supporting cast of special guests helps to keep this one fresh
Gotta admit, I didn't listen to this super closely. I can hear the family resemblance, a little.
She's got a great voice, interesting that it progressed to a lot of black life subjects, learnt a bunch!
It was fine, but forgettable.
Listening session: march 1st, while running errands Listened to before: no Thoughts: going into this I kept in mind that Solange has had advantages because of het sister, but this album was actually quite nice to listen to Favourite tracks: Cranes in the Sky, Mad & Borderline (An Ode to Self Care)
Прикольно, но всё-таки за этим столом я лишний
First time hearing her... literally. Girl... what are those harmonies? This is rich as fuck. I love neo-soul, contemporary R&B, it's so full of breath and space to exist. Maybe not innovative for its time, but it's solid, well done and pleasant. One note: usually it's hard to like a rapper in such a fairy/magic vibe, but Lil Wayne? The man got the vibe. This album is a warm room with good lighting. But it's a bit repetitive,I don't know if that's intentional, like a meditative thing, but it made it feel monotonous at points. A little more dynamic range would've taken it further. Extra point for Elevator Queen, luv anyone who punches Jay-Z.
Nice times and words but not my style really :) thx
Not really my favorite style of music, but I enjoyed this.
One that could grow on me with further listening.
Cool sounding album, with some great social commentary. Dig the interludes, and there's obviously musical talent here.
Ahí nomas
This was a very well constructed album, everything flowed together intentionally. Not my style, but I respect that design. 3/5 stars.
Pretty generic R&B.
Вайб определенно присутствует, но всё ещё не мой. Хотелось бы поставить альбому больше, но не могу. Забавно как все объединились в шейде бульёнсе.
хорошо, но видимо не совсем мой жанр музыки, поставил бы 3.5 если было можно
Красиво, фоново, скучновато. На фоне безликих блюз-рок альбомов из списка - альбом 2016 года в стиле нео-соул выгодно отличается и сначала я даже хотел поставить 4, но увы - по мне не дотягивает. В целом звучит приятно, но очень много скипов для меня. Еще хочу вставить слово в защиту Бетонце. Думаю, если бы она хотела записать такой альбом - она бы с легкостью записала, но она находится на мейнстримной стороне музыки и выбирает хиты. За что ей и спасибо (не считая последнего кантри-альбома).
Musik ganz ok, die Interludes fand ich langweilig und selbstgefällig.
Same wie Thomas
Enjoyed, wouldn’t return.
Nice R&D album. Unfortunately I am not a R&D lover.
- Kunne godt lide det
some really good R&B music in here. really love the melodies and smooth vibes. too many interludes though, it took me out of the flow of the album. love the harmonies and vocals. she can really sing! 7/10
This was ok! Pretty but didn't pull me under or ear worm its way into my memory.
Cool, experimental and interesting. I don't think I'll come back to it, but I enjoyed it.
The sentiment of this album is really strong, which means that the backing track has to be bland. Solange’s vocals are Beyoncé, but she is a thousand times more impactful.
Better than Coldplay
Soulful
I like it. I appreciate the more stripped down arrangements compared to other similar pop albums. I could have used more Q-Tip on that one track.
Has some ok songs. Would be good background music if it wasn’t for the spoken sections.
Un bell’album rnb, non sono sicuro rientri tra i 1000 album da sentire prima di morire
No Thanks!!
This isn’t my genre, but Solange has a pretty voice and I liked the vibe of this album
Fine. Can't believe this is on here but not beyonce yet!
Chill r&b
Liked the production and message
Good singer. Songwriting is uneven. All the interludes detract from the music. 3.5*
I found this to be a bit boring. Otherwise it's alright.
An introspective soul/RnB album with some social commentary. The album is pretty atmospheric, so it would probably create a chill vibe if that’s what you’re looking for.
This album is very well constructed and meant to take you on a journey of sound, empowerment and grief. And I do think it does that. Her voice is like an angel and the sound was chill and relaxed. However with the way the interludes and tracks drifted in and out of each other there were no stand out songs and it all blended together. It got kind of old after a while and the album is very long.
3.5
This is so disrespectful to other albums. Nowhere being a classic let alone being a very good.
really nice, 3 stars
This was fine. I feel like I appreciate this even though I am white but also because I am white, I felt that I couldn't appreciate it to it's fullest abilities. I like the song "Cranes in the Sky." One of my yoga instructors at Core Power, Jennifer B, alwayasss played this song and it reminds me of her and Chicago and Core Power.
Some really solid songs on here. Gotta admit, however, that the interludes didn't add much to the experience for me.
The subject matter sounds great, but I remain unfamiliar with R&B as a genre so it all sort of washes over me. I did figure out that R&B sounds terrible through tinny phone speakers though - I'll listen to future R&B albums through hewadphones or decent speakers. I enjoyed it much more once there was some decent bass.
Babymaking music
Low 3. Bored
This was really interesting. I expected it to be striving to be a pop album of songs written to be “hits”, but it’s original, different and brilliant for what it is. I would have never been exposed to this had it not featured on this list. A worthy 3.
Great voice, strong message, not enough variety in the music. Just an hour of mid-tempo R&B that just faded into the background. The interludes were interesting, and brought more context to the themes of the album, but don't help raise it above a middling album for me.
Don't get me wrong, she has a great voice. But it sounds so over produced, I feel like it was created to be nominated for a Grammy. Side note. After reading the album article, it did win a Grammy, so I guess I was right.
It was fine. I liked the sound of it a lot but there wasn’t a lot of variety between each song so it was hard to pick out individual songs that I liked more than others
very pleasant listen
A well produced neo-soul / R&B fusion, full of introspection on black culture and identity in America. Ahead of it's time at release in 2016, predating the reckoning of BLM that would come a bit later, for better or worse. The sonic space of the songs is rich yet contained, with indie influence from the likes of Dirty Projectors/Vampire Weekend/Chairlift collaborators. The interludes are very welcome, speaking to Solange's theses and connecting everything together. Nothing aside from Cranes In The Sky jumps out as a sticky melody to me but impressive as a whole.
What a beautiful voice but its very repetitive and nothing ever jumps out at you. The interludes are weird and obviously have a very strong theme but feels like just illustrates the lack of story telling if you feel they are needed to spell out what should be said through the music. Having said that I still enjoyed it.
themes of racial identity and struggle. interesting stuff.
I only really knew "Cranes in the Sky" going into this, and I did like the album, but it’s just not really my thing. It's refined and subtle, and there's a real calm, crafted feel to the whole thing. But for me it stayed more in the "I respect this" zone than something I'd come back to a lot. "Cranes in the Sky" is still the standout, and hearing it in context does make it hit a bit harder, but the rest didn't fully click with my tastes. Really well made, just not quite my scene.
3.5
Despite being somewhat vaguely aware that Solange Knowles had a singing career of her own, my actual knowledge of her was limited to the fact she is Beyoncé’s sister and, once, whacked Jay-Z in a lift. Needless to say, I wasn’t sure what I thought when this popped up. Whilst it definitely falls into the category of albums which I question their inclusion in this generator, it was a very nice R&B album to have on whilst I pottered. I liked her vocal style, she kept her songs to a reasonable length, and had good artists as featured acts. It didn’t feel like there were 21 tracks to get through, nor did I find I wanted the album to hurry up. As always, I could do without the interludes, even if I did find one by Tina Knowles rather interesting to listen to. There were also way too many of them and I’m not sure that they added anything.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It’s pretty good. All the political stuff was lost on me though.
Not my favorite genre but this album was really well done. I like the weird instrument in Junie.
In the words of a great poet “Now I be kickin’ shit like Solange in the elevator” This album is very smooth. The transitions between songs and interludes have a great flow, the drums and bass compliment her voice well and the featured artists do a good job. Any album that features Sampha is good in my book. Favorite songs were Cranes In The Sky, Mad, Don’t Touch My Hair, and Junie.
Good vibes and good beats but a lot of racial content made it hard to penetrate the themes.
Not really my jam/seemed a little repetitive, but enjoyed it. Nice vocals, good lyrics.
A good more modern day R&B / pop album. Had some good guest appearances too. I probably won’t ever listen to these songs again, but I didn’t mind listening to this all the way through!
This was pretty good and fresh after boring boring, rock music.
A 2016 period piece
I listened to this album a few times over different days. I feel like I should really like it, but I'm struggling to extract much out of it. Mostly I find it a bit boring, that is, hard to cling on to something and hear what everyone else is. This is one I plan to return to with fresher ears, but right now it's sitting pretty average.
I dig, however I don't understand what makes this significant enough for the list. Going 3, solid average.
Clever, ambient, R&B. Nice and dark! Favourite tracks: Cranes In The Sky, Mad
It’s not bad
Funny how I think 9 years ago is modern. Decent modern soul sounding record, doesn't rise above anything I've heard. Nothing particularly stands out. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some songs Owned: No: 29/113 (25%) Will I get? No
Positives: beautiful voice, lovely harmonies, important subject matter. Negatives: repetitive, vibe is too relaxed for the subject matter, couldn't really tell the songs apart.
Weary and cranes in the sky are the stand outs. The album as a whole is pleasant enough but never quite hits the heights of those 2 songs. More to come hopefully
Ralph Schumacher does soul. Nepotism never sounded so good.
The lowest of low 3s. This was at least a bit. More interesting at times than her sister. But my overriding memory was of most of the interludes which ain't saying much. And the fact the album had no melody. The one with Kelly Rowland was about the closest this album got to melody. I think Junie briefly threatened something then promptly gave up.
At last, the good Knowles.
Surprising to find a good modern album on here! I'll take it.
Hey, that's a great neo-soul/alt RNB record! This is not my kind of stuff, but I enjoyed it all the way.
Buen disco de música negra. Lastima que se explote la imagen femenina de Solange que tiene una estupenda voz. Excelente grabación, se nota que estamos en 2016. Pierde con escuchas sucesivas y tiene el handicap de ser la hermana pequeña de Beyonce.
Accidentally hit shuffle on this one and then had a really hard time working out which songs I had and hadn't heard, which means it has a coherent sound but also that it's very samey. Thought the themes of anger and defiance weren't really suited to this sort of soft spacey r and b. Don't wish me well was the best track mostly because the music had a bit more to it. Despite all of this I did think it was pretty good for a genre I'm very much not in to, so while I wont listen again one spin was okay.
It was pretty good but got a bit boring
☀️
Cranes in the Sky will have you crying in the checkout line.
Smooth, evocative, earthy
Sweet album
i need to relisten deh keknya (nangis), but it was such a vibe sih
Pretty good. A lot more Soul than Pop on this one in my opinion. Solange has a pretty voice that makes her very easy to listen to. This album was peaceful, upbeat, and never once bored me. However, like many others have said, it is very one note, samey, and will not stick with me for a very long time. It’s a middle-low 3, as nothing really stood out and grabbed me, but the vibes were immaculate. It was extremely easy to get through the day with, and I would even check out more of her music. My favorite song on the album is “F.U.B.U.”. That song was catchy as hell. A big criticism I have for a lot of Pop/Hip-Hop albums is the implementation of skits spread throughout the course of the album. I’ve mentioned that to death already. This album has a few of them, but for the most part they’re non-intrusive and work well. For that, I’m awarding a few bonus points to this album. Overall, yeah, I thought A Seat at the Table was pretty good.
I couldn't tell for the first three songs that I actually was three separate songs. This is a well crafted album with lofty conceptual goals but I think the problem here is me. I'm just not into R&B as a genre.
Mostly quite ordinary R&B, not much to raise one eyebrows at. I enjoyed some of the more electronically oriented tracks like ’Junie’. Did she have the put an interlude track between each regular track, though? Became old very fast and felt extremely pretentious. Not anything I would consider list-worthy material exactly. Weak 3.
Sometimes I wonder if the person who made this list knows there’s music beyond R&B from the last 10 years that’s worthy of praise. This isn’t from an artist who was famous in the ’90s (the other “genre” of new music on this list), but instead more R&B. I’m honestly not the biggest fan of R&B—I often find it pretentious and meandering. This one was no exception. While the subject matter seemed important, it failed to really grab me. The best parts were when it reminded me of SAULT, whom I’m a big fan of. The guest rapping was also a highlight. Lil Wayne did a surprisingly good job on “Mad,” although it sounded like he was trying to emulate Chance the Rapper a bit. 3 stars.
Oh a quite new one, I don’t think it’s bad but do I really need to listen to this?
Beautiful soul music with a thoughtful message. I'm glad I gave it a listen. It gave me a lot to think about. However, I am not sure if I will return to it again in the future.
I enjoyed this. The vocals are reminiscent of some late 90's R&B like Lauryn Hill, with some more modern and electric beats accompanying them. Good vocal arrangements and thoughtful lyrics.
It was good. No star track jumped out and I probably won’t spin it again but it’s a decent album.
Not bad. Not sure why they put her up with queen bee though
beautiful and rich sound
Is there such a thing as too stripped down? We might be reaching it here. This album sounds pleasant, which is a stark contrast to the subject matter, but pleasant, sonically, is about as far as it goes. It never goes big, or small, it moseys along at its blithe pace and that's about it. It's good, but not great. I want something more. Somewhere between a 3 and a 4 but I don't think I'm ever coming back here on purpose (wouldn't be mad to find myself back here, just not gonna seek it out) so I'm afraid down it goes. Weezy and Q-tip features not moving the needle.
Half inventive, half bland.
I like this album, but mostly for how it flows. But I have similar issues with Solange as with the last album I had, L Cohen, it just doesn't excite me. A bit too minimalist. Sometimes I just want a boring old pop song.
I honestly liked this a good bit. Nice bass across the album. It also has lil Wayne and Q-tip on it.
3.5
Very very average
Very pleasant without really blowing me away. Probably would usually be a 4 but I'm scoring very generously here so far so I downgraded to a 3.
Easy listening with nice melodies and production.
Sounds fine. Nothing really stands out in the album but also nothing that is abrasive or awful.
Despite only knowing who Solange was because of her famous sister and not being au fait with her music, this was quite a refreshing listen. Felt like quite lo-fi R&B/soul, although at one point I did naively think she was singing about all her knickers in the world 😳
A good voice but I don;t like the music much. 3 stars or C.
My first exposure to her. Her message is clear, empowering for the life and community she lives. While I can’t relate, it is helpful/powerful for me to hear her perspective on life. Allows me to understand
Difficult to rate, as the album was not made for me. It seems like people on this site are way too hard to please. This was really nice record to listen to and the reviews unnecessarily harsh
She has a great voice and the vibe is nice, not really sure this is my thing though
Very nice
Cranes in the Sky må være en av de beste låtene fra sitt tiår. Det er synd resten av skiva når de samme høydene, sporet som kommer nærmest er nok Borderline for min del. Ekstrem godt produsert album som er best når den prøver seg på poppy indie soul og dårligst når den faller ned i contemporary R&B rutiner. Kunne som (nesten) alltid klart meg uten interludes, men dette er langt ifra å være et skrekkeksemplar.
2.75
Good RnB sound, well produced. A couple of good tunes on that id listen to again, lost concentration a couple of times and not an album I'd go back to but only because its not my type of music. Can see why some would really like It. 3/5
Dark nightclub vibes for sure. Drinking a sophisticated drink at a hightop with a little smoke in the air and a dimly lit Solange at the back of the room. Blue stage lights slowly cutting through the smoke as they travel lazily across the room. Having a night out with the wife that will be continued in the downtown hotel room that awaits 50 stories above this very lounge.
I was not expecting to like this. Really well put together. Very well produced and a really good listen.
Another artist I'm not familiar with, but apparently she's related to someone who's kind of famous? She's got a smooth voice and the album went by very quickly. I'd listen again. 3.5/5.0.
A lovely introduction to an equally talented sister who shined bright before fading away from the spotlight.
Solange sounds like a soap brand
I think I've listened to this album before, but I'm not completely certain. I went through Rolling Stone's best albums of the 2010's, and I seem to remember this being on that list, but I'm not sure, and I don't feel like looking that up right now (I lied, I looked it up, and it's on there, but maybe I didn't make it through the whole list?). Whatever, I'm gonna pretend like I've never listened to this before. I'm not a big neo soul or R&B guy, so it's going to take a lot for Solange to wow me, but if anyone is up to the challenge, I'm sure it's her! A Seat at the Table, was fine, but I certainly wasn't wowed by it. The biggest asset that Solange brings... er, to the table on this album is her songwriting. She has a real knack for taking her own personal struggles, feelings, and thoughts, and tying them to the bigger things going on in the world around us. I can't imagine what it must be like to be the sister of one of the biggest and most influential artists of all time, but Solange is quite the songwriter. Musically though, this album was a bit of a bore. I didn't mind the softness of the sound, and I thought the production work was good, but I just wanted something to pull me in musically, and this album didn't really have many catchy hooks or melodies. However, the songs that did pull me in musically were really fantastic. "Cranes in the Sky," "Don't Touch My Hair," "Junie," and "Don't Wish Me Well" were all great. On "Cranes in the Sky," I thought the percussion, bass, and strings were awesome. The melodies and vocals were really beautiful. I loved that organ-ish sound on "Don't Touch My Hair," and horns at the end were excellent. "Junie" was really poppy and funky, but it still kept the overall neo-soul sound of the album intact with its gentleness. The synth melody of "Don't Wish Me Well" was amazing. I wish the whole album had more hooks and melodies like this song did. A Seat at the Table was fine, but other than the few standout tracks, it's not something I'd feel drawn back to.
I like about half this album, despite it being cool, calm and collected. It’s jazzy and soulful and honest, but it is not an every day listen for me. I listened to this 3x this morning, and I will be okay not hearing it for a while, in the least offensive way. Feels a little stark or bleak, I guess, but maybe it’s just me!
Full of slow jams. A little boring at times.
Random thoughts: * Solid listen. I've tried to listen to Solange before and I've realized this just isn't my kind of jam. Which is ok. Not everything is for everyone. * It was good music and I was even bopping my head at one point. Not sure which tune though. * I liked the theming and interludes. * I'd definitely listen again but it would be unlikely for me to thoughtfully pick it out. * Overall, I liked this but didn't love it.
6/10 - chilled RnB, but no real standout
There were some songs with some pretty cool beats. For the most it felt like a very chill R&B album. Nothing I would personally come back for. 2.5 roundin up.
Interludy mnie denerwują, gdyby nie to, to ładne, spokojne, na randkę, 3/5
Could do without what I presume to be Jay-Z talking over each track, aside from that good vibes
Gave this a brief spin. Beautiful voice, but slow out of the gate. Too dreamy for me.
It was alright, enjoyed listening to it. Best song: Rise Notable(s): F.U.B.U.
impossible for me to not cry at cranes in the sky. i wonder if tarzan has ever listened to this.
Hyvin kappaleet soljuu toisiinsa, levy tuntuu yhtäläiseltä. Modernia RnB / soulia ja semmoista perus pop tyylistä. Kivan tunnelmallista ja siistit instrut. Parhaat: Dont You Wait, Dont Wish Me Well, Scales
700+ albums in, I feel like a broken record when I am questioning why these albums from the last decade are included here. Is this a good album? Yeah, definitely. It's also not surprising, given the access Solange has to music industry resources.
Nothing groundbreaking, but a nice listen. I liked "Weary" a lot, and most of the songs were decent.
Sweet
Today I learned Beyoncé has a sister, and they both had a number one solo album in the same year. Neat! While R&B isn't my regular jam, A Seat at the Table is a pretty good representation of the genre. "Where Do We Go", "Don't Touch My Hair" and "Cranes in the Sky" were the best songs, imo.
R&B is not my jam. She sings nice, but this was a typical boring R&B slog.
First one down
I started off really liking this album. By the end I got quite bored. She has a great voice and production is there, it just started muddling together, even with all the interludes
Warm relaxed neo-soul jams with organic lush instrumentation and deep RnB grooves paired with some high tech production and computer drum tracks. Horns, guitars, keyboards, and lots of backup singers - it all has a chilled out hanging out feel to it. Nice features from Q Tip and Lil Wayne add to this feel. Solange's vocals are fluttering falsettos and altos, whispered and sung in fleeting lines that float on the beats. Ephemeral and ethereal, it's all vibes and no hooks - there's nothing as good as the amazing 'Losing You' on here, but it's a jazzy laid back time. Interludes are annoying, trite vox pop rambling cliches.
Soft rap
a lyrically important album but it’s not really for me this one. there were a few songs i liked a lot. songs i liked: don’t you wait junie don’t wish me well
3 sterne
When people say things like "You could make a whole album like this", I don't think they quite literally expect you take one idea and stretch it so thin. I'd happily listen to first few tracks, but I was waiting for it to end about half way through.
Solid: cool sound and meaningful interludes (not Solange's fault that, by comparison, I was at the Cowboy Carter show yesterday)
Isn't my cup of tea but it’s kind of catchy
Nice soul, great vocals, a solid album overall.
Learned that Solange is Beyoncé’s sister. While I appreciate the message…the music is not for me.
Not bad for R&B but I don’t care for that stuff much.
Not bad. Nice Voice. Maybe should listen to twice to better grasp. Kinda sleepy. Wouldn't be in my top 1001. Love RnB, but this is just downright boring.
Good production values ok voice
Ehh. Didn't hate it. Didn't love it
Skits and interludes on otherwise good albums need to end.
I really respect how different her music is than her sister's. Fine by me, just not totally for me Best Song: Cranes in the Sky Rating: 6.5/10 (Fine) Stars: 3/5
Overall not a bad album. Good production and she has a great voice. No really outstanding individual tracks but works well as a collection
It’s a pretty good R&B record that suffers a bit from limited lyricism and overuse of basic harmonies. Some great vibe moments and good intention thematically pump this album up. Artful and expressive.
Not my jam really, but her voice is beautiful.
Pretty voice. The album had an agenda and they stuck with it. I can respect that. I don’t know that the songs reflected the agenda as much as the skits. So it felt a little disjointed. This isn’t my normal genre jam, so if I were in the mood for it, I could come up with several other artists I’d play instead.
Listens: 2 Standout tracks: Mad, F.U.B.U. The use of interludes is kind of excessive. I understand the context and long history of using skits and interludes in rap, hip-hop and RnB genres, but damn there's 8 interludes and a closing in an album with 21 tracks. That's 42% of the album dedicated to basically not music. There are a couple of good tracks. Mad with Lil Wayne is decent, F.U.B.U. is great. I would also say anything with Q-Tip is good, but he's barely on the track.
I am a middle aged Irish man. I am not the target demographic for this. While the production is excellent, the subject matter is not something I relate to.
Nice
I am somehow following this artist already on Spotify. I don't recall when or why, but I'm excited to find out the why. Ah, it was the Don't Touch My Hair song. I liked it. I'm not a fan of Lil Wayne, so I could do without that song, but overall, I like the music on the album. Solange's voice is good. This isn't a particularly moving album, but it's chill and groovy. Junie was a favorite. This was a 3 for me.
I always have trouble rating R&B since I really am not a fan of the genre. Actually didn’t know who Solange was until after listening to the album. As I said I’m not into R&B 😃. It was ok - the interludes for me were much more intersecting than the songs!
I appreciate that this album made the list. Listened to it when I came out and enjoyed it. Musically though it never transcends beyond background music for me though.
C’est bien, en vrai, un ptit album bien relax, ça fait changement des albums weirds et rugueux des derniers jours
Ok ok, Queen B zelf nog niet gehad, maar we krijgen nu Lil B te horen! Ben wel benieuwd, ik hoorde de hype om dit album toen maar ben eigenlijk compleet vergeten om het ook daadwerkelijk te luisteren. Het begint heel nice, wat een stem heeft Solange! Het album glijd heeeeerlijk door, de productie is erg prettig door lekker traag en stripped down te zijn. De ster hier is Solange, dat is duidelijk, de nummers worden om haar stem heen gebouwd maar mogen niet de aandacht afleiden. De features zijn echt super hier trouwens; Lil Wayne die zn best doet? Sampha?? BJ The Chicago Kid? Stuk voor stuk dragen ze bij en begrijpen ze wat de opdracht was. Wel jammer dat Q-tip geen verse op zn nummer heeft, echt een gemiste kans! Dit album, het is lekker, er zijn best wel wat nummers die er uit springen, maar toch vind ik het in zn geheel toch niet echt een album wat ik snel nog een keer aanzet. Daarvoor kabbelt een groot deel toch te veel voort. De skits voegen wel wat toe, die waardeerde ik ook wel, maar uiteindelijk klinkt een deel toch best wel als 13 in een dozijn R&B. Jammer! Maar het is zeker geen slecht album, gewoon niet zo weggeblazen als ik aan het begin gehoopt had. FAVO: Cranes in the Sky, Mad(Ik ben een sucker voor Lil Wayne features), Don't touch my hair, Borderline
Love her voice, like her songs, really dislike the interludes.
It was a well produced and interesting album. Some good songs. However, I would not listen to it again. Not a fan of interludes.
Bland and unmemorable
The vibe of the album is intentional, pure, sparsely adorned, and holds your attention. The beats and arrangements are generally mellow and ride somewhere between jazz, hip-hop, funk and R+B. The instrumentals themselves are subtle and provide the solid foundation for the vocals, which always take center stage.
This one really surprised me. On paper this is not something I would expect to enjoy. I didn't love it, but it was a solid 3/5.
Helt kiva. Bra vibes, bra message! Lite lång.
A now classic conversational album by an artist who certainly deserved a seat, the conversation very neatly expands beyond Solange herself to carry a dialogue about how arts and cultures should be considered across racial divides. 3.5/5
Let's just get through this thing and see what it has in store. Seems to be fairly popular based on the streaming numbers. Don't know what to expect, but I'm worried looking at some of the features on here. Quite like the album cover. Rise Feels like a bit of an extended intro. Sounds alright for what it is, though doesn't really do much to qualify it as a fully blown song. Unrated/5 Weary I like the vocal layering. The production is low key and pretty. It's a pleasant song without doing too much that's out of the box. Nothing wrong with it, just not particularly exciting. Fine. 3/5 Interlude: The Glory is in You Short and straight to the point. Cranes in the Sky I like the instrumental quite a bit. Feels succinct enough for the style of song without being too sparse. Pretty chorus, feels like the main event here. There are times where the vocals are a bit much. Interlude: Dad Was Mad The piano is a bit overpowering. Kinda hear what they're saying. Mad (feat. Lil Wayne) It's a cute concept. The RnB sections are pretty solid, though not particularly special. Lil Wayne's verses are fine. Have heard him drop much worse. Feels like it's missing something. Fine. 3/5 Don't You Wait I like the electronic elements of the instrumental. I appreciate that the track takes a bit of time to get going. The verses have a nice structure to them. Weak chorus. Fine. 3/5 Interlude: Tina Thought Me Yeah that makes sense Don't Touch My Hair Has some great feminity to it. I guess it could be empowering to some. I find some of the language in the chorus a bit goofy. I like the harmony in the end section of the song. Fine. 3/5 Interlude: This Moment Fine inclusion I guess Where Do We Go Kinda beautiful. Very pretty chorus. I like how there's a bit more instrumentation to this track. The bassline and the piano work really well in tandem with the layered vocals. Decent. 3.5/5 Interlude: For Us By Us Awkward transition. The spoken word is inspiring enough. F.U.B.U Really like the instrumental. The vulgarity feels a bit awkward in this style. I guess I'm just not used to it. It's a bit sluggish, don' really find it too exciting. I like the features I guess. Average. 2.5/5 Borderline (An Ode to Self Care) (feat. Q-Tip) Sounds a bit busy. I think the very loud and flat sounding electronic drums take up way too much space in the mix. The post chorus melody is really pretty. Disappointed by the feature. Interlude: I Got So Much Magic, You Can Have It. That was quite a nice break. You can hear there's a bit of personality there. Junie Fun and a bit funky. Really like the looser more up tempo track. Feels colourful and pretty. Love the electronic elements. There's a lot of personality in the lyrics. Kinda liked that. Good. 4/5 Interlude: No Limits Nothing to say here Don't Wish Me Well I like the addition of the synths here. There are some really pretty vocal moments on this track. Otherwise it's just solid throughout. Doesn't do anything particularly exciting, but what it does it does really well. Great performance. Decent. 3.5/5 Interlude: Pedestals Decent sentiment I guess. Scales (feat. Kelala) Got nothing from that. Kinda bored me to be honest. I guess it's performed well, but it feels like a bit of a weaker entry. Did not like. 2/5 Closing: The Chosen Ones A bit of an anticlimatic way to end it. I found this to be mostly forgetable to be honest which is a shame. I feel like she is talented as a singer and as a commentator on culture and identity. And that the themes in this albums are pretty solid and consistent. However the songs don't exactly stick out as anything special. It's competent, listenable, safe and pleasant, which makes it sound good on the ear. Sadly this also means that it just sorta blends into the background, meaning you have to really scour through the song afterwards to find the intention behind it. The well intentioned and thematic, but rarely too interestingly produced interludes, slow down the pace of the album quite significantly. This makes the listening experience lack some of the smoothness that the nature of the tracks try to convey. In other words, this album is just fine. There's nothing that sticks out as outright bad, but I wish it took more risks. You could say it's worth listening to just for the layered harmonies and the production quality as those are probably the highlights on here. Shouldn't be outright dismissed, but can't say I'll be returning to this one much. 3/5, though I may just be missing something.
Am I likely to add this to the rotation? No, it’s probably a true 2/5 to me. But I have to reward it for sounding so much more human/less vampiric than anything I’ve heard from her sister. That’s worth something.
Favorite song Bordeline I like the ft lil wayne I love the interludes
Solange has a nice voice. I don't think the rap genre is particularly good for her to highlight it though. It isn't damaging or wasted or anything bad, it is just not so traditional in a way, and they do cover really heavy social justice issues here. I suppose, on balance, this album is OK. Nothing outside her voice really stood out and as I said, the genre under-uses it. I don't often have this feeling, but I have on occasion and will try to point it out when it occurs. Perhaps socially relevant pop is too oversaturated but I think Solange has the voice to thrive in it. Maybe she has? IDK, I only listened to this album, and it is socially important, yet musically mediocre.
Does this album deserve a seat at the 1001 table? Not a bad listen, and it’s clear she’s trying to stylistically separate herself from big sis. Still, every song clocking in around the same tempo really helped this one become utterly forgettable.
She sings good. But overall I found this a bit boring. 🥱 And that’s a lot of Interludes. Also, big thanks to lil Wayne for dropping the mother eff bombs while I was listening to this in the car with my kid. But I guess that one is on me. It’s like jumping in a cage with a tiger and not expecting it to bite you. 2.75
This album was fine, has a very chill sounding vibe going on, it's just not what I was wanting to hear at this moment.
This was just OK. It had a chill vibe throughout which I mostly enjoyed. As usual, the interludes on albums are a waste of space. I'd listen to this over anything Beyonce every single time.
Pretty medium, but I do like tambourine man
It's absolutely good, but it isn't blowing me away like I expected. I see a lot of people calling it one of the best of the decade, and it feels too similar to other contemporary RNB for me to see it at that level. Still, great musings on black excellence and solid performances all around.
It was okay.
21 songs, just under an hour of soulful oooohing and aaaahing. Wasn’t for me in the slightest. Only time my ears pricked up was with Lil Wayne coming on for a bit and doing his thing. Will almost certainly never listen to this again. Having said that, for its genre and followers of that genre I can imagine this being a big hit.
6.5/10. It's quite smooth, but it doesn't seep into my body.
Medio repetitivopero buen sonido
9 interludes?? Really? Apart from the excessive amount of interludes I did enjoy this album for most part. Starts a tad slow but with enough listens you can catch the atmosphere, the nice vibe, and the cohesiveness that it brings. Top 4: Cranes In The Sky, Don't You Wait, Borderline (An Ode To Self-Care), and Junie No bad songs (besides for the interludes that water down the album) 3.55/5
A lot of important messages here that are weaved in nice songs. But it was all the same, nothing went extra hard or slowed down a lot, it was all just kind of there.
This album is fine. Mostly chill grooves. I wasn't annoyed by it but it wasn't especially my cup of tea. I like the bass playing. And I agree, being pro-black doesn't mean you are anti-white.
So boring. Not a single exciting sound happened in its entirety. I’m not sure why this is considered one of the best albums of the 2010’s. Probably because Solange is Beyoncé’s sister. That doesn’t equate to quality music.
I loved all the lyrics and messages in this, especially in the interludes, and she sings beautifully, but there’s something about this slow style of R&B that doesn’t hook me. It got a little boring after awhile.
Quirky and meandering and unpredictable. Mixed feelings 3.2
Pretty good. Would have liked to have got to know it more but too many albums to listen to!
I was excited to listen to this because I heard Cranes in the Sky before. Unfortunately for me almost all of the interludes were spoken word and there's almost as many interludes as actual songs. She's a good singer. The instrumentation is nice. I'm just not into spoken word.
it was reasonably listenable
good R&B record flow show but "cranes in the sky" is so good it makes the rest of the album pale in comparison.
This cover felt pretty recognisable, I feel like I remember it being a big deal at the time. It's a solid album and if this was the kinda music you're into then I can see it being highly rated. It's not something I'd actively listen to on repeat but it was a good listen
Nette Stimme mit guten aber auch plattitüden Songs. Kein Kopfschmerzmacher aber auch kein Repeater.
Good album to work to but otherwise I wouldn’t choose to listen to this.
The modern beyoncé sound. I am not a fan but I can recognize why some people would like it
Me gustó, no soy tan fan pero me parece un disco muy superior a los de su hermana. Padre álbum, pero dudo escucharlo de nuevo.
This is a tough one. It sounds really nice but is not really for me. I just kept wanting something to happen. The best part was when lil Wayne came on for a sec and broke up the trance. Still, a beautiful voice am I could see it being good in the background. Heavy 3.
I appreciate the message this album delivers. Political and supportive soul/R&B but for me the interludes detract from her vocals. Overall I think this record is fine, but I honestly don't see why it is in Apple's list of the top 100 albums.
Struggling to have an opinion. It’s light chart style R&B. Competent but in no danger of breaking new ground. Pleasant enough with light tones and subtle pop melodies. But every time i pressed play it fell naturally into the realm of (the dreaded) Background Music.
Save us Solange save us
I think the vocals and musical style was interesting but nothing unique. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
Fine, but my oh my it felt longer than it actually was
It's put together fine but i sort of fail to see what is particularly special about this 3*
I don't necessarily take a lot of notice of lyrics on my first listen to albums, but I suspect in this case it's rather important. To that end, I felt more of an observer than a consumer through it, which isn't normally a vibe I get - normally if I don't gel with something it's more that it's not my bag, or I just think it's reductive or generic. In this case I feel more like I haven't done the work to pass judgement on it, because the social commentary is so essential to understanding it. Certainly as a piece of straight up music - it's pretty narrow in sound and not dynamically far reaching: but likewise it's easy to consume all of it in one hit. She's kept her voice well in control and used it pointedly; in fact the whole thing feels quite controlled and within limits; again - that sense that this is a pointed piece of communication, rather than a wave of expression. I'm not sure I'll go back to uncover its depths, but I can appreciate this is at least a well-made, very much by-design piece.
Eclectic mix of samples and music. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Solid R&B album with some really beautiful lyricism.
Not bad. I haven't ever listened to Solange before, but I enjoyed this album.
Good voice, good singing, but I don't like this. It's pretty, but I can't hear the words. And that's OK, it's not meant for me anyways. I can admire the skill without connecting with it.
i was having a SAT test today in Hong Kong. and after the test i went out to by records for the rest of the day. and i finally can listen it before bedtime. so i can say, soul is the ultimate go-to hypnotize genre. and her sister is better. Thank you, Beyoncé. 3/5.
I don't like the actual music but the interludes are dope so I'll throw it a 3.5 rounded down
That's not my taste in music - But ok
I didn't mind this, it was refreshing and powerful in an understated way.
All due respect to Solange, Beyonce's younger sister, but I wasn't really feeling this album. Cranes In The Sky was solid and the track with the Lil Wayne featured I liked, but most of the other tracks sounded too similar and slow. I know I said in a previous review that I like albums that have skits/interludes that enhance the album or help tell a story. I think here they really bog down the album, especially since there is one between almost every song. All in all, I think I'm giving this 2.5 stars and I'll just bump it to a 3 because this was a pretty mid R&B album.
Good voice and good production. Some lovely R&B through and through. High 3 territory on this one. Not my personal fave, but I respect it.
Another meh R&B album, although this one had some pretty solid highs to it. Really enjoyed FUBU, Don't Touch My Hair, Mad, and Cranes in the Sky. The rest kinda fell by the wayside but I did enjoy some of the beats. High 3.
Relly quite good.
Ganz Ok aber nit viel hängengeblieben
Wat buiten mijn comfortzone, maar best wel een degelijk album! Niet echt om actief naar te luisteren, maar op een zondagochtend op te leggen. 3.4
Great title I liked this album when it came out - this is Beyoncé’s kid sis and boy is she different than Ms B - not sure yet why she’s on the list but she’s got sthg to say and this album has a msg. Cranes in the sky my fave
I like the smooth vibe, spoken word, her voice, the slow, purposeful beat, and the message. I can see how she went the opposite of her sister... not speaking to the masses.
I respect this but it never really moved me - except for carne's in the sky. Definitely a talent but...
76% Best: Cranes in the Sky; F.U.B.U.; Borderline (An Ode to Self Care); Junie Must-Hear? Not quite
Better songs and more interesting that I was expecting
Mooi neo-soul plaat. Een gave stem en de beats blijven heel bescheiden. Blijft op a Seat at the Table echt bij haar kracht en laat zich niet verleiden om toch een pop-hitje te scoren vanuit die soul-aanpak. Gelukkig maar, album is daardoor mooi in evenwicht. Wordt door de gastbijdrages af en toe versterkt, omdat je door het horen van een andere stem toch wel even op scherp gezet wordt. Album liep automatisch door in de True EP met een meer eclictische en indie-fused sound en dat vond ik eigenlijk ook wel erg vet. Jammer dat ze daar niet meer van heeft uitgebracht. 7,5/10 Highlights Cranes in the Sky Mad (ft. Lil Wayne) Don't Touch My Hair (ft. Sampha)