Ctrl

its fine i guess.

Good debut. Wasn’t my type of sound.

4/5

Lots of R&B and hip hop this week. I didn't mind this. I liked the more modern R&B sound which sometimes seemed to veer a little into pop. I wouldn't listen to it again but for a genre I usually don't like, I didn't mind this at all.

Listened on repeat when this was released and could still do the same now

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Soooo vibey….. I might like SOS better though

yaaa

Not feeling this modern R&B pop stuff

The lyrics are just bad. I don't give a monkeys about the language - the lyrics are just bad. Being mistaken for a clitoris? Er. Tell me you've never seen ladyparts without saying that you've never seen ladyparts. Overall, this is just about tolerable, musically, absolutely appalling lyrically and comedicly awful anatomically. More than willing to accept that it might be for someone. But it is not for me.

ok dont reallyenojy

A debut album this good? Was added to all my playlists in 2017.

-CTRLLLLL YESSSS -not only have i listened to this album, but i LOVEEEEE IT -love sza so MUCH! -supermodel always makes me 😭 -god. doves in the WIND! DUDE! is so insane (one of my favorites) -drew barrymore. love of my life. -sza really made a beautiful insane album and its just out here dude -prom is one of the songs i listen to the least on this album but its still really good -the weekend is genuinely also one of my favorites -garden (say it like dat) is probably one of my least favorites but like Barely -her grandmas voice throughout the album ❤️ -BROKEN CLOCKSSSSS -i haven’t listened to anything a lot but its again. REALLY GOOD. -wavy interlude is the only song im not into in some way -NORMAL GIRL SUPREMACY ❗️❗️❗️❗️ -20 something too fucking relatable -this album is one of few albums i have listened to that deserve to be on this list -easy 5 stars

Good album.

Decent, interesting lyrics, not really my kinda music though. I like the beats but they're not standout, just chill, good grooves

Oozing talent.

Actually a really solid album.

Toss another artist in the pile labeled, "couldn't write a melody if their life depended on it". Nearly an hour of childish, tuneless wailing over basic-ass, boring beats. So annoying. And don't get me started on how inane these lyrics are. It's like the whole album was written by middle schoolers but then they thought, "throw some cuss words at it so people will think we're grown up and nobody will suspect we're just three 12-year-olds in a trench coat." Stupid. This was clearly added to the list prematurely.

Couldn't get into it

more dicks and pussy than I expected

Thank God that's over!

ctrl A crtl Z

Matig

Ik snap niet waarom het in de lijst zit. Maar ja, van alles iets zeker? Ik heb het bijna uitgeluisterd, maar ik blijf alleen maar zitten met het gevoel mijn tijd verscheten te hebben. Niet voor mij.

не не

Genuinely don’t know why this is ok here, managed to finish two songs and called it there, and it felt like an achievement to get through them. Shite music, shite genre

It started off pretty okay with the opener. As it went on I disliked it for the most part. There were a couple of decent tracks but a lot was just unappealing. The lyrics were pretty dumb at times too. What a waste of Kendrick.

I see why a lot of people call this SZA’s magnum opus. Though she doesn’t pronounce words traditionally, I like the album anyway because she can SING! Following the lyrics reveals how deep her pen can be. I would’ve listened to this as an angst teen in some capacity (though she is speaking women’s thought and there’s only so much I understand when it comes to that). Also Drew Barrymore is a classic ngl

Super enjoyable all around. Highlights are definitely SZA’s voice and the production is INCREDIBLE on this thing. I’m expecting the songs to grow on me so may need to bump this up to 5 stars at some point but for now… 8/10

If you remove the word nigga from her vocabulary, this album will not exist.

Neo-soul und R&B Album, mit Elementen aus Hip-hop, Electronic, Pop, Indie und Soul ist eine ziemlich komplizierte Beschreibung für wenig interessante singende Erzählungen.

Whenever an album comes up on this list, I look at it from the perspective of why I must hear the album before I die. I'm drawing a blank on this one. The musicianship has some value and it sounds well produced but SZA seems like just another artist too reliant on autotune and explicit lyrics. There are some catchy tunes but most of it was just run of the mill R&B with some hip hop mixed in. I've heard a bunch of albums that take me out of my comfort zone and make me want to give it another listen but this is not one of them.

Love SZA’s voice. It expresses vulnerability, sensitivity, resilience… feelings that make me care for her and engage with part of her work. However, there are some songs here that did not connect with me at all. Kendrick’s feature is hilarious! Maybe there’s a deep meaning to that song but, God, I cannot take it seriously! Well that is my unprofessional, biased opinion, you know?

This album sounds like a drunken haze of personal introspection, empowerment, raw sexual desire, and the places where those areas clash. There's some great production on here. Standout tracks for me are 'Drew Barrymore' and 'Prom'.

I reviewed SZA’s latest album only a few months ago in my YouTube channel. To evidence my lack of knowledge in this genre, I’d never heard of her before that. Today, I have been generated an album of hers which is considered an essential album, so I think I must live under a rock. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Broken Clocks There are a few exceptions to this genre which surprise me and leave me feeling very impressed. Unfortunately, this was not one of them. She’s undoubtedly a very talented singer, but there wasn’t much else that had me intrigued, and singing is only one part of the puzzle which makes a great song or album. Each to their own, but I just found this quite dull and uninspiring. Also, there is a song about her “pussy being facetious”. What does that even mean?

Not my preference for music, so I expected to not like it. Not a bad listen, it has it's good points and the beats are okay, but not something I would purposely listen to again. I give it a pass, barely. 6/10

A solid R&B Album from a talented singer with a handful of tracks I'll definitely come back for

"Ctrl" by SZA offers a glimpse into the complexities of modern relationships and self-discovery. Released in 2017, the album features tracks like "Love Galore" and "The Weekend" that showcase SZA's sultry vocals and candid lyricism. The album's production is a blend of R&B, hip-hop, and pop influences, creating a contemporary sound. However, while it presents some standout moments, "Ctrl" can feel inconsistent at times. Some tracks shine brightly, while others don't quite reach the same level of impact. It's a relatable and honest exploration of womanhood and relationships, but it occasionally lacks the cohesion that could elevate it to a higher level. "Ctrl" remains an important work for SZA's career, marking her as a prominent voice in modern R&B, even if it doesn't consistently hit its stride.

J'aurais pu adorer en 2017 mais j'étais aveuglé par le sexisme

elle chante comme brandy

Grand

Pretty solid production, her voice is aight. I dunno, this didn't really do much for me overall. 2.5

Det är så man blir både ledsen och förbannad på en gång. Mest ledsen.... och förbannad.

Forgettable

Not my style of choice but still didn't have a terrible time, for what it's worth... (45%)

Siisti levy kokonaisuudessaan. Hyvin tuotettu ja instrut siistejä

Honestly, there are songs on here that I have absolutely no interest in listening to. I just don't need a song that repeats pussy a thousand times. Call me old fashioned, but I just prefer double entendres or something a little more veiled than just pussy in my face constantly. Give me some variation in the lyrics. I got what you were talking about the first five times you said it. Just seems lyrically lazy a d just trying to attention grab because they can't get attention any other way. That said, if you ignore all of the songs that have featured artists on them, the album's pretty good, but the featured artists really did this album no favors.

The music itself was fine but the lyrics and subject matter were shallow and vapid. I couldn’t relate to anything she was talking about. But I don’t think I’m in the target demographic. I didn’t enjoy this at all but I understand why others might.

Either this list is more up to date than I thought and we are just unlucky getting mostly 60's and 70's songs or whoever makes the list really likes modern female R&B/Hiphop artists like H.E.R and SZA. Not complaining though. She has a really distinct style of singing and voice. She had a huge influence on the style of modern female R&B singers with so many people copying or iterating on her style. This is a pretty good album even though it's not something I would really reach for when choosing something to listen to. I've only ever heard her as a featured artist on songs, so hearing her on her own is pretty different. This is a low 4/5

I'm surprised too.

This album has no place in my repertoire. Meh.

Listening to this only makes me realize how narrow my music tastes are. Happy to have found this one.

I would never have guessed before listening that the song featuring Kendrick Lamar would be my least favorite on this album. In fact, its lewd strangeness nearly put me off the album as a whole. But luckily it got much better after that. I now understand why SZA has made such a big impact quickly in R&B and hip-hop.

I actually like much of the music here. But the lyrics...don't speak to me.

Found this very boring

Lots of songs about sex, sex parts, and splitting physical relationships. The subject matter feels like it could be from just another gangsta rap album. But it’s from a female perspective, smooth, and R&B. I enjoyed the album quite a lot. It feels like a very chill hang. No song particularly stands out as being extra good nor bad, which is unusual. It’s a consistently good time.

Très franchement sympa, même si on se demande pourquoi cet album et pas n'importe quel autre.

D'une banalité tout bonnement exceptionnelle, bravo Robert pour cette sélection de choix

Holy shit the racism in the reviews for this album. Some of you people should think twice about the things you think to say when a black woman’s singing.

It was alright. Quite rnb with a bit about pussy

Best lang naar geluisterd. Eerste nummer vond ik grappig. Leek soms net alsof ze een spraakgebrek had

Kan wel horen waarom iemand die kan waarderen, maar ik ben zelf die persoon dan niet.

Niet helemaal beluisterd, maar dit is gewoon echt niet mijn ding. Hoe goed het ook in elkaar steekt.

En dit zou bijzonder moeten zijn? In welk opzicht? Dat het 13 in een dozijn is?

Ik heb hier niets mee, maar ik rond het aantal sterren af naar boven omdat ik vind dat er te weinig recente muziek in deze lijst staat.

It's okay.

all the white dudes who seem so upset that this album talks about sex should probably re-evaluate their feelings for AC/DC and aerosmith and RHCP and all the other middling bands that primarily sing about fucking

This has been good. Don't know that I've heard any of these songs, but I've definitely heard the name SZA. Chill, kinda lo-fi RnB. Not entirely my jam, but nice to hear every once in a while. 👍

Not my bag. Didn't hate it or anything. She's got a nice voice and the songs are written well enough.

I don't really know what to say about this. It's obviously good, super smooth, super clean production. Contemporary R&B and Soul just kind of go in one ear and out the other for me. Didn't grab me at all.

Meh

I do like this album and listened to it when it came out, but there's a rambliness to it that slows it down here and there. Makes me feel like she's not sure where it is going next. The song "Drew Barrymore" is excellent, and there are a couple others that are pretty solid too. And I do enjoy the thread of Mom's advice throughout, it is a nice touch.

I kinda wanna look at all those monitors. Besides that, this is competent R&B pop but I can't get into it. Love the drums though.

Really bland and over-produced. Voice auto-tuned to death, lyrics meant nothing to me. Even Kendrick Lamar going on (and on and on) about p*ssy couldn't save this. Bailed after about 5 tracks.

A pleasant reprieve from some of the bullshit hip hop that has been served up here of late. Laser sharp rhythms with lyrics that actually represent. The vocals are delivered in an understated way. You don't need to shout your arse off about how you're the fucking bomb. It gets wonderfully twisted in places. There's a flow from start to finish. A great find.

Never really listened to this. I’m excited to try it out. So far, really like the production! Those opening guitar chords on Supermodel sound so good. And when the drums come in! Normal Girl is a surprisingly good too. Love the lyrics, and that guitar solo at the end... cool how it just drops off. Sax on Pretty Little Birds also nice! Solid 4/5. Maybe even 4.4. Just gotta leave some room for 5s.

I am having a hard tie with this record. Not every record needs to be for me, a middle aged white male. However, two things came to mind while I was listening to this. First, I remember when Marilyn Manson first hit big and his lyrics were shocking to society. Later in his career, he started saying shocking things just to say them. Just to get a rise out of people. SZA, on this album is clearly trying the same thing. But it's 25 years later. People don't get shocked like that anymore. And since none of this is on the radio, there is no one to offend. Second, I kept thinking while listening that SZA is obsessed with game playing with people. And my thought was confirmed when she literally claimed that she wasn't. You can't be upset that your man cheats on you when you cheat on him as well. And pitting people against each other for the chase isn't nice. I know this makes me seem like a conservative asshole. I swear I am not. I am not judging SZA at all here. But her lyrics, which are the stand out as they are laid on a bed of rather boring R&B and hip-hop audio tropes, leave much to be desired. Nothing new here.

Despite its ironic name, this album was great. Ctrl is really about control, rather it’s more about the deep expression of emotion, which this album conveys perfectly. SZA’s lyric writing is truly phenomenal, truly being able to convey the emotion that’s intended with these lyrics. While these lyrics may not, at first glance, seem the deepest (especially that one track with Kendrick Lamar), when combined with SZA’s excellent singing, conveys the negative emotions she feels. It truly hits you when she sings about her self doubt about love. It’s truly fantastic. The tracks Garden (Say It Like Dat) and Drew Barrymore stand out to me lyrically, with the former discussing her self doubt about if her partner would love her for who she is and the latter being about loneliness and her inability to truly connect with others. Not only do these songs hit on an emotional level, these songs sound good. SZA is a great vocalist who really makes this album for me. The lyrics and her vocals are what makes this album such a great one. However, the neo soul sound that is being gone for with this album is great. Neo soul in general is a fantastic genre and I think this album really proves that. The hip hop and pop inspired production really gives this album an enjoyable sound. However, there are a few hints of indie pop sprinkled throughout the album that really adds to the sound. It’s so relaxing and nice to listen to. I could, honest to God, listen to this album forever and I don’t think I’d get tired of it. This album is really good. I can’t sing it’s praises enough. The sound and emotions of this album are really something special. I’m really thinking a solid 9/10 would be a good rating for this.

My last* album, very nice. I see why SZA is now in so many peoples top artists. *there are like 100 more after 1001.

This is mos def not my style, but it was more listenable than expected and much better than say MIA that we got yesterday. The beats and her voice are fine, so I can say that it wasn't terrible.

SZA is an exciting case by having songs in the exact line between hip-hop and R&B. Combing this mix with her fantastic voice creates a great album. Quite repetitive but still great. Also a great cover by the way.

Ganske kult, kvinnelige Frank ocean-vibber

Meh

Liked it

Smooth jams. I liked it

Not for me

Alright but won't revisit.

nice

Liked this one - need to listen again.

"Forrest Gump had a lot goin' for him Never without pussy Y'know, Jenny almost gave it all up for him Never even pushed for the pussy Where's Forrest now when you need him?" Yeah. The music was good at least.

This is super rad and I can't wait to listen to it a bunch more. Think I'd been conflating her with HER but I like SZA's style much more.

not a r&b fan apparently

6/10. Most times an artist has mentioned shaving their legs in an album on this list.

I probably would’ve given this an 8 but just reading the reviews on this site made me so annoyed I’m bumping up the score. I mean, “Why I can't stay alone just by myself? Wish I was comfortable just with myself but I need you,” almost made me cry this morning. 9/10

Hm, she's fucking hot!! I can do with some R&B today. Let's check it out! It was a decent album, a couple of tracks with naughty lyrics. Which I love. Doves in the Wind and Pretty Little Birds were the ones that grabbed my attention.

I really like the vibe on the first track Supermodel. Doves In The Wind is a little...simplistic? Not my thing. Music video is tight. Normal Girl is good. in fact the last 3 songs are killer.

Garbage, this ain’t music by any stretch of the imagination. 1/2 rating in my book

„Gott, was ist das denn jetzt schon wieder?“ war ich nach den ersten paar Songs versucht zu sagen, fand es dann aber doch ganz - nett. Mehr aber auch nicht. Doves In The Wind fand ich einfach nur zwangsvulgär, wie einige andere Songs bzw. Songpassagen auch. Insgesamt kann man ihr eine ausgiebige Souligkeit nicht absprechen, nur kommt das Album durchweg nicht recht in die Gänge. Reicht noch nicht für drei Sterne.

Solid contemporary R&B but I’d be lying if I said this was one of the core albums in the genre from the past decade (like many think it is) Rating: 6/10

SZA!!! i love this album

I'd listen to Drew Barrymore and 20 Something again Not sure theres much else I'd ever want to seek out a second time

10/10!

Soul. Hip hop.

tan soporífero que hasta la cantante se está quedando dormida

I’m just going to talk about the Forrest Gump song, because it embodies a type of humor for shock value that I think sucks: “Here’s this thing that’s innocuous and people have nostalgia for, let’s make it dirty.” It’s the Family Guy model. By the time this record came out in 2017, it had already been overused for a long time. “Hey everyone, what if Captain Kangaroo said fuck or the Transformers were sex pests?” So edgy. Otherwise, this record was fine. I’m going to use it going forward as a line of demarcation for reviews. It’s probably the most evenly “3” record I’ve got so far. The production was good, the music and songs mostly interesting and it was enjoyable enough, but there’s nothing here that will bring me back in the future.

Will listen again.

Solid album. A chill mix of r&b, hip-hop, and synthpop. Just get Travis Scott out of there.

It's good. The music is solid, though never blindingly brilliant, and the songs are lyrically brilliant. Taking a cue from D'Angelo or that other guy, they're all sex jams, but with the unflinching emotional honesty of Mary J Blige. The contrast is brilliant, and gets you right in the guts.

Good stuff - already re-listened.

Sexy. Ended up listening to this a few times.

Lækker rnb, hiphop, fede features, tematisk

It's great to see a "newer" album on this list. I'm just not sure why it's this one. I did enjoy the little snippets of wisdom from her mom and grandma, but the music was just okay.

Liked the sound. Hated the lyrics and the videos. She made some "artistic" choices that eliminate the album for me.

I'd heard that this album was intensely personal, innovative and had great reviews, so I was looking forward to hearing it. I was disappointed. The backing tracks are intricate and jazz infused, which is vaguely interesting in an academic sense, but as an older millennial I just couldn't connect with the themes at all. Gen Z may love it, but I'm happy to be well outside of the target audience. Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: 20 Something Date listened: 20/05/23

That's me, Ms. 20-something

Torn on this one, the production soars in places with touches of shimmering synthpop that meld perfectly with the vocals, but said vocals often strain the limits of my patience (such as saying pussy so many times it loses all coherent meaning). Need to listen to SZA's most recent release to see if it can maintain the strong instrumentals, as some maturity in the songwriting would easily make this a 4-star album.

There was a brief time in 2018 where I had "Garden" on repeat but didn't explore the rest of SZA's debut. Now that I've heard the whole thing, I have "Garden" on repeat once again :) But wait, there's more to enjoy. Even the Travis Scott collab, which I was a little cold towards, but that detuned synth warranted a relisten, and now I actually kinda like it...? Early on in the listen, I had the thought that SZA was about my age when she recorded this, and then "20 Something" comes on and it's just all about the anxiety of being over 25, with "not a phone in my name" HL: "Garden (Say It like Dat)", "20 Something", "Doves in the Wind", "Drew Barrymore", "Prom"

At times, I felt this should have been called CTRL D, as the auto tuned vocals bordered on annoying. This ain't Amy Winehouse here. Most of the time I felt like I was shopping at Old Navy and wanted to leave.

I appreciated the RnB production value. I get the "vibe".

Same issues with this as I've generally been having in this genre - the signing is strong but musically the vocal lines are monotonous, the lyrical content just doesn't interest me, and the musical accompaniment is generic. Nothing stuck with me and I wouldn't listen again.

That was.... Good. Surprisingly good. If you gave me a 1 sentence description of the album before hand I would have immediately written it off. But wow. Great backing tracks. Peaceful but complex in parts. Vocals just on the right side of the line between annoying and modern. I'm learning from this 1001 albums that there are some great rnb/hiphop albums few and far between all the terrible ones.

It's pretty generic but I like it. There's a raw edge to it and it's kind of sweet where they try to shock you with the lyrics, then get caught papering-over the vocal cracks with studio production tricks and finally chuck in some bops, whistles and samples to keep it going. It's random and that keeps me listening.

ngl this is really boring. thers nothing musically interesting and lyrics are a good insight to her thoughts etc but i just don't care

I'm very indifferent about this album. Although I can totally get how this can be a vibe for people, it's not for me. It's more of a 2.5, but more worthy of a 3 than a 2.

pretty awesome, but no standout hitters.

Great voice, personal lyrics, and interesting production. This was quite good.

I've never been a fan of overt sexual content in music, so the album lost points for me. It was a decent listen for this genre, but I would not listen again.

No sexual innuendo, nuance, or seduction in the lyrics. All gas. But a gorgeous voice and musical landscape in every song.

This is going to age like a fine wine. Even the songs about fucking are subversive. Near perfect record.

I just don't get it. Production is adequate, but nothing else felt any bit interesting.

Pop moderno. Con buena voz. Nueva hornada de cantantes femeninas americanas. No muy destacable

Best Song: Pretty Little Birds. SZA is at her best here, and Isaiah Rashad provides the best feature on the album. Worst Song: Drew Barrymore. Just felt like way too basic of a song, especially after all the spice that came from the previous track with Kendrick saying "pussy" forty times. Overall: When it's good, it's good. Sexy, spirited. The non-musical asides are great too. There are a few weaker tracks near the middle, but otherwise a great album.

One of the most lush, tight albums in modern r&b. There is no doubting how SZA broke through and connected with so many people. I cannot think of any filler on this, just excellent song after excellent song. SZA is dialed in and delivering on every song, every verse, every note.

Not the kind of music I like. Boring to some extend

I enjoy the vibe of this record, it's relaxed, and somewhere between stoned and melancholy. The production is nice. It does somewhat just float on by, grabbing your attention every once in a while, but it's a nice way to float, I guess. Favorite tracks: "Doves In The Wind", "Broken Clocks"

El mejor álbum de sza perdón

A good addition in the neo soul genre but like with the classic acts (D'Angelo) too many of the songs seem to blend into one another with the same style & lyrics. Certainly enjoyable for a chill background music and even in another particular room with a bed.

Boring. Didn’t finish it. The half I listened to, I think literally every song was just about fucking. Lazy.

It’s ok

Some nice R and B. Not my favourite of the genre, and the lyrics can get grating after a while

I didn’t find it that fun at all but I admit it’s slightly unique and not inherently that dreadful. I still don’t think she deserves to be one of the top artists on Spotify though. 2/5

Well produced but not for me

I was pretty uneasy at the beginning of this album, but it was wonderful at the end. Favorite tracks: Broken Clocks, 20 Something

eh it’s alright 6.5/10 features were good

Drake-achtige R&B. niks geweldigs

Heathens

such a nice pretty voice and i really appreciate the tight runtime

Never been the audience for this kind of mellow R&B. Kind of the same problem I run into with Dylan, the music itself doesn't land at all for me, which has me then zoning out on the lyrics, which is unfortunate, because I understand those to be the main draw here!

really good

Nice easy listening. This wasn’t a revelation for me or anything but very good.

Music of a wavelength that’s opposite to mine.

Meandering chilled r'n'b much like a meandering Frank Ocean....which is no bad thing if you like that kind of thing. One of those I find tricky because its so out of my comfort zone.

It was ok but not interested in hearing about people’s intimate sex talk. Trashy.

Assumed this was going to be more tinny modern computer pop but it had a nicer R&B side that made it an enjoyable listen

A friend of mine turned me onto SZA like two weeks ago and now she's popping up here! What a coincidence. I think her newer stuff is better than this, but it's all pretty good. Chill hip hop. Smooth as butter. Just don't let your grandma hear you listening to it

An enjoyable album

EXCELLENT

I think my feelings on this album can pretty much be summed up by the one two punch of Prom followed by The Weekend. Prom is just crushing lyrically. It’s an inventive sounding song, good, that is performed by a very capable singer. The Weekend is everything about some pop music that I don’t like. It is overwrought in its current sound landscape and the lyrics are a worldview that is not only foreign to me but also somewhat repugnant. It’s also sung by a singer wanting to sound current and full of runs that don’t elevate the music. I fully like half the album and fully hate the other half.

I have been sleeping on SZA and this album was phenomenal. Shame on me for not listening to more of her stuff sooner!

2/5 Sounds fine, but not for me

coffee house rap. not for me.

Not my jam

I was skeptical at first, but actually enjoyed this as a soundtrack while wandering around a rainy flea market. If I had more options, I’d probably say 2.5 but I think it’s fair to round up to 3.

Pretty groovy, nice Kendrick guest spot

I can't get into it, gave up midway.

Nah

Really liked this!?

Not my type of noise

Good album. 3/5

Decent, but perhaps too long.

Not really my style 3 2

S'écoute bien mais sans plus

Interesting but didn’t totally win me over - it starts a bit naff but then the middle part is very strong and gently closes the album with some decent tracks. Maybe it needs more listens - but then most albums in this list need that…

Really not my thing at all.

🎶✨

SZA’s CTRL has an ethereal nature to it, almost like as if the listener is hearing it through a haze. The music itself exists somewhere between triphop, R&B and neo-soul. Overall, the album is a chronicle of the love life of a twenty something woman of color and seems to wrestle with themes of identity as she is approaching 30. Overall, this album feels like listening to a dream or a memory. None of the individual elements feel groundbreaking, but taken together, this album is unique and engaging.

puhevika sössötystä on siinäkin trendi... garage band ass musiikkia ja siihen päälle läpsätty pliisuimpaa mahdollista youtube nais ukulele vittu vokaalia ja siihenkin auto tuunausta ku ei osata.... mielummmin hoilotat PASKASTI!!! SIINÄ OLISI JOTAIN HERTTAISTA MUTTA EI!!!! olen kuullut tämän albumin jokaisessa spotify mainoksessa koska ne kuulostaa kaikkia aivan vitun samalta ei mit'ään omalaatuista overhead the albatross hangs motionless upon the air........ no ehkä 5 vuotta sitten tää voi olla pioneeri.... itseasiassa tuli korporaatio musiikkia mainoksessa vahingossa... olin innoissani... ei ollutkaan albumia enää.. google.tralnslate if dont understand go gina,..

Musically this is interesting and grows on you as the album progresses. Some lovely arrangements and a pretty laid back vibe work well here. Lyrically, there is a openness and rawness that's a little uncomfortable, but really appealing. I'm less a fan of some of the more explicit stuff, but that's just me. Fave Songs: Prom, Drew Barrymore, Broken Clocks

Caould be great but not

Generic auto-tune pop/r&b/hip-hop without any original musical idea whatsoever and with absolutely nothing to say. Tedious. 1.5/5

Nothing really special that would point to being on this list. Especially so new.

Meh… I don’t like it. Idk why I get pop/rnb albums.

Ulgh. Then I noticed a song with Travis Scott (might've been computer generated voice as well). No.

I guess this wasn't terrible, but I really don't understand the hype. Not for me.

3.8/5

Belle incursion dans un genre que je ne connaissais pas. J'aime sa voix, j'aime le phrasé et le rythme.

I didn't like the first few songs, but the rest of the album is better. Still, I didn't like it enough to give it a higher rating. There were elements of something I liked in this album. I thought the little phone interludes were cute. My favourite song was Normal Girl.

Way better than I thought

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V

alt del

Blaah, ei tainnut olla biisiäkään josta olis oikeesti diggaillu.

Huomaamattomasti tämäkin pyöri taustalla, ei ihmeellistä

4/14, 29%

Very nice, soul, r&b album

I thought it was a pretty average R&B album, still enjoyed it 7/10

Very meh r&b

SZA kon mij niet bekoren. pop en R&B zoals er zo veel zijn

This is ok R&B. Not my favorite genre, but it's good background music. Rob tells me that R&B should not disappear into the background. That makes this 'not good'.

mellow r&b

Not for me.

bland start but picked it up towards the end

was all right,

Never heard of this R&B artist. The vocals were solid, but the songs and overall production simply didn't work for me.

Not bad

I thought SZA would be Wu-Tang style rap but this was more laid-back, R&B influenced music. It was nice but the tracks all sounded similar.

Catch up hectic awkward therapy shelves behind situps couch

This album makes me realize I'm getting old, and that age is tainting my opinions on music. Granted, that album wouldn't have ever been an album for me; her voice is fine, but everything else….from the beats to the lyrics, is tedious. However, I judged the lyric contents harsher than anything I listened to; that was much worse. So, I'm old...stay off my lawn!

The features were the weakest part by far. More SZA, less other people. Best track: Drew Barrymore

Que aquest r&b tenyit de soul tan genèric i insípid sigui un dels discos triats per representar 2017 diu molt poc a favor de la música dels últims '10s.

Whichever way I shake it, SZA just sounds to me like easy approachable pedestrian music. It is superficially catchy, with big features, flashing mild hints of personality enough to satisfy the disengaged, and not be irritating.

Heard it before?: Yes, just the once Enjoy it?: Yeah it was okay, enjoyable beats and features but lyrically I wasn’t blown away or that impressed? One aspect I did really like was the phone call recordings which ended a few tracks, I’d rather have had them instead of a few tracks as interludes Favourite song: Track 4 -Drew Barrymore

This album is bold and sexy but has a vulnerability to it that is surprising. While not something I would listen to regularly and definitely not music aimed at me, SZA creates music that is difficult to ignore. The features are pretty reliable as well. Standout songs are 20 Something and Pretty Little Birds.

Mad decent

Slaps

Enjoyed the Kendrick feature

It was a pretty easy listen, nothing extraordinary really but enjoyable enough. Travis Scott can fuck off though. Favourite song would be Anything.

Good music. Not necessarily my taste, but I do like it.

I like the music but it has the kind of hip hop lyrics that completely put me off. (Stop saying ‘pussy’ for fucksake).

Awesome album, really enjoyable

Better than I expected.

Honest lyrics, but most of the melodies feel repetitive. Highlights: Garden, 20 something Love R&B but this is a 2/5

Not my style. 2/5

This is a genre I struggle to enjoy, and I really didn't hear what might have been noteworthy about this long album, other than some clever and interesting lyrics sprinkled here and there.

This album has a pretty good sound, though I wasn't prepared for a lot of the vulgar lyrics. It's funny...I'm OK with the n-word, p*ssy, etc. when a gangster rapper does it, but for some reason it was jarring when Sza did it. That being said, once I got into the album it was really enjoyable and she has a great voice. But, a huge turn-off for me was this trend that started 5-7 years ago where singers would do this thing with their voice where they sound like Elmer Fudd. Maybe Sza is the artist who started it and the rest mimicked her style, but I hate it. I couldn't get past that style of singing to really like this album/artist.

Good album, nothing worldbreaking but nice to listen to

A bit boring compared to my memory

Yeah, it’s fine.

Great combo of hip hop beats, and good pop/rock playing. The language is authentic but may turn some people off from this album. She is an amazing talent and more people should know about her.

The strength of SZA's writing is evident throughout. The set is consistent in its rawness and precision, and that's a tricky balance to maintain and never drop. The bird punning is something I missed the first time and stuck out as a highlight. However, CTRL didn't manage to sink any earwork hooks into me. A solid release, but I don't see it changing hearts and minds about R&B. The production provides a foundation for something bigger; That never quite obtains.

Must hear?

This grew on me over the course of the album. Sort of a hardcore version of Adele. I liked the song about Forrest Gump and pussy. 3 stars.

Genuinely one of my least favorite trend-setters in Modern R&B. Props to SZA for getting to this sound first and pioneering it, but this is Soul derived music at it's most soulless, a grey flurry of non-starters all addled in pot smoke and too-cool-to-even-try vibes.

Not my usual vibe at all, but that doesn't mean it didn't get me vibin. Great vocals, a few solid standout tracks, and overall a good time.

I hadn't heard (or don't recall hearing) anything by this artist before, and I am so glad this project introduced me to her and her work. Such an interesting personal style that combines a variety of sounds and influences. There are enough layers and textures in most of the tracks, along with some nicely composed harmonies and melodies, that my ear stayed engaged for quite a lot of this album. Really good stuff here and I'll definitely listen to it again.

Meh

Lady rap is not for me. Also can't pronounce her name. Should've kept it Solana Rowe

A blunt, important statement of relationships in the modern world. Not always pretty, but quite compelling. It reminds me of an R&B/hip-hop version of Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville. As a debut, it is audacious and hopefully a sign of more interesting music ahead.

This is a great album. You get a sense of who she is from the lyrics, there are some great grooves and production and I remember being wowed by this when it first came out. A true album sonically and conceptually. I didn't give it a higher score because I actually think it's too long. No song is bad, but by the end the songs start to sound similar to me as most of the songs have similar tempos/melody lines etc. So while it's not a super long album, I think it could cut a track or two.

one of the few modern r&b records very good early tracks heavily inspired by frank ocean

Trash

Ambitious work, but after multiple listens it's just not clicking, maybe it's the overuse of auto-tune or the weak lyrics.

Some good beats

Really good!

Sounds real shit Lyrics real shit Boring

It was good. Not so much my jam but solid.

4.5/5. Better than I remember. The first half of the album is amazing. Great songs and great features. I felt that the second half of that album, while it was by no means bad, it lacked in song quality, compared to the first half. Overall, a really good album.

Jakosciowy material na 500 pick to tak wrzucilo traszowy filler na 501, bo wylosowalo Ctrl od SZA z roczniak 2017, ktory jest niczym innym niz popowym spiewaniem przez czarna artystke do produkcji modnych producentow, bo mozna wyroznic pieciu producentow plyty ktorzy mieli wplyw na brzmienie plyty poa jak tylko sie da popowymi wokalami artystki zwanej SZA, ktora kojarze z jakis mtv czy innych popularnych chartow muzycznych, ale o samej nic nie wiem poza tym, ze jest to artyyska z typu ma wygladac i sie sprzedac na albumie czy wystpie, a nie niesc w sobie nic nowego lub odkrywczego, bo 49 minut SZA r&b czy eno soula naszpikowane feaczurami niczim nie zaskoczylo nie zrobilo momentu w ktorym czlek chcialy zreplejowac to co akurat bylo grane, niestety nie bylo takich momentow, wiec ocena jak najbardziej zasluzona jako filer listowy, bo nie wiem jak inaczej nazwac album tego typu, zadny kawalek nie zapda w pamiec na dluzej niz przesluchanie kolejnego, ale co sie spodziewac po albumie z ktorego 1/3 byla wypuszczona w postaci singli przed wydaniem krazka, jak dla mnie takie granie muzyki to cos dziwnego, robionego jedynie dla dolara, bo nie wiem jak mozna inaczej wypluc z siebie takie zestawienie trakow, w ktorych faczury robia najwieksza robote, wiec na plejke nie idzie nic, a caly krazek nie powinien sie znalezc nawet w poblizu listy 1001 albumow do przesluchania przed zgonem, bo poziom granej muzyki jest tutaj ponizej standardow listowych, ale wiadomo album nowy artystki o dziwnym pseudonimie i o egzotycznej karnacji puszczanej w radio, wiec wsystko sie zgadza zeby doac na liste, nie umiem sie doszukac pozytywow tych 50 minut ktore tutaj zmarnowalem, a wiem ze niestety nie jest to ostatnie spotkanie z wspoczesnymi okolo rapowymi albumami, bo jednak r&b czesto jest podciagane pod rapowanie, co jest jak najbardziej na miejscu przez styl w jakim wyrzuca swoja bezznaczeniowa liryke pani SZA

Not what I would usually listen to. Some tracks were just trite, runn of the mill boasting raps. Drew Barrymore and the last track were excellent though and worth every ounce of praise. The production is top notch and so beautifully layered

ointressant och tråkigt.

2/5 naaah

Smooth, interesting, and curious. Certainly worth digging into further. Fave: Garden (Say It Like Dat)

Sizzles

Average vocals, disappointing features, slow tempo and boring instrumentals, just nothing to be impressed by. I hate that some classic album lost its spot on the list for this one.

Decent R&B/Rap that doesn't really offer anything and whose addition to this list is questionable. Not bad enough for a two stars though

sounds like an average modern rb pop album tbh thematics and lyrics are at some points above average but the rest sounds like drum loops so im not sure why there is a book required for the writing credits

I don't listen to much 2010s music so I had to listen closely to this neo-soul entry, which is one of the most raved about. I decided to look up the opinions online, but it all boils down to how gorgeous her appearance and voice are, and how "relatable" her lyrics are. Damn zoomers. One thing I notice is how most songs start off with a unique chillwave sample. Some forget about it immediately but other tracks really morph it as the song goes on. Immediately with "Supermodel" I notice she sounds a lot like Amy Wimehouse. It's a great track to start off the album and entice me. Love the drums at the end. Next we have two collabs. "Love Gazore" has an ok beat, but Travis Scott's autotune is the most horrific sound imaginable. Almost turned me off. "Doves in the Wind" is a much better collab. Lamar really kills it with performance, and SZA does better here too. Check out the music video for this one. Nice samples. "Drew Barrymore" returns the focus to those strong vocals. More and more she sounds like Winehouse. Really impactful chorus, and amazing violins at the end. "Prom" is an outliner synthwave dance track. Not sure why this exists, or why it wasn't a single. It's good. The next song "The Weekend" is the lead single I believe, which serves as an ode to 90s neo-soul. Has the most poetic and unique lyrics but is a tad monotonous. The second half songs were much less impressive. "Go Gina" is the most boring track. "Garden" is boring, especially those beats, but it's bright and I like when it picks up. "Broken Bells" has a grand sound but it still sounds generic. "Anything" was a strange exception, I really enjoyed the 80s computer samples, felt magical and dreamy, and that wall of sound in the coda was really pleasing. The interlude "Wavy" really sucked. A low for me. "Normal Girl" is pretty decent, nice vocal performance and entrancing samples. Is that a guitar ending? The next is a collab, and SZA sounds angelic here, but little can be said. There's some interesting samples, like a jazz piecd. We end with "20 Something." The lyrics are a fitting melancholic closer to the album, and the sample tries to match it (could be better), but the mixing is bad, and she's putting a little too much effort and not enough emotion for what's to be a solemn end.

A few good songs but this is mostly pretty bland

Synth drums: check R&B elements: check Multilayered productions: check Sexually explicit lyrics: check Big names as guests: check A TikTok single: check A stereotypical "modern music" album. But whether or not you agree that "modern music bad", this particular work is surprisingly well done.

Pretty ok, not fully my buzz I don't think

I enjoyed this. Really smooth and well crafted r'n'b. More interesting than the mainstream, with real (gasp!) personal viewpoints. Enjoyable. Sounds like this was a crushing, angst-filled experience to produce, and who knows if she will ever manage to follow it up, but here's hoping she does. Standout track for me: The Weekend.

Couldn't even finish it.

I just can't do modern R&B. It started shitting the bed in the 70s and there's not much in the genre that's appealed to me since then.

A little raunchy, but some good stuff here. Loved "20 Something".

This was very slick - listened twice while working and it's melodic enough in most places that it slips pleasantly into the background - I'd probably get more out of it with a focused listen paying more attention to the lyrics... Fave track - "20 Something", maybe? Or "The Weekend"... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You know, good standard late 2010s pop

Typical modern music really, good production, soulful vocals, crap lyrics. Not much songwriting craft going on either.

Alright I suppose, was a fairly standard randb pop affair.

Crp

Lovely stuff

Ctrl+Alt+Del

I listened to this when it came out but hadn't gone back to it, it's still pretty good. She's definitely one of the better RnB songwriters

You know what, its all very impressive.

An intriguing album from an artist with a lot to say, SZA brings late night tales of modern relationships over sparse stripped back beats. Whilst it’s not a classic there’s plenty to enjoy and more to come, no doubt.

J’ai aime le style. R&b hiphop ca sonne biene t c’estplaisant 4

Love this so much

Sorry, not a fan of so much n word.

The music had a great, positive vibe to it. The lyrics, though!!

Sorry but I didn’t like this at all

Pop-soul suavecín. No está mal.

Pleasant r&B voice, usual sex content, but not very amusing or opaque. I liked the minimalist backing music. Nothing too complicated or over produced. Occasionally vocal would better left alone without any effects. Quite ordinary in general.

Good contemporary stuff, although a bit too forward for my sensitive ears. Don’t think it has long term staying power though, very much on the disposable end of the pop spectrum (unlike, for example, Solangés album, which is a clear inspiration)

Blurry slurred delivery and lazy beats. A lot of it sounds like the same couple of ideas endlessly reworked. Nice enough but a bit shrug really.

5/10

Not really for me, liked a couple of tracks such as Go Gina.

5/10

I respekt the talent. But this one just ain't for me dawg

It's a solid album not bad not perfect. It has some good songs "like doves in the wind". I liked the album but I probably won't listen to it again any time soon.

Mediokert svag trea fr Några bra men i allmänhet tråkigt!

Nice r&b with cool murky beats on some tracks. I think this list could have stopped being updated at 2005 though, just a thought

Bra grejer, musiken lät bra och jag tyckte SZAs meddelande var positivt och välakrivet.

Meh - whiny stuff about shagging gaidos

Not for me

meh, not my bag at all but fairly acceptable. its nice to see banging on about your genitals isn't just a male rapper thing.

Pussy juice exploding right in my eyes. It stings a little, but feels wonderful. I mix it with acid and throw it at innocent bystanders in the street. Fuck them.

What an absolute fuck monster. If Shakin' Stevens got Parkinson's, would it still be acceptable to call him Shakin' Stevens?

This is pleasant enough but I struggle to see why it is put on such a high pedestal, it sounds a lot like all the other neo-soul/alternative R&B out there. It's no A Seat At The Table.

5/10

holy fuck she sounds obnoxious and i hate her voice

Love Sza’s lyrics, vocals are great, music is good

listened to the first track for a bit, thought I'd skip forward a bit to see what the rest is like. Nearly gave it a complete no, but then Prom came along which was ok (for me) Couple more tracks - then decided no, to much other good stuff to listen to in this world