4/5
I Still Love H.E.R.
HERstory was made at the Oscar's this year when Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, AKA H.E.R. scored Academy Award gold for 'Best Song' with her track 'Fight For You' from 'Best Supporting Actor' Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield's 'Judas and the Black Messiah'. It marked a big-three, holy trinity of acclaimed accolades for some of her greatest hits as H.E.R. also took home Grammy gold for 'Song of the Year' ('I Can't Breathe') and 'Best R&B Song' ('Better Than I Imagined') to add to her trophy cabinet family. That's an Emmy and Tony away from EGOT status for a GOAT in the making who wants to act in her own 'Best Picture', not just soundtrack them. All this at age 23, the old soul who thanked her parents influence and of course “those days of listening to Sly and the Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye,” even paid tribute to her "lifetime inspiration", Prince. Dressed to impress and inspire at the Oscar's in a purple jumpsuit and cape in a same style that The Artist wore at the Academy Awards way back when I was born in 1985. When his 'Purple Rain' 'Best Original Song Score' went for gold for the man who even made 'Batman' soundtracks like Hans Zimmer. Now armed with an axe like the guitar God that she is, H.E.R. is a motherf#####g rock star on her own reign for the black and white 'Back Of My Mind'. Her part III, 21 track opus that in a scorching Summer of sound after last years 'Women In Music' only has competition from The Jezabels frontwoman Hayley Mary's 'The Drip' EP. But this extended play makes all the other LP's this week look scratched as she takes it back to the classics like Motown meets neo soul and has a baby holding six strings. Following her own volume of EP's and her self-titled debut compilation composition, (followed by the five-time Grammy nominated 'I Used To Know Her'), H.E.R is here. Having Everything Revealed for 'B.O.M.M.' that is the bomb right now hitting everything. Here she is...and there's nothing like her.
Common can't even say 'I Used To Love H.E.R.' anymore, because Gabriella has all our hearts now. It's time to lend your ears. H.E.R. is more than hip-hop. She's an icon of genre, gravity and convention defiance. The musical family hasn't been blended this beautifully since the symbol, so you best believe she's an icon. This offical debut is the definition and music's redefinition as this will never just be in the back of our minds as Wilson takes us through the vortex of her cortex for 79 minutes. This album is so much like a movie it even came with its own epic trailer. As the lead single 'Damage' destroyed everything in its path. With H.E.R. singing along, "If you want me don't take me for granted, yeah, yeah/If I'm worth more than you could manage, baby." Then she came through with a Chris Brown collaboration to follow the platinum 'Damage' and YG assisted 'Slide' singing, "Almost missed my flight today/I look good, even though I feel s####y/I just got back out this way/You already got plans for the city/Call 'em off, could you call 'em off for me?/You're always going on and on/Got it all, ask me why I never leave/I don't go out much." But it's the latest single and 'Mind' opener 'We Made It' (sing along in chorus unison at this hook, "For all those nights hopin' that we'd find it/Lookin' at the sky, like thank God that you're with me/You're with me/Run red lights and followin' the signs/It's been a long ride and I just can't believe/Can't believe we made it."), that truly does. In this Olympic Summer this is H.E.R.'s victory lap...right out the gates.
Ty Dolla $ign's signature ad-libs helps bank on 'B.O.M.M.'s' self-titled track being as compelling as this whole album, or the 'Ecco the Dolphin' beat sounding KATIE track Ty flew all the way to South Korea for...even the video ('Remember'). Whilst one half of the world's biggest power couple right now (shout out to Naomi Osaka...we got you here in Japan. Stay strong) Cordae brings poetry to 'Trauma'. The classic collaborations continue to 'Find A Way' with Lil' Baby, but it's the 'Bloody Waters' with contemporary jazz man Thundercat that just may be the track of this classic. It's her 'What's Going On' or 'A Change Gonna Come', as iconic as 'cat's 'Apocalypse Now' like and 'Apocalypse' following 'Drunk' submerged album cover. There hasn't been this much Thunder since this bassist woke up last year's best album 'WIMPIII' and Haim for a '3AM' remix, cue the Este face. Even the 'Paradise' with Yung Bleu is perfect. But it's when Gabriella goes it alone like on 'My Own', or 'Closer To Me' that we see the real H.E.R. 'Lucky' for us. On 'Cheat Code' she gives us the inside look on the ignorance of infidelity. Whilst she genuinely gives us true intention on 'Mean It' singing, "Maybe I should be more like you/Buildin' up on a lie, then coverin’ up the truth/Oh, I thought that ain't what you do/Tellin' me that you closed off, why did you take your clothes off?" You have to trust this 'Process' like Philly as we 'Hold On' like Game 7. 'Don't' believe H.E.R.? "Don't count on me babe" she sings in love ballad, but we really can. Don't count her out. If you're 'Exhausted' by modern love or even life these days just listen to this in twilight with the lights down low for its black and white, atmospheric aesthetic to the grey areas of our hearts and minds. It's not 'Hard To Love' and it's 'For Anyone' and everyone as she tells us all, "Looking for your sound in someone else's house/But no one sings the same way/I look for peace of mind in someone else's eyes/Guess love is really blinding me." Lasting lyrical laments for a generation that's sound needs to be taken out the clouds and into H.E.R. stratosphere. And if you want another one how about the stirring soul sample of the DJ Khaled produced 'I Can Have It All' with fellow young rhythm and blues legend Bryson Tiller? THEY the best. Like Beanie Siegel we can feel this one in the air. But no one is in this wonderful woman's atmosphere of power. When it comes to album of the year on the back end of the calendar, have this one in mind. Why? You know why! They've got nothing on H.E.R. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'We Made It', 'Trauma (Feat. Cordae)', 'Bloody Waters (Feat. Thundercat)'.
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