4/5
Flowers For Willow
Hands across America, holding in beautiful black and white for the amazing album artwork, reach out to you with love, peace and understanding during these troubling and turbulent times. Look (shout out to my poet, Stock), I know I always call every New Music Friday release the album of the year, although it's only February (and with the latest drops from Labrinth, J. Cole and Jill Scott, can you blame me?), but I may not be over exaggerating here. Besides, at 25, WILLOW Smith is on a tear, and perhaps the best turn of her career. Seemingly releasing an album, of redefining difference, every year in her young Prince genre blend (and check out the 'i would die 4 u' terrific tribute here). Her latest, released on a New Music TUESDAY (?), 'petal rock black', changing the game again with a subtle, beautiful bloom.
More music heads need to whip their way to this willow wisdom at the same time her famous father follows 'Welcome To Earth' with another National Geographic great documentary series, 'Pole To Pole', Will Smith fancying himself as the next Michael Palin. We can't wait for a familiar collaboration, Will, his 'After Earth' and 'The Pursuit Of Happyness' co-star Jaden, or Jada, and her heavy metal outfit. But right now, nobody is making music in the Smith family like Willow, and the parents just DO understand. Compelling collaborations come here with the legends of the game. A Funkadelic George Clinton on the spoken word, album-title introduction, the eclectic Cali outfit Tune-Yards (on the powerhouse 'omnipotent') and new age jazz maestro Kamasi Washington letting it 'Play' like you should press. Because this seventh seal from Smith, following her jazz-infused 'Empathogen' is another epic that might best the rest.
Instantly iconic from the moment the butterfly effect of the artwork hits, looking like a young Willow "is a player" herself. This Three Six Zero and Gamma ray of a record coming two years after her last cut went classic. All for an incredible decade of her twenties as she's roared through ours with albums like the isolation helping 'Lately I Feel Everything' and 'Coping Mechanism' influence. Not to mention 'The Anxiety' she shared with Tyler Cole. This is pop at its most progressive from the 'Ardipithecus' artist, who, ever since 'The 1st' album and her self-titled one, has always been about more than their hair she shaved off in a statement in solidarity with herself, and uniquely her own. Throwing guitars into your MTV or BET. This avant-garde electro-funk is art heard to the 'ear of the cocoon' and her mother's love. A definitive dozen tracks, less than a half-hour, but all power. What more could you expect when this album was produced by Grammy winning, 'Soul' and music man Jon Batiste?
The surprise digital drop of the shortest, but best month of love, WILLOW dubs this "personal offering" as one that "honors the labor of creation" in her "artistic dedication". Recorded in isolation over a calendar and change and garnering critical comparisons to Erykah Badu and Tori Amos (now that's elite, deserved company), after highlights, like 'Vegetation' and 'nothing and everything', you need to hear this out like, "Gate gate pāragate pārasamgate bodhi svāhā" in repeated refrain. Most tracks are quick, like the incredible 'living in the heart' interlude. And there's a beautiful 'holy mystery' with the religion of, "Lay me down on your altar (Uh, ayy, ayy, uh, ooh)/Lay me down on this altar of love (Uh, ayy, ayy, uh, ooh)/I am an offering (Uh, ayy, ayy, uh, ooh)/I am honoring thee (Uh, ayy, ayy, uh, ooh)." Like water, this album is 'not a fantasy' or conditioned love Willow will not vow or bow to. 'Sitting Silently' on her soundboard she says it best, "Sitting silently, sitting alone in my room/Focus on my breathing, try to hear love speaking, keep on." This music and artist reaches for more. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Vegetation', 'Play (Feat. Kamasi Washington)', 'i would die 4 u'.
Spin This: WILLOW - 'Empathogen'.
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