Drake: “Fake Love” & “Sneakin'”
Drake releases two tracks in support of his forthcoming More Life, which he has described as a “playlist” of new music. On “Fake Love,” he uses the same wavy singsong voice he has employed to great success in the past, most recently on the one-two punch of “One Dance” and “Controlla.” “Sneakin’” finds him in turned-up mode alongside Atlanta newcomer 21 Savage as he boasts and takes shots at unnamed haters and his millions of fans will love speculating about his targets on social media. –Mosi Reeves
Alicia Keys: “Holy War”
Alicia Keys calls for equality and peace in her new single “Holy War.” Backed by an acoustic guitar and bass drum, she breaks down how the world is “divided by difference, sexuality and sin.” As the tempo gradually builds, she suggests a social paradigm shift and that “maybe we should love somebody instead of polishing the bombs of holy war.” Keys first introduced the song when she recited it in homage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards. Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Keys believes that all men and women are created equal and she uses her gift of songwriting to deliver a motivating message about change. –Jazmyn Pratt
Young Jeezy: Trap or Die 3
On Young Jeezy’s Trap or Die 3, the wheezy-voiced Atlanta pioneer brags about his status as one of the game’s veteran thug winners. “Nggs trying to be what I was when I first came in the game,” he asserts on “Recipe.” Despite reminding us of his decade-plus legacy, his latest mixtape sonically looks forward. Tracks like “All There” and “Let Em Know” bear the spooky, opiate-like sounds that marks trap music in 2016, while he and Yo Gotti talk about coming “a long way from the metro” over the trap hammers of “Where It At.”* — Mosi Reeves*
Meek Mill: DC4
There’s nothing quite like Meek Mill going on a lyrical rampage. He runs through a stack of verses like they’re all one run-on sentence, and his voice reaches such a bellowing volume that he sounds like he’s raining hellfire. It’s a quality that has allowed the Philadelphia rapper to flourish in spite of his well-publicized beef with Drake, and it sustains many the best tracks on DC4 (Dreamchasers 4). Much of his new mixtape seems to reprise highlights from his past, whether it’s the snippet of the “Dreams & Nightmares” beat that appears on the “Outro,” how “You Know” sounds like a sequel to his and girlfriend Nicki Minaj’s “All Eyes on You,” or the inclusion of a third chapter to his crime drama “Tony Story.” However, “Blue Notes,” where he lets rip over a languid blues rhythm, is an entirely new concept. — Mosi Reeves
**Alejandro Escovedo, Burn Something Beautiful **
Longtime fans still will recognize Burn Something Beautiful as Alejandro Escovedo, yet there’s no denying it doesn’t sound much like its many predecessors. Downplaying his Americana and heartland rock tendencies (though not totally removing them), the Peter Buck-produced gem is littered with fuzzy, chunky glam punk and driving power pop. “Horizontal” is a riveting opener that boasts smeared new wave licks worthy of Brian Eno’s Here Come the Warm Jets, street gang chants and a seriously tough backbeat. On “Shave a Cat” Escovedo smothers that same attack in filthy twang and punchy sax skronk; watch out for some nasty, razor-wire guitar soloing. But not every cut is an uptempo rager. One of the album’s most enthralling pieces is “Johnny Volume,” an undulating, reverb-stained psychedelic ballad replete the kind of gooey organ found all over the Nuggets boxed set. All in all, this is one seriously fun rock ‘n’ roll album. –Justin Farrar
2 Chainz: Hibachi for Lunch
2 Chainz’ latest mixtape is another exercise in braggin’ and boastin’ for fun and profit. “Remember when I used to play basketball/Now I’m out here playing ratchet ball,” he claims on “Doors Open.” There’s plenty more where that came from, including the 8-bit arcade game loops of “Diamonds Talkin’ Back,” where he mumbles like Gucci Mane,” and the murky trap-soul drama of “Good Dank,” which actually features a cameo from Gucci himself. Other guests include Ty Dolla $ign on “Lil Baby,” and Future on “Doors Open,” the latter is produced by Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul. “Day party at my crib, you invited,” 2 Chainz tells us on “Day Party.” “Day party at my crib, bring a lighter.” –Mosi Reeves
**Honeyblood, Babes Never Die **
Honeyblood’s sophomore effort is a lot like the duo’s 2014 debut, only richer, fuller and more supple. Where its predecessor swathed the band’s Scottish indie in reverb-rich atmosphere, Babes Never Die removes the shroud in order for the blistering confidence of Stina Marie Claire Tweeddale’s vocals and drummer Cat Myers’ swinging grooves to take center stage. Flipping agilely between twee-style sweetness and fizzy punk energy, “Sea Hearts” showcases the duo’s ability to write supremely catchy, ’90s-inspired tunes that are as emotionally urgent as they are ingeniously constructed. That latter quality definitely shines through on “Hey, Stellar,” on which layered vocals glide across a rhythm oh-so-subtly infused with jazzy, trip-hop syncopation. Though Honeyblood don’t stray far from their DIY roots, Babes Never Die does contain a few striking moments, including the sweetly sour ballad “Cruel,” that finds the group inching closer to straight-up pop. It reveals that they certainly have the chops and songwriting savvy required of serious chart ambition. –Justin Farrar