I’ve got something for your summer. This might the first warm season that will see many more people out and about and the new eponymous record from Sometimes Y may very well find its way onto your summer-time playlist.
On paper, Yelawolf, hailed as “one of hip-hop’s most vital voices” by The Guardian, and Shooter Jennings, one of the Americana world’s most sought-after producers and songwriters with a pair of GRAMMY Awards to his name, might not seem like the most obvious combination. But after listening to the duo’s upcoming debut as Sometimes Y, you’ll quickly come to understand that their chemistry, built from a decades-long plus friendship, is in fact as intoxicating as it is unexpected. Recorded in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the heart of a tumultuous summer marked by social and political upheaval, their self-titled debut album Sometimes Y, produced by Jennings was released on March 11 via Slumerican.
It’s a bold and intoxicating rock and roll hybrid, one that fuses past and future sounds to conjure up some alternate universe where David Bowie fronted Thin Lizzy or Axl Rose sang with The Cars. The songs on Sometimes Y are as addictive as they are unpredictable, mixing ’80s bombast and arena rock energy with country earnestness and hip-hop swagger, and the performances are thrilling to match, fueled by the pair’s undeniable chemistry and irrepressible joy. Jennings’ production work is lush but never crowded, and Yelawolf’s lyrics are utterly arresting, grappling insightfully with purpose and perseverance, struggle and triumph, pain and transcendence. Weighty as the record can feel at times, it’s ultimately a work of liberation and release, an ecstatic declaration of creative freedom fueled by adventure, discovery, and a little bit of chaos, which is precisely what Sometimes Y is all about.
The album took me through a musical journey of theme’s and sonics. The mix is really a standout for me as well. There are a lot of things happening behind terrific vocals and nothing ever really seems to get lost. Whether it’s accentuating verse lyrics with snares and guitars in a song like “Make Me A Believer” or the song “Radio” which would be a radio friendly song in almost any era with its smooth vocal delivery, left to right guitars and four on the floor drum performance. In short, it’s brilliant.
You will feel a different vibe on this record from top to bottom. It makes it one of the most interesting albums that I’ve heard this year. There are no guarantees in life but I’m almost willing to bet that if you start this one, you will find yourself finishing it all the way through. It’s so strong and will undoubtedly be in contention for my album of the year when we enter the final quarter in 2022.
-Tommy Marz
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