Ctrl / SZA (2017)

デビュー・アルバムということになります。
EPで、"S"、"Z" ときたので、当然 "A" やろうというところ、"Ctrl" ときました。(当初のアルバム名はやはり "A" だったようですが)

僕的には、これの次の "SOS" があまりに良かったので、一つ前も聴いてみよう、ということで聴きました。
結果、こちらも素晴らしい。

最近の R&B 同様、少しわかりづらいメロディ・ラインですが、何度も聴けばしっくりきます。
サウンドはアクースティック、エレクトリックと多様ですが、凝ったサウンドでも前に出過ぎることはなく、伴奏に徹しています。
先行シングル #4 "Drew Barrymore"、#2 "Love Galore"、アルバム発売後の #6 "The Weekend"、#9 "Broken Clocks"、#8 "Garden (Say It like Dat)" とも比較的キャッチーなサビを持っているものの、全体的には難解で、スローです。
どうしても僕はポップな #5 "Prom" のような曲に耳を奪われてしまいます。

アルバム制作のために数百曲の断片を記録していたらしいですが、レコード会社はそのハード・ディスクを没収してしまい、再度作り直したのが本作らしいです。多くの曲からどう選択していいのか、本人が不安になってしまったからのようです。
労作なんですね。

ちなみに、#15〜#21 はデラックス・エディションのボーナストラックです。

1. Supermodel
• Written by Solána Rowe, Tyran Donaldson, Terrence Henderson, Greg Landfair, Jr.
• Produced by Scum
2. Love Galore
• Featuring Travis Scott
• Written by Rowe, Jacques Webster II, Cody Fayne, Carter Lang, Donaldson, Henderson
• Produced by ThankGod4Cody, Lang, Scum
3. Doves in the Wind
• Featuring Kendrick Lamar
• Written by Rowe, Kendrick Duckworth, Cameron Osteen, Reggie Noble, John Bowman, Dana Stinson, Trevor Smith, James Yancey
• Produced by Cam O'bi
4. Drew Barrymore
• Written by Rowe, Lang, Donaldson, Henderson, Macie Stewart
• Produced by Lang, Scum
5. Prom
• Written by Rowe, Donaldson, Lang
• Produced by Scum, Lang
6. The Weekend
• Written by Rowe, Fayne, Justin Timberlake, Timothy Mosley, Nathaniel Hills
• Produced by ThankGod4Cody
7. Go Gina
• Written by Rowe, Donaldson, Lang, Adam Feeney
• Produced by Scum, Lang, Frank Dukes
8. Garden (Say It like Dat)
• Written by Rowe, Daniel Tannenbaum, Craig Balmoris
• Produced by Bēkon, Balmoris, The Donuts
9. Broken Clocks
• Written by Rowe, Fayne, Feeney, Thomas Paxton-Beesley, Ashton Simmonds
• Produced by ThankGod4Cody, Frank Dukes
10. Anything
• Written by Rowe, Donaldson, Lang, Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte, Peter Wilkins
• Produced by Scum, Lang
11. Wavy (Interlude)
• Featuring James Fauntleroy
• Written by Rowe, James Fauntleroy II, Fayne, Lukasz Plas
• Produced by ThankGod4Cody, Prophit
12. Normal Girl
• Written by Rowe, Lang, Donaldson, Henderson
• Produced by Lang, Scum
13. Pretty Little Birds
• Featuring Isaiah Rashad
• Written by Rowe, Isaiah McClain, Donaldson, Lang, Josef Leimberg
• Produced by Scum, Lang, Leimberg
14. 20 Something
• Written by Rowe, Lang, Donaldson
• Produced by Lang, Scum
15. Love Galore (alt version)
• Written by Rowe, Fayne, Lang, Donaldson, Henderson
• Produced by ThankGod4Cody, Lang, Scum
16. 2AM
• Written by Rowe, Fayne, Aubrey Graham, Jahron Brathwaite, Noah Shebib
• Produced by ThankGod4Cody
17. Miles
• Written by Rowe, Donaldson
• Produced by Scum
18. Percolator
• Written by Rowe, Fayne, Donaldson, Charlene Keys, Craig Brockman, Nisan Stewart
• Produced by ThankGod4Cody, Scum
19. Tread Carefully
• Written by Rowe, Fayne
• Produced by ThankGod4Cody
20. Awkward
• Written by Rowe, Michael Uzowuru
• Produced by Uzowuru
21. Jodie
• Written by Rowe, Tyler Okonma
• Produced by Tyler, the Creator

• Stix : additional drums (#1)
• Pharrell Williams : programmatic drums (#1)
• Macie Stewart : strings (#4)
• Peter Cottontale : bass (#10)
• Mommyçskit (#1, 4, 14)
• Granny : skit (#3)

• "Doves in the Wind" contains a sample of the recording "Let's Get Dirty (I Can't Get in da Club)", written by Reggie Noble, John Bowman and Dana Stinson and performed by Redman, and an interpolation from "Turn Me Up Some", written by Trevor Smith and James Yancey and performed by Busta Rhymes.
• "The Weekend" contains elements of "Set the Mood (Prelude)", written by Justin Timberlake, Timothy Mosley and Floyd Hills and performed by Justin Timberlake.
• "Broken Clocks" embodies portions of "West", written by Thomas Paxton-Beesley, Adam Feeney and Ashton Simmonds and performed by River Tiber featuring Daniel Caesar.
• "Anything" contains a sample of the recording "Spring Affair", written by Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte and Donna Summer and performed by Donna Summer.
• "Normal Girl" contains an interpolation of "Controlla" by Drake.
• "2AM" interpolates "Come and See Me" by PartyNextDoor and Drake.

---

SOS / SZA (2022)

最近のフィメール R&B にしては、「歌」ものです。
極端に言うとメロディがないものが多いので。
そいう意味で好感が持てます。

歌詞は全部は分かりませんが、至って痛み、孤独、怒りなどを表現した曲が多いように思います。
で、"SOS" なのかな？

一番面白いのは、ヒットした "Kill Bill" ですね。
元カレを殺しそう、いや殺しちゃった、的な歌詞ですが、メロディとサウンドがクールで素敵。
PV がタランティーノの "Kill Bill" ばり、かつ特撮映画やアニメ映画のパロディが入っていてイカしてます。

アルバム全体のサウンド的には、電子的に作り込んだ曲もあれば、オーガニックなアレンジのものもあり、結構幅が広い。
2017年のファーストアルバムから5年ぶりなので、その間紆余曲折があったんでしょうね。
曲の振れ幅に、悩みの幅が重なるようです。

1. SOS
• Writer : Solána Rowe, Jahlil Gunter, Rob Bisel, Gabriel Samuel Hardeman
• Producer : Jay Versace
2. Kill Bill
• Writer : Rowe, Bisel, Carter Lang
• Producer : Lang, Bisel
3. Seek & Destroy
• Writer : Rowe, Bisel, Cody Fayne, Tyran Donaldson, Lang
• Producer : Bisel, Lang, Scum, ThankGod4Cody
4. Low
• Writer : Rowe, Bisel, Alessandro Buccellati, Joseph Pincus, Jocelyn A. Donald
• Producer : Bisel, Buccellati, Aire Atlantica
5. Love Language
• Writer : Rowe, Fayne, Lang, Jakob Rabitsch, Anthony Clemons, Jr., Bisel, Pharrell Williams, Tyrone Griffin, Chad Hugo, Jazzaé De Waal
• Producer : Yakob, Lang, ThankGod4CodyBisel
6. Blind
• Writer : Rowe, Bisel, Lang, Margaux Alexis Rosalena Whitney, Will Miller
• Producer : Bisel, Lang, Miller, Yuli
7. Used (featuring Don Toliver)
• Writer : Rowe, Dacoury Natche, Ely Rise, Danny McKinnon, John Key, Caleb Toliver, John Hill
• Producer : DJ Dahi, McKinnon, Rise, Key, Bisel
8. Snooze
• Writer : Rowe, Kenneth Edmonds, Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, Leon Thomas III, Blair Ferguson
• Producer : Babyface, The Rascals, BLK
9. Notice Me
• Writer : Rowe, Teo Halm, Michael Uzowuru, Bisel, Lang, Fayne
• Producer : Halm, Uzowuru, Bisel, Lang, ThankGod4Cody
10. Gone Girl
• Writer : Rowe, Jeff Bhasker, Emile Haynie, Bisel, Lang, Fayne
• Producer : Bhasker, Haynie, Bisel, Lang, ThankGod4Cody
11. Smoking on My Ex Pack
• Writer : Rowe, Clarence Scarborough, Raina Taylor, Gunter
• Producer : Jay Versace
12. Ghost in the Machine (featuring Phoebe Bridgers)
• Writer : Rowe, Phoebe Bridgers, Bisel, Lang, Matt Cohn, Marshall Vore
• Producer : Bisel, Lang, Cohn, Ethan Gruska, Tony Berg
13. F2F
• Writer : Rowe, Melissa Jefferson, Bisel, Lang
• Producer : Bisel, Lang
14. Nobody Gets Me
• Writer : Rowe, Benjamin Levin, Bisel, Lang
• Producer : Benny Blanco, Bisel, Lang
15. Conceited
• Writer : Rowe, Fayne, Bisel
• Producer : ThankGod4Cody
16. Special
• Writer : Rowe, Levin, Bisel, Blake Slatkin, Johan Schuster, Omer Fedi
• Producer : Benny Blanco, Slatkin, Fedi, Shellback
17. Too Late
• Writer : Rowe, Sven Gamsky, Samuel Witte, Bisel, Lang, Fayne
• Producer : Still Woozy, Witte, Bisel, Lang, ThankGod4Cody
18. Far
• Writer : Rowe, Bisel, Lang, Carlos Muñoz, Eliot Dubock, Donaldson
• Producer : Bisel, Lang, Los Hendrix, Beat Butcha, Scum
19. Shirt
• Writer : Rowe, Rodney Jerkins, Robert Gueringer
• Producer : Darkchild, Freaky Rob
20. Open Arms (featuring Travis Scott)
• Writer : Rowe, Jacques Webster II, Halm, Uzowuru, Bisel, Douglas Ford
• Producer : Halm, Uzowuru, Bisel
21. I Hate U
• Writer : Rowe, Bisel, Lang, Fayne, Dylan Patrice
• Producer : Bisel, Lang, ThankGod4Cody, Sir Dylan
22. Good Days
• Writer : Rowe, Jacob Collier, Lang, Muñoz, Christopher Ruelas
• Producer : Lang, Los Hendrix, Nascent, Bisel
23. Forgiveless (featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard)

• "SOS" contains an interpolation of "Listen", performed by Beyoncé, and written by Beyoncé Knowles, Scott Cutler, Henry Krieger and Anne Preven; and a sample of "Until I Found the Lord (My Soul Couldn't Rest)", performed by the Gabriel Hardeman Delegation, and written by Gabriel Hardeman.
• "Love Language" contains an interpolation of "I Don't Wanna", and performed by Aaliyah, and written by Johntá Austin, Jazze Pha, Donnie Scantz and Kevin Hicks; and a sample of "Hit Different", performed by SZA featuring Ty Dolla Sign, and written by Solána Rowe, Tyrone Griffin, Jr., Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and Rob Bisel.
• "Smoking on My Ex Pack" contains a sample of "Open Up Your Eyes", performed by Webster Lewis, and written by Clarence Scarborough.
• "Good Days" contains an interpolation of "In Too Deep", performed by Jacob Collier featuring Kiana Ledé and written by Collier.
• "Forgiveless" contains a sample of "Hidden Place", written and performed by Björk; and "The Stomp", written and performed by Ol' Dirty Bastard.

• Carter Lang : bass (2, 17), choir (2, 12), guitar (2, 13), keyboards (3, 6, 12, 13, 17), drums (12, 13), piano (12)
• Rob Bisel : bass (2, 17), choir (2, 12), guitar (2, 13), keyboards (3, 4, 6, 12, 13, 17), vocals (4), acoustic guitar (6); drums, piano (12); background vocals (14, 16, 20, 25)
• Teo Halm : keyboards, guitar, drums (20, 25)
• ThankGod4Cody : drums (3, 17), keyboards (3), choir (10)
• Scum : keyboards (3)
• Alessandro Buccellati : accordion, keyboards (4)
• Aire Atlantica : drums (4)
• Will Miller : keyboards (6)
• Yuli : viola (6)
• Stix – drums (10)
• Matt Cohn : drums (12)
• Benny Blanco : keyboards (16)
• Blake Slatkin : keyboards, guitar (16)
• Omer Fedi : keyboards (16)
• Sammy Witte : guitar (17)
• Still Woozy : guitar (17)
• Jacob Collier : background vocals (22)

Still Over It / Summer Walker (2021)

]

 Summer Walker は PV のイメージが強く、アメリカで何て言うのか知らんけど、コギャルの代表、長いつけまつ毛、必要以上に胸を強調したファッション・スタイル、といったイメージ先行型で、正直いい印象を持ってませんでした。

しかし、音楽を聴いてみると、これが素晴らしい！！

Summer Walker だけあって、夏にピッタリ。チル・アウト・ミュージックです。(ちなみに Summer Walker は本名みたいです)

アメリカの R&B シーンはこういった、抑揚の少ない、ダークかスローな音楽の全盛のように思いますが、そんな中でも Summer Walker は際立っていいと思います。

メロウともちと違う、やっぱチル感でしょうかね。
なんでしょう、ヒット曲がある、といったポップス界とは一線を画したスタンスが潔い。
アルバム全体を聴いて、そのチル感に浸れ！といった感じでしょうか。

1. Bitter (Narration by Cardi B)
2. Ex for a Reason (Featuring JT)
3. No Love (Featuring SZA)
4. Throw It Away
5. Reciprocate
6. You Don't Know Me
7. Circus
8. Insane
9. Constant Bullshit
10. Switch a Nigga Out
11. Unloyal (Featuring Ari Lennox)
12. Closure
13. Toxic (Featuring Lil Durk)
14. Dat Right There (Featuring Pharrell Williams)
15. Screwin (Featuring Omarion)
16. Broken Promises
17. Session 33
18. 4th Baby Mama (Prelude)
19. 4th Baby Mama
20. Ciara's Prayer

---