Underscores - U
It should probably be said that Underscores's previous album Wallsocket is one of my favorite albums of all time and is easily a 10/10 for me.
Which means my expecations going into this new album from April Harper Grey were probably too high. Upon my first listen, I was a bit underwhelmed. A lot of the rock edge that was all over her previous two albums Fishmonger and Wallsocket are less present here in favor of a more "main pop girl" type sound, the hooks weren't as catchy as Wallsocket, it didn't have that moment from Uncanny Long Arms where it drop the 2nd verse from Kinko's Field Trip 2006 and I lose my god damn mind (and yes I'm aware she took that part from the demo track Inlaws but that became Kinko's Field Trip 2006 and that's the version that's more readily available;) i just wasn't feeling it at first. Well thank fucking god for repeated listens. Cause after the intial feeling of \"This isn't just Wallsocket 2!" wore off and I started seeing some of my peers talking about how much they loved the album, I was able to relisten to the album and meet it where it is, it's Underscores showing she has the capacity to be in the "Main Pop Girl" conversation and I'm here for it. I was always here for it. I've been following April's career since her with Sleepycatt at Mine Gala back in 2019 and I still play that set on repeat... jesus christ 7 years later????? Time is evil. Anyways, She's been on a pretty amazing run since she dropped her Character Development EP back in 2020 and has been doing some truly wonderful and weird stuff with Six Impala that I hope continues along with her rising profile as a solo artist. Which is a lot of words to say she has been putting in the work for years now and it's been so gratifying to see that work pay off
Which brings us to U. Her latest album. It kicks off with Tell Me (U Want It) which itself kicks off with a brief beat that I can only describe as "hookah lounge core" though I say that with love. It then moves into a more guitar-driven beat that has been a staple of her work on past albums. Lyrically here April is telling us she's got some new ideas she's trying out but you gotta tell her if you want it or not. Given the more pop focused production of the album it's an easy read to see this as April pondering the next steps in her career and hoping she's not gonna alienate her old fanbase with the new direction. Sure that's a pretty obvious topic for your first pop record but April pulls it off with solid production and a dubstep drop of a chorus that reminds you she's a huge Skrillex fan and that he's also putting out some great music recently. After that we go right into Music which was the lead single off the album and easily my favorite track. It begins with a stuttering beat that I swore her former roommate Umru made since they have been working together recently but nope, this whole record is her except for the album artwork and the mastering on Music. The first actual lyrics to this track are April telling us "Last night, I had a wet dream bout the perfect song" with that ever important "wet" being said with pretty little fanfare, it's flirty sure but there's that level of subdued normality to it that really highlights April's songwritiing. The songwriting helps greatly here because if you're gonna write a song about how being around someone feels like music then the music itself needs to be good enough to be believable, and I'm on board 100% here. The aforementioned stuttering beat and casually yet flirtatiously delivered lyrics portray a girl talking up her crush and for the most part is playing it effortlessly smooth except she just can't help herself from occasionally throwing in a line or two that reveals how flustered she really is.
Final Score: 8/10