Steve Lacy
I was first introduced to Steve Lacy’s sound about five years ago and I am a huge fan. The deeper I delved into his music career, the more I realized how many songs he had worked on that I already knew. As mentioned in “Steve Lacy: The New Face of Alternative R&B,” Lacy began producing off of his iphone and making beats for some of his earliest songs. He has worked with a many artists, from Mac Miller to Kenderick Lamar, which to me demonstrates how unique, yet diverse his sound is. This article showed some of the early timeline to Lacy’s career, exposing just how talented the young guitar player is. Even after creating many popular hits with other artists, his very first album won Best Urban Contemporary Album at the Grammys!
The Internet
In her article “The Internet,” Imani breakdowns the members of this eclectic band, with a couple of well-known members who also have successful solo careers, as well as former members of the group Odd Future. Formed in 2011, The Internet is made of five members: Syd (vocalist), Steve Lacy (guitarist), Matt Martians (keyboardist), Patrick Paige II (bassist), and Christopher Smith (drummer). Bringing a variety of genres, including R&B, neo-soul and funk together, their sound is one that is incomparable. One of the first songs I ever heard by the Internet was “Palace/Curse” a seven minute song with both distinct raps that switches into sweet singing by vocalist, Syd. This song introduced me to the other music of Lacy, leaving me with nothing negative to say about this band.
Frank Ocean
Undeniably the most mainstream of these three artists, in the article “Frank Ocean: Boys (Do)n’t Cry,” Jackson makes the claim that he ” has made a name for himself without saying much, letting his talents and acclaim precede him.” Though a bold statement, it is an assessment I wholeheartedly agree with. Frank Oceans project Blonde, which recently was listed in Apple Music’s “100 Best Albums” is tells a touching story and impresses me with its musicality. Though initially Blonde comes across as a much lyrically deeper album than Channel Orange, beneath the nostalgic and catchy songs such as “Super Rich Kids” and “Thinkin’ Bout You,” I have found that Ocean’s beautiful vocals and clear emotion, make it impossible not to relate to his storytelling.
