Many fans hopped on the Steve Lacy bandwagon following the alternative R&B and pop artist’s 2022 album “Gemini Rights.” Others have followed him since the start — namely, from his debut on R&B band The Internet’s 2015 album “Ego Death,” which was nominated for a Grammy while Lacy was still in high school.
Naturally, fans old and new were interested to hear Lacy’s latest album “Oh yeah?,” which was released Friday.
On “Oh yeah?,” Lacy takes the pop and psychedelic elements from “Gemini Rights” to the next level. Though I appreciate his experimentation and undeniable artistic talent, I have mixed feelings about the final tracklist.
The album starts off strong. The first half is mellow in tempo and tone but still catchy. Songs “the feeling” and “is it cool? (feat. SZA)” were solid choices for singles, as they likely translated well to mainstream pop audiences: Who doesn’t love a SZA feature?
One of my favorites is “pure colour (feat. Erykah Badu),” which leans heavily into the record’s psychedelic stylings. Tracks like this show off Lacy’s supreme production skills; he never sounds out of his element, even when he’s toying with different genres. I listened to this track on an airplane in the evening, and, while random, it felt like the perfect setting. I suspect those in the studio were in the clouds as well, as Badu sings “I’m high / Just wanna feel lighter.”
The ending of “doom” is where the album begins to lose me. What starts as an upbeat, guitar-led song featuring some of Lacy’s typical cheeky lyrics becomes acoustic in its last 90 seconds. This could have been a cool touch, but Lacy repeating “Blah, blah, blah, blah / Shut the f–k up” was just annoying.
Similarly, I’m not a fan of B-side tracks “nothing” and “lovesexdrugbomb (feat. Cecile Believe).” I usually enjoy Lacy’s off-kilter singing voice, but on these slow songs where his vocals are the most interesting part of the mix, it really starts to wear on me. If the tracks had more structure, there would be something more compelling to pay attention to.
I wish “nice shoes / in your world” had been released as two separate tracks so that I could listen to “in your world” on its own. The song’s instrumentals are beautiful, showcasing Lacy’s production talent at its best. Complete with a spoken message from Lacy about the album itself, I think the song encapsulates the project’s core. By contrast, “nice shoes” is upbeat and coy, but nothing special.
“Oh yeah?” is a marker of Lacy’s growth and ever-changing voice as an artist. Though I like the majority of the tracks, the weak links drag down the album as a whole. Still, “Oh yeah?” is worth a listen in its entirety. Turn it on, and prove yourself a true fan.
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