192: ZAYN (B+→A-)

ZAYN in tier list

I like it. Lyrics seem to be fine at best- not really distracting so much as just a waste of opportunity. Which is fine, but the overall presentation and organization was thoughtful enough that I was hoping for better. The music was likewise fun and engaging, but not anything super special. There were occasional moments that were very compelling, that were put together so well they left me a little bit confused as to why there was so much stuff that he was making that was so mediocre. Second album is a good example of that. It’s a shame, because I’d be inclined to like it for the parts that are, again, compelling and put together— but then it’s way way too long, it loses me. It has a billion songs, and a sizable chunk of those are just not up to snuff, they should’ve been cut.

Altogether, I’m gonna give it a B+. There aren’t any real standout songs, and there are definitely still songs I don’t like, but on the whole I like the vibe. I previously described the 1D boys in terms of how much lateral and vertical distance they got away from 1D. The more of both, the better. The more they were able to be different, to make something their own, the better. The more they were able to be better, to make something more than what they did as a band, the better. I’d place ZAYN closest to Tomlinson by that metric. He’s definitely gone in a different direction than 1D, and I definitely think he’s progressed as an artist and musician in a easily visible way. There’s still stuff about his music that doesn’t always jive with me, but I like the vibe and I like the intentions I can see behind it. I think this is a pretty solid way to close out 1D, I’m happy with the B+

RELISTEN: his first three albums are all pretty decent. I like ‘em, they’ve got good songs in ‘em, they’re indicative of good things. The first one in particular is strong, I like most every song, I like the vibe, everything is good. The next two are a little rougher. Second album, Icarus Falls, is an hour and a half long and that’s too much. I like about 15 of the songs in the album, which is a lot, but it’s also only half? I dunno, I feel the shotgun approach here doesn’t help his case. It’s probably not too fair to blame that on the length; his third album, Nobody Is Listening, is only half an hour with 11 songs, and that one I also only like about half the songs on. “Like” meaning I add it to my general playlist– honestly, I feel most of the songs still work well enough in the context of the album, I just don’t particularly care for them on their own. Right? Like, I like these albums well enough, I think they’re pretty solid.

The fourth album, most recent, slaps. It’s the reason I had to do this relisten, it’s what’s bumping ZAYN up. ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS is a damn good album. I dunno what clicked for him on this go round, or what about it clicked for me. His other stuff is pretty good, it has its moments but it also has its pitfalls. This is definitely still him, but it’s a pretty huge leap forward, it’s money. I’m a big fan. I dunno if I can place why I think this album is so far and away just better than his other solo stuff, but it is. It’s far and away just better than loads of stuff. It’s stellar.

It pretty much singlehandedly warrants ZAYN’s move to an A-, as a one off among other stuff that’s decent. If he makes more albums I like this much, he’ll be a shoe in for an A. I’ll cross my fingers.

ZAYN complete, now listening to: Jon Batiste