Few Good Things - Saba
Intro:
Somehow this is my first time covering Saba on the page. The Chicago MC has been one of my favorite young artists for a while and has slowly been leveling up through the industry. His last album Care For Me breakthrough to a wider audience and established him more as an artist. It was actually my favorite album from 2018. Will this new album live up to expectations?
Strengths:
Saba’s flows are as sharp & versatile as always. He’s able to find pockets in almost any beat, and his lyrics remain understandable when he delivers fast flows (Ex: an Interlude Called Circus). Additionally, his voice is chill & smoothly enters into verses across the album. His singing/melodic style has also seen a step in improvement (Ex: a Simpler Time).
Feature-wise, I think Smino & 6LACK give the best guest appearances on the album. However, I think Mereba compliments Saba very well & the Pivot Gang song is phenomenal. Pivot might be the most slept on group in Hip-Hop right now.
The production on this album has a pure feeling/aesthetic to its sounds. Soft guitar riffs & melodies mainly appear in most of the songs. They help the album carry a consistently laidback & airy sound. Drums can range from being very bouncy, distinctively lofi, or both. It’s also nice seeing Saba rap over more accessible trap production too (Ex: Survivor’s Guilt).
More Strengths:
While he’s rapping & rhyming in top form, I noticed how catchy a lot of these choruses are compared to some of his older work (Ex: If I Had A Dollar). His creative songwriting mixed with personal/relatable lyrics add to Saba’s already honest & vulnerable persona. Thematically, a lot of these lyrics revolve around ideas such as death, anxiety, mental health, etc.
In short, I like how Saba is finding & appreciating the few good things in the midst of it all. Additionally, Saba is still handling/adjusting to his newfound success since 2018 (Ex: Fearmonger). We also see him speaking on the idea of family & being new to fatherhood (I love the lines he has about his daughter on this album).
“In the simple autumn weather, give my daughter all that's left”
Overall:
Saba easily delivers one of the best albums of the year so far. While the wait was long. it was well worth it & proves that he never fails to deliver. I’m not sure where I’d rank it with his previous 2 projects, but it definitely lives up to both of them quality-wise. It’ll be exciting to see where Saba’s career goes moving forward. Thank you all for reading and be sure to listen to Saba’s new album with the link below.
