Never before has Anderson .Paak released an album when the stakes have been this high. When he unveiled his last solo album Malibu at the start of 2016, .Paak was still the golden prodigy just beginning to come into his own, flush with artist co-signs and undeniable talent yet still building his public profile. In the years since, however, that album proved to be the pedestal he’s been searching for since he was a humble hopeful named Breezy Lovejoy, vaulting him into the spotlight as a do-it-all renaissance artist.
Now with all eyes on him as he hides himself behind tints, .Paak’s journey up the California coast has brought us to his California hometown of Oxnard, where .Paak attempts to paint a picture of the seaside community in all of its strawberry-infused glory.
As soon as he drums his way into the foreground on “The Chase,” it’s clear that he’s no longer satisfied with the effortless, comfortable groove that permeated prior projects Malibu and the Knxwledge-assisted Yes Lawd!. Instead, he’s stretching for the skies with unrestrained ambition, testing his skills in uncharted waters via new soundscapes and bold production choices. He’s constantly reaching for something bigger throughout Oxnard, and he finds success on most of his attempts, especially when the instrumentation behind his signature vocals is lush enough to captivate the listener. On the standout “Anywhere,” the warm, hazy funk sets the scene, as .Paak welcomes Snoop Dogg to the party to kick off the song with a bang. “Headlow” is just as engaging despite living at the opposite end of the spectrum, as .Paak cooly boasts of his sexual conquests over a grungy guitar riff that reaching a gushing climax on each chorus.
https://open.spotify.com/track/4n02GblHZte3q5AzcLHlIK?si=0zso0TjNT7uA73Sn4Zwk0w
Structurally, .Paak is just as ambitious on Oxnard, frequently utilizing beat switches and two-part songs on an album that strives to be as sonically diverse as possible. Too often, however, the strategy works in his detriment, with the latter portion of the song outshining what plays through the speakers during the earlier minutes. Where the first half of “Smile/Petty” is too plain and subdued to suit the singer’s colorful vocals, the second half succeeds as an experimental display of prowess, his fragmented delivery on the chorus contrasting the ethereal choir that sparkles between verses.
“6 Summers” seeks to incite a riot with unruly guitars and defiant proclamations, yet stumbles without the belligerent percussion to match; once he smooths it out on the second half to rip into Donald Trump and plead for reform, it’s a much more compelling scene. Similarly, the first half of “Brother’s Keeper” feels like an undeserved display of grandeur as the production rings too hollow to support the weighty declarations from .Paak and Pusha-T, while the free-flowing instrumentation that brings the song to the finish line is fully mesmerizing behind the crooner’s passionate notes.
Perhaps the most egregious misfire arrives on “Mansa Musa,” where .Paak tries to rap over a beat that sounds more like the theme song for an 8-bit video game final boss than anything resembling the ancient, opulent sultan who once ruled the Mali empire. Dr. Dre has done much to boost .Paak’s image after spotlighting him on the Compton album and mixing the entirety of Oxnard, but his lone verse on this Aftermath debut fails to engage the listener due to its lack of charisma.
Still, the unblemished run of songs from “Anywhere” to “Sweet Chick” is more than enough to make up for Oxnard’s low points. Once “Anything” and it’s hypnotizing groove subsides, heavenly arrangements on “Trippy” float the listener above the clouds, dreamily swirling about as .Paak confesses to his love interest “you and I will always meet, somewhere in between.” J. Cole’s enters relatively abruptly with a more heavy-handed delivery than his companion, but his vivid, relatable storytelling still does much to make the heartfelt scene even more dynamic.
As the energy swells back into form with every percussion hit on “Cheers,” .Paak pays his tributes to Mac Miller and the rest of his fallen comrades on a sentimental ode that finds him looking back on his journey from atop his newfound throne. After it’s over, the celebration that Oxnard truly deserves finally arrives on “Sweet Chick,” where he and BJ the Chicago Kid trade comedic stories about the women in their lives and their various traits. Already filled with personality and joyful energy, it’s boosted even more by the trumpeting instrumental, that’s more satisfying than a plate of soul food on a Sunday afternoon after leaving church for the day.
Rarely do two moments sound alike on Oxnard, yet for the most part it all comes together seamlessly for a blistering hour of music. Even when certain songs don’t work as intended, .Paak’s ability able to confidently weave between styles and take so many risks on such a highly anticipated album is worthy of applause, adding to the overall impressiveness of the project. It may not be as beautifully consistent as Malibu, but during those glorious pinnacles when Oxnard is firing on all cylinders, it’s undeniably some of the best music of 2018.
Whack
Finally a review that is bias. Not trying to go at the direction of the album. Anyone who has followed Dre knows he will never let an artist put out an album that sounds like the previous one. The sound is amazing. From the instruments to the deep bass. Put your headphones on and enjoy the soulful funk. Really enjoying it.
Amazing project
Personally, I feel Dre’s been overrated for a minute and this is Anderson Paak’s worst album since the Breezy Lovejoy days. To each their own, but not feeling this at all. Didn’t meet the hype.
Great Album to add to his already Dope discography
I think that Anderson’s album is really dope, I fuck with it.
I think that Anderson’s album is really really dope and I fuck with it
This man deserves much congrats for actually seeing an album not made by Eminem or Kdot to be released on Aftermath AND he actually got 2 songs coproduced by Dre (although they sounds less like Dre beats and more like experiments that Dre mixed). That said this is a great body of work as is every Aftermath release ever. Still hoping against hope that Compton wont be Dr Dres last real release.
I believe Compton was originally as soundtrack to the movie Compton. But when it was released it was billed a Dr. Dre’s third album. I think the did that to boost interests and sales.
This record is fly. I guess the slight let down “if there is one” is he went the Blaxploitation soundtrack route. How many n*ggaz done did that one.
Meh it was cool I guess
Dope album.
Maybe not quite as good as I was hoping for enjoyable all the same.
VERY GENEROUS SCORE. I DO THINK THIS ALBUM IS JAMMIN, BUT IT PALES IN COMPARISON TO THE STANDARDS HE SET WITH PREVIOUS ALBUM. I WOULD GIVE THIS AN ABSOLUTE 3.5 (NO HIGHER OR LESS). SIDE NOTE: THE DRE TRACKS ARE WEAK AF.
This album is just okay. I was expecting it to blow me away and it didn’t. His previous albums sound better to me.
A little disappointing only because I was hoping for another album of the year from .Paak, but after a few listens this is still a solid 4/5 to me and still way better than most of this year’s releases.
Still dope…but I feel like Dre gave this album a bit too much mainstream sheen, whereas Malibu has natural underground vibes.
I thought the album was well above average when I heard it a couple of times when it first released. But after letting it breath for a few days and coming back to it, I really appreciate the mix on it above everything. You don’t really appreciate a good mix until you go listen to other shit then come back to it, shit sounds good. Really diggin the album.
You gave jay and bey last album a 5 out of five stars. That shit is musically average. sonically there isn’t any possible comparison with oxnard. Lyrically, it’s much of the same story in 444 and bey’s album. It was an album to justify a tour. No musical ambitions.
Then comes this album; with probably more complexity in its first song than all of the 10 songs in everything is love (eil), with more genres being fused in brother’s keeper than all of that album has. With a techincal diversity that surpasses anything EIL has…
I know that oxnard is way too different to what is out there, but it’s objectively speaking the most interesting album of 2018.
solid
Great
Now listening to “Oxnard”: 4.5 out of 5
Wow, I never thought I’d see the day where a RnB singer would show a trapper or a rapper how to be a better emcee…
(concepts, flows, deliveries, msgs, overall productivity, etc.) Sonically Dre, helps him in the mixing (crispness)…but there’s also something to be said abot sounding raw, as opposed to polished in today’s music…for some reason. If he would’ve cut the offering to 11 instead of 14 songs, he may have gotten an even higher rating.
My expectations were way too high for this. The album is very good, but it’s not something I find myself wanting to listen to very often.
The album is 100% the Shit! The 2 best musicians that’s gonna keep music alive to this day going forward is Anderson Paak. And Bruno Mars. This is as real as its gonna get. You still got Drake out there that’s gonna hold shit down and continue to give us that great body of work. See expected way too much from Oxnard. We as of the people thought it was gonna be Bigger then Compton album. We thought like Oh Shit the Dr about to do it again. We thought the album was gonna be super hard wit those Super Hard Compton chilling in a Low Rider kind of Beats . No . Not at all. We the Dr given us with Anderson . He didn’t try to take control of Anderson’s work he just wanted to add a little glaze and promotion to it. Cause with or without Aftermath ,Anderson is still great. You heard Malibu. No Dr on that at all and that’s a Classic. I’m just saying Dre knows greatness when he sees it. He Anderson give us an Bruno colabo next time around and Rock this joint.
Some great music here. Some of the mixing is terrible though.
I love Paaks music. But this album just wasnt for me. I caught myself not being able to listen to it from start to end and back. I like the Anderson you’d hear on feature with Game or Dr. Dre. I give this album a 3/5. Maybe my expectations were way too high and thats why im a bit disappointed
Well, If I were to rate this on the Jay Z and Beyonce scale you guys are only using for them only. This Album is probably 100/5. Sonically, lyrically and concept wise one song off this is better than anything off of “Everything is Love” or “4:44”. This is literally how you make a more mature type album in 2018 rather than airing out your garbage and not apologizing for any of it.
aoty so far
Wow lots of great album in 2018. I fux wit this one too. 4.5/5
Great album fr
This Album is Fire
My AOTY!
Its a great body of work, I love most of the songs on there and from a musical standpoint its well rounded
I agree with other comments about sounding like Bruno Mars. I’m disappointed. Hoping his album sounded more like his features but they don’t. Album’s alright
Not his best work, but it is still better than most albums in 2018
My FAV album of the year.
Grand Slam here.