For: Post Malone's Austin

The album as a whole tells the story of a heart broken character as he heals from the breakup. All the songs have clear lyrics, and generally simple 4/4 structure with solid underlying melodies and harmonies with good baselines. The lyrics and the general vibe of each song helps paint the picture, though to a non-lyric person they are likely all around the same.
The reviewer is also from Austin, which initially attracted me to the album.

Favorites: (list songs)
FCCs = There are a LOT:

Something Real, Chemical, Novacandy, Mourning, Too Cool To Die, Sign Me Up, Socialite, Enough is Enough, Texas Tea, Buyer Beware, Laugh it Off.

Song breakdown for the whole album
1. Don't Understand (3:03) = Base guitar heavy with a mellow starting vibe. Becomes forlorn after about 1 mins. Has a live and, over the course of the song, orchestral feel.
2. FCC. Something Real (3:25) = Way bigger than the first with a heavy base and a choral backup. Slow rap around half way through.
3. * FCC. Chemical (3:03) = Probably the biggest hit off the album. Picks up with a fast base. Lyrics tell of how Malone can't break free of being drawn into his past relationship. Chorus backs up Malone's voice with gentle electric base. Really speaks to me in my breakup - a chemical draw of the other person which is very hard to escape.
4. FCC. Novacandy (3:17) = Slower start with more chill wave vibe. Adds a fast moving pace to around 30 seconds in. Novacandy blends smoothly into Mounting, as if its the night of partying before Mourning.
5. * FCC. Mourning (2:27) = Another hit on the scale of Chemical. Blends seamlessly from Novacandy. A heavy base and engaging melody helps give the song a sense of melancholy that is the main theme of the song. Numbing is, to our developing character, increasingly not an option to heal from the breakup.
6. FCC. Too Cool To Die (3:24) = Another hit from the album. Much like Mourning, but less melancholy. The vocals lend Malone a sense of disengagement from the world, while still going through the motions of life.
7. FCC. Sign me up (3:18) = Electric guitar lends the song a sense of "western-ness". Our character starts to feel more alive in this song. Very much like the other songs from a music perspective, but lyrically, advances the plot. I like the resolution around 1:45 into the chorus.
8. FCC. Socialite (3:19) = A more classic rock take on the same theme. First chorus around 0:50. Generally Malone feels quite sad in the song, like he sees the futility of his efforts to medicate. The song adds a strong base around 1:30.
9. * Overdrive (2:27) = Strong base line kicks off the song. Reverb helps to give the song a sense of looking down at the primary character. The song ends with only voice.
10. Speedometer (2:42) = Starts with cassette tape loading. Which is fun. The song is generally mellow. Lyrics talk - again from that third person numbed perspective - pushing the speedometer of a new fast car, which is reminiscent of the themes present throughout the rest of the album.
11. * Hold My Breath (3:28) = Lots of reverb and modulation of the voice. With a stripped down set of instruments - a drumkit, piano, a picked guitar. I like the mellowness of this song. Like the lyrics.
12. FCC. Enough is Enough (2:45) = Feels like the tone of the song picks up - as if Malone has gotten out of his funk and found a new person.
13. FCC. Texas Tea (2:19) = Huge base at around a good walking pace starts the song, almost drowning out the voice. Its feels like it has so much momentum.
14. * FCC. Buyer Beware (2:53) = Synthie departure from the general vibe of the album. Another lyric heavy rock song. Really like the transition to the chorus around 0:50.
15. Landmine (3:04) = Kicks in well, a bit dissonant and also kind of gritty. More harmonies than other songs. Acoustic guitar addition at the end is nice.
16. Green Thumb (2:39) = Much slower song than the others.
17. * FCC Laugh It Off (4:06) = Another slow song. The song is broken into three parts. The second part begins about 1:15 and kicks in the drums. The song feels like a reflection on the breakup which sets the whole story into motion. I really like the kind of pause and recollect nature of the song. The last min is wordless.

Alex Strong (07/24)