Jacob Jardel
Voices Editor
@JJardel_Writing
While many in the music world lauded the release of “Endless” and “blond” from Frank Ocean, independent poet and rapper George Watsky’s newest album “xInfinity” (pronounced “times infinity”) came out on Aug. 19 to less mainstream fanfare. Electric violinist Lindsey Stirling’s newest album “Brave Enough” released on the same day to similar reaction.
However, fans of both Watsky and Stirling awaited these two projects since their respective announcements. Stirling posted updates about “Brave Enough” on social media since the spring of 2016, while Watsky announced “xInfinity” a month prior to release as he continued press for his essay collection “How to Ruin Everything.”
Regardless of hype and promotion, both albums proved worth the wait.
xInfinity
Watsky’s fifth studio album – fourth as a solo artist – ushers the Bay Area talent’s style into a newer and more ambitious territory. Coming off the success of “All You Can Do,” a tribute to his parents, Watsky referred to “xInfinity” as an ode to his joyful nihilism in a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) thread.
“I do think I’m still improving,” he said, “and while in the past I always took pride in my lyrics, I’m trying hard to be a more well-rounded musician … At this point my only goal is to make the things that excite me and that I’m proud of.
“I’m really proud of ‘xInfinity,’” Watsky said, “and that’s allowed me to not care that much about the public reception.”
On the surface, fans of the rapper notice more refined and varied orchestration and arrangement compared to other albums, growing on the direction “All You Can Do” took. “Tiny Glowing Screens, Pt. 3” brought the bombast from the start, while the next two tracks slowed it down.
The rest of the album comes filled with pits and valleys of musical tempo and assertiveness. However, the musical tone and lyrical tone never come into dissonance. Watsky’s new direction has not eschewed his awareness of how music and words mesh together.
It will take a bit of time for listers to get used to the lyrical style of the first few tracks.
Instrumentation and spoken word do not quite resonating as a whole, and as a result, the tracks fall flat – at least upon first listen.
The tracks are not bad by any stretch, but listeners might have to research lyrics and think about the album holistically to fully appreciate it.
The meat of the album comes in like Michael Jordan in his prime, wrapping up the last half of the album with masterful ease in songs that vacillate between thoughtful in “Stick to Your Guns” and whimsically introspective in “Going Down.”
Overall, “xInfinity” sounds quite different from Watsky’s previous albums. However, the rapper proves that different is not always bad. On the contrary, this endeavor is one of the best kinds of different fans could ask for. It has its flaws, low points and things to get used to.
Regardless, Watsky shows just how much he has grown – and is still growing. – 8 out of 10 tiny glowing screens
Brave Enough
Stirling also showed great growth with the release of her third studio album.
“Brave Enough” comes two years after award-winning sophomore effort “Shatter Me.”
The violinist ups the ante with more collaborations on top of tracks that feature Stirling on lead vocals for more than a few lines – rarely seen in previous work.
From start to finish, Stirling evokes a spectrum of emotions from those who listen to “Brave Enough” for the first time or for the 15th time.
Following the thematic arc from “Shatter Me,” the new album covers the previously-addressed themes of breaking free from turmoil. However, Stirling has said this album is about the open and almost intimidating world of what comes after breaking free.
This theme permeates through many tracks on the album, particularly within “Where Do We Go” featuring Carah Faye of Shiny Toy Guns fame. The pair pose a thematically central question in the chorus: “Where do we go / when our prayers are answered, but the answer is no?”
Stirling attempts to answer this question throughout the rest of the album, showcasing the highs and lows that come with growth, self-discovery and finding one’s place among those they love. Tracks of note include “Don’t Let This Feeling Fade” and “Brave Enough.”
The collaborations in the album are nearly omnipresent. Rivers Cuomo from Weezer and rapper Lecrae feature heavily on “Don’t Let This Feeling Fade,” while Christina Perri provides her vocals on the title track. However, these appearances do not overshadow Stirling’s violin prowess or her status as lead artist.
Also featured on the “Pete’s Dragon” soundtrack, “Something Wild” featuring Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness addresses the major theme of self-discovery in a showcase of symphonic mastery. In a strong tonal shift, “Gavi’s Song” pays beautiful tribute to Stirling’s late friend and bandmate, expressing both sadness and appreciation in graceful melodic fashion.
Overall, this effort is on the same level as “Shatter Me.” Songs jump out at listeners with great staying power, though some songs may take longer to stick than others. As a whole, though, “Brave Enough” is a strong outing full of undeniably fantastic tracks.
Indeed, this album revealed the brave new world Lindsey Stirling has in front of her. – 8 out of 10 wild somethings