Album Rating: 2.0

Maybe this is normal for Christian rappers but I thought it was very weird how several of these songs are about how he is the best rapper in the game

The fucking audacity

Album Rating: 1.0

Spiritual Lyrical Miracle

Album Rating: 1.5

I don’t believe it is as far as I know, I imagine it’s him pandering to the part of his audience that picture him as a sort of Christian Eminem

Album Rating: 4.5

No one can deny that that's what he tries to be

And it works out, to an extent

Album Rating: 1.5

As requested on the feedback thread:



Nate Feuerstein, better known as NF, has poured his depression, anxiety, and everything else he has into his music for more than ten years. Before this, [u]we received The Search, a record saying Nate’s dream, which he had just accomplished, did not satisfy him like he had hoped[/u]. Three years after that [when???], fans received the mixtape Clouds, which, while it was a good mixtape as a whole, left fans longing for more. Now, four years later,with a new label behind it, NF has released Hope, an LP that portrays exactly what the title suggests ["states" or similar; a suggestion is something that emerges indirectly, not an explicit statement. also swap in a colon immediately after this note], Hope.



As summarized in the opening/ title [[i]pick one] track, Hope’s main message is giving hope to all of those who are at an ‘all time low’, with indirect encouragement such as “If I had never reached rock bottom would i be the person I’m today?/ I don’t believe so”[/color] [idk how much the album is giving you to work with here, but part of 'critical' writing means that you're gonna have to unpack that theme - yes, we know what hope is (and the album title has been amply clarified), but what does it mean for NF beyond its most generic aspects]. This shows that NF has grown out of his sorrow and into a happier person [would merge this with the next para - scans as the start of an idea that should be doubled down on immediately. some irl contextual description for what forms growth/sorrow/happiness have taken for NF would also help, could stick this in the intro]

Album Rating: 1.5

As a result of this, his music has changed. Songs like "Careful" sound a lot more like what hip-hop has evolved into in modern times, but fortunately there are still a lot of unique NF moments [three paras in, and I still have no idea what unique points of character/style/distinction/anything this guy has - again, something you could address in the intro, but this example right here is what juicy adjectives were made for] that wrap tie this album together. "Pandemonium" is the greatest example of this, as it goes through with Mr. Feuerstein speaking his mind for the entire song [...and what's on his mind/how does it engage us??].



As for gems, there are some a-tier songs on Hope, mainly in the first half of the record. "Motto" slowly chugs through [chugs along?] with engaging lyrics [excellent change to cite these] that will have you letting loose that skip button, and "Mama" is a touching song with a moral that says that at the end of the day, we will want our loved ones back. However, despite these being great songs, "Happy" steals the spotlight here. Happy is a simply gorgeous track about letting loose and being, well, happy. To summarize [you just summarised the song in the last sentence], the song says, “Although you may be more ‘comfortable’ feeling upset, it’s always just best to be happy”. That message is complete with Nate’s… singing voice [what is this/what does it sound like/why does it complete the song's themes???].

Album Rating: 1.5

On a personal note, I really hope that this album gains just as much popularity as his previous records. It may seem less interesting on account of Nate’s sorrow being gone, but it’s important to recognize that he is an actual PERSON, not just a figure [okay, but i still have zero idea who this guy is outside of the ultrageneral convections of depression/hope and, ig, rap/singing]. He shouldn’t have to stay depressed just to please his fans. It’s great that he feels better about himself, and that he has gone on to live a steady life with his wife and children [this might have been established way earlier if it's relevant to his profile here]. NF certainly has given us much, and, if he decides to close his career with this album, it would certainly be a happy ending.



[this conclusion doesn't really engage with how the album connects with the generalities of its subject matter or the guy's life - am still struggling to pin down any sense of the specifics]





strikethru = redundant expression

red = awkward word choice

blue = vague or unfocused expression

underline = awkward syntax

bold = overuse of vocab/structural patterns

italics = my notes

pink italics = my insertions





general points:



a) engage with more depth and detail with the artist and music. i learned next to nothing from this rev other than that it's about a hip hop guy who used to be depressed and is now happy. he (maybe?) sings at some point? things you might want to do in future are to describe the sound and style (this is mandatory for 99% of all music reviews) and to flesh out a more concrete artist bio if that's something you're interested in - tell the guy's story!



b) few weird syntax patterns here and there, ton of comma splices in the opening para esp. try to avoid splicing anything more than individual words, and also try reading your review aloud as part of your proofing process if this is something you find tricky



c) try to avoid using citations to provide 100% of your critical angle - if you bring a quote in, offer your own comment to provide insight on it (which you should always be aiming for - that's why reviews exist)



hope that's somewhat helpful, hmu if you have any questions/gripes/whatev

MF NOPE

NOPE [2]

Nutter Futter

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

New EP in 2 wks