The Pulse is the Uproxx Music guide to the best new albums, mixtapes, and other music releases that matter this week.
Much has been made about Eminem’s new album: Perhaps it’s the “revival” its title claims it to be, or perhaps it’s more of a flop. The tracklist raised eyebrows, the album art is a literal facepalm, and it certainly seems like Eminem is selling out now. The good news is that there are tons of albums being released all the time, and several promising ones came out this week, including the return of N.E.R.D, another feature-heavy hip-hop record, and more.
Eminem – Revival
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Revival got off to a weak start with the widely lambasted single “Walk On Water,” which even Beyonce couldn’t save. Still, there are 19 tracks on the record, so there are 18 more chances for Em to prove that he’s more than the flop that heralded his new record.
N.E.R.D – No One Ever Really Dies
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The singles may or may not be disappointing (although I dig “Lemon,” personally), but the tracklist has plenty of guest stars to get excited about: Kendrick Lamar, Andre 3000, Future, Ed Sheeran, Wale, Gucci Mane, Rihanna, and M.I.A. are all on board. At the very least, N.E.R.D’s return is interesting.
G-Eazy – The Beautiful & The Damned
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He might not outsell Eminem, but G-Eazy’s latest isn’t one to be overlooked. Cardi B, ASAP Rocky, Charlie Puth, and Halsey all appear on the record, and the pop-friendly hip-hop single “Him & I” shows that there’s potential for a really broad appeal here.
Charli XCX – Pop 2
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It looks like high-profile guest stars are the theme of the week: Charli XCX’s new mixtape features Carly Rae Jepsen, Tove Lo, MØ, and others. Her career has been defined by collaborations resulting in sugar-sweet pop, and this doesn’t appear to be a deviation from that winning formula.
Brockhampton – Saturation III
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There was a scare that Saturation III would be the group’s last album, but before this one even dropped, they announced its follow-up, set for 2018. This news is welcomed, of course, because the last thing we need is fewer head-bobbers like “Rental.”
Jeezy – Pressure
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The headline here is Jeezy getting Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole on the same track with him, but it’s important to note that Jeezy holds his own on “American Dream.” There’s plenty more succinct lyricism and rock-solid beats to be had on Jeezy’s eighth album, which also features appearances from 2 Chainz, P. Diddy, Kodak Black, and others.
