"McKinley Dixon - Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?" Living Up To It's Name, and More

 

    Do I listen to Jazz that often? Absolutely not. Do I know anything about McKinley Dixon? Nope. What I do know is that my friend Sweaty recommended this album, and when I listened to the track Run, Run, Run, Dixon's most popular track on Spotify I was absolutely hooked. All I know is that it is rated extremely high and it's very short for an album, so we'll see how that plays out. And without further ado, my track-by-track review.

Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?

Hanif Reads Toni -  N/A Despite being over 2 minutes long I do think doing a spoken word poem is a cool intro. Especially with the music in the background, it creates this sort of tension and build up for when the music finally kicks in.

Sun, I Rise - 80/100 Generally when it comes to rap music I'm not too picky about the songs in the sense that I just need a good beat and/or a catchy chorus to hook me, and the rest will come. I can confidently say that I feel that way about this song. The instrumentation in the background is really pretty to me, and I think it helps give some good texture to this song. Especially when a complaint of mine is that a lot of verses really rely on the lyrics to make them interesting when it repeats a relatively boring beat in the background the entire time. I also like Angélica Garcia singing the chorus and a part of me kind of wishes she could have sung more on it.

Mezzanine Tippin' - 50/100 While I definitely think this song is unique, especially with the beat being made entirely out of jingling noises, I don't think it necessarily translates into the most enjoyable song. It definitely keeps me captivated just in the sense that I want to see what's happening next, but both Alfred and Teller Bank$ inclusion in this song doesn't do much for me.

Run, Run, Run - 85/100 Of course I said before that this song is what convinced me to jump headfirst into this song and it's easy to see why. The chorus is just so catchy and the upbeat piano melody is just absolutely infectious and helps carry this energy throughout the entire track. I also think the piano just fits the themes of this song and the notions of the past that Dixon is rapping about.

Live! from the Kitchen Table - 82/100 I just can't resist the saxophone playing in the background on this song. The way the choir sings the soaring words "Live! Live! Live!" are just angelic as they cut through Dixon's rapping. I also think both Dixon and Ghais Guevara deliver strong verses too, all around a fantastic track.

Tyler, Forever - 81/100 I don't know why the beginning of this song almost reminds me of playing Super Smash Bro's Melee for some reason. The chorus is fine and I think this is one of the rare instances where I enjoy the verses more than the chorus. Once the bridge hits and it's just the instrumental playing I can't help but smile as Dixon raps over what is basically just a piano and a flute. I think the instrumental really matches the braggadocious rapping of Dixon.

Dedicated to Tar Feather - 70/100 I'm not sure how to feel about the chorus on this song I kind of wish Anjimile sang with a more forceful tone, it's almost like they're whispering on it. I also just don't think the verses on this track are as interesting instrumentally. I think it does turn up by the very end, though it ends so abruptly I didn't even realize it had went into the interlude, which I suppose speaks to an excellent transition.

The Story So Far - Interlude -  N/A Maybe I just need to listen to more Jazz music. It turns out all those years playing the saxophone as a child were just code for me wanting to hear it more all of the time.

The Story so Far - 70/100 This song reminds me of Mezzanine Tippin' in the sense that there's not really a chorus and both guest features mention semen. However, unlike that track I think I enjoy Seline Haze's verse a lot more, and I think the instrumental actually sounds good rather than just interesting but not something I'd want to listen to again.

Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? - 85/100 Once again are you surprised that I like this track? It has everything I need. I mean it opens up with Ms. Jaylin Brown's angelic voice paired with some great horns. It really does feel like the kind of jazz music you'd find in paradise. I regularly find myself smiling during this album because of how beautiful it sounds to me.

Final Score: 80/100

    I can easily say with confidence that this is one of my favourite rap albums I've listened to in quite some time. Compared to a lot of my album scores it might seem high, but I think that speaks to just how much of a punch this album manages to pack despite the fact that it doesn't even reach the 30 minute mark. Ultimately, I think it lives up to it's name, it really does feel like paradise jazz, if such a thing truly does exist. In my opinion, if you're not a big fan of rap, I still think you'll find a lot to enjoy about this album, it really is that pretty instrumentally, and throughout this entire album I could not stop gushing over it at every single step. Bravo, McKinley Dixon, bravo.