Vince Staples - Dark Times (May 24, 2024) • Page 2

Thought this was incredible on first listen. I really like the self-titled and Ramona Park so opinions may differ for people who miss the Big Fish Theory/FM sound (I like but don’t love Big Fish).

It’s “sleepier” in the sense that his rapping style is more mellow like his recent albums but man there is some fuckin incredible production here. My attention didn’t wane at all

 

haha "fans say they want 2015 vince"

 

I agree with this musically being his best if you exclude the wildness that was big fish theory.

I still gotta take some time with the lyrics but I feel like self titled had the best lyrics of the albums.

 

Black&blue is starting us off good

 

Summertime 06 def had the best lyrics in my opinion. BFT was the most ambitious musically. FM and S/T are cut from the same cloth in that they are super concentrated, direct, fun albums, but sort of opposite ends of the tonal spectrum. I didn’t love Ramona but excited to see how the new one sounds.

 

Etouffee chorus has crack in it. One of Vince’s best ever

 

haven’t heard anything from this yet and just started it

 

sixth track is the first to really catch my ear. not much since FM! has done it for me although I did recently revisit romana park and was way more positive on it than I remember but yeah idk it just feels like there’s a certain spark missing from some of his stuff now that you simply couldn’t miss on earlier material. hard to explain because this stuff is still obviously really good, thoughtful, smart and enjoyable rap music but it’s just not hitting as hard

 

Self-Titled is easily his best imo, but I definitely understand that it marked the beginning of a much more toned-down vibe that some people don't find captivating in the same way those first few projects were. I liked Ramona Park but was definitely not as high on it as most of this site, and I'd say that this feels like a midpoint between S/T and Ramona. Something about it still feels slight -- "Little Homies" is good but the lyrics are so surface-level, kind of shocked that wasn't the single considering "Shame on the Devil" is probably the most boring song on the album -- but even if it's not as big or loud as those first few projects, I tend to prefer this side of him. When he's on, he's on. Solid record.

 

i dunno if theres gonna be much here for me. shout out to the blue suede callback on government cheese though!

 

wasn’t blown away on first listen but I don’t want to regret not having that vinyl

 

I feel like it's a solid 7 or whatever. Not up to my favourites but definitely signs of life.

 

Enjoying this thus far. I liked Romona but will be honest I never returned to it

 

Etouffee wow

 

I enjoyed this a lot more than Ramona on first listen

 

The absolute nerve of Etouffee holding out on doing that until 3:50 and then only going for 10 seconds though

 

Etoufee & little homies were highlights on my first couple listens..think this will only grow on me with more time but still think S/T is my fave..laughed out loud when I heard:

“Label tryna give me feedback, told me "Bring the streets back"
Fans said they want 2015 Vince
Dropped Big Fish, cuh been weak since (Cuh be trippin')
Damn, tell me how you really feel (That's how you feel?)”

 

this is getting better and better on repeated listens. his wordplay and subject matter is so vivid

 

Yeah I have definitely dug this more on subsequent listens.

 

His best in years

 

This has seriously grown on me the last few days, I’m really glad I got the vinyl

 

Pretty rainy over here today and this is hitting. Radio and Nothing Matters are a great back to back

 

I'm finally spinning this right now and I was pretty unengaged at the start but Étouffée is great. reminds me of Rose Street from the last one