Post Malone released his debut album “Stoney” on Dec. 9. This is his first project since the release of his mixtape, “August 26th.”
“Stoney” boasts some famous features, including Justin Bieber, Quavo of rap group “Migos,” Kehlani and 2 Chainz.
Over the course of this record, Post Malone hops between different genres including trap, folk, acoustic rock and rap. Because he blurs the lines between genres so well, there is a song for every fan and every hater.
The album starts off with “Broken Whiskey Glass.” The song is an ambient and distorted track that eases the listener into the album with no holds barred.
The album transitions into “Big Lie” which has a super-catchy chorus as he exposes his competition of the rap game.
Arguably the biggest song of the album, “Déjà vu,” features global superstar Bieber. The track is laid over a “Hotline Bling-esque” beat and was an inevitable collaboration, considering Post opened for Bieber on his “Purpose” tour.
The tour proved vital in success of the next chapter of Post Malone’s career due to his budding relationship with Bieber.
After spending time with the Bieber team, it appears Post Malone’s songwriting capabilities have developed.
Examples of this are easily noticed in his expertly written choruses. Post Malone has a wide range of music he can produce, but the audio production and engineering has become much smoother on this record.
On the album, tracks “No Option” and “Cold” are where Post delves deeper into his lifestyle without getting too personal. These are both very catchy and easy to listen to.
His most famous song, “White Iverson,” has been embedded on listeners’ playlists for several years, even though the music video dropped in July of 2015. After a hit like “White Iverson,” Post totally stretches the dynamic by putting one of his deepest tracks right after.
The deepest song on the album, titled “I Fall Apart,” is rather self-explanatory. The down-tempo doesn’t last long throughout the rest of the album, with the song “Patient” picking back up where Post Malone left off. Following that, he re-introduces an acoustic guitar melody in “Go Flex.”
Kehlani has her feature on the track “Feel,” which could loosely be considered a love song. “Too Young” and the brand new “Congratulations,” featuring Quavo, are the infamous duo on the album. Quavo is by far the most talented and versatile of the three MCs that make up the rap collective “Migos.” It’s hard to consider these tracks as “bangers,” but they may end up as the most popular songs on the 18-track album.
The ever-so-catchy “Up There” is light, easy to sing along to and mellow. This is followed by a track that honestly seems to be a filler track, despite the notion that could mean a lot just by the title – “Yours Truly, Austin Post.”
The 15th track, and my personal favorite, is “Leave.” The song was written in the blend of genres of indie and folk. “Leave” is about Post Malone starting his new life without his former loved one and the pursuit of life in California.
“Hit This Hard” is a song that features a circular melody, serving as the background to Post Malone’s slurred vocals. He exercises his ability to utilize different flows while not straying too far from his distinguished sound.
The hit “Money Made Me Do It” features the amicable 2 Chainz. This gem was originally released on his last project, “August 26th,” but has since been re-mastered for this full-length project.
Finally, “Feeling Whitney” concludes the record. Once again, distancing himself from competition, Post Malone wrote this acoustic song on his guitar.
“Stoney” continues to show Post Malone’s range, along with his unparalleled execution of what genres he can operate in. He is a pivotal artist in our current era of hip-hop.
The artist has now dropped five tracks and his projects have come way closer to folk/indie than rap. This breath of fresh air and his will to out-do his competition in all aspects has earned him a 9/10 for “Stoney.”
