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PODCAST

Album Mode

Demar Grant & Adriel Smiley

Welcome to Album Mode where journalist, Demar Grant and The Cool Table host, Adriel Smiley breakdown and review the latest albums. Each episode features a new album where both hosts dive in-depth about the project and the artist’s path to its release.

music music commentary

All Episodes

42:32

Diddy is Finally Arrested and Deciphering Kendrick...

Album Mode ·

2024/09/19

The feds have Diddy up of sex trafficking a racketeering charges and it ain't looking good. Diddy has already been denied bail twice and is officially awaiting trial. Also we reach back and talk about the Kendrick Lamar - Drake - Jay Z - Lil Wayne Super Bowl debacle and wonder if Kanye West can ever do the Super Bowl.TIMECODES:00:55- Diddy arrested4:15 - 1000 bottles of baby oil8:10 - What reason do you have to have that much baby oil?8:30 - A lot of people aligned with Diddy9:37 - Seems what he

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34:08

CXCV. Fousheé | Pointy Heights

Album Mode ·

2024/09/19

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Fousheé's second album 'Pointy Heights', her melding reggae with other genres and her trying to escape the shadow of her influencesDémar’s rating: 6.5 / 10Adriel’s rating: 5.5 / 10The Love List: 100 bux, birds, bees, feel like home, closer, warTIMECODES:1:29 Test case – black female artist not making R&B2:36 Female Teezo Touchdown?3:45 One of those names Demar sees everywhere5:30 Reason for the name of the album5:50 Birds, bees10:25 Not for the traditional

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31:28

CXCIV. Fat Dog | Woof.

Album Mode ·

2024/09/14

This week Démar is on a solo mission discussing Fat Dog's debut album 'Woof.' its über dramatic production and Fat Dog's repetitive lyrics actually give you something to grab onto while the production swirls.Démar’s rating: 9 / 10The Love List: Vigilante, Wither, Clowns, All the Same, Running, I am the KingFollow us:YOUTUBE:https://www.youtube.com/@AlbumModeTikTok:Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar:

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27:07

CXCIII. Doechii | Alligator Bites Never Heal

Album Mode ·

2024/09/07

This week Démar is on a solo mission discussing Doechii's third mixtape ' Alligator Bites Never Heal', her clear as day Fugees influences and how an album can feel like a drag even though it's amazing.Démar’s rating: 8 / 10The Love List: BULLFROG, BOILED PEANUTS, DENIAL IS A RIVER, SKIPP, HIDE N SEEK, DEATH ROLL, NISSAN ALTIMA, HUH!, FIREFLIES, ALLIGATOR BITES NEVER HEALP.S. Sorry for the wait, Doechii review later this week!Follow us:YOUTUBE:https://www.youtube.com/@AlbumModeTikTok:Album Mode:

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22:54

CXCII. Sabrina Carpenter | Short n' Sweet

Album Mode ·

2024/09/02

This week Démar is on a solo mission discussing Sabrina Carpenter's sixth studio album Short n' Sweet, her underrated cheeky songwriting and her constant tug of war between pop country and pop R&B.Démar’s rating: 6 / 10The Love List: Good Graces, Bed Chem, Espresso, Lie To Girls, Don't SmileThe Love List: Losers, What Don't Belong to Me, I Had Some HelpP.S. Sorry for the wait, Doechii review later this week!Follow us:YOUTUBE:https://www.youtube.com/@AlbumModeTikTok:Album Mode:

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17:22

ALBUM MODE DELUXE: Tinashe - Quantum Baby

Album Mode ·

2024/08/22

A quick one for Tinashe and her seventh studio album "Quantum Baby" where wonder if she's the most anonymous popstar of her generation.TImecodes1:50 If you are a pop head2:34 2 on2:56 Her tone is not distinct enough4:12 Victoria Monet comparison5:38 What do you think this album is missing?5:59 People she should collab with6:37 Zelda or Super Mario water level 9:12 Nasty is the worst song / made to be an internet song11:13 Is this the part of the song that the artist would want you to click on12:18

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59:43

CXCI. Post Malone | F1-Trillion

Album Mode ·

2024/08/21

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Post Malone's sixth studio album 'F-1 Trillion', his abandonment of artistic risk and Post Malone's journey across genres.If you want a ticket to the Polaris Prize Gala in Toronto, drop your favourite Canadian album from this year in our Insta DMs!Démar’s rating: 3.5 / 10Adriel’s rating: 6 / 10The Love List: Losers, What Don't Belong to Me, I Had Some HelpTIMECODES:1:59 - The lead up to F1-Trillion3:35 - He’s been sliding from his last few projects5:38 - Getting to

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43:06

Drake's 100 Gigs are Weird & Raygun's Disgraceful...

Album Mode ·

2024/08/17

Can't lie to y'all when we saw Drake and 100 gigs in the same sentence we thought it was over for The Boy. Instead it's a BTS data dump with songs attached. Also Rachel Gun drops one of the worst breakdancing performances in Hip-Hop history. Strap in for a weird one! Timecodes:1:15 Drake is someone we don’t always get the BTS2:04 in-between what Drake should do and what we think he should do2:38 Tin foil hat theory4:10 Drake is the artist that would drop a documentary and everyone goes to see it5:08

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58:43

CXC. Latto | Sugar Honey Iced Tea

Album Mode ·

2024/08/15

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Latto's third album 'Sugar Honey Iced Tea', her surprising versatility and adopting Drake and Doja Cat as influences in her music.Démar’s rating: 7.5 / 10Adriel’s rating: 8 / 10The Love List: Big Mama, Blick Sum, H&M, Liquor, S/O to Me, Look What You DidTIMECODES:4:00 - Didn’t know she had this in her 5:57 - Golden Age of Women in Hip-hop7:13 - Timestamp Drake record?9:56 - Drake doing ‘Song Cry’ on every album 15:04 - Meg is in the Logic zone but Latto is

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61:24

CLXXXIX. Ice Spice | Y2K!

Album Mode ·

2024/08/08

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Ice Spice's debut album 'Y2K!', her being more of a rage/opium artist than drill, lyrical reductionism and whether she's more celebrity than musician.Démar’s rating: 5.5 / 10Adriel’s rating: 4.5 / 10The Love List: Phat Butt, Popa, Plenty Sun, Bitch I'm Packin'TIMECODES:5:35- First project of hers that people will remember 6:46 - Stand-out features 9:30 - Yeat would sound like Mob Deep on this9:54 - Making Central Cee that type of rapper on this project10:16 - Ice

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64:23

CLXXXVIII. Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign | Vultures 2

Album Mode ·

2024/08/07

This week Démar and Adriel discuss the supergroup ¥$ (Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign)'s second studio album 'Vultures 2', Kanye's juvenile lyrics, reused motifs and incomplete songs.Démar’s rating: 2 / 10Adriel’s rating: 5.5 / 10The Love List: River, Field TripTIMECODES:1:04 - Surprised it was going to drop/exist 2:33 - Ye in the NBA Youngboy Zone3:05 - Vultures4:25 - Struggle raps for almost an hour5:30 - Ye was someone who would make an album, scrap the album, and then remake the album7:40 - similar

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31:22

Deluxe: Denzel Curry, Rema & Clairo

Album Mode ·

2024/07/27

This is Album Mode Deluxe, where we talk about and quickly review albums that we haven't gotten a chance to in the past couple of weeks. Clairo, Denzel Curry and Rema are on the docket and only one of them disappointed, guess which one.TIMECODES:1:50 - Denzel curry – very good5:13 - Another step past ZUU / traditional hip-hop album6:18 - Florida man 7:30 Every song has features8:00 - A$AP Ferg feature9:22 - Demar is not A$AP Mob11:10 - Good gym album12:32 - Rema album HEIS17:35 - This is a different

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61:49

CLXXXVII. Childish Gambino | Bando Stone & the New World

Album Mode ·

2024/07/26

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Childish Gambino's fifth studio album 'Bando Stone & The New World, how progressive his music has become ad his extended run as an artist. And no we don't believe he's gonna retire.Démar’s rating: 7.5 / 10Adriel’s rating: 8.5 / 10The Love List: Lithonia, Talk My Shit, Cruisin', Happy Survival, We Are GodTIMECODES:2:49 - Wasn’t sure how serious he was3:30 - Favourite Childing Gambino song9:00 - Drake comparison17:08 - Get everything onto the album18:40 -

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27:23

Best Albums of 2024 So Far

Album Mode ·

2024/07/17

We're a little over half way through the year so Démar and Adriel look back on some of the best albums so far and which might be a lock for their year-end lists.TIMECODES:1:40 - Blue lips3:00 - Brat5:10 - Might Delete Later7:09 - Yeat 20937:46 - Defending yourself is the admission of guilt10:24 - Why Lawd12:18 - Micah12:52 - Doubt Demar15:03 - Algorithm15:41 - The Album is getting popular for being good 16:45 - In a Frank Ocean space17:39 - 2025 Grammy’s18:30 - Water20:37 - The Last Dinner

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56:09

CLXXXVI. Zach Bryan | The Great American Bar Scene

Album Mode ·

2024/07/11

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Zach Bryan's fifth studio album 'The Great American Bar Scene', his amazing songwriting, the hip hop to country dictionary and the album's plodding minimalism.Démar’s rating: 8 / 10.Adriel’s rating: 7.5 / 10The Love List: Purple Gas, Northern Thunder, Boons, The Way Back, Bass Boat, 28TIMECODES:1:10 - A bunch of left turns1:43 - Démar shouts out himself5:22 - The singles8:29 - Title track9:00 - The Boys’ reference16:23 - This scene is not even alive for18:05 - The

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55:06

CLXXXV. Lucky Daye | Algorithm

Album Mode ·

2024/07/06

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Lucky Daye's third studio album 'Algorithm', his amazing change in style and how this project is a breath of fresh air for male R&B.Démar’s rating: 8.5 / 10. Adriel’s rating: 9 / 10The Love List: Never Leavin' U Lonely, Herican, Blame, Mary, Breakin' The Bank, SoftTimecodes:1:01 It's the First Lucky Daye album Dema has ever listened to2:40 Adriel was surprised by the singles4:08 Reminds A&D of song they can’t place6:30 Sounds like Frank Ocean12:00 It is

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60:22

CLXXXIV. Megan Thee Stallion | Megan

Album Mode ·

2024/07/04

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Megan Thee Stallion's third studio album 'Megan', her lack of flow and topic variation along with her being closer to a female Logic than most think.Démar’s rating: 7 / 10Adriel’s rating: 4 / 10 The Love List: HISS, B.A.S., Paper Together, Spin, Boa , CobraTIMECODES:3:28 - Is she still a hitmaker?4:48 - She’s returning shots6:30 - The diss tracks fit into the theme/cohesiveness of the album8:56 - Megan’s musical growth since Good News10:10 - I know what the album

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32:25

Kendrick Lamar Pops Out and Queen Sells their...

Album Mode ·

2024/06/28

Sometimes you really have to pop out and show niggas. Kendrick Lamar's Juneteenth concert "The Pop Out — Ken & Friends," crazy, the duo breakdown their favourite moments and disappointments. Also Queen just sold their entire discography for £1 billion and we wonder which new artist could sell for the same.TIMECODES:1:10 - Kendrick with the Quotables2:05 - Showed how important the West Coast is to hip-hop4:44 - The box7:15 - Euphoria9:35 - The crowd10:40 - Showing all of TDE together 13:48 -

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44:15

CLXXXIII. Kehlani | CRASH

Album Mode ·

2024/06/28

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Kehlani's fourth studio album 'Crash', her failed expansion beyond R&B and whether her album performances even matter to her career overall.Démar’s rating: 4 / 10Adriel’s rating: 5 / 10 The Love List: Groove Theory, 8, DeepTIMECODES:4:39 Originators of vibey R&B girl era4:55 Fans and the public view her differently8:19 Ariana Grande10:14 Toxic Queens17:45 A lot of good songs but no bangers18:19 Leave that stuff to Ice Spice / Glorilla19:45 Styles P20:32

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55:04

CLXXXII. Don Toliver | Hardstone Psycho

Album Mode ·

2024/06/22

This week, Démar and Adriel discuss Don Toliver's fourth studio album 'Hardstone Psycho', his versatility, joining the sexy drill wave, and Don Toliver outgrowing the Cactus Jack label.Démar’s rating: 7 / 10Adriel’s rating: 8.5 / 10 The Love List: KRYPTONITE, TORE UP, LAST LAUGH, 5 TO 10, DEEP IN THE WATERTIMECODES:1:47 - Can’t Say2:33 - His last project3:07 - His voice colour5:19 - Sexy drill7:15 - Same spot as the last review7:43 - Staying one pocket is a disservice8:35 - Bandit as a single11:34 -

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