Throughout his whole career, Vince Staples has never shied away from tough topics. His music has dealt with the downfalls of success, depressive mental states, oppressive social norms, and thought-provoking commentary. All the while, the sonic terrain in which he delivers his head-spinning stories has consistently evolved from one project to the next, with Staples sounding comfortable over glitchy experimentation and punchy minimalism alike. All that to say, Staples has proven to be a modern visionary while grappling with the urge to display brutal honesty in every release, dotting his discography with autobiographical LPs that shock with their rawness and soothe with their infectious melodies.
On the latest addition to Staples’ legacy, Cry Baby, the artist proves once again that his evolution is limitless and his wisdom is otherworldly. Based in live instrumentation and searing urgency, the 10-song LP marks Staples most independent release to date, and the freedom that comes with it is noticeable from the jump. Not that the Long Beach native has ever adhered to any convention, but there is an energy to these songs that feels as if they have been sitting in the back of Staples’ mind for years, waiting for the perfect time to hit the public’s ears. In contrast to the reflective nature of his previous releases, Cry Baby is stubbornly present and observant, carrying the weight of modern socio-political turmoil while maintaining a commercial edge. Staples is as fearless as ever, but set aside any expectations of the artist as he once again reaches new artistic heights.
Not to say that Cry Baby is a complete removal from Staples’s previous work, but the live instrumentation proves to emphasize his sentiments. With the help of distorted riffs and pounding percussion, Staples can exercise his acrobatic vocals like never before. Highlights like the chugging “The Running Man” and the warping, dirty funk of “TV Guide” underscore how Staples balances intense narratives with the grandiose grit of these arrangements. Staples’s ever-twisting vocals beautifully orchestrate the direction of the instrumentation, almost as if the instruments are attempting to keep pace with the racing thoughts of the artist. Those pontifications shape the underlying, heavy themes of Cry Baby, as Staples bluntly pens his vulnerability.
The funky, punk-tinted production serves as the perfect vehicle for the violence Staples explores throughout his latest work. Vibrant imagery of police brutality, discrimination, and the persistence needed to make it through it all is displayed with a palpable force. “Only In America” details societal imbalances with an anthemic twist, while “Big Bad Wolf” puts a face on the perpetrators of these injustices through hypnotic percussion and strained vocals. These songs, though, do not find Staples downtrodden, but inspired, searching for a way to change it all, as heard on “Go! Go! Gorilla.”
Cry Baby is yet another wildly enthralling step in the story of an artist too intelligent to confine but too caring to walk away. These ten songs push Staples into another level of conceptual storytelling. By allowing his lofty visions to flourish, Staples delivers a honed must-hear aimed at the powers-that-be and meant to soundtrack a revolution.
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