SZA's second album was such a long time coming that it was preceded by a fifth anniversary deluxe edition of her debut (the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated Ctrl), and enough loose tracks, soundtrack cuts, and featured appearances to make an LP-length playlist. One of the intervening singles, "Hit Different," is vintage enough to be sampled -- slowed down to lend a spectral self-duet quality to "Love Language," among many songs on SOS that portrays romantic torment with conflicted emotions. SZA also draws "SOS" itself as a clip-emptying return, an opening scene soundtracked by muffled gospel soul, kicking down the door and staking claims with assaultive bars about her incontestible omnipotence and impostors hatched since she went supernova. Hour-plus length and stylistic variety likewise signal that SOS could be the overreaching kind of highly anticipated follow-up. Still, it's an advancement from Ctrl in every respect apart from cohesion, a feature purposefully disregarded by SZA and main songwriting/production collaborators Rob Bisel and Carter Lang. Take track two, "Kill Bill," a bleary/psychedelic pop-soul revenge fantasy with a performance of such nuance that escalating madness, delight, and shock can be sensed in SZA's confession to murder. "Gone Girl," yearning for comfort and intimate escape, is one of those sad stealth belters. The chaser is a cold-blooded if humor-laced rap broadside. Not far behind is a lonseome and spiteful country pop-punk rager and another number with some Nashville appeal, a codependent acoustic ballad. Fine as the classification-defying moments are, R&B soliloquies remain SZA's forte. The emotional and sonic complexity of SOS was teased by three such songs, pre-release singles placed toward the end that are crucial to the sequence. The brilliantly lean and scuffed Darkchild collaboration "Shirt" allows all the space needed for the singer to unleash some terse invective directed outward and inward. "I Hate U" is a striking depiction of intimate restlessness rendered as an inching slow jam that stings as much as it seduces. "Good Days" is both downcast and dazzling, covering exhaustion, regret, renewal, and progression in one spangled swoop. One of the latter ballad's finely wrought phrases, "a war in my mind," would have been just as suitable an album title as the distress signal.© Andy Kellman /TiVo

No Signal is the sophomore album from bilingual British rapper French the Kid and follows 2022's Never Been Ordinary. Featuring production from Love Life, twin two, and M1 on the Beat, the album sees French the Kid expanding his drill sound with elements of pop, R&B, and rock. The tracks "Single Player" and "White Wine" are included.© TiVo

The sequel to Migos' 2017 breakthrough CULTURE is a great album buried beneath expendable extras. Culture II finds Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff embracing their superstardom -- charting the meteoric rise from trap hustling to a lavish lifestyle of glamorous parties and international runways -- with a whopping 24 tracks of mostly serviceable triplet-trap and some undeniable pop hits. Whether this feels overly bloated or supreme value-for-money, however, is up to listeners. Sifting through the merely passable to find those true nuggets is not difficult, as the big moments make themselves immediately known. At the top of the pack is "BBO (Bad Bitches Only)," a horn-drenched throwback produced by Kanye West and featuring an irresistible chorus by 21 Savage. The Pharrell Williams-assisted "Stir Fry" hypnotizes with unmistakable production that echoes Pharrell's work on Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot." The propulsive "Auto Pilot (Huncho on the Beat)" is another highlight on the first half, one of a handful of tracks produced exclusively by executive producers Quavo and Migos' unofficial fourth member, DJ Durel. The pair's strength as producers is apparent throughout Culture II -- sometimes creating more memorable moments than their guests -- especially on "CC" with Gucci Mane, "Crown the Kings," and the slapping "Too Playa" with 2 Chainz. In similar fashion, the trio also prove that they can hold their own without the help of a high-profile guest verse. "Gang Gang" and "Made Men" stand out, eclipsing mostly forgettable turns by Drake ("Walk It Talk It"); Travis Scott, Ty Dolla $ign, and Big Sean ("White Sand"), and Post Malone ("Notice Me"). Most disappointing is the boring "MotorSport," notable for being the first track uniting Nicki Minaj and her spiritual successor Cardi B. While the women remain the stars of the show, it's a moment that should have been greater. These relative disappointments -- a dozen in all, give or take -- would have been fine as a bonus disc or quick mixtape, but, presented alongside much stronger tracks, only accentuate their dullness. Taking a page from the Drake playbook, Culture II runs long and tests the limits of a standard attention span at nearly two hours. With enough highlights to form a single digestible effort, Migos could have delivered another culture-defining classic with just a little trimming. Instead, they've taken what should have been a potent, big league statement and diluted it.© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo

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The sequel to Migos' 2017 breakthrough CULTURE is a great album buried beneath expendable extras. Culture II finds Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff embracing their superstardom -- charting the meteoric rise from trap hustling to a lavish lifestyle of glamorous parties and international runways -- with a whopping 24 tracks of mostly serviceable triplet-trap and some undeniable pop hits. Whether this feels overly bloated or supreme value-for-money, however, is up to listeners. Sifting through the merely passable to find those true nuggets is not difficult, as the big moments make themselves immediately known. At the top of the pack is "BBO (Bad Bitches Only)," a horn-drenched throwback produced by Kanye West and featuring an irresistible chorus by 21 Savage. The Pharrell Williams-assisted "Stir Fry" hypnotizes with unmistakable production that echoes Pharrell's work on Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot." The propulsive "Auto Pilot (Huncho on the Beat)" is another highlight on the first half, one of a handful of tracks produced exclusively by executive producers Quavo and Migos' unofficial fourth member, DJ Durel. The pair's strength as producers is apparent throughout Culture II -- sometimes creating more memorable moments than their guests -- especially on "CC" with Gucci Mane, "Crown the Kings," and the slapping "Too Playa" with 2 Chainz. In similar fashion, the trio also prove that they can hold their own without the help of a high-profile guest verse. "Gang Gang" and "Made Men" stand out, eclipsing mostly forgettable turns by Drake ("Walk It Talk It"); Travis Scott, Ty Dolla $ign, and Big Sean ("White Sand"), and Post Malone ("Notice Me"). Most disappointing is the boring "MotorSport," notable for being the first track uniting Nicki Minaj and her spiritual successor Cardi B. While the women remain the stars of the show, it's a moment that should have been greater. These relative disappointments -- a dozen in all, give or take -- would have been fine as a bonus disc or quick mixtape, but, presented alongside much stronger tracks, only accentuate their dullness. Taking a page from the Drake playbook, Culture II runs long and tests the limits of a standard attention span at nearly two hours. With enough highlights to form a single digestible effort, Migos could have delivered another culture-defining classic with just a little trimming. Instead, they've taken what should have been a potent, big league statement and diluted it. © Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo

Download not available

Download not available