Written by: Jayme Stewart
Issues dropped their new album Beautiful Oblivion and feedback has already started to come in. They dropped three singles for the album: Tapping Out, Drink about it and Flexin, which sent a bit of a mixed message on the album, so fans were not sure what exactly to expect.
The first song on the album is titled Here’s To You. This song stood out a lot lyrically to me, the lyrics are very emotional and the delivery is really smooth. It is a really gentle and easy song to listen to which isn’t for everyone, but I think that it really works to open this album. This song is catchy but not overtly so, it has a good balance of lyrics, delivery and smooth instrumentals that make it really good overall. This song featured Sky’s vocals in the bridge which was something surprising and very nice to hear.
The second track was one of the singles, Drink About It. This song’s chorus is very catchy in the typical Issues fashion that a lot of people enjoy. This song didn’t stand out to me as much though, even when it was released as a single it was good, just not something I would think to listen to very often. It is definitely a good song, it has well written lyrics and I think the flow is interesting- but it doesn’t stand out.
Find Forever is the next track, and I loved this song as soon as I heard it. It’s very soft and smooth, it creates such a good vibe as soon as you hear it. This song has a lot of calming energy and I like hearing more of this relaxed vibe from Issues. Not everyone is going to like this song because it is so soft, but if people are more open minded they’ll realize it’s actually really good. The lyrics are really romantic and cute, seeing the more love-y vibe from them is really nice.
The next track was also a single, titled Tapping Out. This song was my favorite of the singles. It is one of the catchiest songs off the album, and the whole energy of the song is very captivating. It has a lot of impact and I think that it is still one of the songs that stands out most even though I’ve been sitting with it for the longest.
The next song is called Without You. The vibe of the instrumentals in this song is really good, and the flow of the lyrics stood out to me right away. It has a really unique delivery which really fits the more groovy vibe of the song. It’s more playful and fun, which is something that Issues is really good at, and I think that this song works really well to add something new to the album.
Rain is the next song, and this song starts off really well. It starts right away with hard hitting lyrics and really good sounding vocals. The chorus takes away from it a little bit to me, but it’s not that bad. It’s a good song but it is one that I feel will take a few more listens to truly appreciate it. That can be a good thing though, it is good when a band delivers songs that throw fans off a little bit.
The next song is called Downfall, and from the start this song sounds heavier than the rest were just instrumentally. This song is really emotional, the lyrics are beautifully written and I think this song will resonate in a lot of people and help bring a more personal connection to the album. This song was very well written and it is nice to see them creating a balance between fun and serious songs.
Second Best is the next song, and it is another more emotional track. The delivery of this song is really good, and the emotional aspect makes it have a really strong impact. This song will be one that will have an impact on people as they listen, and I can hear all of that emotion and power in it while listening.
Get It Right isn’t an emotional song like the previous ones, but that doesn’t make it bad at all. This song is really smooth and has such a nice sound to it, it has that playful edge to it that Issues is really good at playing off. This song really helps show that they are able to include a lot of different vibes and atmospheres into one album.
Flexin was also released as a single, and received a lot of mixed feedback. I personally really like this song. It is something that I have never heard from them before, and I really like that. It has a really unique sound that works oddly well considering how badly it could have gone. They definitely took a risk with this song, and it was worth it. It’s a good playful song that breaks up some of the heavier emotional songs.
The next track is titled No Problem (Keep It Alive). This song really stands out to me, the softer vocals flow so well it makes such an easy listen, and I enjoyed that. It is a nice soft song that still has the classic Issues sort of flow to it combined with really good lyrics. This song is an enjoyable listen and I think it will have an appeal to a lot of listeners.
Your Sake is the next song on the album. This song is the most emotional one off of the album, it has so much emotion that it can be a bit of a hard listen for some people, but it is really good. It’s the only song that has a piano track, and the stripped back feeling of the song really helps convey all of the emotions and keep the focus on the lyrics. The vocals in this song are so good and this is definitely one of the best songs on the album.
The last song on the album is the namesake, Beautiful Oblivion. There is a bit of pressure on the namesake songs because it is the vibe they wanted for the whole album if they were willing to name the whole album based off of it. This song took a few listens for me to really get it. The first few times it just sounded like a lot, but after I listened to it a few times it made a lot more sense. This song will more than likely be one people don’t digest as quickly, but it is worth listening to until you get it.
Overall, this album was great. It combines the classic Issues playful kind of flow and style with some more emotional songs and even a stripped back song with a piano track. This album was a bit all over the place sound wise, but it actually worked really well for them. The album may not be quickly received because it is a lot to digest at first, but if fans stay open minded this could be one of their best albums.
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