Stairwell Baby was introduced to Bartees Strange through his 2020 cover songs of one of our favorite bands, The National. The national are a textbook example of an Indie Rock band, But Bartees strange refuses to be buttonholed as an artist. Is the album Horror Hip Hop, Rock, or R&B? Yes, Bartees seamlessly blends genres and this is evident on the first track “Too Much”. The song’s lyrics reflect modern Hop Hop, but the music exemplifies a 70s vibe. Bartees utilizes a darker tone compared to his previous albums. Though there are many tacks that vibe such as “Sober” and “Baltimore”.
Bartees creates familiar sounding melodies and pairs them with descriptive and detailed lyrics. His albums are easily enjoyed by groups of people and would make an excellent album to play at a party. This is an approachable album that is just fun to listen to. With each album Bartees further develops his sound, and he is creating music that simply has the feeling of NOW. He has an excellent Tiny Desk Concert that brings a live element to some of the songs on Horror (embedded below).
Haiku
Hip Hop Attitude
A Dark Themed Blend of Genres
Rock Guitar Solos
RIYL: The National, Boygenius, Car Seat Headrest, The Hold Steady
