by Darius Mullin @iamdariusmullin
With fantastic mellow vibes throughout, ear-catching saxophone, high-quality lyricism, and a knack for simple yet effective choruses, this project is surely a work of art.
'The Obituary' is the latest full-length album from William Pippins
With fantastic mellow vibes throughout, ear-catching saxophone, high-quality lyricism, and a knack for simple yet effective choruses, this project is surely a work of art.
We’ll
See (Intro) - “We’ll See” does everything that an intro track should do. A
speaking segment leads into a soulful beat, which in turn bleeds into a jazz
instrumental, setting the tone for the album and tickling my ears to want more.
The mellow vibes and quality lyricism have me anticipating more and I can’t
wait to get into the rest of the project.
Understand? - William Pippins contemplates the problems of a world that’s
“like a new Egypt in a land that’s missing pyramids,” frequently returning to
the motif of “you understand?” The conversational sound of the artist’s voice
combined with the simplicity of the beat makes me feel like I’m leaning in
close to have a one-on-one conversation.“I intend to save a man from himself – the greatest gift
you give to people is the wisdom that you held.”
Like
Stars feat. Li and Image - “I see stars … lost inside the stars…”
Like so many other tracks on this project, “Like Stars” is
almost like multiple songs united in a common theme. Soulful crooning bleeds
into contemplative boom bap tones. Pippins recruited singers Li and Image to
add some extra sauce to the mix. “Like stars in the sky … when will we fall down?”
Still
Voice feat. Will Kellum - “I been asking questions like a wisdomless boy … but imma
be alright as long as I hear the Voice.” The progression of the album is interrupted by beeping of
an alarm clock as William Pippins and Will Kellum launch into a groovy track recounting
their reliance on God and that “still, small voice” in their lives. Top-notch
verses and a catchy hook come together to make this song a hit.
Affirmation - Continuing with the jazzy instrumentals, Pippins rides the
beat for some time before reflecting on his relationship and the importance of
affirmation. A combo of smooth bass, guitar, and crooning vocals makes this
song a solid one to vibe to. “If I know one thing … I know you love me … so, tell me you
love me.”
Memory
Lane - “Memory Lane” breaks out the piano as William Pippins walks
us through some of his past and present struggles. The track ends on the hopeful
note of how God has redeemed his story. This song is a short and sweet and almost
acts as an interlude.
Do
Better feat. King Silxs - “Do better in due time and we
gon’ get it right”
A minimalistic, keys-driven instrumental
allows for William Pippins and King Silxs to drop some real wisdom on the track
in true hip-hop fashion. Both emcees kill their verses while giving listeners some
solid life advice. “Don’t be stressed about what
you can’t control – maybe tribulation is turning us into gold.”
The
Wave - Here, Pippins relates the impact of a message from a fan
about his struggles and how meaningful Pippins’ work has been to him. The rapper
lets the beat ride for some time, giving us occasion to pause and reflect. The
track ends with a spoken word, inspiring further reflection. For once, the
chorus doesn’t really do it for me, and this song fades into the rest of the
album without really standing out.
The
Beauty - This might be the most feel-good song in an album full of
feel-good songs. The first part of the song finds Pippins reflecting on the
beauty of life. “The flipside of the story is the backside of His glory so it’s
two sides of a coin.” “It’s beautiful to me.” The beat switches, and now Pippins
is relating some of his aspirations: “I wanna go to Paris, I wanna be free. I
wanna see the sunlight, I wanna see the sea. I wanna be loved and I wanna be
me.” Once again, the beat switches, this time slowing down, and the song slowly
fades out.
God’s
Will – Demo feat. Demo Freeman - As you might expect from a song with “demo” in the title, “God’s
Will – Demo” is a very laid-back, low key track with a minimalistic flair. The
emcee effortlessly navigates multiple beats, keeping listeners interested and
engaged.
Yesterday - Atmosphere. That’s something that William Pippins is very
good at, and nowhere is that more clear than on “Yesterday.” The emcee
continues to expound upon his past on another oh-so-chill track.
The
Burials - “Everything changes, nothing ever stays the same. Trying to
keep my head up in this rain.” A crack of thunder alerts us to the serious tone of this
song. On “The Burials,” Pippins really dives headlong into the ghosts of his
past, holding nothing back and providing listeners with a clear window into his
life.
The War? - After the low point of “The Burials,” William Pippins wraps
up the project with a hopeful tone, pointing to Jesus and offering final
reflections on some of the topics addressed throughout the album. “Who are you? And who am I? I don’t know, but I know the One
who knows – Jesus.” Finally, Pippins finishes out the album over a funk-ish
instrumental that feels almost like an end credits song.
--
This project is fantastic from front to back and I know I’ll
be listening to it more in the future. Pippins had me hooked from the intro and
almost every song ended up saved or on one of my personal playlists. I found very
few points that I think could have been improved, and The Obituary is easily one of my favorite projects that I’ve
reviewed.
My favorite tracks:
1. We'll See (Intro)
2. Still Voice
3. The Beauty
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