I don’t know if you were here or nah last week but I intentionally did not mention the passing of Prince Rogers Nelson. Known to some of you as Prince. Let us not forget here where I shared my reasons for buying physical music and Prince being the reason for the season. I’m still dealing with it. I’m not ready to do that yet. This is a placeholder for my devastation.

In far lighter news, everyone’s favorite Canuck, Drake released his fourth studio album Views. Its treasure or trash depending on who you ask. I, cannot say because I haven’t listened to it in its entirety. I’m not a Drake hater I just found the 20 track-listing unappetizing. And I have listened to some of it, but I was half getting ready, half in the car, and I haven’t truly sat with it. So it could be one hunnid emoji fireball fireball emoji. With the generic listen I’ve given it I’ll inform you I always have time for a reggae tune. Always. But to my point, too many songs.

The more the merrier doesn’t always apply and that couldn’t be more evident when it comes to album length. I think the sweet spot it about 12 songs. A 12 song album versus a 14 or 15 song album can be the difference between a good and a great possibly even a classic album.

Here’s my theory. With 12 songs an artist can deliver six solid, songs two decent songs, and four songs you could take or leave and most people will walk away satisfied. Add two more songs to that and the body of work begins to feel “good” add three more. Now it’s like when you order two meals at dinner, but can’t eat it all. You feel sad because you want all of this food, but you can’t. You can’t. You’re stuffed. It’s wasteful, and so are a bunch of filler and fluff. I get and artist may be attempting to please everyone by giving us all that they got but, the ability to edit the art is as valuable as the art that is created. Imagine how much more powerful liking 8 out of 12 songs is over 10 out of 17. That’s what a good edit can do.

Maybe he’s trying to please us, like we all know he wants to do. He wants us to be happy. He knows we love Lemonade, Anti, and TLOP. Love Views too guys. Views is worthy. Views thinks about you at night. Views loves you so much there are 20 ways it’s proves it.

So, I’ll give Views more time as I do all music, but I think Aubrey’ s real Achilles heel is arrangement. But that’s another conversation for another time.

Snuka