Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism ALBUM REVIEW

Рет қаралды 216,980

Ай бұрын

Listen: • Dua Lipa - Illusion (O...
Pretty much a slight regression from Future Nostalgia on all fronts.
More pop reviews: • Pop Reviews
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Team: Jeremy - Lead Edits / Anthony - Final Cuts / Austen - Proofing, Posting
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FAV TRACKS: HOUDINI, TRAINING SEASON, FALLING FOREVER, MARIA
LEAST FAV TRACK: THESE WALLS
DUA LIPA - RADICAL OPTIMISM / 2024 / WARNER / DANCE POP
5/10
Y'all know this is just my opinion, right?

Пікірлер: 726

@KuraiCelestial Ай бұрын

This review was not radically optimistic

@jasonblignaut1 Ай бұрын

Radical FLOPTimism wbk

@bluelines2287 Ай бұрын

Conservatively pessimistic

@mr.benchwormer7723 Ай бұрын

Liberally opportunistic

@shocksystem8675 Ай бұрын

Conventionally pessimistic like if Fantano wanted retrofuturism in the new album.

@user-ns4ed3nu6h Ай бұрын

What a reactionary pessimist

@M0Bk Ай бұрын

These Walls by Kendrick Lamar being your least favorite song on a Dua Lipa album is pretty crazy

@shinyhitmonlee1058 Ай бұрын

Was about to say that lol

@LDVenus-kz2lc Ай бұрын

he on Drizzy's side :(

@jchmusic7587 Ай бұрын

Jokes aside, it's one of my favorites from this album

@lordbauer5983 Ай бұрын

@@LDVenus-kz2lchis beef with Drake is pretty legendary at this point, lmao. He’s 100% on Kendrick’s side.

@LDVenus-kz2lc Ай бұрын

@@lordbauer5983 yeah, that was the joke. Good job, sport!

@SirLemming Ай бұрын

Turns out "Future Nostalgia" was a prophecy about how people would view that album compared to this one

@ALGtheMC Ай бұрын

Future Nostalgia nostalgia

@eze6982 Ай бұрын

@@ALGtheMC Future Future Nostalgia nostalgia

@jeanoltt 29 күн бұрын

Future Nostalgia was a great choice of a name. The feeling of "retrospective nostalgia" (enjoying something you know it's going to be nostalgic some day) was there since day one, it's a wonderful album. It was always a prophecy, and it ended up fullfiled.

@user-cx6lt2ej4h 9 күн бұрын

Nope. Both ''Future Nostalgia'' and this one are boring albums. I don't like any of those two. The only great Dua Lipa album it was (and it still is) her debut ''Dua Lipa'' It was also her only electronic pop album she ever made.

@jeanoltt 8 күн бұрын

@@user-cx6lt2ej4h thank god we have user-cx6lt2ej4h who is here to tell us what is and what isn't a good album!

@lati_3 Ай бұрын

Unfortunately for Dua Lipa, melon has radical pessimism 😔

@solstie Ай бұрын

Radical indifference

@Red2332 Ай бұрын

What?

@RhapsodyHC Ай бұрын

Radical Melonism

@polarfr_st Ай бұрын

That comment made me genuinely laugh.

@ritahenrique. Ай бұрын

😂

@UnorthodoxIndividual Ай бұрын

If Dua had a song over the "BBL Drizzy" beat you would've given this a 10

@Red2332 Ай бұрын

I wish every artist alive would make a song over that beat 🤣

@falcon1378 Ай бұрын

Dua Lipa’s yams can’t and will never bring everyone to her, unlike BBL Drizzy.

@Red2332 Ай бұрын

@@falcon1378 who said anything bout everyone going to Dua Lipa? I'm saying I wish every artist alive right now would make a song on the BBL Drizzy beat lol.

@falcon1378 Ай бұрын

@@Red2332 I’m talking about the lyrics to BBL drizzy 😭😭😭

@Red2332 Ай бұрын

@@falcon1378 aight my bad.

@cradio52 Ай бұрын

The extended mixes of the singles were WAY better, richer, fuller and more complete sounding, with that slight edge of psychedelia & experimentation that she’s been talking about for months. I feel like every song on the album actually has an “extended mix” and the versions we got as the album are all just edited down versions. Really hope she releases an “extended mixes” version of the whole album.

@WrecklessFantasist Ай бұрын

That’s what I’m hoping for too. Honestly imagine if we could see Anything for Love extended out for 4 minutes instead of 2. It could go down as an absolute banger, it just feels so incomplete

@christianherrera8359 Ай бұрын

YES! My favorite is "Training Season"

@s1me007 Ай бұрын

Extend them all you want, they’re still meh songs to the core

@meghansullivan6812 Ай бұрын

SAME i think the GP will take much more kindly to the album....when...she releases the extended cut🤞🤞🤞

@briceticker6721 Ай бұрын

Another pop album for Target to play on repeat

@tylerhackner9731 Ай бұрын

It’s disappointing compared to not only the expectations she set for the album (she said it was going to be a psychedelic or Brit pop type album and it wasn’t) but also compared to future nostalgia. But if we take it as a standalone standard chill pop Dua Lipa album, I think it works pretty well. I like it more than others seem to, tho I get why the general reception to this is meh.

@AgainstTheeWickedlyMusic Ай бұрын

I also enjoyed this record quite a bit, but I have not heard all of Future Nostalgia, yet (minus the radio singles, of course). I've never really enjoyed much pop music until the last year or two, but I always found the Dua's songs to be pretty infectious. I was mostly just looking to have fun with this record, and I definitely did, but it is unfortunate if it's a bit of a step down, creatively

@xBINARYGODx Ай бұрын

sure, but who wanted that at this point, no matter what expectations she and management set?

@ringa_ringa_ling Ай бұрын

@@AgainstTheeWickedlyMusic I kinda wonder whats your opinion on CRJ?

@AgainstTheeWickedlyMusic Ай бұрын

@@ringa_ringa_ling honestly, I've never really listened to her (apart from the singles I heard on the radio as a kid). I know she went through a phase of making more artsy pop, which is usually in the realm of things I like, so I wouldn't be surprised if I would ending up liking (at least) some of her material

@vocecaiunocontodomalakoi7541 Ай бұрын

@@AgainstTheeWickedlyMusic What's your favorite pop artists? Have you given Prince or Kate bush a try?

@barbexoticzz Ай бұрын

honestly i’m not really sure what went wrong with this album. i have no clue what happened to the “psychedelic” angle she was going for because i didn’t get that from this album. it just barely scratches the surface of what it was trying to do in almost every aspect. it just felt like a plain piece of white bread.

@Viper-dz2kw Ай бұрын

I imagine Kevin prob cooked up some crazy shit and the label/management went WOOOOOOAAAAHHHHHH THERE HOLD YER HORSES And now it’s this

@giulianoboccellato Ай бұрын

The extended versions of the singles were promising in that sense

@xBINARYGODx Ай бұрын

"it just felt like a plain piece of white bread" depends on the brand, some of that shit is so loaded with sweetener and other things too that they are more dessert than part of a meal.

@ToutiAit Ай бұрын

I totally agree with you, we can see glimpses of it on happy for you, whatcha doing @@Viper-dz2kw

@bellaburgessxo Ай бұрын

It’s Dua Lipa… was yall really expecting anything other than a plain piece of white bread?

@yahboijason6246 Ай бұрын

So you’re telling me you had tame impala produce the whole thing just to make mostly bland dance pop?

@joshual5758 Ай бұрын

Literally could have replaced him with anyone else lol

@ultimadum7785 Ай бұрын

It was gonna happen regardless. Kevin completely abandoned his psychedelic roots for bland dance pop years ago.

@chiarosuburekeni9325 Ай бұрын

@@ultimadum7785exactly. He’s NOT making the type of stuff we love from like 10 years ago. Wish he still was that shit hit so hard

@jvictor3048 Ай бұрын

Happens almost every time one of these big popstars invites an "alternative" artist to produce for them. They're mostly just interested in the artistic/journalistic cred, and are too concerned with their bottom line to actually take any significant risks.

@yahboijason6246 Ай бұрын

@@jvictor3048 idk how truthful that is Houdini was def a big risk. I think this might’ve been a little bit of the studio wanting a poppier album

@DeeDeeDeeeee Ай бұрын

After everything that was teased from this album (before illusion), this feels very off from what Dua was originally teasing. Training Season and Houdini somewhat underperformed for her standards (even tho dua is known for sleeper hits), thus she or more likely her label got scared and the album was changed/rearranged in a way that would appeal to a broader audience and for the summer vibe. Even the visuals for the first two singles are incredibly different from the albums visuals.

@meghansullivan6812 Ай бұрын

Ughhhhh i wish theyd have just full sent it

@ashermcallister1065 Ай бұрын

This is such a good point

@EnterTheSoundscape Ай бұрын

And as a result they have taken the soul out of this album.

@Mario_N64 Ай бұрын

I sense that she had some conflict with the label, and now they're just not really promoting it.

@kwadwothestan 29 күн бұрын

This is EXACTLY what I’m thinking. Houdini sounds nothing like Future Nostalgia - the people who are saying that are just hearing drums and her vocals lol. While it definitely lives in the realm of her general dance pop sound, it was different enough to bridge the gap from FN to the new era. It was commercial but still slightly experimental and starting to touch that “psychedelic” sound she was teasing. I think the plan was to build on that, but by the time they were ready to release Training Season, Houdini had “flopped” at least by Dua’s own standards. So I think either she, her team, or the label freaked out a bit. Then they released Training Season which still has bit of that different sound but was much more mainstream poppy and similar to her past work. That flopped even worse than Houdini, causing them to pivot and make the album more traditional pop like her debut album. I actually love Illusion but it sounds like her debut album - just pure dance pop/electronic and wildly different from Houdini and Training season and the whole “psychedelic pop” sound she had told us was coming. She’s said in interviews that’s she written about 100 songs for this album, so it’s totally feasible she wrote more mainstream poppy songs as well as the psychedelic pop songs, and they just switched the tracks when they pivoted. That’s my working theory. Because it’s not just the sudden shift in sound it’s the aesthetics shift that really threw me off and makes me think things changed. We went from the dark edgy vibes of Houdini and Training Season to bright fun summer ocean vibes with Illusion and the album cover art. It makes no sense how they are from the same album lol. Mind you her numbers for the singles are still good and aren’t really flops by any other metric - it’s just that compared to future nostalgia they are flops for her

@emomu Ай бұрын

Tbh, my expectations for this album were pretty high, given the fact that Kevin Parker and Danny L. Harle had production credits on the majority of the record, and that "Houdini" was such a strong lead single, but it kind of felt like a letdown. I feel like I only hear Kevin's fingerprints on "Houdini", while the rest of the album sounds like it could've been produced by the same producers on Future Nostalgia. There are still some bangers on this album, but I'd take FN over this anyday.

@nolaffinmatter Ай бұрын

I wasn’t a big fan of this album, but I enjoyed End of An Era for sounding like a Tame Impala “The Slow Rush” outtake. I think his fingerprints are all over that one

@ToutiAit Ай бұрын

Kevin's fingerprints are present, especially in whatcha doing with the bass and happy for you where you hear literally the same currents synths used on new person same old mistakes or list of people... But overall this album was far from being psychedelic as it was sold

@adisonchristie1086 29 күн бұрын

@@nolaffinmatterhad felt the same vibe from that song too

@thesingingaccountant1 18 күн бұрын

Totally agree - doesn't sound like the match really worked, maybe label people getting involved

@tasneemjbely6296 5 күн бұрын

I like your profile picture ❤

@joao_xmx Ай бұрын

The problem of this album for ME is not just her, but midia said that it was going to be a psychedelic album with british rave influences and there were nothing like that, but the singles. I don't think it's a bad album, each time I listen to it, it gets better but its just a bit disappointing that she didn't went that way

@jackyfrom_usa522 Ай бұрын

who is midia

@rubencamargo767 Ай бұрын

so funny when fans are chewing their artists bad albums until they go thru 😭 feel bad for people who choose to stan inconsistent artists they have to force themselves to like them😭

@normalizenatalie 28 күн бұрын

right and she did all those kaleidoscope visuals before Houdini im like was I missing something? Am i crazy for feeling like we were getting Dua impala

@normalizenatalie 28 күн бұрын

@@rubencamargo767?

@yuenmienyu 2 күн бұрын

I agree. I like the album, but they should've kept that glowing, passionate psychedelics post disco (?) sound throughout the majority of the album, not just like three songs.

@jeanfellipebarkoczy4332 Ай бұрын

Dua should have trusted Kevin and let him produce the entire album.

@Basedmursenary 26 күн бұрын

Agreed, almost like another melody’s echo chamber - can you imagine?

@Bati_ 11 күн бұрын

His production is not the best here tbh (Illusion)

@jeanfellipebarkoczy4332 9 күн бұрын

@@Basedmursenary Totally, it would be awesome!

@jeanfellipebarkoczy4332 9 күн бұрын

@@Bati_ dont agree, perhabs Illusion its not the best production but also it was the very first song they made it to this album so i guess it just took more time and courage to be on the level of training season and houdini, less pop, more psycodhelic

@NikkuManAMVs Ай бұрын

I stand in the camp that the album was reworked after Training Season was released. All of the promo and visual for it prior was so much more psychedelic and dark. I wish she had kept more of that sound along with Houdini. Illusion worried me…and then the album did not deliver. Future Nostalgia was all bops no stops (minus the end) but this was so painfully generic.

@majorisker Ай бұрын

Agreed, I’m honestly pretty sad. This was one of my most anticipated albums of the year. Houdini went so hard on the production front, idk what happened…

@falcon1378 Ай бұрын

I’m there too. Houdini had me thinking this album was going to be my whole summer, but I sincerely think management thought that was too risky for whatever reason. More bland Ross, Marshall’s and Kohl’s music for people to Shazam once and never think about again. Disappointing, waited 6 months for an album I’ll listen to once. At least we got Houdini.

@NikkuManAMVs Ай бұрын

@@falcon1378 which is so crazy because when she pushes boundaries, even for her position in pop, she’s great?

@falcon1378 Ай бұрын

@@NikkuManAMVs I just wanna see her step out her shell. She already has a super versatile sound, so I understand why she’d think that a conservative approach works: because it does, but it’s like she forgets that she can experiment. Whenever she does, she sounds great.

@meghansullivan6812 Ай бұрын

I am so mad if they changed shit last minute!!! Even if musical risks dont necesarily land w everyone, i think overall folks are more likely to respect/appreciate when a real original attempt was made!!;

@fa2lemuelm2 Ай бұрын

The extended versions of her songs are much better. Makes the instrumentals pop up and the energy of the song linger in a satisfying progression. Hope she releases an "extended" deluxe version.

@zakomentare-xt4vk Ай бұрын

Not really. Extend a boring song and you just get a longer boring song

@bpmaace8681 Ай бұрын

She chose the worst time in history to drop a album. Like imagine no one caring about dua lipa's new album

@jeanoltt Ай бұрын

Why?

@michaelg4981 Ай бұрын

@@jeanoltt it released while the rap beefs are happening so no one paying attention to anything else

@discomillenium8850 Ай бұрын

@@michaelg4981ya i doubt duas target audience cares about rap beefs

@HarisonThes Ай бұрын

No one? I'm sure pop cosumers dont care about the hip hop beef @@michaelg4981

@Itzzy515 Ай бұрын

Swift, yonce, grande, billie albums. Too much competition.

@KLBoringBand Ай бұрын

This record’s mix would be so much cooler if it featured the bass or bass synths more prominently like Future Nostalgia. These songs don’t have the groove.

@user-iz8ei9fq8m Ай бұрын

Houdini has a sexy bass line

@xraku3744 21 күн бұрын

honestly i agree. she should just stick to what shes good at, because when she does the album turns out amazing. respect the attempt to experiment but the future nostalgia elements should be a part of her entire sound rather than just on that album. it was a really cool and unique sound

@MicahEdmonds Ай бұрын

She was never going to top Future Nostalgia. That album was the herald of a real golden age of mainstream music for me, so I only hoped this album wouldn't suck. I'm enjoying it a surprising amount and think her vocals on certain tracks are the best they've ever sounded. Happy For You and Maria get me surprisingly emotional, and I still do think even though she can't clear the bar she set for herself, this album is still leagues ahead of most mainstream pop and I'd give it more flowers than this.

@zakomentare-xt4vk Ай бұрын

But it does suck so your hopes are lost

@ytlurker220 11 күн бұрын

Totally agree about it being part of a golden age. Future Nostalgia felt like another world to me, the aesthetics and sonic influences were next level and it will always be my favourite album. Nu disco and electropop can be so bland but FN was so slick and unique.

@Luuuc Ай бұрын

This really is a pretty bland & boring album unfortunately. Matching Future Nostalgia was always going to be incredibly difficult but this is a huge drop-off in quality.

@Scbms1_9-09 Ай бұрын

Boring album lol

@kf5338 Ай бұрын

I agree. The lyrics could have been saved by decent instrumentals, but the instrumentals are completely forgettable and generic. I don't like a single song on this album

@Dark_Aeon Ай бұрын

Sure, there are a few snoozers, but I like how chill this album is. Training season, Houdini, Falling forever, These walls, Maria and illusion are enough to make this album worth listening.

@wpbn5613 Ай бұрын

so i'm the only person who thought this album was great? this album getting hit with middling reviews left and right? okay

@beauholmes5782 Ай бұрын

You’re not alone bro. I think it’s great too ❤

@zacharyshen811 Ай бұрын

Not her best work and it was a bit disappointing because the first two singles were very good, but still liked it

@tae4life76 Ай бұрын

@@zacharyshen811Houdini was so good it is better than anything she has done but she failed to follow what it and training season has set

@Scbms1_9-09 Ай бұрын

You are not alone these people get used to listen garbage albums meaningless lyrics

@KusogakiRenfir Ай бұрын

I enjoyed it as well. It baffles me how people get a kick out of watching two grown ass dudes writing each other rap songs, but apparently find this album "boring" to listen to.

@tinhippi Ай бұрын

I liked it, but it feels like this wasn’t meant to be the final album? She was saying how this was a psychedelic record and had influences from Massive Attack and Primal Scream. I wonder if the label made her do some changes? Despite that, I really really do love Happy For You!

@antropogin Ай бұрын

Unfortunately, I think she just promoted it badly in this sense and the art direction from the beginning has not helped at all :,(

@Simp1e. Ай бұрын

Its time for cal to freestyle over bbl drizzy

@JacquesLang2 Ай бұрын

We’ve been waiting…

@CaldoV1 Ай бұрын

Her BBL Drizzy remix was certainly a late addition to the album, but a welcome one

@wafflecow1864 Ай бұрын

In a time of great beef, we could use some radical optimism

@Wannieee_ Ай бұрын

I actually really enjoyed this album but the expectations and false advertising let people down I'd say.

@ejhdbegbeidishdj9358 29 күн бұрын

Most people who listen to her music aren’t engaged in the music world at all, so they probably haven’t heard the false advertising. They’ll hear it on the radio, like it, add it to their playlist, and move on with their day

@dollarsaurus01 Ай бұрын

Kevin Parker saying that he’s never been more proud of an album he’s worked on than this one is crazy

@Basedmursenary 25 күн бұрын

Quite the endorsement

@marcdixon3442 Ай бұрын

If it didn’t take 4 years for a 37 minute album, I would give it more grace for being so mid😅

@burnacco Ай бұрын

they really said they wanted to "REVOLUTIONZE POP MUSIC WITH THE MOST RADICAL POP ALBUM EVER MADE" then dropped literally the most generic pop sh*t I've actually heard IN YEARS 😭😭😭😭😭 just INSANE marketing, if it wasn't for it I just wouldn't've I minded it but because of it I actively disliked it, overpromise is an understatement, switch it up next time both the music and the presentation

@kryptickaox Ай бұрын

I was hyping this album up with all my friends for the past 3 weeks, and apologised after it came out😐

@zakomentare-xt4vk Ай бұрын

As you should

@talkmone Ай бұрын

Lesson learned: "Hype after it drops not before"

@highland_persuasion Ай бұрын

I actually like These Walls and would have preferred it as a single over Illusion based solely on the fact that it's a different sound for Dua - mellower, more vulnerable, and breezier, especially considering the singles that came before it, it would provided a bigger sonic distinction from those harder hitting tracks. Yes, the instrumental is not the best, but at least it doesn't sound as tired as Illusion.

@ytlurker220 11 күн бұрын

Totally agree, and Illusion could've served its purpose being released just on the album as something for fans of Future Nostalgia

@jeanoltt Ай бұрын

I think most of the negative reviews are based on the insanely high expectations people had on this. Future Nostalgia was amazing, a 10/10 of the genre, but you can't expect her to do a full twist and turn into the Chemical Brothers, she's still Dua Lipa, a pop artist. For me, the album was really fun; a fresh sound, and a bit reminiscent of her first LP. Songs like Falling Forever and These Walls are between the best she has ever done, and the first two singles will survive the pass of time, and become some of the best known Dua songs. Admitedly, it's not a 10, but it's also not a 5 in pop scale... although to each their own.

@grandmaster5183 Ай бұрын

But I don't think albums should be judged only on the basis of its specific genre, rather it should be how good it sounds based on the entire musical landscape

@jeanoltt Ай бұрын

@@grandmaster5183 That's impossible, we can't use the same scale for Beethoven and Bad Bunny.

@grandmaster5183 Ай бұрын

@@jeanoltt That's way too extreme

@gclip9883 Ай бұрын

She did work with Kevin Parker on this album, who is obviously capable of delivering on that psychedelic vibe. If she did that, this album would've been way more interesting. But I have to disagree though even when looking at it as a pop album. Pop can be interesting, even experimental. There are way better pop albums than this, so a 6 at best sounds reasonable to me.

@zakomentare-xt4vk Ай бұрын

Very much a boring album

@wspak2628 Ай бұрын

The record is splited in two : singles produced by tame Impala and rest of songs, which feels like 2 separated projects

@noa_1104 27 күн бұрын

The same few people worked on all the tracks, so the different vibe between the singles and the other songs is extra odd. I'd argue they still have some things in common though and fit together still?

@joshual5758 Ай бұрын

It's wild that Dua teamed up with Kevin Parker and they produced one of the most mid albums of the year 😢

@Gothstana Ай бұрын

Kevin's been mid since 2016. He doesn't make interesting music anymore

@Kanyewestbiggestfan123 Ай бұрын

@@Gothstanathe slow rush was great

@Polasity Ай бұрын

It’s not that mid as y’all say

@joshual5758 Ай бұрын

@@Polasity well I'm glad you like it. I love Houdini. You can definitely see Parker's style on that track.

@joshual5758 Ай бұрын

@@Kanyewestbiggestfan123 Agreed. It was amazing live.

@WrecklessFantasist Ай бұрын

It’s unfortunate, but maybe this will be a wake up call. I’ve seen artists try to recreate their success and fail and then make something very different and it going down as a hit. Maybe in half a decade will get that Future Nostalgia beater but until then, I’ll be replaying Maria for the 50th time

@sayammontesreyes2393 23 күн бұрын

the extended versions of the singles truly are better. hopefully she releases and extended version of the whole album

@dunnowy123 Ай бұрын

The drop off from Future Nostalgia to this was...radical alright. This feels like The Dark Knight Rises to the The Dark Knight kinda drop off

@jeffreykasere8203 Ай бұрын

Based off of Houdini I think they’re original intention was to go in the more psychedelic/ rave/ trance direction but because it wasn’t a wildly successful single her team panicked and reverted to plan B which is her golden formula- dance pop. Only problem is you can repeat a formula so many times before it becomes redundant. If Sabrina was to continue making songs like Espresso it will become stale at some point. RO is reminiscent of her earlier work but less impressive

@bitticlan Ай бұрын

I'm not gonna lie, I thought Fantano was going to give this a lower score. Maybe some leftover goodwill from Future Nostalgia kicking it up a bit.

@veirglas Ай бұрын

i’d give it a light 7, end of an era, houdini, whatcha doing, french exit, falling forever, happy for you are all great

@MelissaKodaman Ай бұрын

I agree, jeez its a fun summer pop album that will probably have a deluxe and remix album later.

@guilhermelira8271 Ай бұрын

sounds like she only had one melody trough the album

@maximtrickett Ай бұрын

I felt like 'Illusion' was clearly pulling a lot more from French house artists like Daft Punk and Justice than it was 80s disco tbh, and that influence even feels like a pretty consistent sonic through-line to the album. Overall, this album felt to me like it was consciously moving Dua Lipa's sonic palette out of the 1980s and into the late-1990s/2000s eras of dance and house music. And to me, that move was successful as I really enjoyed a good handful of songs on this album and the level of scrutiny on this feels a little undeserved. Also 'These Walls' is my most played pop song of the year... lmao

@Pre-Nup Ай бұрын

Yeah this was a bit of a let down. I was wondering why I didn't see any posts about it on twitter, and then i listened to it myself, and understood. I had higher expectations for RO because Kevin Parker worked with Dua on it, but it just really didn't come close to my expectations. Rn my top 2 tracks are Houdini and French Exit.

@BLOSSOMxCHARGER Ай бұрын

dissapointing considering it took 4 years of waiting

@ontheblocknba 26 күн бұрын

Agree

@iamthewii4851 Ай бұрын

3:10 "Focusing Dua into a musical corner that seems based." I'm glad we agree, Melon.

@helloxfol1677 Ай бұрын

does anyone have a clue why the record is so different from the singles? was houdini just a huge bait or did she have to switch it up last minute due to label requirements or some shi

@akidnamedhope. 23 күн бұрын

Yeah a lot of comments are talking about this topic. The changed the sound of the album after the two singles houdini and training season didn’t get so much hype for dua lipa standards. Houdini is a banger, it’s dark and sexy I mean the red hair, the performances, the cover art and the music video, and also the trippy covers on Spotify - nothing of this fits with the sound of the other songs 😄 so it makes sense that they changed the whole direction of the album.

@zzzjamie-dimaulozzz Ай бұрын

dula peep dropping this album during the beef goes CRAZY

@Red2332 Ай бұрын

Hell yeah she's a G she don't care about no beef AT ALL 🤣

@Airam_ Ай бұрын

@@Red2332 What beef?

@zakomentare-xt4vk Ай бұрын

Like their fanbases have anything to do with eachother lol

@zzzjamie-dimaulozzz Ай бұрын

@@Airam_ the kendrick and drake beef. they’ve been dropping diss tracks the past week and dua didn’t fear releasing it lmao

@brandonburroughs7128 Ай бұрын

I knew it would be a 5. This was a quick turnaround tho bro! Thought we’d have to wait longer for this

@2001arms 17 күн бұрын

Houdini and training season were SO GOOD as singles and their extened versions are supreme, just like the extended version of illusion is actually compelling. Idk what went wrong with the other songs... We need an extended version of the whole album

@jaykay1899 Ай бұрын

The music aside, I’m genuinely in love with this album cover for some reason. The composition, the vibes, idk…it’s just perfect and makes me feel satisfied

@impossiblesoul Ай бұрын

happy for you is one of dua’s best songs ever

@lollysmolly13 Ай бұрын

Poor dua, I completely forgot about her new album until I saw this video. So caught up in all the disses and whatnot

@diegobisono8869 Ай бұрын

Honestly, pop albums for me this year have so far been disappointing. Like, I pretty much agree with Fantano that this album is a step down from Future Nostalgia and just not as fun since the production to me is cool, but a bit one dimensional and while I like Dua Lipa’s performance on this album, it doesn’t save it from just being an overall average pop album. My problem with the pop release I’ve listened to so far this year is that they’ve usually been average like with this and eternal sunshine or they’ve been straight up bland with TTPD.

@victoriagarcesmua Ай бұрын

I love all the artists that have released albums thus far but unfortunately Cowboy Carter is the only one that lived up to expectations.

@diegobisono8869 Ай бұрын

@@victoriagarcesmua I agree.

@TheRealBlueSwan Ай бұрын

Looked at in isolation, I think this is a very strong pop album with lots of bops, but looked at in terms of her career path, this feels like treading water and diminishing returns on the same formula. In other words, if Future Nostalgia and the disco pop trend had not existed already, this would have been pretty damn great.

@thehunterx93 Ай бұрын

if these walls were a track from to pimp a butterfly, it would have been features in your fav tracks.

@bobbybubby7977 Ай бұрын

I think These Walls is the best non single song on the album.

@tjmorake2743 Ай бұрын

I agree with Anthony. Maria and Houdini are the ones that are going to be on my future listens.

@noah-ux2cz Ай бұрын

FanThony Antano been cooking with the thumbnails lately

@MattiusHawkEye 2 күн бұрын

I'm surprised there wasn't more discussion of Happy For You, which I think is one of the most mature and honest pop songs written in the last few years. Lyrically, I love how blatant and honest it is, Dua literally saying to whoever the song's about that his new girl is really pretty and that "together you look hot as hell" - it's not metaphoric, it's not sugar coated, it's comes from a place of such strong mutual understanding to say outright how she feels about an ex's new girl, and I love it. And the chorus? "I must've loved you more than I ever knew" - oh my god don't even get me started. When you've had two prior albums talking about relationships and how well they are/aren't going, how you fall in and out of love, to have the troubles and bumps that Dua speaks of in her songs, to be able to look back at the outcome of a breakup and see that positive side to it for both parties, speaks volumes to how Dua has grown as a person from Future Nostalgia to this record. Happy For You honestly encapsulates the "Radical Optimism" almost entirely within itself, it's by far and away my favourite song on the project, and I'll die happy if it's the next single.

@666nstaff Ай бұрын

This album let me down real hard and I actually predicted your score perfectly. But your take on French exit isn’t it, it was the best song on the album with some crazy Ne-Yo and like turkish Pop vibes it went crazy

@smashingairguitars Ай бұрын

That Cal bit got me. "you wanted this" 😂

@bsbx Ай бұрын

Just because "These Walls" didn't have moaning sounds doesn't mean it's the worst on the album, Anthony

@MelvinSerrano-cg5hw Ай бұрын

You should look into Have A Nice Life's newly remastered compilation Album "Voids", which is comprised of unreleased demos, that are good enough to be a stand-alone final piece, and earlier versions of songs on other albums with a more moody, darker, ambient atmosphere that really differentiates them from their final counterparts.

@costask3404 Ай бұрын

I love Have A Nice Life. If it was deliberate, talking about Have A Nice Life in the comments of a review of "Radical Optimism" specifically, is genius 😂

@Pepsiisgood Ай бұрын

3:05 What do you mean instrumentally? I think this is the best thing on the album, the beats. I can agree with calling it rather generic but man... this right here didnt make sense.

@The_Graze Ай бұрын

I don't get that angle of always comparing to the previous album, music isn't like a test you're supposed to improve on. It just feels like you were hoping for a future nostalgia 2 but she didn't go for that way. Not saying the record is perfect but a 5 is harsh af for what feels like a more matured attempt at portraying those feelings in songs

@paultwarowski5241 Ай бұрын

I’m just glad she avoided the red flannel on this one 😅 I like the album, but it’s just nowhere near the last one. Hard to catch lightning in a bottle twice.

@morse8026 Ай бұрын

End of an Era is good, no idea why he finds it boring.

@rapmetaldemon09 Ай бұрын

Not as grand as I would have liked, especially when compared to the singles like houdini and training season. But Illusion is 100% up there with those tracks

@novohomemgay8242 Ай бұрын

Would be really nice to see a "funk generation" review

@nathanbradley8522 Ай бұрын

I agree. Future Nostalgia was totally different from her debut. This one is trying to continue the success of F.N. That album made her a superstar and I guess she was afraid to make a change this time around. I haven't heard much buzz about this album and I highly doubt she will overtake Taylor 3 weeks in.

@nakata7_ Ай бұрын

such a disappointing album sadly. i genuinely do not really like any track, it is surprising it was almost entirely produced by Kevin Parker.

@Solo-vh9fm Ай бұрын

Am I the only one that hears literally no departure from the sound of future nostalgia and this album, except for all the things that made FN interesting

@AshMK Ай бұрын

It's a good album I'll give her that. It's very easy passive music though, it's missing a key concept and story and just seems like a singles collection of stuff

@Sebboebbo Ай бұрын

Da melon king is back baby he neva miss we're eating good today y'all

@dav616 19 күн бұрын

Definitely a grower. I had high hopes of another 10/10 album like FN, but the first few listens to this did leave me feeling slightly underwhelmed too. I enjoy it more and more with each listen though so maybe it'll prove to be a slow burner.

@nicolasmoreira9743 Ай бұрын

Looking forward to your review of the new Lemon Twigs album.

@fishyfroyo6595 Ай бұрын

You should review Melt’s EP: Waves

@meds2753 Ай бұрын

Talk about por cesárea by Dilom Melón🙏🏿,it's a pretty short spanish rap album that has very obscure lyrics,it's definetly worth listening to

@babyfaceelijah7833 Ай бұрын

Lately every review I've watched from needle man has been funny. My favorite tracks are always his least but I think it's a good thing.

@PASH3227 Ай бұрын

When Dua said her next album would be a departure from Future Nostalgia I was HYPED. "Dance the Night" was great but was obviously a continuation of that sound. When Houdini came out I was puzzled because it seemed like a continuation of the late 70s, early 80s sound in Future Nostalgia. Sam goes for "Illusion", her recent single that I thought would be on the album. This album is neither a repeat of Future Nostalgia nor is it a radical departure. I wish she'd just refine and improve the Future Nostalgia sound or do something completely new. I really enjoyed Future Nostalgia and I have to agree, Melon, this album was underwhelming.

@VictoriaClerici Ай бұрын

Illusion is on the album tho

@ames-inthe-grass Ай бұрын

please tell me you’re gonna do willow, i really wanna know you’re thoughts on it

@SC2point0 Ай бұрын

As much as I love Dua, I agree with Melon. Since this album followed Future Nostalgia, it had some lofty expectations placed on it, and it simply didn't come close to meeting those expectations. I watched a few album promo interviews, and I got the sense that Dua was worried about that being the case.

@highland_persuasion Ай бұрын

Can we also talk about how much the album's second half sags compared to the first? This is a front-loaded, uneven album. Most of the best tracks are in the first half.

@holdenwait Ай бұрын

doesn't even come remotely close to her last LP.. no wonder she toured that to death

@johnkerplunk39 Ай бұрын

As long as there’s no more upcoming diss tracks, I’m expecting The Lemon Twigs review tomorrow. 😭🙏

@coffee4789 Ай бұрын

Hey melon, please review Por cesarea by Dillom. He is an argentinian artist. I know that it’s in spanish, but it doesn’t disappoint.

@jojogape 17 күн бұрын

I didn't have an entire emotional journey listening to Happy For You for it not to be mentioned at all here 😭 maybe it hits harder for some of us personally but like WOW what a power ending

@Quarter_Notes 29 күн бұрын

Even the Kevin Parker production couldn't save this album

@TheOnirayju Ай бұрын

Was this shot the same day as the beef is over video lmao

@rouge939 Ай бұрын

I like the new thumbnails

@aguynamedchad6719 Ай бұрын

0:43 Knowing this whole bit is something he concocted on the spot instead of doing another take where he doesn’t choke up makes it way better

@KolkhozWoman Ай бұрын

Dua Lipa before Empathogen. Imma let it slide cause I believe you're taking your time to finally give Willow a proper review.

@jojojojojojodesu176 Ай бұрын

this would be a 10 if Yuno Miles was a feature

@mexiem.mp4 Ай бұрын

1:02 that is top tier acting wtf melon i'm impressed

@g-s-m_13 6 күн бұрын

Personally: FN: Light 9 RO: Light 8: Debut: Light 7

@karmil3839 Ай бұрын

As a major dua lipa fan I can say that this album wasn’t that dope. I feel like she shot herself in the foot with future nostalgia cause that shit was so peak that i dont know how she’ll ever top it.. still love her tho

@Daintii 29 күн бұрын

At first I would’ve agreed that this album was kind of a disappointment but I’ve been listening to it all week and it’s really grown on me, I can’t get a lot of the songs out of my head which is always a good sign

@u2acrobata Ай бұрын

maybe this album can be a "grower" w time ... but right now ... if Illusion was on Side A (vinyl talking) i wouldnt turn it to side B !!!! nice ... but i was expecting so much ... from the 3 singles previewing the album release !!!! it seem like those 3 were the best ones ... i shouild be na EP ... a summer EP oh well ... why i keep doing pre-order of album months before its release ... i never learn it !!! Greetings from Portugal FILIPE

@AgainstTheeWickedlyMusic Ай бұрын

I was hoping that this record would have a chance to dethrone a certain Tortured Poet, at least for a few minutes, but it seems my hopes are useless 😔 Anyway, I thought it was a good time, I'd maybe give it a tick higher than Fantano did, but I also don't have a ton of knowledge of mainstream pop music. Honestly, I'm just here for the basslines and slick vocal melodies, which there were enough of that I was happy. Definitely not breaking much ground, if any, and a lot of Fantano's points do feel valid here

@captainnemonic 14 күн бұрын

It's her Zeppelin III. It's her best album by far. It shows musical growth. It grooves and sets a definite consistent and coherent mood. Her voice is divine. It's a classic case of an artist taking a bit of a left turn, defying expectations, and leaving some confused. It takes a while for some to catch up. Yes, I just compared a pop queen to Zeppelin. The parallels are numerous. Both (Zep III and RO) are more laid back. Both are the third efforts. Both have had criticisms for not neatly fitting neatly into expectations. Kudos to the creative souls who produce art. Fie on those who judge.