Smino - Maybe in Nirvana ALBUM REVIEW
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- Listen: • Smino - Dear Fren (Off...
A bafflingly underwhelming follow-up to Luv 4 Rent.
More rap reviews: • Hip Hop Reviews
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Team: Jeremy - Lead Edits / Anthony - Final Cuts / Austen - Proofing, Posting
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FAV TRACKS: DEAR FREN, NSYNC, HOE-NOUNS
LEAST FAV TRACK: LEE
SMINO - MAYBE IN NIRVANA / 2024 / ZERO FATIGUE / POP RAP, NEO-SOUL
5/10
Y'all know this is just my opinion, right?
If it makes you feel any better, this album is basically a bunch of leftovers from the Luv 4 Rent era as well as a bunch of leaks from years past. He basically said this is a tie over for his real next album. Makes sense considering he surprise announced it and dropped it within like 3 days. I do wish he made it more clear that this isn’t really a full studio album but I still found some good songs on here. I feel like he should’ve just trimmed this to the best tracks on here and dropped it as an EP. I still love the title track though
Yep
I think he stated that these songs were made one 2019-2020 "indie"
I thought these were leftovers from Noir cus this sounds moreso like songs from that era
Good to know! Thank God cuz I was really disappointed and did not like any of the songs
not a justification
Finally, I can have an opinion on Nevermind (1991)
I knew someone would said it. I just knew it.
NAME 3 NEVERMINDS THEN
@@joeypintozzi4522 Well, whatever, nevermind.
I think this is my least favorite from him to date, but Smino’s worst is still very solid imo. Really been enjoying this one still.
I feel the same way
@Porcuspine360in your opinion of course
@Porcuspine360. Hopefully this gets you the attention that you are seeking. Hope you heal family. ❤
He said these songs are actually from pre covid/covid times and that he liked these songs so much he had to put it out before the next album he puts out. Which he also said the next one is almost ready to mix and master already so there's that. It really is a weaker project of his but still not a bad song imo. Solid but not his best.
@Porcuspine360 clearly not
He said these songs are actually from pre covid/covid times and that he liked these songs so much he had to put it out before the next album he puts out. Which he also said the next one is almost ready to mix and master already so there's that. Imo that one will be the true follow up to Luv 4 Rent. It really is a weaker project of his but still not a bad song imo. Solid but not his best.
Shoulda held it
Bruh my dumbass was so confused I was like wait I’ve heard these before 😂
that would explain the “president just got impeached” line, i was wondering thank you
@@typicalsloth2716 maybe for you. I actually enjoy a majority of these songs. They just aren't his best. But I've had Dear Fren, Ready Set Goku, Maybe In Nirvana, Lee, and NSYNC constantly on repeat this week.
it’s crazy that smino’s worst is some artists best 😭
As the biggest Smino fan on earth I was sadly kind of disappointed by this album. It’s still cool it’s an easy listen but his first three albums are all amazing especially Luv 4 Rent.
I agree with you
It was overwhelming for sure
@ChaosInColourI swear he was dropping she already decided 2 so this might be it just a different name kinda like how Denzel was dropping blood in blood out reloaded but scrapped it and went with the KOMS vol 2 route
i like this album yall just got crazy expectations for smi lol. Bro is just getting started fr
@ChaosInColour This is the music he actually wanted to drop. Im sure he has plenty of songs of what u are expecting from him.
He said in a recent interview he made this before Luv 4 Rent, I think the real album is still on the way, still a good project though
For me there is something about the stripped back, dreamier vibe of this album that really resonates. While it's definitely more lowkey than Love For Rent, I think that chill atmosphere works in its own unique way. Smino isn't chasing hits, he's just kinda floating through these minimalist beats and I'm here for it.
The production might be simpler but there's something mesmerizing about how he weaves through these instrumentals. What Fantano calls "plain" I hear as intentionally stripped back to let his vocals and flows breathe. "Dear Fren" especially hits different late at night when you're just vibing out. Admittedly the Bun B feature does feel a bit random, but sometimes those unexpected collabs end up being fun precisely because they're so out of left field? I guess I'm just really vibing with that dreamy autotuned style he's exploring here, but yeah, still a great review Melon.
agreed, this is a great take
Luv 4 Rent is one of my favourite albums of all time so this was pretty weak, so good to know that the real album is still coming
sorry, already formed my own opinion.
And its fire
Yeah for sure more of a album I can go from top to bottom pretty good but nothing crazy
@GunsAim great opinion, the fact that smino is so talented almost nothing is a miss but knowing it was created before luv 4 rent you gotta take grace with that knowing it's not a new project atleast to an artists growth
Yeah Forsure smino took a couple of listens to grow on me
FREE THINKER DETECTED
GET HIM BOYS
I wish u dove a bit deeper in this album, smino made this album before luv 4 rent, back when he was dealing with a lot more, and the name of the album, “maybe in nirvana”, was meant to be released when things in his life were more stable and peaceful, hence the title, maybe in nirvana he’ll release it, quote from Smino in interview “Basically, I felt like I would never be at peace if I didn’t put this project out. So I felt like, “Alright, maybe it’d be a good time when I am at peace to put this project out,” so it’s called Maybe in Nirvana.”
He’s reviewing the album in front of him. Context may change the situation but it doesn’t make the music itself any better.
@@zman245 Yeah, but he mentioned in the video that he "doesn't know why this is such a step down from Luv 4 Rent", and we're just telling him why.
@@zman245 I feel like it does due to people comparing to luv 4 rent, but it shouldn’t be, this whole project was made for when he felt his life was in the right place to release it, he’s achieved nirvana, so making it more chill, simpler, and “a step back”, it’s all justified and its become its own thing of starting a new era, and shouldn’t be compared or seem less of something, some things don’t gotta be taken serious, and this album kinda encapsulates that
The whole album was recorded in 2020 and then he decided not to release it. Im pretty sure he just dropped it because at the beginning of 2024 he said he was dropping multiple albums this year then he must’ve realized it’s suddenly December and he hasn’t dropped shit so he panicked
This Smino hate must end, Anthony
i enjoyed this album but i was still underwhelmed by this album bc of Smino himself. He kept teasing this album (or a project of some kind) for over a year or 2 now. It was supposed to come out last year (never happened) then he titled it SAD2 (never happened) and now we have this. it was alright tbh.
@Porcuspine360 it's his opinion, chill
SAD2 is a different project, this was made before Luv 4 Rent/covid, if that makes you feel any better.
so glad I pre saved the album, liked it a lot more than I expected to
A 5 for Smino is criminal, Anthony
Yea can’t respect it
not really smino kinda let us down
@eyahyo I don’t think this Smino’s best, but this definitely didn’t deserve a 5. They’re way worse albums that deserve a 5
You said "Smino is a criminal because he's black, Anthony" ??
That's pretty racist
@eyahyoi mean i guess, but this album is pretty much finished drafts. 5 is a bit low imo, the songs weren’t bad at all. if you’re solely comparing it to his other works a 5 is definitely a more valid scoring i think
FLO REVIEW ACCESS ALL AREAS
*Hah can he even name 3 Nirvana songs?*
Who can't? Nirvana was good for its time but the music hasn't really carried the weight it had at the time. That's why grunge died relatively quick
As a massive smino fan I would say this is definitely less of an album from smino and more of an EP he seems to be in a habit of producing stand out melodic rnb jazz rap fusion projects and then sprinkling in an ep inbetween, After blkswn he had a long period of singles, after noir he released a covid mixtape that never made it to apple/spotify with similar vibes to this project imo and then came back with luv4rent which i think is probably his most complete project to date. In short i think this is his artistic and musical therapy getting his feelings out and kind of having a bit of carefree fun before he locks in to another album cycle- however far in the future that may be
Furthermore I think after you get recognition it can feel like a lot to continue to put out work and putting out a less serious 29 minute ep that’s very hip hop centric might be sminos way of coping with how he’s maturing into being a pillar in the music world
anyways that’s just my thoughts on the situation, hopefully he comes back with some classic monte booker production and hypnotic rnb/jazz rap tracks in the near future
Just a heads up u probably seen this already but in his "on the radar" interview he does state how "maybe in nervana" was made before "LUV 4 RENT" but he felt very connected to the album and wanted to release it after his contract with his label had ended.
CAMERON WINTER WHEN
I had to give the album a second listen and honestly yes it’s different from his other projects and may not be what ppl would expect but honestly I love the album it’s very chill and easy to bop to and maybe that’s okay to have an album that’s not over the top amazing a chill vibe is okay too. A lot of my favorite artist don’t have to go above and beyond I like when they are in their calm element and just vibing with their creations, even if it’s something the fans don’t “fw” it’s nice when an artist is vulnerable enough to give us some very chill and different
FLO REVIEW PLEASE FANTANO
get a goddamn hobby dude
I spun a couple songs and didn't like it at all. Then I returned today and the way it's composed really hit. Especially the syncopated flow in Dear Fren and the icy vocals in the hook on Lee. It feels completely different than his other projects, but it's hitting for me now.
I felt the exact same way, first time listening to this I felt like it was missing something. But, after a second listen I feel like this is a really solid project.
Coincidentally, I decided to listen to this about half an hour ago.
Get out of my walls.
Wish he just dropped it formally as an EP because I was incredibly underwhelmed.
Luv 4 Rent has grown to be one of my favorite rap albums. Hope he can properly follow it up with something great later.
if this album was called "luv 4 rent", you would have given it an 8
Maybe in Utero
PLEASE REVIEW FLO ALBUM
This album is really great imo. Super fun tracks and his singing voice is awesome.
If this album was called Nirvana - Maybe in Smino I would have been extremely confused
FLO ALBUM REVIEW???
when i put this album on i forgot i was listening to music until it ended. and it was so short that when i snapped out of it all i could think was "that's it??"
Fantano became a certified smino simpleton when he didn’t review Noir and called it mid. I find it funny he likes Luv 4 Rent so much better when the two albums are so comparable in terms of style and quality. This new album definitely isn’t his best work but still miles better than the majority of rap/rnb being released right now.
Mismelon but hasn’t missed a melon in months
he made this album before luv 4 rent, he said it in a interview
he did a series of interviews before releasing this album and did a live stream listening event. this didn't drop out of absolutely nowhere...
what happened to the FLO review?
I personally really enjoyed this album. I think production sounded very cohesive throughout very chilled mellowed out. I like his performances on here for the most part, although some tracks I found had a bit more tuning with his vocals than past albums like Blkswn or a Noir. Still this album was very enjoyable for me personally and probably my favourite album of this year. Cant wait for the actual album!
I still live in a garbage can.
Where the hell is the reggie album
*IF THE WEST IS UP SO IS THE MIDWEST*
THE SLANDER WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED
This is just a deluxe to Luv 4 rent btw
I must be on my own for this cuz I've been bumping the fuck out this EP, I think it's really good imo, maybe not his best work, but still very vibey
If this album was called “assassinating a healthcare ceo” you would have given it a 10
this album is fantastic, a lot of replay value and catchy songs. Definitely not on the same level as Luv 4 Rent, but a very good project. The title track and Tequan are the best
Have been in disbelief about this one since it dropped
You would have given it a 10 if it was an album from Nirvana called "Maybe in Smino"
Smino makes great music, he's prolific and has a unique sound. He sounds like various artists in a unique way and i always look forward to new releases. From zerø fatigue to his newest music, i think smino is a refreshing sound in hiphop. At times he scratches a similar itch to bone thugs n harmony
Ps i'm boozin so dont take me too serious lol now with that cop out, this is just an EP full of extras for the fans. Feels kind of like Sza's newest album, except i think she is unhappy with punch over marketing lol and her project might have more intention. Honestly i think she needs the same care and attention Kendrick got. But smino is independent so he needs to do his rollouts on his own dime. Also some artists require more external input than others. On one side of things, this Smino project does have a few producer credits so maybe he was working with a bigger team. Idk critics be critics lol
Crazy was not expecting these comments. I like every song on the album personally
Agreed
Kindly asking for a FLO AAA review please. Cole's mixtapes would be cool to see reviews for too.
He said in a sway interview it’s only a project before the album he’s dropping 2025
Keep in mind this is basically a scrap album his next album will be insane
I'm still bumping the title track until the "real" album comes out
I read most of this album is leftovers from Luv 4 Rent and stuff from around 2020. So this is probably just something for fans to while he prepares his next big album
As a smino fan 10 songs is crazy
Can we please get a review of the Cameron winter album?
Why did he decide not to review the new FLO album?
theneedledrop Thoughts on (any of) the following albums melon?
CZARFACE, Kool Keith, Stress Eater - Everybody Eats!
YoungBoy Never Broke Again - I Just Got A Lot On My Shoulders
i never thought i would be actually disappointed by a smino drop. like it's hard to touch blkswn or NOIR so i wasn't expecting something that good but for something he does to be BAD has me shook
Bad? You really think that? Kinda crazy imo. Not up to the level of his fuller projects I can agree with but bad is a little ridiculous
so happy we agree on the rating of the record
Maybe it would’ve been a 10/10 if you maybe were in Nirvana
Anyone else shows up to album reviews just to hear what intro he's doing then dips?
got my words out of my mouth, great review
Feel like he just wanted to give a little treat from the vault, review Saaheem pls
as a huge smino fan, this probably gonna go down as his least popular album (even though its great). It feels like extras...background...not the reaaaal drop. but, smino fans are amazing so I could sound insane to another!
I kinda just figured this was a cutting room floor album which is fine. Reminded me of the Smino that just rapped on any beat he got
Idk why i even click on these videos, his thumbnails already indicate hes gonna give a bad take
Do a review of Tim by the replacements. It got a reissue last year. Pitchfork gave it a ten.
where’s fauxllenium
All these songs been online for years now. Smino still better than your favorite artist
I also had to listen to it a 2nd time right away because i was surprised by how no song on the album stuck with me what so ever
Youre better off listening to his ft on Hop Out Cho Feelins where he took over and his amazing single Polynesian, hate to say it but these 2 tracks are better than this whole album. Smino Up reguardless!
I don't think this album is the best thing ever or anything, but I think calling this album mid is kinda being harsh. I would say its at least a 7. Lil Pumps album is not more fun or catchy or flashy than this album Anthony.
nevermind 2 dropped
If you haven’t checked out the album “hold your horse is” by the band hella I would recommend giving it a listen
With your glasses and your sweater and your hipster clothes -childish gambino
Was pretty bumemd out before finding out it was his hold over Pandemic sessions. Just don't make us wait too long for the real thing 😭
Video 4 of asking fantano to review capital punishment by big pun
i was a little disappointed by this album, but now you've uploaded i had a sudden change of heart and now i think its juuust okay
I find this album to be easy listening with good tracks, the only thing that brings it down is the non cohesive mixture of songs and it’s rather boring production compared to other smino work where every song is a surprise
Review the new Opeth you coward
Are you really not gonna review that Nilüfer Yanya? 😢
ROSÉ - rosie ALBUM REVIEW
It’s nothing crazy but still a very satisfying listen.
this was just leaks and leftovers from luv 4 rent if im not mistaken
Will you do Kenny Segal genuine dexterity?
Maybe Nevermind In Utero
Grew on me a fuck bunch. It had a total lack of presence and personality off first listen for me, especially in comparison to luv 4 rent. But this hits as an EP. High 7
I agree completely, was kinda sad after first listen because it doesnt live up to luv 4 rent(my favourite album ever) but on second listen it's easier to respect it as a quick 30 min project that's just fun to listen to. 7/10
I just listened to this review. I’ll give this review a 4.1/10
I loved this tbh. I would give it an 8/10, def top 10 favorites this year
what no misses on this album tbh
Ngl i felt the exact same about this project. Luv 4 Rent was my AOTY in 2022, This album felt like a huge step back in nearly every aspect, I still think Smino is great but yeah, Wasn't really feeling this album.
The year is about to end and you haven’t reviewed Rachel Chinouriri or Caribou 😢 how. They used to be consistently present over the years
Album of the year
A 5??? That's gotta be racist. 😮
Wicked soundtrack review when
Bro just say you hate Chicago rap.
LEE is a banger wtf.
Fantano…heh…Sum 41 review when???
new Kenny Segal album review when?