As stated in my last update, I hadn’t been listening to many full albums since this year started. I checked out a few releases after being hospitalized including Playboi Carti’s Music, which I didn’t care for, as well as Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal, which was pretty good. Neither of those projects have been in heavy rotation for me though. However, this Kenny Mason album that came out in November has been highly replayable for me, so that’s why I decided to write about it today.

The album begins with INTUITION.

The album has a loose narrative that I didn’t really pay much attention to when listening. I was hooked sonically, and the skits kinda went in one ear and out the other. I don’t mind them much, but they don’t really add to my enjoyment of the record. The main thing that sells me on this track and a lot of the rest of the record in general is the production. The dynamic beat from COUPE & Poison Thorn is really excellent. Kenny’s flow isn’t too intricate or anything, but it has a really nice bounce to it, and the storytelling is really well done.

Turned my mind to a business mindin' my business
Aligned with the winnin' side, pride is a prison
Divine multicolors harmonized in the prism
You should've told us you was broke 'cause lyin' didn't fix it
I can understand
Few of my bros gave they soul up for contraband
I studied a bunch of bands
Out of all of them my favorite was 100 bands
That's the one that made an angel out a humble man

The way the hi-hats come in towards the very end of the track for the bridge and final recital of the hook is pretty cool too. The music video for this track only consists of the hook and first verse. Part of me wishes it was a bit more fleshed out because it’s pretty much just Kenny leaning out the window and rapping to the camera for a little over a minute. However, I do think it works well as a promotional video for the full song, and there is some cool imagery in it. It’s definitely a well made video, and I think it’s pretty good. It doesn’t capture the full quality of the song itself in my opinion. It feels like more of a preview than anything. Anyway, the actual song is excellent, and a really great way to start the project.

Track 2 is called HOW TO SURVIVE, and it’s the only track from the project that I don’t really listen to that much. I think it’s pretty solid, and I do kinda like it to some extent. However, it’s easily my least favorite song on the tape. I find the hook to be a little tedious to be honest. I think it’s the flow that holds it back for me. The actual verses themselves are good though, especially the second one. Kenny’s flow is really nice here.

Most of these rappers on ho time
I could've told you the whole time
It ain't no need to go off on a tangent
They know I don't need a cosign
They know I don't need a ghost line
I'ma speed up some more, fuck a slow sign
My lil' partner don't miss when he throw signs
Brand new mop in the whip, make the floor shine
They gon' think I'm a bitch if I don't slide
I'ma crash in this bitch if these folks try it
I'ma pass on the stick, let my folks fire it
It was out of my hands, they was both tied

I’m also not really crazy about the beat. It’s a fairly traditional-sounding Trap instrumental that doesn’t really interest me very much. It’s by no means bad, but it doesn’t stand out to me. The song’s just okay to me overall, but it’s actually followed by my favorite track on the project, BEEN HAVIN.

Just like with the opening track, I find the music video to be a bit underwhelming, but the song itself is sizzling hot fire. One of the main selling points of Kenny Mason’s artistry is his fusion of Hip Hop with Rock music. It’s a combination that is typically very bad to me because it usually ends up being incredibly cheesy, but that’s not really the case with Kenny’s stuff. He doesn’t sound like Kid Rock or Tech N9ne at all thankfully. I don’t listen to a lot of Rock music, so I don’t know which artists to compare him to. However, it should be noted that Poison Thorn of Title Fight had some involvement in the production of this song and others on the album. The production on this song is pretty fantastic, and it certainly helps that Kenny is a really great singer. This one definitely has my favorite hook on the whole project. This feels like a fairly accessible track to me too because the lyrics, while kinda cool, are far from the main selling point of the song. The production and vocals just sound really good. I don’t have to pay much attention to what’s being said to enjoy this one. I think it’s an awesome song.

Track 4 is called ON THE WAY, and it’s produced by Dilip & Poison Thorn. The beat here is kinda slow paced, but the percussion is very hard-hitting, which helps to keep the energy level up. The hook is pretty straightforward and inoffensive. It’s kinda just there. It works though. It’s definitely not bad. The actual verse from Kenny is what makes the song worth returning to for me though. His flow and vocal delivery sound great. The lyrics aren’t super thought-provoking or anything, but some of them are kinda cool. It kinda sounds like a freestyle to be honest. I liked this couplet…

I don't see nothin' but sticks
It's not one puck in this bitch

It’s very simple and kinda silly, but it sounds cool. Again, this one definitely stands out more sonically than lyrically. I like it though. I think it’s a good song. It’s followed by the title track, ANGEL EYES, which has one of my favorite beats on the album from COUPE & Dez Wright.

As far as straight up Rap songs on this album go, this is probably my favorite. It doesn’t really have the Rock fusion that I loved on BEEN HAVIN, but it’s still fire. I really like how the instrumental evolves to be a bit more ethereal during the verses. It has kind of a Wintery vibe to it. I envision Christmas lights when I hear it. His flow sounds pretty awesome when he’s rapping here.

Puppy boy, pistols out in public, extra clip inside the duffy, store it
Doin' what ain't been done before just to beat the ones before
Playin' with the stick, rest in peace to Dumblеdore
Never givе a n*gga your recipe unless the fee gon' come before

That last line in that quatrain where he kinda crams in more syllables sounds really nice. The hook is actually really good too. I like the idea of angel eyes overseeing everything he does. That’s very cool. It’s mainly the flow and production that sells me on this song, but the lyrics aren’t bad at all. I love it overall. The music video is just okay to me though. A lot of what I said about the other ones applies to this one as well.

Track 6 is called EVERYBODY KNOWS, and it has more production from COUPE & Poison Thorn. This is another one of the better straight-up Rap songs on the album in my opinion. Kenny’s flow along with the hard-hitting drum pattern sounds fantastic. The hook is less aggressive than the verses cadence-wise, and I think it works pretty well. Again, the lyrics themselves don’t really stand out to me much, but there will be a line here and there that resonates, such as the OG Maco (R.I.P.) reference.

We gon' keep these bitches guessin'
I got that MAC on me, bitch, you guessed it
Don't try to act on me, we get extra
She tried to act on me like an impulse
She came back to me, she got desperate
I think I'm tappin' in, hittin' info
'Cause I didn't know you a nympho
We can make this lil visit eventful
I wonder who else done been this close

Again, it’s not super thought provoking, but it’s pretty cool. I think the second verse is even better the first one. His flow is pretty awesome.

Can you look at me and see what I don't see?
Can you give me everything that I don't need?
Cut them other n*ggas off if you want me
Made them n*ggas pay the cost if they don't beat
I done made real ties and they OT
Shawty got a weird vibe and she don't sleep
She gon' make me feel like I'ma OD
If I give her my heart, will they know me?

I am not quite sure what the woman he’s rapping about is supposed to represent metaphorically, but it seems like it’s probably some sort of drug. The song’s really dope. I love it.

Track 7 is called RELIEF, and it’s another Rock infleunced song that has Kenny singing more instead of rapping. I kinda have an inverse opinion of this one to my feelings on EVERYBODY KNOWS because I like the hook way more than the verses. The way the beat kinda builds up during the chorus sounds really nice to me, but it feels a bit barebones during the verses. It’s a good song, but it’s far from a favorite of mine on the record. With that said, I actually think the lyrics are pretty good, especially during the hook.

It's a relief to see you
Just for a breathe
It's for a reason then
Should've released it rather than keep it in
I don't wanna say what I'm thinkin' 'bout
I don't wanna say what my dreams about
I don't wanna say what you need to hear
I know it'll lead to you leavin' now

My inner pedant is a bit bothered by him saying “breathe” instead of breath, but that’s me being nitpicky. It’s a good track. It’s followed by a highlight called HOODRAT, which is produced by FearDorian.

This one definitely has another one of my favorite beats on the album. The vocal sample along with the hard-hitting bass and fast-paced hi-hats sounds pretty entrancing. I really like the hook too. The comic con line is pretty cool, and I also dug the Omicron bar. Part of me wishes the way the vocals are produced switched up during the verse itself because there’s not much variation in Kenny’s rapping sonically. The hook doesn’t sound that different from the verse. Maybe if he switched his flow up a bit it would’ve elevated this to my favorite track on the whole album. Just like with the other music videos, I was a bit underwhelmed by the visuals, but I will say that this is probably my second favorite behind the INTUITION one. Maybe I’m a bit jaded by the stellar visuals I’ve seen from artists like Tyler the Creator & A$AP Rocky. Anyway, despite my critiques, I do love this song. I think it’s one of the best on the album. It’s fire.

The closing track is one last highlight entitled TEEN GOHAN. This might be the best-produced song on the project to be honest. It’s kind of a slow burn, but the way it builds up sounds pretty majestic. The electric guitar that comes in after a minute and 35 seconds is glorious. I really love Kenny’s vocals on this track too. With that said, the instrumental is so good that I would probably enjoy it even without vocals. The way the drums come in sounds very grandiose. I love it. Even the lyrics are pretty cool.

Stop making me try
Training to die
Waiting to die, yeah
Wrong way to survive

This is maybe my second-favorite track on the album. I think it’s fantastic.

This is a great album. Sonically, it’s not really too different from what Kenny has given us in the past. However, this is probably my favorite overall project from him just because of how concise and consistent it is. There’s not a single bad or even mediocre song here. I don’t really return to track 2, but even that song is enjoyable enough. I will admit that I did kinda feel like this album left me wanting more due to the brevity, but I prefer that over being bombarded with too much music. I think you can find better Kenny Mason songs than the ones that appeared on this project, but as an overall product this is the most consistent release in my opinion. Kenny really excites me as an artist, so I guess that’s why this is the project that pulled me out of my hiatus. I look forward to seeing what he does this year. Hopefully it’s even better.