Shelley FKA DRAM - Self Titled

 

New name. New era. Shelley begins his self-titled album with an entrancing "All Pride Aside" with Summer Walker. Shelley is vocally blissful here (and for the rest of the record), supplemented by a seductive bassline and aided by a decent guest performance from Summer Walker. Shelly continues to touch my soul in "Exposure", a glistening R&B ballad. His bridge is a luxurious force, making me love him 'over and over again.'

After a decent cover of Daft Punk's "Something About Us", Shelley is pleasantly cuter in his delivery in "Beautiful",  as he charms a love interest that is the "one exception" to the many girls that he has seen. The instrumental in "Beautiful" is almost nostalgic, as it would fit into the soundtrack of any classic Walt Disney animation film. "The Lay Down" with H.E.R and Watt is an explosion of rapture. The wonderous harmonisation of Shelley's and H.E.R's voices in the chorus could transport anyone to the most colourful dreamscapes of the galaxy. "The Lay Down" also ends well with an uplifting guitar solo. The duet between Shelley and Erykah Badu in ''93 Acura Vigor" is enjoyable. However, the sampling of the "Damn son, where'd you find this" meme is somewhat jarring and felt unnecessary.

'Married Woman' is a rather unusual track about infidelity. Lyrically, Shelley acts like a sidepiece to a 'married woman' as he advises to be 'upfront, reveal your true intentions, stop trying put up a wall over each other's eyes. Besides, we only get like this when we're horny.' Confused about what Shelley was attempting to convey here. After the decent 'Cooking with Grease', where the chorus was a tad repetitive, and Remedies,  the album does end with 'Rich & Famous.' An okay track, Shelley takes jabs at materialism in the chorus, 'car clothes, jewels and fame, in real life it don't matter.' Sadly, the chorus sonically is somewhat underwhelming.

Shelley marks his new chapter well with his self-titled album. Despite few inconsistencies, the flavourful grooves and Shelley's enchanting vocals can lure anyone into a bedroom with a California king bed and slightly dimmed scented candles.

Best Track(s): The Lay Down, Exposure, All Pride Aside 

7.5/10.

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