PICKS ALBUM

Natalia Lafourcade

De Todas Las Flores

(Sony Music Mexico)

Release date: October 28, 2022

Written by Taran Escobar-Ausman

It has been seven years since Natalia Lafourcade’s last album of original material. During that time, she was nominated and won awards for various projects that explored and interpreted traditional songs from different regions in Mexico. The styles explored during that time heavily influenced her new album, De Todas Las Flores (Of All the Flowers), a gorgeous meditation on reconnecting with yourself after a deep and life-shifting romantic split.

Great albums always become greater than the sum of their parts and speak with their own grace and intention. Natalia has created such an album. The sequence and pacing unfold slowly like a flower blooming for the first time. Each song plays with the wonder of its own beauty, though with a melancholic understanding that all that lives must die. On the title track, a beautiful and subtle bolero, Natalia sings, “De todas las flores que sembramos / Sólo quedan unas encendidas (Of all the flowers we planted / Only a few are still in bloom).”

Mother nature is conjured and called upon to help reconstruct herself—to bring her back from the depths. She sings on “Llévame Viento,” a swirling, jazzy ballad with different movements, “Viento, llévame a donde . . . / . . .los pájaros canten y el agua me salve (Wind, carry me to where . . . / . . .the birds are singing and the water can save me).” Natalia becomes almost a shaman, manipulating the darkness so the listener can see the light. As she is reborn, she gives thanks to this darkness and the process of grieving. The poetic “Muerte” slowly burns with folkloric grace as she thanks Death for revealing her fortune and giving her life.

With everything recorded live on analog, the songs hum with an organic, intimate presence. You can hear every creak of the guitar body, fingers sliding up and down the strings, and the soft, felt hammer hitting the piano strings just before each note rings out. Once the needle hits the groove, you will experience something special and timeless.

Favorite track: “Pasan Los Dias” NATALIALAFOURCADE.COM.MX

The London Suede Autofiction (BMG UK)

Release date: September 16, 2022

Written by Taran Escobar-Ausman

After 30 years and eight albums, the London Suede continues to revitalize themselves by releasing one of their best albums since the iconic release of Dog Man Star in 1994. From the introductory sound of a guitar being plugged in, Autofiction hits you hard with an intensity and urgency that marks a turning point for a band considered beyond its prime.

The London Suede were born from a mash-up of glam rock, ’80s synth-pop, and a sprinkle of art rock. Autofiction harkens back to those early days by revisiting the raw, anguished majesty that defined their first three albums. Unlike their albums of old, however, the band has aimed for a more direct, live experience with Autofiction, as they recorded together as much as possible with few overdubs. Calling this their punk record, the London Suede appears to have left behind the theatrical grandeur of their last three albums. They approached this release with a fromthe-gut vivaciousness and honesty.

Lyrically, the album is ripe with nostalgia. In the opening track, “She Still Leads Me On,” lead vocalist, Brett Anderson, pays homage to his late mother, nearly yelling with pride, “But I loved her with my last breath / And I loved her with a love that was strong as death.” It is Anderson’s new vocal approach, with its unapologetic conviction, that gives their new sound a sense of youthfulness.

Always known for his soaring and blissful vocals, on this record, Anderson lets his voice crack and shred with wild abandon as he reaches for the lofty heights of choruses on various tracks. On the pulsating rocker “That Boy on the Stage,” Anderson switches between a sweet falsetto to a fierce snarl as he sings about how others have perceived his stage persona over the years.

After so many years in the business, the London Suede’s Autofiction comes as a bit of a surprise. Listeners will hear the sound of a band that makes them feel as if they have no choice but to start a garage band of their own.

Favorite track: “That Boy on the Stage” SUEDE.CO.UK

Hayley Williams

Flowers for Vases/Descansos

(Atlantic Recording Corporation)

Release date: February 5, 2021

Written by Esther Young

Flowers for Vases/Descansos arrived when we still faced one another through masks, our expressions muted. Naturally, the artwork we invited into our homes reflected our changing moods. For those swimming in loss, songs borne of personal grief offered commiserative camaraderie.

Hayley Williams recorded this album alone in her Nashville home. This quieter set of songs belied the victorious tone of Petals for Armor, her solo debut. Where Petals built hooks and layered percussion, Flowers is sparse and spacious. There are no guitar solos, rhythmic breakdowns, or bridges. Instead, cleanly recorded strings and lower octaves of the piano support Hayley’s words, further spaced out by synthesizers.

All the instruments wrap around the integrity of the songwriter’s story. Though her solo debut exuded confident, believable strength, there was more to say and heal. In her own words, “You don’t just write a song and then you’re through with it.” For these bare-bones reflections, Williams settles her voice into a warm alto. It rests sonically in a small room, away from her signature crowd-pleasing belting range.

As the album concludes, lyrics fade to soundscape. The second-to-last track, “Descansos,” serves a moody palette via collage—introduced by the same instruments that began the story. Distant recordings of a past life meld into meandering hums—the flicker of a lighter, the sense of portraits burned away. Then, as the final piece in this twoalbum healing narrative, “Just a Lover,” builds through traditional rock elements reminiscent of Hayley’s career with Paramore: down-strummed guitars unroll the carpet for the toms and the last chorus as she sings, “No more music for the masses / One more hour / One more ugly, stillborn cry.”

Flowers for Vases/Descansos sets the scene for subtle contemplation to shine. After 16 years in the music business, Williams conveys her strength through deliberate simplicity. She sings in her fourth track, “It makes me feel like the pain had a purpose.” If Petals for Armor was the powerful breakup album to tour to, Flowers for Vases/Descansos unveiled the soggy soil from which that power bloomed—the kind from which honest art is made.

Favorite track: “Trigger”

STORE.HAYLEYWILLIAMS.COM

Roc Marciano

The Elephant Man’s Bones (ALC/Marci Enterprises)

Release date: August 26, 2022

Written by Demone Carter

The 2021 Super Bowl halftime show was a watershed moment for rap music, more specifically, the subgenre known as gangster rap. The West Coast titans of gangster rap, Dr. Dre, Snoop, and Kendrick Lamar, performed in what was to become a moment of grand synthesis. The music once known as an angry foil to mainstream America was situated at the center of pop culture. Amidst this modern era of corporate dog and pony shows, it can be difficult to remember that there was a time when gangster rap was edgier and more cutting-edge.

Of course, in the shadows of the mainstream, purveyors of the street arts have continued to innovate the form. Long Island–bred rapper and producer Roc Marciano has been perhaps the most innovative street poet of the last 10 years. His latest album, The Elephant Man’s Bones, a collaboration with Los Angeles-based super producer The Alchemist and released on ALC and Pimpire International Record labels, is both craft-forward and reminiscent of the early days when gangster rap had teeth.

The Elephant Man’s Bones is a dark, brooding album wherein Roc Marciano layers boasts, jabs, and doubleentendres with villainous ease. He has perfected a nonchalance that is on the livelier side of deadpan. “Your favorite rapper sends fan mail to me / your little LP ain’t worth 12 pennies,” begins Roc on the stellar track “Quantum Leap.”

Subject matter-wise, the album slides on a spectrum from emcee braggadocio to cold-hearted street narrative. The darkest moments come on the track “The Horns of Abraxas,” which features a stomach-churning story told by street rap pioneer Ice-T. Other gems from this album are “Daddy Kane” (featuring Action Bronson), “Bubble Bath,” and “Think Big.”

What makes The Elephant Man’s Bones a truly special record is the production from The Alchemist, who, it could be argued, is the most influential rap producer of the last 10 years. Like Dr. Dre at his peak, The Alchemist is not just providing beats but reshaping the sound of gangster rap as we know it. The Alchemist manages to create soundscapes that are rich and complex but, at the same time, spacious. In a year of great rap releases, The Elephant Man’s Bones stands apart.

Favorite track: “Quantum Leap” ROCMARCI.COM

Contributors

The production of CONTENT MAGAZINE would not be possible without the talented writers, editors, graphic artists, and photographers who contribute to each issue. We thank you and are proud to provide a publication to display your work. We are also thankful for the sponsors and readers who have supported this magazine through sponsorships and memberships.

Be a part of the CONTENT community.

Contact us at: Editor@content-magazine.com

CYNTIA

Cyntia is a commercial & food photographer from Panama, and based in Silicon Valley. She specializes in brand elevation services for businesses through compelling & visionary storytelling.

Instagram: cyntiaappsphotography

Jesse is a graphic design student at Sacramento State. He was born and raised in San Jose and has a passion for soccer and design.

Instagram: jessesgdesigns

Alex Knowbody is a Photographer + Creative Director from the East of San José. His goal is to bring authenticity through visuals to every project.

Instagram: alexknowbody

Eva is a beauty, fashion and advertising photographer/director based in San Jose. Eva is passionate about sustainability, diversity and radical inclusivity. She believes beauty is unique, diverse and imperfect.

Instagram: evaschwank

Priya is a writer, dancer, and co-founder of Mosaic America. Based in Silicon Valley, her work is informed by the innovative intersections between art, culture, and society.

Instagram: priyadasmosaic

COVER

This issue’s cover photography of Raue is by photographer Ngozi Harrison. See interview and more images on page 64.

Instagram: kingnegritude

KEVIN

Kevin is a freelance art director from the South Bay Area. He helps brands develop creative and impactful visual identities.

Instagram: kevin.peth daniellescamera.com/portfolio

Danielle is a nationally recognized fashion, lifestyle and personal branding photographer. She specializes in portraits that showcase the character of her subject, with cinematic style, vibrant colors and authentic emotions.