Album Review — “Hollywood’s Bleeding”: a roller coaster of genres
Listeners can find just about anything on Post Malone’s newest album: guest artists, orchestral features and shoutouts to the Jonas Brothers and Utah.
The rapper and singer released his third album, “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” on Sept. 6, almost a year and a half after his previous album. The album has recurring themes about the superficiality of social media, the “poisonous” atmosphere of Hollywood and friends turned enemies. These themes and the album art have a noticeably darker tone than Malone’s previous albums.
In this album, Malone continues to blur the lines between genres. While there is still plenty of his signature rock-trap blend, the album also has tracks like “Myself,” which combines Malone’s style with ‘70s soul. Meanwhile, “Internet,” the 14th track on the album, has an energetic orchestral feature. With the variety of genres included, listeners may be surprised to find a song on the album they enjoy, even if they aren’t normally a fan of Post Malone.
Malone’s vocal style is intriguing. While auto-tune is used extensively throughout the album, it appears to be an artistic choice rather than out of necessity. One example of artistic use is that Malone frequently uses digital manipulation with his voice to create an artificial vibrato that adds an interesting texture to his voice in songs like “Hollywood’s Bleeding.”
“Hollywood’s Bleeding” benefits from a variety of collaborations, as well. Malone performs alongside rappers like Future and Young Thug, but also brings singers like SZA and Halsey on for vocal features. 70-year-old Ozzy Osbourne is even featured on the track “Take What You Want.”
Halsey’s powerhouse vocals on “Die for Me” is one of the high points of the album, and her performance complements the song’s intense atmosphere. SZA’s silky smooth voice also perfectly lends to an upbeat tune, “Staring at the Sun.”
Utah Fans of Post Malone should listen for Malone’s mention of Utah snow in his single, “Wow.” Malone owns a home in Utah, and, according to Us Weekly, he recorded the album in the state.
“Hollywood’s Bleeding” is an enjoyable listen for any fan and anyone interested in genre fusions. Malone is a master of the rock-trap blend, and this album shows it. The album may also appeal to fans of other artists because of the various guest artists and genres included. Hollywood might be bleeding, but this album is doing just fine.
—alek.nelson@aggiemail.usu.edu
@nelsonalek