Tag: benny blanco

benny blanco – “Hermoso” review

benny blanco is a 38 year old producer, songwriter, record executive & author from Reston, Virginia who made his debut in 2018 with Friends Keep Secrets under Interscope Records. He recently produced my favorite album Selena Gomez has ever made I Said I Love You First…& You Said It Back in the spring of last year preceding their marriage several months later, departing from A&M Records following a 10 month tenure on the label to drop his sophomore effort that I’m sure will have a 2nd disc much like the predecessor a week after Adam Page & Brodido ended The Demand’s week-long reign as AEW World Trios Champions at Grand Slam VIII in partnership with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) at Arena México.

“Un poco perdido” by Neton Vega opens up drunkenly admitting he’s lost whereas “Te Olvido (La La)” by Becky G & Selena Gomez blends Latin pop, reggaetón & cumbatión asking what their partners have that no one else does. “Joven y salvaje” by Bb trickz co-produced by Cashmere Cat wasn’t bad of a contemporary R&B, pop rap, bedroom pop, alt-pop, post-punk revival single talking about not wanting to pick up the phone while the dream pop-inspired “Memoria De Paz” by The Marías depicts 2 lovers holding the sound of their voices on the phone tightly.

After the “Te Amo” interlude, “Ay Bendito” by Mora featuring co-production from Ovy on the Drums takes a breezier approach instrumentally getting sexual with the songwriting & “Degenere” by Myke Towers succeeding the “Cinco” skit properly concludes Hermoso with a reggaetón closer fans of his already heard a couple years ago when his 5th album La Pantera Negra came out so it’s a bit unnecessary although I suppose it wouldn’t be a bad introduction for those who’ve never heard of him.

Part of me respects benny blanco for what he’s musically done with artists like Eminem & of course the late Juice WRLD in the past, but I do find it strange for him to go full Latin for a Friends Keep Secrets follow-up that I’d consider weaker than his debut. Hermoso’s production is more Latin-heavy experimenting with Latin pop, reggaetón, cumbatión, contemporary R&B, pop rap, bedroom pop, alt-pop, post-punk revival & dream pop except I feel like it doesn’t come from a sincere place like Cypress Hill’s latest full-length Dios Bendiga.

Score: 1.5/5

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Selena Gomez – “I Said I Love You First…& You Said It Back” review

Selena Gomez is a 32 year old actress, singer/songwriter, producer & businesswoman from Grand Prairie, Texas notable for emerging as Alex Russo on The Walt Disney Company owned Disney Channel sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place & & later the A24 Films crime satire Spring Breakers. She even put out 3 full-lengths Kiss & Tell, A Year Without Rain & When the Sun Goes Down under Hollywood Records with her band The Sceneuntil fulfilling her contract in the form of her solo debut Stars Dance & signing to Interscope Records thereafter. Revival & Rare were as decent as everything else she’s done, except her 4th LP produced by her fiancé benny blanco got my best interest even if people are more upset with Selena for crying on camera because of people being deported instead of Ye formerly known as Kanye West fresh off leaking his own album BULLY openly calling himself a Nazi.

After the titular intro, the first song “Younger & Hotter Than Me” produced with FINNEAS details self-hatred for thinking an ex of her’s was different & wishing she never loved him after moving on to someone younger & prettier whereas “Call Me When You Break Up” featuring Gracie Abrams co-produced by Cashmere Cat & Dylan Brady blends pop rock, dance-pop, synthpop & indie pop offering support to a friend after a breakup. Ojos Tristes” featuring The Marías samples “El Muchacho de los Ojos Tristes” by Jeannette for a Latin pop duet describing a boy with sad eyes finally finding a reason, but then “Don’t Wanna Cry” sings about finding another hand to hold.

“Sunset Blvd” was my favorite single fusing synthpop, bedroom pop, alt-pop, chillsynth & hypnagogic pop recalling her first date with benny just before “Cowboy” featuring Glorilla on the remix gets a little raunchier topically revolving around the themes of intercourse. “Bluest Flame” written with Charli XCX suggests a contrast or an overcoming of a set standard by evoking an intense & powerful feeling wanting to go insane all night leading into “How Does it Feel to Be Forgotten?” expresses hope that one will get to heal 1 day & asking what it’s like having her forget the individual that she has in mind.

After the “Do You Wanna Be Perfect?” interlude, “You Said You Were Sorry” opens up about a dream she had where someone finally apologized to her & them forgiving each other while “I Can’t Get Enough” dabbles with moombahton except it feels more like a J Balvin song. “Don’t Take It Personally” addresses a friend of benny’s that he used to talk to every day & things not being the same since she came around while “Scared of Loving You” is a folk pop, singer/songwriter & indie folk outro telling her fiancé that she’s afraid of losing him.

“That’s When I’ll Care” starts the deluxe run with a Rare outtake indifferently responding to those who’re so consumed about her personal life while “Talk” interpolates “Never There” by Cake yearning to have benny’s arms around her. “Stained” is another leftover from the Rare sessions singing about the damage Selena’s exes have inflicted upon her & the final bonus track “Guess You Could Say I’m in Love” featuring Greg Gonzalez puts their feet down regarding the pain that comes with love.

Growing up watching Selena Gomez on Wizards of Waverly Place during my adolescence, I could never get into really any of The Scene’s output or her last 3 solo efforts since it simply wasn’t for me personally. I Said I Love You First…& You Said It Back however went above & beyond my expectations for it beginning her impending hiatus from making music to focus more on her acting career by chronicling her & benny’s love story from around the time they first met to,l falling in love & looking to what the future holds showing influences of pop rock, dance-pop, synthpop, indie pop, bedroom pop, alt-pop, chillsynth, hypnagogic pop, moombahton, folk pop, singer/songwriter & indie folk.

Score: 4/5

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