Quinn XCII doesn’t know the meaning of “sophomore slump”

Published 4 years ago -


David Pepin

Sports Editor

Earlier this month, one of the best up and coming pop artists out there released his sophomore album. By no means was Quinn XCII’s new album “From Michigan With Love” a sophomore slump. In fact, it is easily my favorite album of 2019 so far.

The album features a variety of fun pop songs and some charmingly simple love songs that blend together in such a way that gives the album a constant up and down motion in tempo. In the following list are some of my impressions of each song off of this absolute toaster of an album.

Holding Hands

The perfect opening track to this album. This slow-tempo song is full of drama that makes you not just want, but need to hear the rest of the album. This song, produced by Quinn himself, perfectly uses a feature by Elohim, using her voice to welcome his listeners to his best project to date. (8.5/10)

Autopilot

This song features an upbeat rhythm that immediately contrasts the slow, dramatic style of “Holding Hands.” Although the lyrics are the first of many songs on the album to deal with the theme of mental health issues, you can’t help but nod your head to the fun, wavy beat. (8/10)

Life Must Go On

This song featuring Jon Bellion was originally released as a single only a week before the album dropped. The vibe of this track is incredible. Even though the lyrics discuss Quinn and Jon’s anxiety, they still find a way to make the song an absolute bop. This is one of my personal favorites on the album and I think it is one of Quinn’s best songs to date. (9/10)

U & Us 

Quinn slows it down again for this folk-influenced love song. The song is just beautiful as he pours his heart out to make an incredible combination of poetic lyrics and a captivating sound. Accompanied by an elegant music video, the song demands that you take a moment to recognize its true charm. (8.5/10)

Werewolf

Just as fast as Quinn can slow it down, he can speed it back up. He utilises a fun beat that bumps up and down and an extremely catchy chorus to create another fun pop song. Quinn also once again uses his incredible talent to turn a fairly sad situation into a lighthearted fun song. This one discusses a relationship that brought out the worst in him, turning him into a monster, like a werewolf, and how looking back, he should have been more careful. (9/10)

Tough

I love the vibe of this song. It has a super chill flow and it is the latest chapter in the album’s discussion of mental health. He makes a statement that no matter how tough a person may seem on the outside, we all deal with issues on the inside. (8/10)

Matches

This song takes on a more depressed vibe than Quinn fans are used to. He once again comments on his own mental health asking, “Why am I obsessed with self-destructiveness?” (7/10)

When I Die

This is low-key one of my favorite songs on the album. It sounds like a love song anthem. In the lyrics, he wants to remember the little moments with his loved ones when he is at the end of his life. The song has a deep meaning, and the vibe has such a chill bop that it has forced me to play it on repeat walking around campus. (10/10)

Abel & Cain

This is another song that grew on me the more I listened to it. It’s just a really solid song that is fun to listen to over and over again. The beat is definitely my favorite part of it because it has a really cool vibe to it. (8.5/10)

Sad Still

Ok, I’m not gonna lie, when this song was released as a single, I didn’t really like it that much, but holy crap has it grown on me. Honestly, this song might be my favorite on the album. The lyrics deal with mental health yet again, this time regarding the drugs that help people cope with mental health issues. Quinn displays his rapping ability and mixes it perfectly with his melodic voice to create one of his best songs to date. (10/10)

Good Thing Go

This song was pretty much made to be a wedding first dance song. It’s a beautiful love song where he recognizes that he has someone he loves in his life, and he can’t see a way he can live without them. The song is very sweet and in terms of the story of the album, it signifies him finally starting to get over his mental issues and inviting love into his life. (8/10)

Right Where You Should Be

This is a happy song. The beat goes hard and the lyrics are inspirational, plus a feature from Ashe makes this song a perfect ending to the album. This is the type of song that can immediately change your mood for the better, and it can sound good doing it. (8/10)

59 recommended
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