Lil Nas X - Montero Review
Updated: Nov 7, 2022
The debut album of Lil Nas X is finally here and it doesn’t disappoint! LNX builds upon the sound from his mediocre 7 EP and has enhanced it exponentially. Heavily inspired by 00s ballads and rock anthems, it’s not afraid to modernize and push these sounds beyond their scope. This project is also a tale of 2 halves, with the 1st half being more energetic and every track essentially being a bop. It feels more like a pep rally with the blaring horns, upbeat 808s, and the overflowing confidence that LNX and his features are exuding. The 2nd half, however, shows a more vulnerable side of LNX. He talks about his previous toxic relationships and gives us a better picture of his upbringing in a broken home. It’s a welcome sight to get a glimpse of the man behind all the memes and social media antics.
THE HEAT:
MONTERO (CALL ME BY MY NAME)
INDUSTRY BABY (ft. Jack Harlow)
LOST IN THE CITADEL
TALES OF DOMINICA
VOID
LIFE AFTER SALEM
AM I DREAMING (ft. Miley Cyrus)
The project kicks off with probably the 2 most controversial songs of 2021. The title track, "MONTERO (CALL ME BY MY NAME)", is a wild ride of LNX lusting for partners that are into self-destructive behavior aka the ones he envies. Now LNX finds himself desperate to stay in a toxic loop of relationships due to letting all the fame and clout he has built up get to his head. Without all the satanic imagery some found offensive in the video, the song can stand on its own merits. It’s enjoyable and doesn’t overstay its welcome. The freshly minted No. 1 song on Billboard 100, “INDUSTRY BABY”, brings out the best in Lil Nas X. Not only is he super confident when delivering his lines but the trumpets and adlibs add that pep rally flare to the track. Jack Harlow’s feature on the song is a welcome addition, as he adds a faster flow to switch up the tempo. He’s stylistically a perfect match for Lil Nas X with his slightly childish bars and overconfidence on his verse. Combined with some Ye production magic, this song puts everybody on notice that Lil Nas X is here to stay.
The rest of the songs on the heat list do away with the bombastic production for a sound that is more intimate. The use of various types of guitars is beautiful. Ranging from electric to Spanish, to acoustic, and to a more grungy rock guitar. The guitars in these songs do most of the heavy lifting alongside Lil Nas X. All of these songs are expressing the vulnerabilities of the young man, and the guitar riffs sound like the instrumental is going through the same emotional journey as the artist. Miley Cyrus adds a vocal range that LNX lacks, which makes her the high point of "AM I DREAMING". She effortlessly adds an emotional depth over the acoustics that are a match made in heaven.
THEY COOL:
THATS WHAT I WANT
SCOOP (ft. Doja Cat)
ONE OF ME (ft. Elton John)
DOLLA SIGN SLIME (ft. Meghan Thee Stallion)
SUN GOES DOWN
The majority of the "Cool" songs all have one in common. They're each an absolute bop...in their own way. "THATS WHAT I WANT" is almost reminiscent of Outkast in the way that the instrumentals are highly energized and force a smile upon your face. Lil Nas X injects energy where it's needed on the track, making it hard to ignore. "SCOOP" follows a different formula for almost the same result. Instrumental is nice and bouncy, LNX is almost falling asleep on his own track, but Doja Cat single-handedly makes the track more interesting. She provides the variation the song needed with her unique delivery and wonky lyrics. "ONE OF ME" is just the more entertaining version of "SCOOP" minus any features. Over the course of listening to this album, I realized that the features really brought their A-game to this project. Meghan Thee Stallion delivered one of her best verses on "DOLLA SIGN SLIME". She might also just be a perfect match for LNX, just like Jack Harlow was, stylistically. Her braggadocios bars fit right in over the pep rally trumpets permeating throughout the album. I'm looking forward to hearing more collaborations with Lil Nas X from Jack and Meghan.
THEY AIIIIIIGHT:
DEAD RIGHT NOW
DONT WANT IT
Since we're forecasting for the future, I do not want to see Lil Nas X make songs like these again. "DEAD RIGHT NOW", is sort of your run of the mill, "I'm rich and famous and people that never talked to me are trying to be my friend", song. I believe every artist has a right to share their journey to stardom, but it sounds like LNX was confused about what sound he wanted to use on this track. There are of course trumpets, but the instrumental sounds so empty while LNX is spitting a somber verse. There's a disconnect in the direction for this track, but it's definitely more than listenable. If you're interested in his backstory, then this song is interesting. He talks about how he was struggling to hit it big as a musician and now that he has blown up, people are acting like they were always there to support him. He also mentions that his wanting to be a music artist was a point of contention with his father that caused a strain on their relationship. In the next verse, he then talks about how his mom was never the nicest of people to him growing up and is now expecting to be taken care of by him. "DONT WANT IT" suffers from the same problem. Productions are fairly shallow, but the highs outweigh the lows.
SKIPS: N/A
FINAL VERDICT: 9/10
The debut album from the wonderboy Lil Nas X is not without its flaws, but it's a damn good listen. The production is tight on every song and does a good job of steering you towards the emotional theme for the course of 3ish minutes. The amount of sonic variation is bonkers and Lil Nas X manages to stand his own in every genre he delves into. There aren't any misses, but some tracks are definitely a cut above some others. Hopefully, with the very positive reception so far, this jumping-off point will aid in his development.
Comments