“Suncity” review

A young, black man sits on top of a rock ledge in front of his childhood home, letting the sun hit his face. Elbows on his knees, Khalid, five-time Grammy nominated artist, takes time to reflect in his most recent album “Suncity.” The seven-song album reveals how his optimism (“Motion”) blended with worries. (“9.13.”) Short yet slow, Khalid gives listeners a personal tour of his “Sunci...

   Song length: 0:56 The first few seconds of the track hum with an almost ocean-like melody. As the 56-second song comes to a close, a radio spits out Khalid receiving the key to his hometown, El Paso, Texas from the El Paso mayor, Sep. 13, 2018 (“9.13”). It sets a remarkable tone for the rest of the relaxed album and a precedent for paying tribute to his  “915” area code, while ...

  Song length: 4:30   “9.13” plays straight into its second track, “Vertigo.” The transition is so smooth you will hardly realize a new song is starting. In “Vertigo,” Khalid captures the feeling of slowly swimming through a pool, or looking through a kaleidoscope for the first time. The “out-of-body” vibe of the song lets Khalid reflect on his choices and his purpose. Track tw...

  Song length: 3:30   Khalid plays to his audience with “Saturday Nights,” spilling secret nuances parents don’t know. He writes about the stress on a loved one's shoulders, that only he can see. Their habits, quirks and rituals make them all the more lovable to Khalid.  Although the song is sweet, it indulges further indulges in teen angst. It would nice to see Khalid move ...

  Song length: 1:22 Midway through the album, Khalid takes a pause for conversation. For the 82-second interlude, a worried, crackly voice takes over to describe his life plans. The voice expresses living carefree when you care about what people think. Although artistic, I would have liked to hear more melodies rather than a random voice chatting. Lyric: “But am I walking the ri...

  Song length: 3:55 The wavy melodies return for “Motion.” Khalid takes his time to describe how falling in love makes him feel like he is free falling, yet does not seem to mind it. The song concludes with the radio broadcasts ending, weaving the album uniquely together to seem like something that would play from the cobalt blue mustang pictured on the cover. This song is perfect for ref...

  Song length: 3:50   Synthetic beats used throughout the album reach their peak on song number six, “Better.” With a slightly more pop sound to it, Khalid details wanting to spend time with someone. He craves the feeling around them, even if the feelings aren’t mutual. “Better” is sweet yet similar to many of his other “coming-of-age” tracks like “8TEEN” and “Keep ...

  Song length: 3:09 Khalid ends the album with a vibrant yellow drop of optimism. Teaming up with Empress Of, the duo weave in Spanish lyrics throughout, creating a “driving away into the sunset” image. Although the final song doesn’t match the prior six songs, it leaves listeners wanting one more moment in the 915. Lyric: “Take me to sunny city Take me, take me Where I leave my h...

  Seven for "Suncity" I feel like I’m in the backseat for the tour of his hometown roots. Suncity is beautiful to the ears, yet could have been more effective. I’m sure Khalid wasn’t looking to be catchy, but not too many things from the album stuck with me. His creativity and depth soared in 9.13, Vertigo and Saturday Nights, but the vague lyrics throughout made me feel somewhat di...