BetterRhymes

As music continues to keep evolving artists can no longer fit into a certain label or genre. These days it’s more apt to say someone works with in a series of sounds. Labeling is too restrictive and sort of misses the point I think. So with that in mind we arrive to the artist A.Sarr and his debut album People in Your Life are Seasons.

The young mustachioed artist is a rapper/singer from New York, NY. He’s not just those things either, he’s also a performer, producer, and an instrumentalist as well. With his career in view he keeps himself quite busy (understatement). Anyone would do the same to spread their brand of music. A. Sarr is an up and coming modern day artist influenced by all kinds of sounds.

With this 10 track album, he cultivated a collection of tunes to express his special place in life at the moment. He cites that the album was created with the concept where what if we were stuck in one season. With that thematic message his album was crafted to invoke sounds of many genres.

He begins the album with Dyllan’s Intro, to the uninitiated it maybe a bit left field. The song is ambient welcome that sounds as if it would be apart of an indie band’s repertoire. This isn’t to discredit A. Sarr in anyway. This actually speaks volumes of his image with his project. The song features vocals from the artist Dyllan as she sings rather hypnotically. The song is a recognition of letting go of one’s demons. Personally speaking that rather difficult depending on the individual. However as I listen to track 1 I think I understand where he’s coming from.

You just have to step back, reach out more and move on. Much like this song’s composition it’s a multifaceted destination of emotions.

Every time I’ve been hung over I’ve written a poem since I’ve been 17.

This is how Sarr begins the ballad of his mix of emotions. He shares that he’s written a good deal of these poems. The tune starts off as his voice is accompanied by his lone guitar. He then gets deeper with his revelations, he sings of a lost love. Here he’s joined with sounds synthesized and others of the percussion nature as the beat gets faster.

Lyrically he describes he’s hit the bottom and it may have been due to alcohol. He then self reflects as he recalls the alcohol made him bolder. Now whether or not that was for the best is unknown. However it’s heavily implied as he raps, that it may have been. In that moment of clarity when the mind maybe foggy or getting back to the norm. So one of his hang over cures is leaving his worries in New Orleans of all places. But the real cure his that his heart is closing like a fist. It’s a beautiful song of vulnerability.

Track 8 feels like an anthem if I were to place it in layman’s terms. A more hip hop influenced track is laced with images of our hero at a club. So it’s that similar story of boy notices girl in the crowd. With bravado and uninfluenced lyrics he speaks to her about the trace she leaves him in. Thankfully he’s backed with an impressive series of horns. His focus gets more personal with his love interests and the beat changes. As he gets more personal the son slows down to project his feelings. Then as he returns to the more visual effect she leaves the beats keeps up tempo. A. Sarr’s nominal anthem speaking with

Can anybody find me somebody to love?

His outro track is quite the curtain closer. The song is my personal favorite song and the most emotional of the album? The hook is laced with that question of love. Can anybody find me someone to love. Love is something that seems elusive for so many of us. The sad reality is maybe it’s probably not attainable. Sarr raps about his journey with the concept.

He’s joined by the highly talented Russell Elloit  as he express what is love. It’s not simply meeting someone. For him it’s tapping further into his music, performing, loving NY and his fellow artists. So the question then is the song asking, is that still an on going question? Through his bars he expresses that he does have the answer; his circle of friends and supporters. As he declares; together we got this.

A. Sarr’s debut album is certainly a good way to start the new year. It reaffirms what music is best at; changing. Nothing is set within confides. Music is still very much a personal journey someone shares with us. In this we have a collection of thoughts from 2015 given life. Over the years this fellow has decided to share his perspective. It’s done rather beautifully. This alum is very much indie in the sense of how much control he is able to display with it’s creativity.

Now aside from this project he has other pieces that display the range of his abilities. One example I enjoyed was How We Sleep.

On How We Sleep he sings of the times where we questions the circumstances of his relationships. He asks is this how we sleep given various circumstances. How can we sleep where’s so much on the mind? The serious subject take place along an alternative rock tune. He sings about those honest sincere or seemingly sincere feelings. These analytical lyrics are home to what could be said in a bed; real, raw and to the point.

You’ll find that he’s rather active via social media. He also enjoys discussing a number of topics. I always feel odd writing about how approachable a musician/artist maybe but that’s the age we’re in. Anyway he’s down to Earth..in case the music within his album didn’t give it away.

At the time of writing this I wonder what he has in store next? I think this year will keep him busy. Maybe you can see a show of his live. Now we get to the title of his album; People In Your Life Are Seasons. Seasons are cyclical and change. So then is he reminding us that people are cyclical and change? Or is his statement one where we should except that people come and go like seasons?

Hmm, I could ask but guessing the answer from the music is more fun. I would highly recommend giving A. Sarr’s People In Your Life Are Seasons a place in your albums. Versatile, expressive, and free forming this is the movement of music at present — he has a special place emerging and for us to listen along the journey.