Ear Candy: Victoria Monét's JAGUAR II: Deluxe

    Victoria Monét is a genius just waiting to be discovered. If you haven't discovered her already after the Grammy's this year. I listened to the original JAGUAR a little after when it came out last year. And I immediately immersed myself in Monét's discography. I LOVED the album. It's probably the smoothest, sexiest, most seductive thing to ever happen. 

    So when I found out Monét released a deluxe version, I rushed to it! I saw the news and was like GASP! Why didn't I see an announcement for this?! Then I added it to my Apple Music library, and I was floored. This album might as well be called JAGUAR III. She added a second disc full of new material. There's 10 new tracks. 

    The first song of this new set, "DickAtNight," is a play on Nick At Night. And... It's wonderful. Lol. It's so lively, has so much personality, and is catchyyyyyy. The lyrics are just as catty as you imagine. It gives off city pop vibes. Then we have "Don't Sleep" being a bomb of a song following up "DickAtNight." R&B that sounds golden and lush. Like you're in a musical rainforest. I also appreciate Thundercat giving a shoutout to anime. This is silly, but I love how accepted anime is these days as it used to be just for us nerds back in the day. Now it's pretty much an accepted art form of entertainment. 

    I love, love, love songs with vibes like "SOS (Sex on Sight)." "JOA" by Gary has that same vibe. It's seductive, it's sexy, it's sultry. Monét is just such a fantastic writer. She has found her own lane, and she produces from it so spectacularly. You can kind of see how Ariana Grande has been influenced by her. Monét has written many songs and done backing vocals for Grande. However, Monét is entirely her own R&B enchantress. And I honestly love her so much. Her music is perfect for this time of year.

    The guest acts here, like Usher and Thundercat, bring so much to Monét and her album. They all mesh so well together. They're seriously perfect duets. 

    "1900's" is a danceable groove that has so much going on for it, and it even gives a shout out to Michael Jackson through various samples. The vocal effects are so tasty and hit the ears with a surprise. 

    If you have yet to experience the perfection that is JAGUAR II, I hope you'll do yourself a favor and press play on "Smoke" and listen to the entirety of JAGUAR II: Deluxe. You'll find a cohesive, delectable take on R&B that is both forward thinking and positively a throwback that anyone at any age can cherish. I rarely just listen to one song on this album and move on. I usually listen to it all the way through, and now I have even more to listen to!

Rank: A Rank

Recommendation: when you're feeling sexy and cat-like.

Standouts:

    Smoke

    Party Girls

    DickAtNight

    Don't Sleep

    1900's

    Love Is Stronger Than Pride