empathogen - WILLOW Review: Lord forgive me I'm stanning a nepo baby

React/review of empathogen by Willow Smith.
Favorites: Symptom of Life, Run!, False Self
Rating: 8.5/
Second shout out to David Bennett for
his Symptom of Life video.

[@papaiz1]

Whip my hair was not garbage…. So be careful

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

"... So be careful" 🤣💀

[@93186272]

EXACTLY!!! it was NOT garbage!!

[@trerhodes8884]

Uh excuse me , but ‘ Whip My Hair ‘ is a BOP LOL !!! Especially when they played it parties 🤣..Love your critiquing btw 😙

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

"Whip My Hair" came out my freshman year of high school. It would've been social suicide to bump that at a party! Lol Thanks!

[@trerhodes8884]

@@tonyloafpoundstone lmao, oh no really ?!? And you’re welcome ☺️

[@HattieMae88]

@@tonyloafpoundstone Willow Also did not like that song though I think Nikki Minaj wrote it lol She didn't want to make music again until she could write for herself. You can tell once she started creating for herself and from her healing journey how her music elevated. Loved your review!

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

@HattieMae88. You're the balm for all the Whip My Hair backlash I've gotten. I knew she didn't like it, I thought I was safe! They're not putting Symptom of Life in an Alvin and the Chipmunks movie anytime soon. Looking forward to her next work!

[@B_addie]

@@tonyloafpoundstoneIn all honesty if a song will get people to boo at you at a high school party, it probably is a good song, because people have bad taste 😂

[@lolsaXx]

For me, this album is just wonderful!

[@saraspondaretsetset]

I concur with your review-totally blown away by this album. Surprised you hear In Rainbows as the biggest influence, though. I hear a LOT of Tori Amos, like Boys for Pele.

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

Glad to hear it! The song's are absolutely reminiscent of Tori Amos (wish I thought of that!). Forgive 'Biggest Influence', it was a single take. I hear Radiohead particularly through both the instrumentation and composition. The way the songs hold an art-rock groove through time signature changes or mess with keys/modes took me to In Rainbows.

[@celestialnubian]

@saraspondaretsetset That's the comment I've been waiting on. I really wanna know if Willow has bumped some Tori or Ani. With this girl power mode that she's in right now, I'd love to see her colab with some of the 90s legends.

[@kimberleywilliams7802]

The yodel in her voice actually reminds me of Imogen Heap so I'm absolutely obsessed with her tone and belt. I think she's fantastica as not only a vocalist but as a musician as well. I'm so impressed with her growth, speaking as someone who is basically her age and who was there for "Whip My Hair" and loved it (so not too much on that one), I find that her own musical growth has been ccoincideing with mine for the past 5 or so albums and I'm so excited to see where she goes from here. I understand that the general consensus is to harp on Nepo's but I think Willow is genuinly an Artiste and truly passionate about her craft. Watching her even talk about her music process is dazzeling (I rec her rolling stones interveiw about this album). I would recommend you listen to a song she released before this album I think late last year or early this year called "alone" its very similliar to the album despite not being on it. It was, to me, a mid point between this era of Willow, and Coping Mechanism.

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

Oooh, what'd you saaaaay? I didn't realize how influential Imogen Heap really was until really digging into empathogen. I've found songs way back on Ardipithecus that showed more promise than I realized. Willow's albums get disproportionate press coverage due to her inherent fame, incentivizing the incredible musicians she gets to collab with. empathogen has JON fricken BATISTE Writing, Piano, and even drumming credits. Her Tiny Desk had both a bassist and drummer I recognized. I respect she's fighting against people who think it's ALL nepotism (obv not), but there's still a lot of incredible people working on these records you or I couldn't dream of if we had the same level of talent. That being said. Give her whoever she asks for to collab, she makes some great music!

[@kimberleywilliams7802]

@@tonyloafpoundstone That's actually so true!! Her fame due to her parents really allows her to connect with some amazingly talented and famous musicians no doubt! I mean Travis Barker produced her whole first pop punk album WILD! Also not I unearthed a less talked about insporation for her sound lol. I'm a HUGE fan of Ms Heap so I try toinsert her wherever I can!

[@Evolved-]

This new album is SHOCKINGLY good. She is a true artist.

[@MyawMyaw01]

willow's latest album is her best. I feel like the songs are made for different types of movies. And her voice, she really has a great tone that suits her songs. But I'd rather hear the live version as the studio ones don't capture the essence of her vocals

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

I've only seen the Tiny Desk. If she plays live with that caliber of musicians consistently... I might prefer the live stuff as well.

[@MyawMyaw01]

@tonyloafpoundstone Yes! The Tiny Desk was such a great set of performance. The first time I was blown by her voice was when she performed live with Tyler Cole the song Meet Me At The Spot.

[@sourdoughsavant22]

I agree, I feel like one song especially felt like it could be a great title sequence, even though it has words (i think it was run!)

[@anissat-tech]

You need to go and watch her just-released video for "Run!" - Wow... I really liked "Symptom of Life", but watch the Run video made me go get the album.

[@atonshonra]

Just imagine how viral whip my hair would’ve been in the era of TikTok. She’s certainly put in the hard work to become so accomplished at her craft at such at the young age of 23.

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

I was too busy planking in 2011 anyways.

[@carmencolita929]

Great review, love this album! Musically, Willow has grown exponentially with each project and it's really fun to watch. If I may genuinely ask, why are you so surprised to be a fan of a child of Will Smith? Despite how they are presented in the media these days both Will and Jada are primarily actors and musicians, so I don't think it's really a stretch for their children to be musically inclined and/or talented creatives. Just curious.

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

Thanks! I love it, too. I've already gone back to it. I'm not shocked Will/Jada have a talented daughter! I'm shocked they have a daughter who made an album I felt the compulsion to review. I'm shocked I'm telling people about Willow Smith, and my friends are shocked to hear the recommendation as well. I can't think of a comparable release!

[@Lovedasyouare1]

The fear is not real is my FAVORITE

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

I like the rhythmic switchups, it's def good. It's just between Symptom of Life and False Self... I had to pick one song to slander, forgive me. 🙏

[@PaigeWashington-q2k]

Back and forth between that and pain for fun

[@kittenslolmusic]

hello tonyloaf!! We're a pop duo from LA, and we love your reviews. Also, specifically loving your line in this review: "rhythmic fuckery" lol. We have been trying to reach you through other methods, but alas, youtube comments section seems like the only option! We released an album in January 2024, called "meowmento mori" and we would be honored if you gave our album a listen. Even more honored if you could review it! Thank you so much for reading. Appreciate your work! :)

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

Hello! What a lovely comment. I was (forgive me) skeptical, but you guys are absolutely cooking with Sorry. I love City Pop, esp Casiopea, and the sounds you're taking from the genre enhance your sound above normal synthpop. TBH it's not a space I'm knowledgeable in as far as contemporaries/influences, but I'll give it a couple listens and write some notes!

[@kittenslolmusic]

@@tonyloafpoundstone omg wow! first of all, thank you for giving it a listen and second of all, we appreciate you spending some extra time with it! love your reviews

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

Review is up. Processing took 45 minutes and I had to finish work before lunch. I tried to beat the 3 time zone changes so that my review would be up before the time of your original comment, but 45 min of YT processing may have ruined that.

[@KalebPeters99]

Yeah you're definitely right with the radiohead vibes I was also hearing a lot of Lianne La Havas in the acoustic guitar parts, heeeeaps of Esperanza Spalding in the arranging and vocals, and even a bit of Bjork in her delivery on "pain for fun"! This is the most interesting album I've heard in a good few years, I absolutely loved it ✨

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

YES on Lianne La Havas. It's been 4 years since that self-titled album blew me away. Would LOVE more music from her.

[@hannahwatkins7992]

Whip my hair was made for little girls, especially black girls so they'd appreciate and love their hair no matter the texture, or length. To call it trash without examining who it was for, its cultural relevance, or the fact that Willow herself was a child when she sang that, is so incredibly ignorant.

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

Interpreting my opinion of a song as a judgment of culture is ignorant. I'm talking about the wiggly air and how it feels to my 1-of-1 brain, not what it means to you personally and culture as a whole. I'm not a politics podcast.

[@hannahwatkins7992]

@@tonyloafpoundstone You called it trash without any explanation of why. You simply said "it's trash." You left that statement up to the interpretation of anyone watching your video. How would I or anyone else know your reasoning for saying that, if you don't say why in the video? If you call something trash, I'll take you for your words, not for whatever intention you had beneath that, that was never communicated or explained.

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

You wouldn't, you're correct. I'm on KZbin. Everything you say gets twisted. I make these in 1 improvised take. I wanted to talk about empathogen and allude to her INSANE growth as an artist, not let everyone know I'm aware Willow was 10 before a 2 sentence "as a white man" qualifier on why I personally dont like Whip My Hair. This momentary decision has lead to so many comments like yours. Lol.

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

Now, using your logic, what do I get to interpret from both: 1.) The prejudice you assumed I had based on the usage of "trash". 2.) Your assumption I didn't know who/what Whip My Hair is for or about under a review of Willow's own music. I personally interpret nothing, just disliking my take, but this game of assumptions takes us down a path of hate.

[@atlassolid5946]

@@tonyloafpoundstone how are you gonna claim that you're avoiding talking about the song culturally when all music is inherently cultural.

[@eatingtrees9077]

The Fear is Not Real is my second favorite track! The drum groove is so good!

[@LoLo-un3cw]

Willow has been making non mainstream bangers way before her commercial album releases. Y’all really need to tap into her old music under the guise wilough. This girl is talent, freedom and work personified

[@PaigeWashington-q2k]

Caught a vibe, baby are you coming for a ride DOMINATED tiktok for several years

[@NationalHooeyLeague]

I had this 'fuck im stanning this nepo baby' when I heard a song called Govinda from her album RISE. In 2020. A crisis in the midst of the pandemic lmao

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

North West's Hollywood Bowl performance brought me back to a sense of normalcy, at least. Lol

[@BeLikeWater-hu4qk]

Love her last two albums but this last one sounds more like her own sound, best so far

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

hasn't clicked yet but I'm hoping the few listens to empathogen will open it up to me!

[@bexiexz]

but you have to, shes so talented! ❤

[@thajunglelibrary]

no ‘down’ slander!! her vocals on that song are excellent!!

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

The vocals are all 'down' has (to me) on an album full of innovative and clever production and instrumentation. I'm a rock guy, that's on me! Most reviews I've read of empathogen since I put mine out fixate on the "simplicity" of the 23 year old's lyrics of self-discovery and maturity instead of the brilliant wiggly air underneath. THAT'S slander.

[@Kuntresss]

Now…I’ll let you say whatever you want, but let’s not get carried away, “Whip My Hair” is and will always be a classic pop BOP.

[@totallykate3906]

All I can hear is Radiohead, like all albums but mostly In Rainbows

[@chaptervixo]

The beginning? To stan her you should lnow songs like kittridge st. And nature, Disneyland, moon in my room.. her music now is a step down from her abilities.. 2012 to 2015 willow is the best music

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

Willow stans be like: "I love her but she peaked when she was 12."

[@boldnoriginal2024]

Weird Music Arrangements..I got bothered

[@tonyloafpoundstone]

'Weird' is often the home of 'interesting'. Do you know what bothered you?