Photo courtesy of Radio Corporation of America
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On July 17, Steve Lacy released his third studio album “Oh yeah?” Lacy’s new release is the first full-length installation in the artist’s discography since the 2022 smash hit “Gemini Rights.”
The 2022 album launched Lacy to the forefront of pop music, boasting chart toppers like “Bad Habit” and “Static.”
Four years removed from “Gemini Rights,” the audience is introduced to a changing, evolving Lacy. The smooth vocals, guitar chords and diverse influences that underpin Lacy’s style are present, but the tongue-in-cheek lyricism and stripped-back aesthetics are turned up to the nines.
Lacy’s evolution is greatly evidenced by the lead single “the feeling.” Lyrics such as “The devil’s working hard to keep me alone / I know we’re down to the wire” convey a growing pessimism and desperation toward love.
Moreover, the lyricism on “the feeling” reads as an intoxicated stream of consciousness delivered over a drum loop, culminating in the pleading refrain “am I your baby?”
The hopeful melancholy on “Gemini Rights” is hardly a feature of “Oh yeah?” Instead, this new album displays a more introspective and heartbreaking tone, revealed by the lyrics: “When you start writing songs just to stop thinking ‘bout him / Oh then you start writing songs and you make ‘em about him.”
Lacy’s persona on “Oh yeah?” is one of the more alluring aspects of the album. The second track “is it cool?,” which features SZA, has Lacy grappling with his vices, shown in the lines: “Tatay died when I was like 10 / I turned out to be just fine / I just cheat every now and again / That was hard for me to admit.”
Lacy’s actions aren’t meant to be endorsed, perhaps not even fully understood. He’s not portrayed as a flawless hero, but a lovable infidel whom the audience is able to find themselves rooting for.
“Nothing” and “show you me” are pockets where Lacy accents the depths of his vulnerability. The minimalistic “show you me” spotlights crooning vocals over strumming guitar.
The meditative “nothing,” two songs down the track list, further exposes the artist, saying “I think we could have been something / Maybe it’s just timing / When we don’t speak for a while I get feral.” This animalistic description within Lacy’s confession is a strong mark of self-awareness that further adds to his character.
The opening track, which was featured in Spider Man: Brand New Day, opens the album on a high note. The energetic call-to-action vibe of the song does not spare it from hosting one of the project’s most crushing lyrics: “I don’t want to lose again / Please I beg / Could my hope be of value?”
The album’s final song, “bebe” is what can only be described as dark and sinister, as seen in the line “You put me under your spell tonight.” Rounding out the album’s moody sonic palette, Lacy laments his romantic entanglements: “I’m hexed, goddam it”.
A four-year hiatus after the modern classic “Gemini Rights” set the bar extremely high for a follow up. Luckily, the new album is full of ear worms that get better with every listen.
“Oh yeah?” is the perfectly-executed evolution of Lacy’s artistry. Even “pure color,” a song comparatively eventless, still broadens and reinforces the soundscape.
A tight 10 tracks and 40 minutes, “Oh yeah?” culminates into Lacy’s best album to date.
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Contact Riley McGeehon via email: riley.mcgeehon@pepperdine.edu