Ear Candy

As a fellow New Englander, it almost feels impossible to avoid Noah Kahan these days. Whether it’s hearing one of his songs playing in a coffee shop or seeing his face on billboards across the region, his rise has been impossible to ignore. And after finally sitting down with The Great Divide, it becomes pretty clear why his popularity has continued to grow over the years. Noah’s folk-infused indie sound is genuinely captivating. Tracks like Season of the Sticks, Orbiter, and End of August immerse listeners in the warmth and richness of the genre, delivering music that feels deeply rooted in emotion and atmosphere. More than anything, Noah excels at capturing the feeling of New England during the fall — that peaceful stretch of time before the harsh winter settles in. His songwriting paints vivid images of small towns, changing leaves, isolation, nostalgia, and personal reflection in a way that feels authentic to the region. That said, the lyricism is also where the album occasionally loses me. While Noah’s writing is undeniably personal and poetic, there are moments where the storytelling becomes so specific that it starts to feel difficult to fully connect with unless you lived those exact experiences alongside him. At times, I found myself confused or struggling to fully grasp what certain songs were trying to communicate emotionally or narratively. Another issue is the album’s length. While The Great Divide is undoubtedly a solid project overall, the combination of dense lyricism and an extended runtime can make the listening experience feel exhausting before reaching the finish line. Some trimming in the tracklist may have helped the stronger moments shine even brighter. Still, there’s a lot to appreciate here. Noah Kahan continues to prove why he has become one of the defining voices in modern folk-pop, even if this project doesn’t completely stick the landing from front to back. From us at Ear Candy, The Great Divide earns a 6.8/10 on the Sweet-O-Meter — sweet in atmosphere and emotion, but weighed down by inconsistency and length.

I honestly respect it, we have rated a few albums as 10s so far but we felt that with this, it was a much slower paced project and at times we felt like we wanted some more of that excitement he usually brings but we understand what he was going for here. Either way, Bruno is amazing.

@playearcandy love this but all his albums are 10/10 tho🫶🏻

Bruno Mars — The Romantic Review Bruno Mars is in a tier of his own - and he proves it every time he drops. While his discography may not be the largest, the quality control is elite. Bruno is one of the few artists today whose music genuinely feels timeless, and The Romantic reinforces that. This time around, he steps away from the high-energy pop and funk of 24K Magic and An Evening With Silk Sonic and returns to his roots — the crooner. The yearning vocalist. The meticulous performer who lets lush, live instrumentation breathe while his voice does the heavy lifting. The production feels intentional and carefully curated, built to highlight emotion over flash. It's mature, refined, and patient. This is another strong one. Sweet-ometer: 8.8/10

@nancyannyerick Indeed, his concerts are immersive and they’re a real experience for sure

@playearcandy such a joyful performer. always a smile on his face and you can tell he really really loves what he does.

Brent Faiyaz — Icon Review Brent Faiyaz has carved out one of the most recognizable sounds in modern R&B. His cadence, moody production choices, and emotionally detached delivery are all signatures he engineered himself - and that identity is still intact on Icon. The problem? It doesn't evolve. I kept waiting for a creative left turn - a risk in production, a new vocal pocket, something that stretched the formula. Instead, the album feels sonically flat. The vibe never really shifts, and by the end of its 34-minute runtime, it starts to blur together like one extended track. It's not bad - it's just safe. For an artist of Brent's caliber, safe feels underwhelming. Sweet-ometer: 6/10 - smooth, cohesive, but stagnant.

I'm pleasantly surprised by this one. As Don continues to step deeper into the mainstream, it would've been easy for him to water things down - but Octane proves he's still locked in. Yes, there are clear sonic parallels to Travis Scott in the atmospheric production and melodic pockets, but Don's voice and cadence give him a lane that's uniquely his. What stands out most is consistency. Project after project - and even on features - Don rarely misses. He understands his strengths and leans into them without sounding repetitive. Octane feels polished, cohesive, and confident. It may not reinvent his sound, but it reinforces why he's one of the most reliable melodic artists out right now. Sweet-ometer: 8/10

Jack Harlow returns with Monica, his first full-length release in three years following Jackman — a project that doubled down on pure lyricism after fans felt Come Home The Kids Miss You leaned too heavily into melody and radio-friendly hooks rather than the rapping that originally put him on the map. With Monica, Jack takes an even bigger departure from the artist who dominated the charts with What’s Poppin’. This time around, he leans into a neo-soul and R&B-inspired sound, pulling clear influence from artists like Common and Erykah Badu, along with the smooth textures of early 2000s R&B pioneers. Jack isn’t exactly pouring his heart out vocally in the way someone like Chris Brown might. Instead, he delivers a laid-back, almost monotone vocal performance across much of the album. While that understated approach works in moments, it often leaves the project feeling flat rather than intentional. There are standout moments here. Trade Places and Move Along show flashes of what this album could have been, offering stronger songwriting and more memorable execution than much of the surrounding tracklist. Still, for a comeback album after a three-year hiatus, Monica feels like an experimental gamble that simply doesn’t pay off. There’s ambition here, and credit is due for taking a creative risk, but the end result lacks the energy and impact needed to make it a worthwhile evolution of Jack’s sound. From us at Ear Candy, Monica lands at a 4/10 on the Sweet-O-Meter — more sour than sweet.

Yebba’s Jean is nothing short of incredible. The Memphis native delivers a beautifully unique blend of indie and alternative soul, creating an experience that feels deeply personal and sonically captivating from start to finish. While many listeners may recognize Yebba from standout appearances on projects by Drake, Tyler, the Creator, and A$AP Rocky, hearing her fully step into the spotlight as the main artist is an entirely different experience. Jean showcases an artist with remarkable depth, vulnerability, and vocal command. The opening track, Forgiveness, is solemn and emotionally gripping. Yebba reflects on her unwavering faith in herself and the dreams she refused to let die, while also wrestling with the difficult question of whether forgiveness should be extended to those who once doubted her journey. Then there’s Yellow Eyes, one of the album’s brightest standouts and arguably the emotional centerpiece of the project. The track beautifully explores the bittersweet complexity of moving on from a meaningful relationship, balancing heartbreak with quiet acceptance. It’s easily one of the album’s most unforgettable moments. We could go on for hours about how masterfully crafted Jean is. From the songwriting to the production to Yebba’s breathtaking vocal performances, every detail feels intentional and authentic. From us at Ear Candy, this is an absolute 10/10 on the Sweet-O-Meter — as sweet as it gets.

Doing some long overdue reviews of albums that have been on nonstop repeat for the last couple of months!

Reports from sources close to Drake’s OVO camp claim the Recording Academy has reached out to both Drake and Universal Music Group regarding possible Grammy submissions for ICEMAN, HABITI, and MAID OF HONOR. According to those sources, Drake has declined involvement, reportedly maintaining his longstanding lack of interest in the Grammy process and the politics surrounding the awards. Despite his stance, Universal Music Group is said to be aggressively pushing for the projects to be submitted — a move that has allegedly created tension behind the scenes, with Drake reportedly threatening legal action against the label if they proceed against his wishes.

BREAKING: Alicia Andrews sentenced to 15 years in prison for her role in the 2024 killing of Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio. Andrews, who was convicted of manslaughter last year, was accused of helping facilitate the deadly Tampa ambush that left Foolio dead during his 26th birthday weekend in June 2024. Prosecutors argued she played a key role by helping coordinate travel and logistics for the group linked to the shooting, though jurors stopped short of convicting her on first-degree murder and conspiracy charges. (WJXT) The sentencing comes after months of legal delays and appeals from her defense team, who argued judicial bias impacted her original proceedings. Earlier this year, an appeals court removed the original judge from the case and assigned a new one before sentencing moved forward. (Court TV) The Foolio case has become one of Florida’s most high-profile rap murder prosecutions, with prosecutors tying the killing to Jacksonville’s long-running gang war between rival factions 6Block and ATK/1200 — a beef that played out for years through diss records, social media taunts, and real-world violence. (WJXT) While Andrews received 15 years, the four male co-defendants — including Isaiah Chance — were recently convicted of first-degree murder, with jurors recommending life sentences without parole. Prosecutors alleged Foolio was tracked after he publicly posted his Tampa location during his birthday celebrations, allowing the shooters to carry out the targeted ambush outside a Holiday Inn. (WJXT) Foolio’s death marked one of the most tragic endings to a rap feud that many warned had escalated far beyond music.

@ForzaHorizon @WeArePlayground yall made a great game but not putting any Yuki Chiba songs in this game is criminal especially after the run a song like “Team Tomodachi” had last year

Chris Brown’s BROWN debuts at #7 on this week’s Billboard 200 chart, earning 65,000 units in its first week.

Drake has officially surpassed Michael Jackson to become the artist with the most albums to spend a combined 10 years on the Billboard 200 📈

Drake’s three new albums generated a staggering 197,000,974 combined first-day streams on Spotify 📊

MAID OF HONOUR pulled in 29 million first-day streams on Spotify 📊

HABIBTI generated ~27.68 million first-day streams on Spotify 📊 A strong opening-day showing for the latest release as it continues adding to Drake’s record-breaking streaming run.

Drake’s ICEMAN pulled in 140.2 million first-day streams on Spotify 📊 ▫️ The biggest first-day album debut of 2026 ▫️ The second-biggest first-day debut for a hip-hop album in Spotify history, trailing only Certified Lover Boy

Drake is now the first artist ever to have 60+ songs charting at the same time on US Apple Music.