Slowthai has undoubtedly been quite active. He gained notoriety quickly in 2019 with the divisive and divisive “Nothing Wonderful About Britain,” but two years later, on “TYRON,” he returned to pleasantly surprise me. Given that he used his real name as the album’s title, it was practically inevitable that he would throw everything into it.
I dubbed him a man who had “effectively spanned the gap from local to worldwide.” Maybe it was premature. Slowthai is stepping back from becoming a crossover worldwide performer on songs like the Darko and Dan Carey produced “Selfish.” He plunges back into the actual and symbolic muck from where he came. The portrayal of slowthai as a prisoner in the video leaves nothing to the viewer’s imagination.
“We get what we deserve/somehow, we never learn.”
Slowthai is not one of the soon-to-be-famous smiling, joyful couples holding hands. Although I like his frankness and courage to reject the idea of being popular, there is a good chance that his wishes have already been accomplished by a song that frequently sounds like power drills drilling into human heads. This sound was created just for the intended audience. This is a recurrent motif in “UGLY.” Even a song like “Feel Good” is just a pop song in disguise. The only song from this slowthai album that stands out might be this one, yet even just the chorus reveals the song’s sinister undertone. It seems like Tyron is attempting to convey the message till he is persuaded.
You already know the answer when slowthai asks the query “Wotz Funny” on the CD. “Pretty people do the ugliest things,” the song goes. “Single mother, three kids, no butter/but she’s got a pair of tits.” For Mr. Frampton or any of the listeners, nothing is even somewhat amusing. This CD by a distressed teen is intended for other troubled people. Slowthai describes himself on this album as the Suicidal Tendencies of UK rap, and he looks good wearing a pair of Doc Martens. Even sharing the visualizer for “25% Club” might cause it to be removed from this review, I believe. That’s odd because the video footage shows Tyron severing, which may be the closest he comes to being joyful.
I have a strong impression that “UGLY,” like his debut album, will receive radically disparate reactions both domestically and overseas. With the release of an album that had guest appearances from A$AP Rocky, James Blake, and Denzel Curry, Mr. Frampton could have easily made money. The boy was created, but with this discharge, he very consciously and visibly un-created himself. This isn’t a relaxing album to have a decent cup of tea to. It’s not always pleasant to listen to Tyron pick at scabs until he’s a bloody mess, but it’s indisputably the vision of a man who refuses to be defined by his own success.
Because I admire his desire to be inaccessible here, it kills me to admit that better production decisions may have made it more accessible. If I had to summarize and put a bow on it, I would say that “UGLY” is an album that will likely be valued more in 25 years than it is now. Well done, Tyron.
