Taylor Bennett’s newest release “Restoration of an American Idol” is perhaps the rising artist’s strongest project to date. The album has some of the best feature verses and cohesion ever heard on a Bennett project and is superior to many other big-name artist projects. The album features many of these artists as guests, among them Kyle, Little Yachty and even Bennett’s brother, Chance the Rapper.
“Restoration of an American Idol” starts off strong with “Intro (The Kid’s Alright).” The opening track features an almost ethereal hook from Princetón, which sets the tone of the song. After the hook, Bennett talks about how he managed not to end up like the character described by Princetón, with meaningful lyrics like “My shoulders got broader / my music got smarter.” This is both a reference to one of Bennett’s previous tracks and a testament to how he has progressed as a musician.
The following song, “Roof Gone,” proves to be a bit less lyrically rich in meaning — containing some of the more explicitly sexual lines in the album. However, the expression of sexuality is still in the context of a relationship and is not a stereotype in which someone is interacting with a plethora of women simply because he can. This moderately-progressive approach to sexually-related lyrics continues throughout the album without overwhelming it. “Restoration of an American Idol” covers many topics, but it essentially focuses on Bennett’s recent experiences and growth at its core.
While most of the songs weren’t exactly materialistic, “Nobody Tell a Name” toed the line — focusing on how Raury and Bennett now had money and were able to buy brands like Gucci. However, the track is still strong due to the flows and the back and forth style between the two artists.
Bennett exhibits masterful rhyme schemes and rhythms throughout the entire album. A prime example is found in “Grown Up Fairy Tales,” with lines like, “I shook out my blessings with pressure / A precious depression / Picasso was best with no sketches / My architect’s narcissist stretcher.”
“Restoration of an American Idol” is an amazing experience. While the project may have been stronger if the representation of sexual interaction were more intimate and “Nobody Tell a Name” was omitted or changed, the album is absolutely worth a listen and will likely be one of the better releases this year.
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