Viral Sensation 'Ugly Duck' Is Not To Be Missed

Ugly Duck is a nice little album that is almost reminiscent of the sounds of Steve Lacy and Omar Apollo. Though, by no means is it derivative.

The really nice, soft, and smooth vocals just mesh so well with the bass guitars and punchy drums from the production side of things. Do I think some moments are lackluster and forgettable? Yeah, quite a few, but I don't think this album is really bad in any way. Granted, I don't think it's amazing either, but it just has an almost unexplainable summery vibe.

I will say though, I much prefer the first half over the second. I just think it has a more interesting makeup and execution. The 25 minute runtime definitely aids in my enjoyment of this album, as it's just a slice of vibe, it doesn't run long enough for me to feel those issues with the second half, and it doesn't bog itself down with an unnecessary amount of tracks. Ugly Duck is a great album to just quickly spin while doing some work or bathing in the sunlight of a late afternoon.

Best Tracks: Front Desk, To be, or not to be ugly, The Mannequin Song

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