Sollars – “TONIC” / “Drink W My Buddies”
Sollars – “TONIC” / “Drink W My Buddies” – Singles Review
Just about every career in music and art will feel like an endless series of adjustments at some point along the way. A step or two forward with one release, a step or two backwards with the next…when you’re in the process of creating, it can be extremely hard to tell which way you’re heading until things get released and you end up facing the court of public opinion as they render their verdict on your work.
I’m a little split on these new cuts from Sollars if I’m being real with ya. Remembering how damn good things sounded the last time we crossed paths when we reviewed the Sometimes I Feel EP earlier this year, I gotta say…”TONIC” felt like a shot that whizzed way past the mark it should have been aiming for. I’ve been on a personal crusade railing against the whole blown-out sound of bass beats for years, so I can’t really hold that particular aspect of this single against Sollars specifically when I’d be the first to tell you that there is a ton of people out there that seem to dig taking this approach. I’m not gonna pretend to understand it…distorted production versus crystal clarity? Is there any real comparison to be made? I could go into the whole ‘how the average everyday listener hears music’ thing, but you regular readers have heard all that from me before…I’ve made my case on how most folks wouldn’t know the difference between someone using the blown-out sound intentionally, and a producer that isn’t paying attention to where the red line is on their studio boards. Live by the sword and die by the sword when it comes to stylistic decisions and directions with your sound…I’m never gonna be able to find my way to where I think this is an effective method for making music, but like I said, I do know there are other people that like it. As I always tell ya, if that’s you, turn it on UP loud and proud – I’ll be here praying for your stereo system. My issues with “TONIC” probably go far beyond that though if I’m being real with ya. I just didn’t ever feel like I could get behind this single, which is TOUGH because I genuinely like this dude. But I’m not here for old recycled tongue twisters like the whole Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled whatever the fuck…I don’t know what else to say than it’s just not something that interests me I guess. At his focused best, Sollars has the potential to be as great as someone like Harry Mack when it comes to his combination of insight and rhymes. I like the personality he put into the mic and the energy in his performance on “TONIC,” but that’s about where I felt like it stopped for me. Lyrically, it’s just not my favorite cut from the man, and from my perspective, he’s capable of so much more than what he reveals to you here on this latest single. Dude can rap, let’s be clear about that…when it comes to what he’s doing on the mic, I’m right back in this dude’s corner – but I am looking for stronger content and better production than what we experience on “TONIC” and I was a little surprised that this was the next cut to come out from Sollars when he practically laid down the blueprint for his own success on the last singles he dropped. Dig the flow, dig the metering…the performance is honestly solid. “I’m maxxing these levels” doesn’t even cover it though…if he’s seeing another color on the studio boards other than red, I’d be amazed. “I’m back in this bitch with a whole lot to say,” also felt debatable here, because I’m not detecting all that much substance in the lyricism here homie…Sollars has way more in the tank than this.
As far as “Drink W My Buddies” is concerned, from my perspective, it’s easily the better of the two tracks. Part of that is definitely due to the clarity in the production, I ain’t gonna lie – it brings the level of accessibility and DESIRE to keep listening to this song up about a thousand degrees. It’s built and designed to be a party cut, which kinda is what it is…I’m not here to argue that this is the most involved or mentally compelling stuff I’ve heard from the guy, but hey, I’m no more immune to an irresistible vibe than you are. While the content itself might be highly surface level, I’m not gonna take any major points away from a guy that clearly went into making this track with a vision for what he wanted to accomplish, and executed like a complete professional. Last I checked, tracks that are built and designed to take the party to the next level are pretty damn well received in this world we’re living in, so I’d probably tell you that Sollars might very well have inadvertently created THE summer anthem for many of you out there with “Drink W My Buddies” – maybe even myself included. Ain’t no shame in enjoying a song that might be a little thinner in concept when it sounds as good as this does. As I’ve mentioned in the past, Sollars is a highly ambitious dude, and he can often be at his best when he gives his music a noticeably hybrid dimension to it. As in, when he chooses to sing, it’s almost always a really good idea – and he’ll prove that to you with some of the best hooks he’s added into a song to-date. You’ll go quickly from thinking that he’s got a decent tune with “Drink W My Buddies” into being certain that you’ll never want to stop spinning this song. The performance he puts in is fantastic, the sound of the song itself is absolutely stellar, and the versatility he shows us between singing and rapping is full proof that this dude is gifted in both departments. I like the ideas he adds in with the layers of vocals and such…that all works too. The music and beat is seriously killer, and hearing him make the most of every moment with his performance was freakin’ fantastic y’all. It might come down to the potency of the main hooks on this song when it comes to how insanely addictive it becomes, but I’m not takin’ any points away from the guy for the verses…everything about “Drink W My Buddies” sparkles and shines from the music to the microphone. Honestly, this is exciting and energetic stuff that’s nothing but enticing to listen to. It highlights the man’s charisa and charm, in my opinion, which have always been two of the main reasons you want to listen to this dude. This single alone might very well make it a Sollars summer for a whole lot of y’all out there when it officially comes out this year – I definitely don’t expect to be alone in feeling like this is a track that’ll live on my playlist long beyond this season.
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