Album Review - Stormzy // Heavy is the Head

Friday 13th December 2019. The morning after the General Election and the British weather has pulled through with AMPLE pathetic fallacy, oh the day is a grizzly one. The kind of rain that doesn't even commit to being rain so it's not necessarily worth an umbrella, just a wet wet steam up ya glasses air, and the bus is cold as fuck. I’m not about to wallow on this morning, the saving grace of the day is not that it’s Christmas jumper day but the release of Stormzy's anticipated album - Heavy is the Head. Tickets have already been secured for the upcoming 2020 tour, over 8 months away - seats in the Gods only.

The album starts with a recording of a voice note Stormzy received in a DM from a fan begging him to release some new music and calling him a "pussyhole". Clearly that was a big Monday motivation for Stormzy. Big Michael starts and for the first time in the album we hear "suck your mum", I only note this as it becomes a re-occuring theme, I believe it stems from the Wiley beef which you can read more about in The Evening Standard online and other good broadsheet papers. 

Stormzy throws reference to his publishing deal with Penguin - #Merky Books which aims to support a new generation of voices, basically looking like good things to come - Google it. 

Audacity ft Headie One comes in angry "When Banksy put the vest on me / felt like God was testing me" Banksy of course designed the Union Jack emblazoned stab vest which is on the album cover which he also created.  The next track fully buckled me, Crown is probably my top track of the album, damn I have listened to this track everyday since it has come out, one of my top songs of 2019*  and I'm sure many will agree. I don't even want to ramble on and chat shit about it just bless yourself by listening. 

Stormzy comes in harder with Rainfall featuring Tiana Majo who gives us a catchy little lick "take the shackles off my feet so I can dance", the song also provides us with another "sucking of ones mum" moment.

In Rachael’s little brother he talks about all the roles he fills before finalising that at the end of it all he's just "Rachael's little brother", whilst listening I find myself either really stuck on the words hearing everything he is spitting to suddenly noticing that I've melted into an instrumental or piano melody, still processing what was said before, I'd struggle to put this on as background music, it's immersive and sucks you in every time.   

Handsome with J Hus continues the nod to his big sister "Young Black fly and handsome / Burn down the rave like I'm Rachael Anson". This song contains my favourite suck your mum reference where he suggests doing it through a straw (I hope he is recommending the bamboo kind).  

I have had the album in my headphones almost everyday since it’s come out to and from to work. Still excited to listen to my favourites. There are so many catchy bars and I cannot get enough of some of the more mellow tracks, whether it's the memorable melodies or the fact i'm staring out at the rain drizzling down the window wondering what could be...

In One Second, Stormzy addresses his anger towards NME back in 2017 "I am not the poster boy for mental health" when he wasn't aware they would be using his image on an article discussing depression. The album would be a fucking field day for a GCSE English class, it's open to dissection with references from Stormzy's past and recent history. So many notable lyrics such as "I am young, Black, beautiful and brave". He also speaks kindly of fellow artist Little Simz "see her on stage I know that women can be kings". 

The beat on Pop Boy SLAPS and verses from Aitch bring a refreshing new pace. Stormzy relays that in his area he is a Top Boy without having to be in Top Boy, the recently rebooted Channel 4 drama taken over to Netflix thanks to Drake. With features from J Hus, Aitch and Ed Sheeran we are treated with a variety of moments and licks.

As it has already been widely talked about, Stormzy throws us all back by sampling the Tracy Beaker theme song. It's no secret that millennial's always vibed with the theme song at the time, I always personally drew similarities between the theme and Nelly's Dilemma featuring Kelly Rowland. It's a genuine and touching ending to this song and I truly believe that our generation honestly feels the meaning of the words along with the comfort and nostalgia they hold. The small verse could act as a hope restoring mantra in these times of unrest and I for one will be uttering these sentiments to myself as I bumble along this unruly game of life.

The album draws to a close with the previously released and well known track Vossi Bop which has already graced the stage at Glastonbury. On this very morning, “Fuck the government and Fuck Boris" could not have rang any louder in my ears. 

Pull ya pants up, do up ya shoe laces, clean the wax out ya headphones and tune in the Heavy is the Head. 

Basically, the album bangs, one that will keep drawing you back with so many catchy tracks. We can only imagine how insane the tour is going to be. 

All I'm saying is; Big Michael, Stormzy... he's up there with the Kinks.

*or fuck it, 2020 too.