Album Review: Everything’s Strange Here by G-Eazy

Gerald Earl Gillum, known professionally as G-Eazy, is an American rapper. ‘Everything’s Strange Here’ sees G-Eazy dwelling into a different artistic direction all together. In an Instagram post few weeks before the release of the album Gerald said that this record is his state of mind now. G-Eazy indulges in indie/alternative with a touch of pop whilst giving us a preview of his singing abilities. His voice is raw and dozed into autotune and reverb which helps give a melancholic feel to record. This 10 track long experimental project is surprisingly cohesive and shows a never seen before side of the famous rapper. G-Eazy is vulnerable, heartbroken and looking for answers, in contrast to his usual boastful and banger music. This project is a therapeutic experience for G-Eazy has this gets him in touch with his feelings and his reverence for his inspirations and favourite artists.

Here are my favorites from the album

• Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime: Everything’s Strange Here opens up with G-Eazy’s rendition of The Korgis’ 1980 track “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime” and puts his own twist to it, slowing it down and adding an intro and outro of him mumbling and laughing with a girl. 

• Free Porn Cheap Drugs: Free Porn and cheap drugs are a metaphor for fast life and the fight to never slow down. G-Eazy expresses his want to slow down and take a break but the life he leads won’t let him. The slowed down vocals and reverb on his perfectly encapsulates the message that G wants to put forward. 

•  All The Things You’re Searching For: the song samples “Where is my mind” by Pixies. This songs talks about the never-ending search for different things in life. Introspective of this concept takes you further into G’s emotional state of mind. Kossiko, & Ashley Benson come through on this track and make it a worthy listen. 

• Stan By Me: Stan by me is a more pop sounding track because it’s produced by Marshmello a giant in the pop/dance world. This song is G-Eazy critiquing on the millennial’s obsession with the internet. This song is the most radio friendly cut on this record and has all the potentials of being a sleeping hit. 

• In The Middle: G-Eazy is hurting after his break up and has finally come out with a post break up song. This song boasts the best chorus on this record and it’s very heartfelt and personal. 

• Nostalgia Cycle: Christoph Anderson has delivered his best work on this project and you can see that from this song. G-Eazy, in his reverbed and autotuned vocals,  talks about life before he was famous and the vicious cycle that he’s stuck in. Memories can have a powerful impact on your mind and this is what G-Eazy talks about on this cut.

• Every Night of the Year: this is a song that does the heavy lifting for this project. Coming in at over 5 mins the track talks about the struggle that artists go through. In the three verses G talks about a dancer, a writer and an actress trying to achieve their dreams. He mirrors this with his own struggle, making this the stand-out cut from this project. 

• Had Enough: this track feels like the G-Eazy that we’ve known as he’s spitting some bars on this cut. He mixes his rapping with his singing perfectly. The song addresses G-Eazy’s relationship with ex-girlfriend Halsey. The two had a tumultuous relationship and this is G-Eazy’s side of the fiasco. 

If a month ago you would have told me that G-Eazy would be doing an alternative project, I would have laughed it off and so would you after saying it. But these are truly strange times and here we are with an experimental project from the rapper. This projects shows a side to G-Eazy that we have never seen before. He ditches the brag rap for some of the most introspective song writing that he’s ever done. The project does struggle a bit because G-Eazy is not a trained singer and the drum patterns get repetitive at times but these minor flaws doesn’t take away from the fact that this is a brilliant attempt by Gerald and if this is the direction he chooses then it would be a thing to look out for. I rate this project a 7/10. Here’s a link to the album.