Ace Ventura Ain't Got Nothing On Me!
Ventura is Anderson. Paak’s latest album and was released in April. Ventura is my alternative suggestion for Moonchild’s Little Ghosts RnB album, which I reviewed last week. Ventura is an example of how to do RnB correctly, because unlike Little Ghosts, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Each song has its own purpose and is memorable in its own way.
Ventura is a love letter to old school RnB with elements of funk. Utilizing real instruments and romantic slice-of-life lyrics, it is Anderson. Paak’s most mature album so far. He is able to bring to life ideas of the domestic parts of marriage and romance. It feels like Anderson made this album after he got married and had two kids. He writes about worrying if his wife will come home on the song “Come Home,” and if she even wants to stay together on the song “Make it Better.” Addressing real topics is part of what makes Ventura great. This album was his baby; you can hear how much passion and inspiration he put into it.
Ventura experiments with the ideas that make real-life interesting. In “Make It Better,” Anderson sings about keeping things new and exciting. He makes the different parts of life that might be considered boring, interesting.
The production on this album is incredible. It’s a melting pot of jazz, funk, and RnB. The production has a way of adding to the romance as the music becomes its own character. The music feels like it has a heartbeat. When the sound mixes with Anderson’s rich voice, a musical masterpiece is created.
Compared to his last album, Oxnard, this one feels more true to his style. The features on Oxnard remind listeners more of Dr. Dre, who produced the project. Ventura feels like his own album. The features on it only add to its greatness.
Ventura is about love, lost love and marriage. There is not a bad song and you’d be missing out if you didn’t listen to them all.
TJ Pittinger is a freshman studying theology.