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Album Mode
Demar Grant & Adriel Smiley
304 episodes
3 weeks ago
Welcome to Album Mode where journalist, Demar Grant and The Cool Table host, Adriel Smiley breakdown and review the latest albums. Each episode features a new album where both hosts dive in-depth about the project and the artist’s path to its release.
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Music Commentary
Music,
News,
News Commentary,
Entertainment News
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All content for Album Mode is the property of Demar Grant & Adriel Smiley and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Welcome to Album Mode where journalist, Demar Grant and The Cool Table host, Adriel Smiley breakdown and review the latest albums. Each episode features a new album where both hosts dive in-depth about the project and the artist’s path to its release.
Show more...
Music Commentary
Music,
News,
News Commentary,
Entertainment News
Episodes (20/304)
Album Mode
"DON'T TAP THE GLASS" Around Tyler, the Creator's Aura | REVIEW
Démar and Adriel react to Tyler the Creator's latest album "DON'T TAP THE GLASS", discuss whether he's a mainstream artist and if this is his first flop.

Démar’s rating: 8.5 / 10
Adriel's rating: 5 / 10

The Love List: Sucka Free, Ring Ring Ring, I'll Take Care of You, Don't You Worry Baby

Timecodes: 

3:54 - Tyler does big 1st week numbers 
9:19 - Not a concept album
13:20 - Past Tyler the Creator reviews
15:49 - Favourite Tyler the Creator era
17:58 - ‘Ring, Ring, Ring’ should be a single
23:43 - A lot of 80’s references sonically
27:37 - Mommanem
35:44 - Demar is in disbelief
36:46 - Will Tyler find love?
42:40 - Is Post-cancellation?
49:30 - Is this Tyler, the Creator's first flop era?
51:45 - Second time releasing on a Monday
54:27 - His spot in Hip-Hop History
56:30 - The Cover
1:03:03 - The Score

Follow us:

TikTok: 
Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant

 ===================================

Tyler, the Creator - DON'T TAP THE GLASS / 2025 / hip hop, rap, alternative hip hop, Dance
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3 weeks ago
1 hour 12 minutes

Album Mode
Clipse "Let God Sort Em Out" and Won | REVIEW
Démar and Adriel react to Clipse's latest album, 'Let God Sort Em Out', geriatric hip hop and the idea of artists making hip hop well into their 50s

Démar’s rating: 8.5 / 10
Adriel's rating: 7.5 / 10

The Love List: E.B.I.T.D.A., Ace Trumpets, Let God Sort Em Out/Chandeliers,


Timecodes:

1:25 - Every corner of the hip-hop world that’s not part of the mainstream was waiting
3:40 - Is this album really happening?
4:59 - ‘It’s Almost Dry ‘ score
6:40 - Playboi Carti comparison
7:26 - The rollout is getting so much love
8:35 - The original Drake hater/comments about Travis Scott  
13:44 - The production
22:08 - Always has duality in their music / more human parts on the project
25:57 - 50-year-olds in hip hop
28:30 - Hip-hop is the only genre that can’t age gracefully  
28:55 - Hip-hop never got pulled away / never a normalization of how people aged in the genre
35:21 - The blog era of hip-hop is approaching their 40s
37:00 - Favourite song
46:15 -  Almost for the reaction on the timeline  
53:31 - The Score


Follow us:

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Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
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Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant

 ===================================

Clipse - Let God Sort Em Out / 2025 / hip hop, rap
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1 month ago
57 minutes

Album Mode
Justin Bieber's "SWAG" is Back | REVIEW
Démar and Adriel react to Justin Bieber's latest album, 'SWAG', Bieber's closeness to the black community and whether he still is that guy we thought he was in the 2010s .

Démar’s rating: 5.5 / 10
Adriel's rating: 6 / 10

The Love List: ALL I CAN TAKE, DAISIES, DADZ LOVE, DEVOTION

Timecodes:

5:30 - This album is showing he’s spending time with the black community
6:29 - Past Jb review
8:29 - Interested in the rollout
8:45 - No single/single worthy
9:00 - Janet Jackson comparison
14:41 - Dijon and Mkgee
18:35 - Justin is a versatile vocalist
19:37 - Always thought Gunna was an underrated/ Bieber worst part of the song
21:05 - Sweet spot
23:55 - Technically, the bars may fit but its not working
24:30 - Not many songs like this / unique record
25:23 - Meg The Stallion comparison
27:23 - Druski
29:31 - Druski, the best comedian?
31:01 - Cosplay Bieber too much on the nose
31:56 - Iceland billboard
40:50 - The cover
44:35 - He’s not in his bad boy era he’s becoming a dad
47:47 - The score 

Follow us:

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Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
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Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================

Justin Bieber - Swag / 2025 / pop, new jack swing, synth pop
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1 month ago
52 minutes

Album Mode
Haim's Songwriting Barely Saves 'I Quit''s Bland Production | REVIEW
Démar and Adriel break down Haim's latest album 'I Quit', their closeness to black music and the idea of going 'indie rock mainstream'.

Démar’s rating: 6 / 10
Adriel's rating: 5.5 / 10

The Love List: Gone, Relationships, Spinning, Million Years

Timecodes:

1:41-  Where does one go after peaking above indie pop mainstream
2:26 - In some circles, people know them 
4:44 - MJ comparison
8:10 - First memory
12:28 - This album is kind of like to good and bad of this genre of music  
13:24 - Why do you need to reduce your sound to stomp clap 
17:13 - Love you right is better than what it is  
23:15 - Arlo Parks song
27:58 - A ton of songs that could be singles
30:00 - Almost too pop  
31:34 - Overall good songwriters
39:43 - Putting an artist in a category
40:41 - What does this mean for their career
44:56 - The Cover
47:05 - The Score

Follow us:

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Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
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Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================

Haim - I Quit / 2025 / indie, rock, pop, soft rock
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1 month ago
50 minutes

Album Mode
'Honestly Nevermind' Has Aged Like Fine Wine 3 Years Later | RETROSPECTIVE
Honestly, Nevermind was met with confusion when it first came out but its fandom has been growing over the past 3 years since it's release. Démar and Adriel do a little bit of a retrospective on the album and look into how it Honestly, Nevermind continues to age like fine wine.

Timecodes:

0:55 Original review – Demar said in the future people are going to fuck with this
2:25 Is a very much do you know ball convo
2:50 Setting the scene with the drake albums (CLB etc…)
9:18 One of Drake’s best aging albums
11:55 The one flaw with Honestly, Nevermind
14:35 Who else could do this?

Follow us:

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Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================

Drake - Honestly, Nevermind / 2025 / pop, club, house, rap
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1 month ago
19 minutes

Album Mode
Little Simz Blossoms With 'Lotus' | REVIEW
Démar and Adriel break down Little Simz's sixth studio album 'Lotus', how the production sounds nothing like a hip hop album and whether this is Simz's best written album.

Démar’s rating: 9 / 10
Adriel's rating: 9 / 10

The Love List: Thief, Hollow, Free, Blood, Lotus, Lonely

Timecodes:

3:08 - The view over her career because she is from the UK
4:55 - Black Thought comparison as a rapper
6:09 - 
7:39 - That’s their Dominic Fike
10:38 - Thief sets the tone for the album
11:35 - Non-Traditional Hip-Hop beats in this era on this album
12:09 - Did they get it right with the singles?
12:51 - Pharrell singing on the song – that should be the single
13:24 - Thief is more indicative of the album
14:13 - SAULT explained
15:58 - Hollow – haven’t heard some one making subs since Drake on Scorpion
19:41 - Songs that made me think of the creation of this project (rap rock mixes)
23:08 - Young’ is the actual song good
25:24 - I’m a little teapot with her whole chest
29:58 - You are learning about who she is as a person through her music
34:04 - What this means for her career
34:18 - Not an album that anyone else has made
40:59 - No Skips
42:04 - The Cover
44:00 - The Scores

Follow us:

TikTok: 
Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================

Little Simz - Lotus / 2025 / hip hop, rap, uk hip hop, uk rap
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2 months ago
50 minutes

Album Mode
Miley Cyrus' Raspy Voice is 'Something Beautiful' | REVIEW
Démar and Adriel break down Miley Cyrus' ninth (!!) studio album 'Something Beautiful', how her voice allows her to make music beyond her years and how underrated she is as a songwriter.

Démar’s rating: 8 / 10
Adriel's rating: 6.5 / 10

The Love List: Prelude, End of the World, More to Lose, Easy Lover, Reborn

Timecodes:

3:23 - Hannah Montana – moved past that
8:44 - Did they get it right with the singles?
9:14 - End of the world
10:03 - Under-rated songwriter
10:49 - Reborn – 80’s revivalist track
13:19 - Sounds like and early 2000’s movie
15:04 - American Idol music
19:22 - Sex and the City reference
19:58 - Pretend your god/90’s pop
22:38 - Her voice sounds like a 50-year-old chain smoker
29:13 - This is a better vocal performance when we had in the past
30:05 - Olivia comparison
34:00 - Stove God Cooks   
37:40 - The world's burning but lets go to Greece
39:12 - Naomi Campbell
42:17 - Aesthetic overall
42:29 - Interlude 1 – Demar fav song
43:50 - Who released the best movie album
50:09 - The cover – unrated
52:00 - The Score


Follow us:

TikTok: 
Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================

Miley Cyrus - Something Beautiful / 2025 / pop, country, pop country, synth pop
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2 months ago
56 minutes

Album Mode
Common's 'Be' is an Instant Classic That Still Holds Up 20 Years Later | REVIEW
Démar and Adriel break down Common's classic album 'Be', how much hip hop production has changed in the past 20 years and how intricate "real rap" was in 2005.

Démar’s rating: 8 / 10
Adriel's rating: 8.5 / 10

The Love List: Be (Intro), The Corner, GO!, The Food, They Say

Timecodes:

3:16 - Listening as an adult has a different tone
4:25 - Song bigger than the album
5:48 - Common’s longevity
6:36 - The Soulquarians are a real supergroup
8:49 - My Way Home
10:45 - His relationship with Erykah Badu (BE)
11:55 - 2005 Trivia  
18:50 - Good album to listen to on public transit  
22:57 - The last part of GO  - scratching on the single
24:42 - How much hip-hop has progressed from this sound
26:19 - This sound is a relic now    
28:30 - Same person who listens to Benny the Butcher also listens to Playboi Carti
29:30 - The type of sampling Kanye mastered
32:47 - Might be the last song on a DJ Khaled
34:26 - So many of these songs and lyrics have topics
36:34 - doesn’t seem like a topic on a Common song
37:35 - The complexity of the rapping was higher at this point  
42:36 - The way he put songs together is underrated
43:25 - his ability to observe things and rap about them    
53:30 - LL Cool J comparison
54:15 - The album colour  
56:00 - No Skips
58:06 - The Score

Follow us:

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Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================

Common - Be / 2005 / hip hop, rap, conscious rap, back pack rap
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2 months ago
1 hour 2 minutes

Album Mode
'13 Months of Sunshine' Cements Aminé's Summer Status | REVIEW
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Aminé's third studio album '13 Months of Sunshine', Aminé cementing himself as a summer artist and how mortal enemies Drake and Pusha T are his main influences.

Démar’s rating: 8 / 10
Adriel's rating: 8.5 / 10

The Love List: 13MOS, Feels So Good, New Flower!, Cool About It, Temptations

Timcodes:

2:42 - Previous Aminé album rating – surprised how high
5:00 - Feels like an extension of Kaytraminé
8:13 - Drake influence
10:04 - Production is the star
10:39 - Aminé is a fun Pusha T on 13 MOS  
18:25 - Free Nationals / The Internet comparison 
20:08 - What other rapper is going to hear this beat and do anything with it
21:33 - The skits add texture to this album
22:59 - Clear pride for him and his family – keeping people alive with the photos in my house 28:45 Using multiple languages to rap  - compressing multiple references
35:30 - New Flower is a revamped Mutt 
39:35 - The Cover
42:00 - May be going into the Album Mode Hall of Fame  

Follow us:

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Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
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Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================

Aminé - 13 Months of Sunshine / 2025 / tropical house, hip hop, rap, alternative hip hop
Show more...
2 months ago
50 minutes

Album Mode
Kali Uchis' 'Sincerely' is a Reversion to Glory Days | REVIEW
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Kali Uchis' latest album 'Sincerely,' how she's tracing her musical lineage throughout the album and whether her reversion is worth it.

Démar’s rating: 8.5 / 10
Adriel's rating: 7.5 / 10

The Love List: Illegal, Tonight, Noises, Stateside,

Timecodes:

1:34 - Demar’s favourite women's weekend
5:40 - No Features
6:39 - Song structure  
10:40 - thinks it has regressed a little
14:00 - Sunshine and Rain/pocket of drums
16:17 - Pre R&B
20:40 - For you
22:19 - It sounds like silk lingerie
24:50 - Her voice is an instrument
28:00 - Lana Del Rey comparison
36:45 - How do you feel about no features?
39:04 - Small breath for some extra air – could have enjoyed another artist
43:15 - Her cover game is weird
45:25 - The Scores

Follow us:

TikTok: 
Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================

Kali Uchis - Sincerely, / 2025 / R&B, Soul
Show more...
2 months ago
50 minutes

Album Mode
PinkPantheress Becomes the John Wick of Music with 'Fancy That' | REVIEW
This week Démar and Adriel discuss PinkPantheress' latest mixtape 'Fancy That', PinkPantheress the producer beginning to outshine PinkPantheress the artist and how PinkPantheress has become the John Wick of music.

Démar’s rating: 8.5 / 10
Adriel's rating: 7.5 / 10

The Love List: Illegal, Tonight, Noises, Stateside,

Timecodes:

2:42 - Demar is a superfan
4:56: - Too short because it’s good
5:30 - John Wick of music  
7:28 - Doesn’t feel like a full project / HMV Days
9:50 - Forza racing, when listening to this
11:08 - Sounds like a toddler that needs to get outside
13:00 - Did she get it right with the singles?
16:34 - Feels like a normal person song
18:14 - ‘Illegal’ is what people think she sounds like  
18:34 - Basement Jaxx sample
19:24 - Producing her own music
22:24 - Song about weed  
26:22 - Previously, her music did not talk about sex
28:10 - She’s from the TikTok era, where the hype matches the quality  
29:41 - The music is bigger than she is
31:21 - The Cover
33:05 - The Scores

Follow us:

TikTok: 
Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
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Twitter:
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Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================

PinkPantheress - Fancy That / 2025 / house, dance, drum n' bass
Show more...
2 months ago
39 minutes

Album Mode
Yung Lean leans Into Apathy on 'Jonatan' | REVIEW
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Yung Lean's latest album Jonathan, what he meant to cloud rap, his transition to rock and how his lethargic singing tilts into apathy.

Démar’s rating: 3.5 / 10
Adriel's rating: 4.5 / 10

The Love List: Might Not B, Horses, My Life

Timecodes:

3:30 - How do you feel about reviewing YL
6:25 - The modern swaggy trap white rapper
7:16 - His influences
8:40 - Two stand-out lines  - shut the world off
14:45 - Album drags on you  
16:16 - I don’t think he can really sing
16:24 - Sing rapping is a saviour for rappers who can’t sing
18:19 - Feels like an audition for Brock Hampton  
19:30 - Has harmonies, but his voice is the worst part of it  
21:03 - Singing at a pace of Dominic Fike
21:33 - The actual emotion of the singing is not being conveyed  properly
32:33 - Kanye couldn’t figure out the drums for Find Your Love
36:18 - Chief Keef comparison
38:06 - Feels like 808’s and heartbreaks
40:41 - The cover
42:11 - The Score


Follow us:

TikTok: 
Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================


Yung Lean - Jonatan / 2025 / indie rock, rock,
Show more...
3 months ago
46 minutes

Album Mode
Wiz Khalifa Revives His Sound on 'Kush + Orange Juice 2'
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Wiz Khalifa's latest mixtape Kush + Orange Juice 2 how he was one of the kings of the blog era and how his trademark sound is one step away from becoming cutting edge.

Timecode:
2:34 Freestyles leading up to the project 
3:17 Most influential rappers of the last 15 years
4:16 Wiz day to day vlogs
5:46 OKAY Wiz Khalifa Voice
6:46 The cargo shorts  
9:12 Say Yeah
9:32 Mixtape buzz
11:41 Kush & Orange Juice
12:28 Flight School
13:24 Demar Kids comparison
17:35 Mixtapes have died
18:07 Feel like he’s trying to capture his old sound
21:40 Ashbeck
25:29 Has Wiz been on a UK track
27:10 I might be
30:29 Max b interlude
35:05 Did Wiz get it right with the singles?
36:03 Could benefit from getting in the jazz drill space
38:15 Fits in with UK rappers
42:55 Wiz will never rap about something new
50:45 Juicy J
57:09 The cover
01:00:45 The score  


TikTok:
Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod
Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom
Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi

Instagram:
Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/
Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/
Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/

Twitter:
Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod
Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_
Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant

===================================
Démar’s rating: 7 / 10 Adriel's rating: 7 / 10
The Love List: What's Hannin, Just To See You Smile, Jet Taylor, Crime Bud and Women 
Show more...
3 months ago
1 hour 6 minutes

Album Mode
Bon Iver's 'SABLE, fABLE' finds it's groove but never embraces it | REVIEW
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Bon Iver's fifth studio album SABLE, fABLE how it nears greatness before ultimately shying away and how it feels longer than its 41 minute runtime implies.

Démar’s rating: 4 / 10
Adriel's rating: 4 / 10

The Love List: THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS, S P E Y S I D E, I'll Be There

Timecodes:

1:29 - Thought it was one dude
2:36 - Sampha comparison  
04:43 - Adriel’s Doppelganger
6:16 - Best Feature
8:26 - First disc songs were released on a separate EP
11:13 - Loneliness when it comes to folk
15:30 - If you’re going to do a long intro
21:48 - Frank Ocean vibes
23:14 - A 2025 song
24:33 - Mustafa comparison
26:53 - ‘From’ traditional format – boat rock
30:29 - Undanceable
31:11 - Missing the black part of the music
41:05 - As a full project, it’s a different kind of listen
42:05 - The production is hiding the lyrics in a bad way
42:25 - What it means for their career
49:15 - The cover
51:40 - Score 

Follow us:

TikTok: 
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 ===================================


Bon Iver - SABLE, fABLE / 2025 / indie rock, folk, rock
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3 months ago
56 minutes

Album Mode
The Greatest Debut Albums in Album Mode Review History
Cue the filler music! Adriel and Démar are taking a look back into the annals of Album Mode history and to find the best debut projects they've ever reviewed. When you've been podcasting for nearly 5 years, you can do that. We're talking Unknown T, Olivia Rodrigo and of course the goddess, PinkPantheress and more!

Timecodes:
5:36 - Framework of the context of the artist
6:28 - The album that is the furthest in their career
7:39 - Arlo Parks
15:34 - Has a lane can work with more of the street artists
16:07 - Folk artist but gritty
16:56 - The Last Dinner Party
22:37 - Silk Sonic
25:59 - Too retro?
26:16 - Credible but not eligible
30:55 - Music is more popular than she is
32:44 - In a sweet spot of being more then 12 songs but no too long
35:24 - (Sour) Taylor Swift meets Paramore / Avril Lavigne
42:02 - Lil Nas X
46:28 - Picking and choosing what’s a debut album
47:00 - Destroy Lonely
48:28 - Rise above hate – first review
55:04 - Glorilla
55:55 - Tommy Richman
59:03 - Best way to go about dropping a debut album 

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 ===================================
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4 months ago
1 hour 4 minutes

Album Mode
Lucy Dacus Sets the Post-Boygenius Tone with 'Forever is a Feeling' | REVIEW
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Lucy Dacus' fourth studio album “Forever is a Feeling” how the album is a tone setter for her post Boygenuius and how her lyrical longingness escapes being cheesy.

Timecodes:
3:25 Songwriter-type music  
5:23 The reset button and how that affects their career
8:42 The origins of this album
9:24 Longing vibes
12:46 Romanticizing her past
13:28 For keeps
17:15 Vacation boo
20:51 Sex and the City Comparison
28:21 Imagery is very explicit
37:35 Accentuate the loneliness  
38:21 How do these songs live on their own?
43:06 What she said about writing Modigilani
47:35 The cover   
49:20 No skips  - too flat production-wise
50:43 The Score

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Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant
 ===================================
Démar’s rating: 7 / 10 Adriel's rating: 6.5 / 10
The Love List: Ankles, Limerence, Talk, Most Wanted Man

Lucy Dacus - Forever is a Feeling / 2025 / indie rock, folk, rock
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4 months ago
55 minutes

Album Mode
'Equus Asinus' Cements Men I Trust as the Biggest Band of the Last 6 Years | REVIEW
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Men I Trust's latest studio album “Equus Asinus” how the band's production has shifted in this latest release and how you can get drop a Men I Trust lyric in your relationship to sound poetic.

P.S. Where's the Clairo feature??

Démar’s rating: 8 / 10
Adriel's rating: 8 / 10
The Love List: I Come With Mud, Bethlehem, Paul's Theme, Frost Bite, Girl (2025) 

Timecodes:

5:11 - Soft enough for the bedroom but not so we are going to sleep
9:06 - could be on Zach Bryan’s album
13:43 - There is a country element
16:33 - Paul’s theme sample
19:13 - The production on here is not homogenous
24:35 - The way the songs have been sung has not changed
29:23 - Songs with an immersive cinematic feel
33:57 - Let yourself feel
37:31 - Going to the lyrics help you like the song more
39:48 - What it means for their career
49:16 - The score


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Men I Trust - Equus Asinus / 2025 / indie rock, bedroom pop, indie
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4 months ago
37 minutes

Album Mode
Is Playboi Carti's 'Music' Pure Aura? | REVIEW
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Playboi Carti’s third studio album “Music”, he’s new deep voice, the album’s incredible production, and how Carti’s aura and influence is pivotal to his fandom.

P.S. SWAMP IZZO!!!!

Démar’s rating: 7 / 10 
Adriel's rating: 4.5 / 10

The Love List: POP OUT, RATHER LIE, MOJO JOJO, WAKE UP F1LTHY, OLYMPIAN, OPM BABI, LIKE WEEZY

Timecodes:

6:00 - Hip-hop Christmas song
9:16 - Features / narrative wise
12:42 - Most famous but hasn’t released an album in 4 years
15:15 - His fan base is so loud
17:40 - Super fan and musicians think he’s amazing
18:22 - His fans create the conversation around his music
20:35 - Production is the star
23:01 - Has legit vision
23:50 - Progression of his sound
26:11 - Real artistic vision
27:05 - Does the production a disservice
29:23 - This whole album is “if so and so is on this”
30:30 - Underrated in their production
33:00 - Deep voice
36:01 - Don’t know if he found the thing in the experiment
36:25 - Choir vocals
40:10 - Song structure we developed  
40:44 - Demar is doing the things fans do
41:25 - Kendrick combo
42:07 - Roles flipped with adlibs and verse   
44:49 - Drake declined to be on the project
49:12 - Interested in seeing where this is going
49:52 - Pitbull comparison
53:10 - Rod wave comparison
55:41 - His lyrics sound like when you freestyle in college
1:05:25 - His music isn’t as good, but his aura is higher
1:12:18 - What is important to his genre is not the same as the rest if hip-hop
1:19:42 - His career
1:22:10 - SGA is a taller Allen Iverson
1:23:40 - Has hip-hop split
1:27:08 - The cover
1:31:50 - The score 

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Playboi Carti - Music / 2025 / Hip hop, rap, rage, trap
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4 months ago
1 hour 37 minutes

Album Mode
Lady Gaga | MAYHEM
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Lady Gaga's latest studio album 'Mayhem', how she's navigated her fame throughout her career and why this entire project sounds like it got pulled straight out of the 1980s.

P.S. heavy Siouxsie and the Banshees vibes on Abracadabra

Démar’s rating: 7.5 / 10 
Adriel's rating: 7.5 / 10



The Love List: Disease, Die With a Smile, Perfect Celebrity, Vanish into You

Timecodes:

2:26 - Bruno Mars 
4:13 - A star is born
8:00 - Rarely an artist is in their own lane like this
9:23 - Madonna 2.0
12:00 - Putting out music consistently and just ignoring it
14:07 - Démar likes pop songs
15:16 - Frame how we view Lady Gaga
16:30 - Missing a Charlie xcx feature
19:58 - She doesn’t have the vision
23:41 - Miley Cyrus comparison
27:05 - 80’s inspired
29:20 - Blade of Grass
33:52 - The way she frames celebrity
36:49 - Almost doing a Weeknd thing
43:30 - Abracadabra: Loved everything but the hook
50:29 - How are we deciding who’s too old to say what
56:20 - The cover
1:06:02 - The Score

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Lady Gaga - MAYHEM / 2025 / Pop, Synth pop, electronic
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5 months ago
1 hour 10 minutes

Album Mode
Lisa | Alter Ego
This week Démar and Adriel discuss Lisa's debut solo studio album 'Alter Ego', how it might be one of the most expensive albums of the year and whether her alter egos are just an excuse for a lack of vision.

Démar’s rating: 2 / 10 
Adriel's rating: 5.5 / 10


The Love List: Moonlit Floor, Lifestyle, BADGRRRL, New Woman

Timecodes:

3:03 - Americans don’t listen to K-Pop
4:00 - Gangnam Style
7:32 - What genre is this?
9:30 - Doja cat comparison
10:12 - Very few songs Adriel likes the production the whole way through
11:00 - Expensive album
15:00 - 2010’s comparison
15:26 - This might be garbage
16:28 - Rihanna without the sauce
25:03 - Early Future  
31:18 - Faster paced music is better with Lisa
33:21 - Fuck up the world  
35:52 - Family channel
37:37 - Rapunzel
38:41 - Graduated passed gang vocals for the hook/left in 2011
48:53 - The cover
50:48 - The Score

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Lisa - Alter Ego / 2025 / Pop, Industrial
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5 months ago
57 minutes

Album Mode
Welcome to Album Mode where journalist, Demar Grant and The Cool Table host, Adriel Smiley breakdown and review the latest albums. Each episode features a new album where both hosts dive in-depth about the project and the artist’s path to its release.