It's been quite some time since we heard a full length album from Chicago rapper Saba. His last album titled “Care For Me'' was released in 2018 and while he has been featured on various tracks and done several singles leading up to this project he has mostly been radio silent. That being said the silence has been broken and back in early February we got his album titled “Few Good Things”. However, don’t be fooled by the title as this project is definitely more than just a few good things. 

Before listening to this project a friend of mine described this album as “Just bars and soul” which is pretty accurate. The first positive I have for this album is that it is good for both active and passive listeners. Active listeners will enjoy replaying songs just to catch hidden surprises within the album.  While passive listeners can enjoy this project while on a commute or doing laundry. This honestly is a rare find in music these days as most of the time I find myself listening to some albums to pass the time while for others I need to make time to listen. This project finds that excellent middle ground and thus it’s one of those albums that fits almost any mood you are in. Another strong aspect of this project are the strong features from Pivot Gang, 6LACK, Smino and G. Herbo. Pivot Gang being my personal favorite on the track titled “Soldier”. The second half of this album is also very strong with tracks such as “Make believe” and “2012” with a feature from Day Wave on the aforementioned “2012”. 

However, the transitions between tracks could be better as I found that some songs have an abrupt end while others such as the transition from “Soldier” to “If I had a dollar” is good and flows easily. This is honestly my biggest issue with this project.  My second issue with this project is that it doesn't have mass appeal. This can also be a positive because while this album may not be for everyone there is no compromise in creativity and subject matter which is a common problem that we see in music these days. As a result I would say that while this album may not be for everyone it is definitely worth giving a try. 

In conclusion, as previously stated while “Few Good Things” is not for everyone there are still more than a few good things on this album from its duality, production, features and how it retains its creative roots. Saba has truly created yet another great album and while not, perfect it was definitely worth the listen and another album that I will find myself revisiting as we continue to trudge through 2022. This album an 8.8 out of 10. It’s not a perfect score but it’s just the right score for this album.

 

It has been quite some time since the season finale of The Book Of Boba Fett hit Disney’s streaming service and this review has long been overdue. This series was one of Disney's biggest shows and one of the most heavily discussed shows while it was airing. How was it and the season as a whole? It was great. The season was full of action and fun characters mixed in with some light humor. However, it wasn’t excellent and it definitely plays it safe when it comes to some aspects.  Now, let’s dive into why. 

The season begins in flashback giving us some exposition as to how our title character Boba survived his dive into the sarlacc pit after his brief appearance in Return Of The Jedi and then his full return in The Mandalorian season two. We get to see Boba struggle to regain his strength and navigate the desert until he’s discovered and taken in by some unexpected allies. This plotline is the focus for several episodes. Often we see the show shift from past to present. It’s a very slow start but it’s both interesting and plays a role in establishing Boba’s morals later on in the season.  These episodes while entertaining can sometimes overstay their welcome and I found myself losing interest in the plotline set in the past. 

But, once we move on from the flashback sequence this is where the real fun begins. To begin, the action is very solid in this story and it’s interesting to see Boba gain the trust and respect of the people of Tatooine as the new mob boss post-Jabba the Hutt.  Without using violence, instead Boba uses his words motivating people to join him. Even when violence is necessary we see that Boba shows mercy and gives his enemies a choice rather than making decisions for them. Another plus is in regards to this season's excellent character designs where each character stands out even if they are of the same species. The music is also well done as I especially enjoyed Boba’s theme song as much I enjoyed the Mandolrians theme which I honestly thought could not be matched. 

I cannot emphasize enough that the action throughout the season is very solid and nails the aesthetic of an old-school western with its well paced shootouts and stand offs. I definitely found myself grinning  during some episodes.   This show has strong appeal and solid performances from all of its actors, especially Temuera Morrison who manages to play an action hero even at the young age of sixty-one. Another highlight performance comes from Ming-Na Wen who plays Boba’s right-hand. There is one more character highlight that will please fans but I won’t spoil that here. 

However, the biggest red-herring I would say for this series is how some characters feel wasted despite their incredible introductions which led me to believe that they would play a more significant role than they really did. This doesn’t make these characters any less interesting or entertaining to watch, but their time on stage seems short. There is some boldness in that regard however it doesn’t feel entirely earned.  But, perhaps this may not have been the last we will see of said characters. Another negative I would say is that some episodes are dedicated to set-up which again while fun to watch takes the stage away from our title character. This also happened in the Mardolorian but here not only did these set-up moments steal the stage from Boba they also occurred in the first season which gave the audience less time to enjoy his character. In the case of Boba Fett I would have liked to learn more about Boba’s change of heart since his brief appearance in the second season of the Mandolorian.  However, the execution is there so we don’t need to see it brought up again if we get another season of Boba Fett which is all but confirmed. I would also like to see the writers do more with these characters as a whole now that they have been established for both new and old fans.

In conclusion, this season was definitely a fun experience as well as a safe one in terms of writing. However,  I am excited to see where the story line goes next.  As we know, the galaxy is a big place and there are plenty of places for Boba to expand his network and encounter new challengers to his throne. I give this season a very solid 8.5 out of 10. Boba Fett is definitely worth binging.