Album Review: Lucky Daye, Candydrip

Lucky Daye

Candydrip (Released March 10, 2022)

Here in the esteemed halls of Soul In Stereo, we live by this four-word motto:

Lucky. Daye. Don’t. Miss.

The proof is in the proverbial pudding – and I’m not just talking about whatever goop is oozing off of Lucky on his album cover.

After serving as the pen behind some of the most underrated tracks of the late 00s (including Ne-Yo’s “She Got Her Own” and Keith Sweat’s highly underrated Just Me album) Lucky branched out on his own in the late 2010s, becoming one of R&B’s most dependable acts in a tumultuous time for the genre.

From his 2018 debut mixtapes, to his first LP Painted a year later, and last year’s duets EP Table for Two, Lucky’s name became synonymous with quality R&B.

Again, he don’t miss.

But even his most fervent supporters got a bit nervous when word leaked that his sophomore album, Candydrip, might detour into more … mainstream lanes. While on the surface it doesn’t seem like a big deal – and, actually, a necessity for a star on the rise like Lucky – “mainstream” often translates into “singers doing rap cosplay” and we’ve seen enough of our faves and legends sacrificed on the altar of auto-tune and trap drums.

Never fear – Candydrip does take listeners into new territory but Lucky doesn’t sacrifice his talent to do so.

The album intro sets the tone, as Lucky whispers sticky-sweet nothings into his lady’s ear. If you couldn’t from him channeling a honey-coated Teddy Graham on the album cover, Candydrip is definitely for the sisters.

“God Body” launches the album with lively production and feel-good vibes (I see you, horn section!), with the bouncy “Feels Like” keeping the party rolling. “NWA” likely will be the album’s most divisive track – it’s the one thing here clearly designed for mainstream ears – but it’s certainly not bad. The choppy rap delivery is overdone and I still don’t get the appeal of Lil Durk, who comes off as Multiverse Variant Autotune Rapper No. 480484, but it’s not a betrayal of Lucky’s core sound.

Besides, from there we get into the really good stuff.

I’m predicting that “Guess” will be the biggest sleeper on Candydrip. While it’s not an immediate standout, it’s the type of slow burner that’s tailor-made for Lucky’s tone. It’s the track I revisited the most on this run-through and it gets better and better each time. Credit that incredible production to D’Mile, another R&B MVP who has been on an incredible roll in recent years.

D’Mile and Daye concoct the sonic diversity that really makes Candydrip stick(y). The hazy title track oozes with the type of sensuality that’s becoming increasingly rare in modern R&B – very sexy but refrains from drifting into crassness or self-parody. You can feel the sweat pouring off the walls on that one. In a nice touch, first single “Over” has the half-crazy idea to borrow some Musiq Soulchidish strings in a creative use of sampling.

Meanwhile “Compassion” uses airy falsetto notes for a smooth change of pace, while “F***in’ Sound” incorporates a choir and organ to take us to church for a … GTD session.

But perhaps the greatest showcase of Lucky’s talent is the emotional “Used to Be,” proving he can effortlessly pull off a traditional heartbreak track with ease. His rasp is the perfect compliment for the guitar picks and soaring strings.

Of course, not all of Lucky’s sonic experiments pay off. I’m a big fan of interludes but most of Candydrip’s don’t connect, especially the distorted vocals of “Touch Somebody.” But just when you begin to doubt, all it takes is a song like the gorgeously produced “Ego” to pull you back in.

It’s impressive that Candydrip is able to marry so many sounds and styles into one cohesive package. To that end, it’ll probably take a couple of listens to connect with some fans. It might not grab you as instantly as Painted, but I’d argue that it’s a stronger showcase of Lucky’s wide-ranging talent and in time may prove to be an even more satisfying release. We’re still in the early stages of 2022 but I fully expect Candydrip to be among the best R&B releases by year’s end.

How many times I gotta tell you?

Lucky. Daye. Don’t. Miss.

Best tracks: “Guess,” “Ego,” “Over”

4 stars out of 5