H.E.R. is one of the more overlooked musicians in the 21st century. The name, although very much an iconic name, actually stands for Having Everything Revealed as an acronym, with H.E.R. real name being Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson. Being very much popular and well respected, receiving multiple awards, including some Grammy Awards, this is an artist to look out for, seemingly enough. This release is a good starting point for those who don’t know about H.E.R. and her own style of music. It is a mash-up of the two earlier EPs of the same name, plus some additional music added to it. Let’s take a listen to this album and hear if it is any good.

Lost Souls (feat. DJ Scratch) begins this album with some DJ scratching and launches into an RnB tune which is commercial sounding. It is an unusual piece of music, influenced by Rap music and most mainstream trends of the day. Despite that, this is not very good to listen to, and it isn’t a great representation of the best cutting-edge music out there. Despite the fact that there are some interesting lyrics and musicianship, the Rapping and approach to music aren’t that great. It’s okay, but not totally enjoyable. A very ordinary tune, although there are some interesting harmonies and a fade out to conclude. Not good, however.

Fate begins with some moody piano, and some good singing present, launching into a piece of emotional music that is a lot better than the previous tune. It is deeply emotional and has some interesting string sections within. A really deep and interesting listen, although rather a bit too commercial and sell-out, this is a rather odd attempt at a postmodern ballad that doesn’t really move one here. This sounds like an awkward fusion of music and playing, and it doesn’t feel as good as other music out there today. Sadly, this is not up to its promises. The piano solo at the end is different, but overall, this isn’t good enough.

Carried Away begins with some clean guitar riffs and hand claps, along with some weird sounds in the background. This launches into a better song with deep, grooving basslines on it and again, fails to live up to its promise musically. Sure, H.E.R. does put in some effort and must be acknowledged for that in general, but this music is quite frankly, ordinary. Having said that, this is a better tune than what has come before it, and is listenable, despite its awkwardness musically. A really weird tune, this does have some synchronised wah-wah guitars in the second half here, sounding very odd. Not the best music out there today, although H.E.R. is a very good singer. It just sounds really uninspired and ordinary musically. It is over after nearly four minutes in length.

Going (Full) is an acoustic fingerpicked piece that has drenched vocals in reverberated delay, and beats and has a rapid-fire vocal delivery. Again, this sounds a little too polished and contemporary for its own good. This is the usual contemporary music that is highly uninspired and ordinary, as a result. This is a real shame, H.E.R. would have a lot better potential at other kinds of music. Unfortunately, this music is difficult to get through and lacks hooks and a more traditional musical feel to keep it going. H.E.R. would be better off not recording such music, and doing a better job at editing it per se. Awful.

Be On My Way (Full) begins with weird reversed harmonies, and quickly launches into an okay song that again, is a little too commercial for its own good. This is the sort of feel good nonsense that so many artists try and make, but just falls flat musically. Not really worth hearing, unless you are a big fan of RnB based music of the 21st century, this does not have either magic or listenable tunes. It is a real drag to get through, just avoid this nonsense and you’ll be okay. It has an extended outro with distorted vocals.

Can’t Help Me begins with some rather average acoustic guitar loops, and quickly enters into a horrid listening experience. Once again, this music is lacking of anything really quality wise. This may be a slight improvement over the previous songs, but it is not something you’ll remember, or wish to remember, for that reason. H.E.R. does sing very well on this song, but this is not the sort of music that one will remember in 10 years’ time. That says a lot. There are better female singers and musicians out there to this day, but sadly, H.E.R. fails to impress.

Something Keeps Pulling Me Back is awful, from the start. There are some out-of-tune guitars (honestly, why?) and some electronic textures before H.E.R. launches into an ordinary piece of music where she doubts herself. A really poor filler tune, this is not easy, comfortable or enjoyable listening, with some rather self-doubting lyrics. Nothing special here, and the lyrics are fairly average as well, not really worth noting here. You’d be better off listening to fingernails coming down a blackboard, this is pure rubbish. Hit stop and walk away from this album, there is nothing of value here. Even the long outro is not necessary here, with church bell keyboard sounds. How original. It ends after three minutes in length.

Feel A Way begins with more electronic ambient based textures, some singing about postmodern events and launches into another RnB rapping style tune. Just to be clear, most fusions of Rock and Rap don’t work very well, and this is Exhibit A for that. H.E.R. would have been much better off creating music that makes complete sense and sounding more traditional than this stuff. It is very difficult to hear this and enjoy it in any way, shape or form. Definitely lacking, even K-Pop giants make better and longer lasting music than this, and the music does sound like here today, gone tomorrow material. Fortunately, it ends fairly quickly. Electronic trash.

21 begins with vinyl hiss, an acoustic intro and a slightly better sounding but miserable tune. Again, the pretentious music present isn’t really good to listen to, and it sounds very appalling listening. Even though this music is more traditional in a musical sense, the rapping kills this tune and the production also is overkill. A real drag, although there are guitars and bass guitar here driving this along. Sure, the sentiment of the song is okay, but this is still a fairly ordinary tune, on an awful album. Not much else should be said here, except the songs on this album are some of the least inspired tunes you will ever hear. Just stop this tune and listen to something better instead. It ends with some harmonies and vinyl hiss, not a good tune overall.

Racks (feat. YBN Cordae) is clearly a naff tune with some processed electric guitars from the start. This is a Rap based tune with awkward elements of music and musicality on it, and the RnB and Rap vibes kill this, along with the Trap styled beats. This music is so bad that it gives one a major headache, and it doesn’t really sound well crafted. This sounds like an independent artist who is selling right out, and it doesn’t sound impressive as a result. Sadly, this reeks of a huge amount of pretentiousness. The guest actually oddly fits this nonsensical music fairly well, more than you’d think. Still, this is selfish and awful music to listen to. Avoid it, especially if you don’t want a musical headache.

I’m Not OK comes next, and is another piano ballad. It has some more wannabe musicianship and lyrics here, and the awkward mixture of music on this album is enough to make one sick to their own stomach. Fortunately, this is not mandatory listening and it is fairly obvious why this is so. By this point of the album, it is clear that H.E.R. lacks a musical agenda. Sure, she sings very well, but despite that, this is an epic failure of an album and song that is supposed to be a tearjerker, but fails so poorly that you will want to turn off this album and throw whatever musical device you are using to hear it right out your window of convenience. If you need a real moment to cry to music, this is not it. There are even some mistakes in the piano playing at the end. Avoid.

Against Me begins with some faded in reversed cymbals, and other electronic sounds and goes straight into a piece of music that, again, is quite a postmodern drag. To be fair, this has not aged as well as it could have. The song is another drag through mediocrity. Quite honestly one of the worst releases in postmodern times, H.E.R. doesn’t even need any of the electronic production on this album. Her music would be far better off without that, and this is neither enjoyable nor easy listening. A rather feminist set of spoken word and rapped lyrics are in the second half. This is obviously only for women out there, and not men, which will put off the male listeners of such music. The sexism isn’t necessary, and nor is this tune overall. Accusing all men as liars, this is a ridiculous set of musical statements, unbelievably so.

Could’ve Been (feat. Bryson Tiller) is the biggest song by H.E.R. in terms of popularity. It begins with some vocal samples, and some weird instrumentation and this sounds like another wannabe RnB tune. It is a lot better than the track before it, but despite that, this is just the same as the rest of the mediocre music present. An awful tune and a poor listening experience, this is something that is forgettable and more about musical textures than an actual song. This is about more relationship issues musically and is very difficult to enjoy. The reversed vocals are odd, too. The guest on this song is okay, but lacking, just like H.E.R.’s own music. A very ordinary tune, and proof that popularity is no excuse to sell out, or try to do so. A drag to listen to.

Good To Me is a seven minute long piece, which begins with an acoustic guitar, hummed harmonies in the background and quickly launches into a semi-okay tune to listen to. This is a stripped back and minimal listen that is actually quite good, surprisingly. It proves that H.E.R. needs to explore a musical style that is not what she is currently doing at present. It is likely that she is being fed information from others, likely a record company, on how she should sound musically on an album. This does sound a little Eric Clapton-esque, but the stripped back instrumentation including organ, sounds quite good to listen to here. Understandably, H.E.R. sings well and this is a much better musical experience than one would expect. There is a stupid intermission that ruins this song, where H.E.R. chats with the guys recording this song on the song itself. Seriously, not joking here. Even Syd Barrett never did this. By this point, the album is ruined and there is nothing great to keep on going present. This album is a frisbee, and you do not need to listen to the second half of this song. Pretentious music, and pathetic overall. One will shake their head at this nonsense, just awful. It fortunately ends.

Take You There is more piano based balladry rubbish, and quickly enters into a piece of Pop based music that doesn’t work well. H.E.R. sings emotionally in this piece of music, but the appeal of this music is not here. Sure, love songs are okay, but this music is beyond awful, as usual. Some pathetic lyricism is present in this song, and it does not help to hear such music that is sell-out and rubbish. H.E.R. seriously needs to rethink her craft and get some help with her music from a different crew, at least. With some awful basslines and textures, this is enough for one to avoid like the plague. A drag, but then again, what did you expect by this point of the album?

As I Am begins with some autotuned harmonies, a vocal lead with some Fender Stratocasters and launches into an ordinary tune with a Trap styled beat with electronic finger clicks. Nothing special on this tune, just Pop textures and a postmodern sound that isn’t the greatest. This is a great example of a failed record that has every single song as a failure to listen to. Sadly, H.E.R. is not as good as promised as a musician and singer, and this is extremely difficult music to listen to or enjoy. You’d be best off going to nightclubs and listening to the music there, rather than this junk. Not good, and very difficult to listen to. The outro is silly.

Hard Place – Single Version is a stripped down piece of music, which is exactly what H.E.R. needs to do. It launches into a piece of music with acoustic guitars, singing and real drum beats. A much better song than anything else on this album so far, and it shows that H.E.R. doesn’t need all the studio Electronic stuff to make decent music. A much better piece of music, perhaps H.E.R. is aware that she can do better here, and this particular cut is proof of that. In any case, this does work well. A surprisingly good tune, even though this is the only good song on the album so far, it does work wonders. Nice for a change.

Uninvited – Live From Apple Music Up Next is a good acoustic tune. Again, it poses the question, why did H.E.R. need to record music completely different from these outtakes? There is a string section accompaniment for this, which sounds very sweet, along with some piano and other orchestral musical touches. This is quite good and proves that a purer musical setting would have helped H.E.R. a lot. A song that is about heartbreak, in a very pretty way. A breath of fresh air musically, this has a nice piano solo in the second half, before this eventually concludes with strings galore. A half-decent listen.

Lord is Coming (feat. YBN Cordae) is the last song on this album, and it is six minutes long. It begins with a counted intro, some double bass playing that is quite deep, before H.E.R. gets into Christian mode here. Very unusual, with rapped lyrics that do not really match her music. It is simple and minimal listening, and the minimal listening experience is a bit of a drag. This is really weird listening in general. The rapping stops after a while before some multitracked singing and vocals enter. Okay to hear, especially if you are a believer in God, but otherwise this is another tune not really worth your time or effort. It is more consistent than some of the other terrible songs on this album, but not by much. Still, this does do what it should okay. The rapping guest isn’t really necessary here, and this does sound really pathetic by this point. H.E.R. does need to rethink her musical path on these songs. The religious overtones are a bit much at times, especially if you are not Christian. This ends with some instrumental and atmospheric sounds. Pretty meh.

This is not a good album. At all. H.E.R. easily could have stripped down a lot of the production and sounds on this release, and would have been far better as a singer and musician as a result. Unfortunately, she has not done so on this release. Perhaps the record executives were telling H.E.R. exactly what to do here. In any case, this album is a definite no to hear as a result, and it is one of the worst examples of contemporary music out there. Please avoid this, you’ll thank yourself for it if you do so.

Absolutely terrible.

2/10