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Maps(Billy Woods and Kenny Segal album)

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Maps
A series of panels, inspired by the visual style of airplane safety brochures, show airline passengers performing behaviors such as grilling meat and rolling joints.
Studio albumby
Billy WoodsandKenny Segal
ReleasedMay 5, 2023
GenreHip hop
Length44:08
LabelBackwoodz Studioz
ProducerKenny Segal
Billy Woodschronology
Church
(2022) 		Maps
(2023)
Kenny Segalchronology
Indoors
(2021) 		Maps
(2023) 		How to Capture Playful
(2023)
SinglesfromMaps
  1. "FaceTime"
    Released: April 12, 2023
  2. "Soft Landing"
    Released: May 3, 2023

Mapsis a collaborative studio album by rapperBilly Woodsand producerKenny Segal.It was released through Backwoodz Studioz on May 5, 2023, and features guest appearances fromElucid,Danny Brown,Aesop Rock,Quelle Chris,ShrapKnel,Benjamin Booker,andSamuel T. Herring.The album was preceded by two singles: "FaceTime", which was released on April 12, 2023, and "Soft Landing", which was released on May 3, 2023.

Mapsis a hip hopconcept albumabout traveling and being in transit, inspired by Woods' experiences on tour in the early 2020s. Its instrumentals feature elements of jazz andboom bap.The album was widely acclaimed by critics, with Woods' lyrics and storytelling being especially singled out for praise;Mapshas been described as one of 2023's best albums by outlets such asPitchforkandRolling Stone.

Background and recording

[edit]

Mapsis the second collaborative album between Woods and Segal, following 2019'sHiding Places.[1]Woods recounts that the duo had not worked closely together between the recording ofHiding PlacesandMaps.Though the two artists always intended to release additional collaborations,[2]Woods states that he and Segal chose to pursue separate artistic directions after the release ofHiding Placesto ensure that their future projects would not feel like a retread of its material.[3]

AfterCOVID-19restrictions were lifted in North America and Europe, Woods undertook a crowded touring schedule, and his experiences with adjusting to this lifestyle after the pandemic informed the themes and recording process ofMaps.[2][4]Woods has estimated that he wrote "70 percent" of the album while traveling.[2]Parts of the album were recorded in Los Angeles, including at studios belonging to Segal and fellow producerThe Alchemist,[4]but Woods states that the majority of the recording took place while he was on tour.[2]

On March 27, 2023, Woods and Segal announced thatMapswould be released on May 5 of that year; they also announced that the album's release would be followed by a tour of the United States and Europe throughout May and June.[5]The album's lead single, "FaceTime", was released on April 12.[6]The track features singerSamuel T. Herring,who had previously collaborated with Segal on the 2019 albumBack at the House.[7]Maps'second single, "Soft Landing", was released on May 3, 2023.[8]The tracks "Soft Landing" and "Babylon by Bus" received music videos, both of which were directed by actorTim Blake Nelsonand his son Henry Nelson.[9][10]

Content

[edit]

Mapsis a concept album about Woods' experiences as a touring musician.[11][12]The album has also been characterized as a "travelogue",[13][14]focusing less on any specific destination and moreso on the experience of being physically in transit.[1][11]Mapsportrays travel as an experience that can often lead to indignities and alienation, but that is also capable of providing escape and adventure.[1][13]Woods has compared the album's narrative to that of thehero's journey,and emphasizes that its arc concludes with a return home.[4]Throughout the album, Woods uses food imagery as a motif to characterize the places through which he transits.[15][16]Woods also makes frequent references to marijuana, which is depicted onMapsas a source of comfort in unfamiliar places;[16]however, Woods' struggles to obtain it at an acceptable price or quality are a recurring obstacle he faces on his journey.[1]In addition to the album's focus on travel, some critics have identifiedMapsas showcasing Woods' reaction to his increasingly prominent status in theunderground hip hopscene.[17][18]Other reviewers observed thatMapsdeparts from the "political and historical" subject matter that had characterized Woods' 2022 albums,AethiopesandChurch.[14]

Segal's production onMapshas been likened to jazz.[15][13]The album's instrumentation prominently incorporates saxophone and piano melodies,[11]as well as guitars and sampled flutes.[19]Alex Hudson ofExclaim!remarked that the sonic palette of the album varied betweenboom bapand more abstract production throughout the album.[20]Several commentators contrasted the production onMapsto that ofHiding Places:Mapswas generally described as lighter in tone than its precursor,[13][19]with Segal moving away from the "dissonant" soundscapes ofHiding Places.[11]However,NPR's Sheldon Pearce has argued thatMapsstill displays a form of tension, as Segal aims to portray the disorientation of being constantly on the move.[16]

The album cover, inspired by the design ofairplane safety brochures,[21]was illustrated by Ashes57.[3]It has been described as "depict[ing] Woods' unique brand of airplane etiquette".[4]

Songs

[edit]

The album's opening track, "Kenwood Speakers", features a distorted beat built on a "snapping" drum line.[21][4]On the song, Woods describes himself attending an "antagonistic" Brooklyn dinner party with his neighbors,[21]at which he tells "mischievous lies" that goad the party's host into suicide.[15][22]The second track, "Soft Landing", centers around a chorus that interpolates thepop standard"Feeling Good".[1][13]Its instrumental incorporates "sun-drenched" acoustic guitar and "sludgy" bass,[15][13]over which Woods recalls finding moments of hope in an otherwise stressful life.[8][21]"Soundcheck" is a "dreamlike" song where Woods seeks to escape the tedious routines of travel and unpacking, instead taking in his new surroundings through sensory experiences like watching sunsets and eatingSzechuan food.[21][19]Critics describe it as a track on which Woods seeks to confront "stage pressure"[14]and find "joy in new spaces".[11]It is followed by "Rapper Weed", which reflects on the sights and people that one finds at amarijuana dispensary.[16]

"Blue Smoke" features a beat inspired byfree jazz,[1][23]over which Woods imagines his domestic disputes being surveilled and commented upon by FBI agents.[15]On the following track, "Bad Dreams Are Only Dreams", Woods satirizes critical analysis by describing a nightmare in which his brain is served as a meal.[15]"Babylon by Bus", which samples theAphex Twinsong "#2",[15]incorporatesIDMelements that pivot into a "surge of strings".[23]The song includes a guest appearance from the rap duo ShrapKnel.[21]It is followed by "Year Zero", a track built upon "towering drones"[19]and "eerie synths".[1]The content of the song features Woods lamenting that the world is broken beyond repair,[21]and expressing his wish to see everything destroyed so that future generations can rebuild society from nothing.[19][23]"Year Zero" also features a verse fromDanny Brown,who delivers an extended verse that has been variously characterized as "exuberant",[14]"manic",[11]and "unhinged".[20]Reflecting on his experience of the collaboration, Woods recalls Brown arriving at the recording studio with a sizable entourage and a large amount of material prepared:

When he showed up, it was memorable. Danny came through with two cars... He had the rhyme on two separate phones. He continued rhyming. I mean, it just went on. It was crazy. It's longer than even what's on there, I think.[4]

The midpoint of the tracklist is "Hangman", a song that incorporates moments of "bemused comfort"[11]despite an overall grim mood.[15]On "Baby Steps", Woods narrates an incident when he had to take an interstateUberride to travel between tour dates;[4]he compares himself to the album cover ofFuture'sI Never Liked Youwhen describing his attempts to sleep through the journey.[13]"The Layover" samples abeboppiano line[13]as Woods compares bystanders who witness police brutality to those who observed the sick from afar during theBlack Death.[16]Lead single "FaceTime", a track that has been described as the album's "emotional core",[22]features a boom bap beat upon which Segal layers saxophone, bass, andsynth keyboardelements.[6]Samuel T. Herring provides the song's chorus, which reflects on the loneliness that touring can bring;[14][7]Woods recounts a situation where, alone at a hotel, he watched concertgoers attending an afterparty.[17]In an interview withHuck,Woods elaborates further on the song's themes of how a traveler can become isolated from their loved ones:

I was expanding upon the idea of maintaining relationships at a distance. Your daily life when you are out on the road and touring is confusing.... You feel like you are missing out on [family] life, but other times it is a rush and a getaway from things you can't deal with. [ "FaceTime" ] definitely explores this duality.[24]

"Agriculture" is a "dreamy" track[1]where Woods imagines himself as a farmer and cannabis grower.[15]It is followed by "Houdini", where Woods portrays himself as using marijuana to keep occupied during a lull in his travel schedule.[14][16]"Waiting Around" features a lyrically dense verse from rapperAesop Rock.[11]"NYC Tapwater", the album's penultimate song, sees Woods returning to his New York home, where he discovers thatgentrificationhas transformed the neighborhood during his absence.[15][17]Mapsconcludes with "As the Crow Flies", a track that includes a "meditative" guest appearance fromElucid.[16]In a brief closing verse, Woods describes himself playing with his son at a park, as he realizes that observing his son's growth makes him increasingly aware of his own mortality.[16][17]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic90/100[25]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Beats Per Minute91%[15]
Clash9/10[23]
HipHopDX4.6/5[19]
Pitchfork8.9/10[1]
Rolling Stone[13]
Sputnikmusic4.1/5[22]
StereogumFavorable[17]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[11]

Mapsachieved widespread praise from music critics. AtMetacritic,which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics,Mapsreceived an average score of 90 based on 10 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[25]

Woods' writing onMapshas attained particular commendation: Sheldon Pearce of NPR lauded the album as a "master class, even for one of rap's greatest-ever penmen",[16]andPitchfork'sStephen Kearse argued that it placed Woods "into the ranks of rap's great stylists and storytellers".[1]Jeff Terich ofTrebledescribed Woods' lyrics as "profound, subtle poetry",[21]and Kearse remarked that the writing "brings people and places to life with quick, visceral strokes".[1]A more mixed appraisal of Woods' writing came from Mosi Reeves ofRolling Stone,who viewedMapsas less passionate than 2022'sAethiopes.[13]Several critics, including Pearce andAllMusic's Paul Simpson, identifiedMapsas one of the most accessible albums in Woods' catalogue: Simpson stated that it "contain[s] some of his clearest, most vivid narratives",[14]while Pearce found it to be the rapper's "clearest, most engaging music".[16]Eden Tizard ofClashopined thatMapsfeatured more "emotional frankness" than Woods' solo discography.[23]Woods' deadpan humor on the album also received favorable commentary.[1]

Segal's production onMapswas regarded positively as well. Stephen Kearse characterized it as "globetrotting", and credited Segal with using a diverse selection of beats to encourage Woods to explore "new sonic and narrative spaces".[1]Stereogum'sTom Breihan described the overall mood of the production as a reflection of Woods' "combination of comfort and anxiety".[17]Dash Lewis ofHipHopDXcharacterized Segal's work onMapsas "a palette of clean, expansive beats", and commended him for creating a diverse soundscape while also allowing Woods' lyrics to take the foreground;[19]Miloslaw Archibald Rugallini ofSputnikmusicgave further praise to the chemistry between the two artists, remarking that Segal "has a firm grasp on [Woods'] gift" and had composed instrumentals that would enable Woods to showcase his strengths.[22]Segal's beats have been identified as employing "clear melodies that invite the listener to lean in closer",[13]but also as featuring drum lines that "lurch sideways [rather than] falling into the old head-nod patterns".[17]The overall sound ofMapswas described by Sheldon Pearce as having "more color and pulse" than Segal's earlier work onHiding Places.[16]

Year-end lists

[edit]
Select year-end rankings ofMaps
Critic/Publication List Rank Ref.
Consequence The 50 Best Albums of 2023
4
[26]
Exclaim! Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2023
7
[27]
Paste The 50 Best Albums of 2023
23
[28]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2023
3
[29]
Rolling Stone The 100 Best Albums of 2023
8
[30]
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2023
3
[31]
The Line of Best Fit The Best Albums of 2023
8
[32]

Track listing

[edit]
Mapstrack listing
No.TitleLength
1."Kenwood Speakers"1:21
2."Soft Landing"2:53
3."Soundcheck" (withQuelle Chris)2:56
4."Rapper Weed"3:14
5."Blue Smoke"1:32
6."Bad Dreams Are Only Dreams"1:09
7."Babylon by Bus" (with ShrapKnel)2:08
8."Year Zero" (withDanny Brown)3:40
9."Hangman"2:55
10."Baby Steps" (withElucidandBenjamin Booker)3:25
11."The Layover"2:50
12."FaceTime" (withSamuel T. Herring)3:32
13."Agriculture"1:40
14."Houdini"2:24
15."Waiting Around" (withAesop Rock)3:01
16."NYC Tapwater"3:08
17."As the Crow Flies" (withElucid)2:20
Total length:44:08

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted fromBandcampandApple Music.[3][33]

Performance

[edit]

Technical

[edit]
  • Kenny Segal– production, mixing, engineering
  • Steel Tipped Dove – engineering
  • Aesop Rock– additional engineering
  • Willie Green – mastering

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance forMaps
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Scottish Albums(OCC)[34] 81
UK Independent Albums(OCC)[35] 31
UK R&B Albums(OCC)[36] 7

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcdefghijklmKearse, Stephen (May 5, 2023)."billy woods / Kenny Segal: Maps".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on May 7, 2023.RetrievedMay 8,2023.
  2. ^abcdJenkins, Craig (May 9, 2023)."billy woods Is on an Indie-Rap Hero's Journey".Vulture.Archivedfrom the original on May 11, 2023.RetrievedMay 11,2023.
  3. ^abc"Maps by billy woods & Kenny Segal".Bandcamp.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 26,2024.
  4. ^abcdefgMalone, Anthony (May 3, 2023)."Underground Rap Hero Billy Woods on Coming Full Circle".Rolling Stone.Archivedfrom the original on October 17, 2023.RetrievedMay 8,2023.
  5. ^Bloom, Madison (March 27, 2023)."billy woods and Kenny Segal Announce New Album and 2023 Tour Dates".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 26,2024.
  6. ^abHelfand, Raphael (April 12, 2023)."billy woods and Kenny Segal share Maps' lead single," FaceTime "".The Fader.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 26,2024.
  7. ^abFu, Eddie (April 13, 2023)."billy woods Teams with Future Islands' Samuel T. Herring on New Song" FaceTime ": Stream".Consequence.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 26,2024.
  8. ^abLegarde, Arielle Lana (May 3, 2023)."billy woods and Kenny Segal link up for" Soft Landing "".The Fader.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 26,2024.
  9. ^Torres, Eric (May 5, 2023)."billy woods and Kenny Segal Share New Video Directed by Tim Blake Nelson: Watch".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 26,2024.
  10. ^Strauss, Matthew (May 26, 2023)."Watch billy woods and ShrapKnel's New" Babylon by Bus "Video".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 26,2024.
  11. ^abcdefghiInscoe-Jones, Liam (May 5, 2023)."billy woods & Kenny Segal: Maps".The Line of Best Fit.Archivedfrom the original on May 8, 2023.RetrievedMay 8,2023.
  12. ^Fu, Eddie (May 5, 2023)."billy woods and Kenny Segal Go Road Tripping on New Album Maps: Stream".Consequence.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 29,2024.
  13. ^abcdefghijkReeves, Mosi (May 4, 2023)."billy woods' 'Maps' is the Kind of Album That's Designed to Get You Lost".Rolling Stone.Archivedfrom the original on May 6, 2023.RetrievedMay 5,2023.
  14. ^abcdefghSimpson, Paul (May 5, 2023)."billy woods - Maps Album Reviews, Songs & More".allMusic.Archivedfrom the original on May 19, 2023.RetrievedMay 19,2023.
  15. ^abcdefghijkWohlmacher, John (May 8, 2023)."Album Review: billy woods & Kenny Segal – Maps".Beats Per Minute.Archivedfrom the original on May 8, 2023.RetrievedMay 10,2023.
  16. ^abcdefghijkPearce, Sheldon (May 17, 2023)."It's time to get on the billy woods bandwagon".NPR.Archivedfrom the original on January 27, 2024.RetrievedApril 29,2024.
  17. ^abcdefgBreihan, Tom (May 2, 2023)."Album of the Week: billy woods & Kenny SegalMaps".Stereogum.Archivedfrom the original on May 7, 2023.RetrievedMay 8,2023.
  18. ^Chick, Stevie (May 8, 2023)."David Attenborough, weed and 'American apartheid': the awesome mind of rapper Billy Woods".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on June 6, 2024.RetrievedApril 29,2024.
  19. ^abcdefgLewis, Dash (May 25, 2023)."Billy Woods & Kenny Segal's 'Maps' is a stellar reflection on the casualties of tour".HipHopDX.Archivedfrom the original on June 5, 2023.RetrievedJune 5,2023.
  20. ^abHudson, Alex (May 14, 2023)."Exclaim!'s Staff Picks: billy woods Keeps His Hot Streak Going with the Kenny Segal-Assisted 'Maps'".Exclaim!.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 29,2024.
  21. ^abcdefghTerich, Jeff (May 4, 2023)."billy woods & Kenny Segal: Maps".Treble.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 29,2024.
  22. ^abcdRugallini, Miloslaw Archibald (May 18, 2023)."Review: Billy Woods and Kenny Segal - Maps".Sputnik Music.Archivedfrom the original on June 6, 2024.RetrievedMay 19,2023.
  23. ^abcdeTizard, Eden (May 23, 2023)."billy woods, Kenny Segal – Maps".Clash.Archivedfrom the original on May 1, 2024.RetrievedMay 1,2024.
  24. ^Hobbs, Thomas (June 20, 2023)."Billy Woods is finally having his moment".Huck.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 30,2024.
  25. ^ab"Maps by billy woods".Metacritic.CBS Interactive.Archivedfrom the original on May 11, 2023.RetrievedMay 19,2023.
  26. ^Krueger, J. (December 4, 2023)."The 50 Best Albums of 2023 Ranked".Consequence.Archivedfrom the original on December 29, 2023.RetrievedDecember 15,2023.
  27. ^Hopfe, Safiya (November 30, 2023)."Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2023".Exclaim!.Archivedfrom the original on December 2, 2023.RetrievedDecember 1,2023.
  28. ^Ham, Robert (November 27, 2023)."The 50 Best Albums of 2023".Paste.Archivedfrom the original on December 7, 2023.RetrievedDecember 7,2023.
  29. ^Pierre, Alphonse (December 5, 2023)."The 50 Best Albums of 2023".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on December 6, 2023.RetrievedDecember 6,2023.
  30. ^"The 100 Best Albums of 2023".Rolling Stone.November 30, 2023.Archivedfrom the original on November 30, 2023.RetrievedDecember 1,2023.
  31. ^Buford, Jayson (December 5, 2023)."The 50 Best Albums of 2023".Stereogum.Archivedfrom the original on December 26, 2023.RetrievedDecember 8,2023.
  32. ^Kenneally, Cerys (December 4, 2023)."The Best Albums of 2023 Ranked".The Line of Best Fit.Archivedfrom the original on December 4, 2023.RetrievedDecember 4,2023.
  33. ^"Maps – Album by billy woods & Kenny Segal – Apple Music".Apple Music.May 5, 2023.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2024.RetrievedApril 26,2024.
  34. ^"Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  35. ^"Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50".Official Charts Company.Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  36. ^"Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40".Official Charts Company.Retrieved October 14, 2023.
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