For today’s spotlight record, I have something that particularly caught my attention. It’s a unique blend that I personally have never heard before, at least not quite like this. We’re talking about Yung Peary’s album “Good As Gold” and I’m excited to share my thoughts with you.

And here’s a fun twist: while researching Yung Peary, I found out that he hails from Charleston, West Virginia, a place I used to call home. It’s really amazing to see talent emerging from this area, and I have to admit, it made me feel a little nostalgic. I found myself thinking back to those cold winter days, cozying up in front of the fireplace with WSAZ playing in the background. I didn’t expect this album to take me on a trip down memory lane like this, but that’s just how it is – music never ceases to surprise us.

But let’s get back to the music itself. What makes this record stand out is its mix of rap and emo, two genres I know inside and out. Yung Peary doesn’t stop there though. He also brings a bit of anger into the mix. It’s this combination that I’m pretty excited about. In my opinion, Yung Peary is one of the most exciting up-and-coming artists I’ve heard in a long time. Certainly one of the best discoveries I’ve heard this year.

I’m looking forward to hearing some of the tracks here. This mix of styles has produced something that I think deserves our attention, so let’s take a closer look at what Yung Peary has created with “Good As Gold.”

The album opens with the track “False” and right from the start I’m captivated by its unique sound. It has this almost robotic, beeping quality that gives off a futuristic vibe. It’s an interesting choice that really gives the track a special atmosphere.
After about 15 seconds, the beat kicks in, closely followed by the vocals. I like how seamless this transition is – it’s subtle but effective. The production quality is impressive and shows Yung Peary’s attention to detail.

What really stands out to me are the lyrics. From the beginning, Yung Peary treads some very emotional territory. The song seems to capture the aftermath of a relationship, focusing on that moment when you feel the full force of a breakup. There’s a line about wishing someone could hear you screaming through the walls, which I think will resonate with a lot of people. It perfectly sums up that feeling of isolation that often comes with heartbreak. When it feels like they or others can’t hear or understand your pain.

The vocals are enhanced by an underlying echo effect that runs throughout the track. To me, this creates an almost haunting feeling and really reinforces the sense of loneliness in the lyrics. Whether intentional or not, this effect works beautifully to reinforce the emotional core of the song.

One line that particularly struck me is about going to war for her but feeling “dead on the shore”. It’s a powerful metaphor for the feeling of desperately wanting to fight for a relationship but feeling completely drained and unable to do so. As an opening track, “False” does a great job of setting the tone for the album. It’s emotionally charged and musically great. The way it fades out and returns to that robotic sound from the beginning creates a nice sense of closure.

“Demons & Me” picks up perfectly where the previous track left off. The vocal effect here is even more robotic, complemented by some fast percussion that adds a nice touch to the overall feel. In this track, Yung Peary acknowledges his past mistakes and deals with the pain that resulted from them.
There’s a powerful line about how his demons are always with him, and how he wakes up shaking and drenched in sweat. Anyone who has experienced this before might think of night terrors – when the anxieties and depressions of the day build up and find an overwhelming release in sleep. It’s not a pleasant experience and I think this line will really hit home for many listeners.

The lyrics of this track showcase Yung Peary’s creative wordplay. There’s a great line where he says, “Stop playing with me, this ain’t Xbox Live.” I really appreciate that line – it’s a clever way of expressing frustration. And let’s be honest, if this was actually Xbox Live, we’d probably hear much more flowery language.

But this song isn’t just about relationship problems. It touches on various aspects of life that have gone wrong for Yung Peary. The track feels like a release of sorts, a way for him to express and process his struggles through music. The song ends with an impressive beat drop accompanied by an almost whimsical charm effect that runs throughout the track. It’s an interesting contrast to the heavy themes and creates a unique experience.

The track “Samus” will probably catch many of you’s eye right away. From the start, the sound is distinctly 8-bit quality, which sets it apart from others. I want to highlight how well crafted the arrangements and instrumentation are on this track. The way the beats are woven together is really impressive and I enjoyed it a lot.

What really excites me is the flow of this track. It’s incredibly dynamic and I just love it. Yung Peary’s delivery is perfect here. Stereo effects are cleverly used in the mix. The main vocal line comes from both speakers, but on the left side you can occasionally hear extra lines at the end of each main phrase. This creates a really cool effect that adds depth to the overall sound.

There’s a particularly striking moment after Yung Peary delivers the line “Samus.” There’s a brief pause, and then the beat picks up again with an even more 8-bit feel. The execution of this transition is fantastic.

So folks, it’s time to crank up your car stereo and get ready to shake the neighborhood windows. “Plz Call Me” starts off with what I think is the most thunderous reverb bass I’ve ever heard. Even at low volume, as I drift off and play this album over and over, this track never fails to grab my attention.

There are some really cool elements in the mix, like these almost ethereal bell tones. They provide a cool little contrast to the heavy bass, creating a captivating duality that I really love. The chorus of this song is incredibly catchy. I’m pretty sure many of us can relate to the feeling, maybe we’ve even spent hours staring at our phones repeating the phrase “Plz call me baby” over and over again.

The song seems to express his frustration with a girl he wishes would give him a chance. He wants her to see what kind of person he really is. He talks about his music and life in general, and hopes she’ll give him a chance. What’s particularly creative is how the sound has a calmer effect after the second chorus. It’s still powerful, but Yung Peary’s vocals sound more distant, like he’s now saying these lines from a distance. It’s a really inventive approach.

“Moonlight Tears” featuring Lil Sion Hurts takes the album in a completely new direction. The track starts with acoustic tones and a long, single drum kit in the background. This creates a completely different atmosphere and I love the change. The vocals on this track are almost melodic, bordering on singing. It blurs the line between rap and singing in a way that is really effective.

Now I have to talk about the beat drop in this song. I believe it is one of the most subtle and impactful I have ever heard – and I am not exaggerating here. The way it is executed fits perfectly with the overall tone of the track. The rap part has a gentle, introspective quality. The duality of Yung Peary and Lil Sion Hurts’ vocal work creates a wonderful harmony that really elevates the track.

“Moonlight Tears” is a beautiful piece of music. The change in style shows Yung Peary’s versatility as an artist and proves that he can shine in different genres and moods. The collaboration with Lil Sion Hurts adds another layer to an already impressive track. This song left a strong impression on me.

This release had plenty of surprises from start to finish. With 16 tracks on the album, including some up-tempo hits, it’s absolutely packed with content. From what I recall, the shortest track is around 1:40 or just under, but even that’s plenty to digest.

What really stands out is Yung Peary’s way of working and his creativity in fusing all these genres and styles, especially with emo elements. It just sounds great. It’s really unique because I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like it before, at least not in the way it’s done and presented here.

These days, especially with the amount of music I listen to, it’s hard to surprise me. But here’s Yung Peary, definitely putting out stuff I’ve never heard before. The songwriting is great, the beats and arrangements are really cool, and the collaboration on this record is really well done. He can play off of other people’s energy so well.

The emotion that goes into this, especially the songwriting, is so strong. You can really feel it. It’s really pretty powerful stuff. I definitely recommend giving this a listen and checking it out because it’s pretty creative and very unique. The fusions here are just unmatched. If I could sum it up to describe it, it really is, as the title says, good as gold.