"ROMCOM" - Jakey

ROMCOM is the first studio album by Youtuber/Musician/funnyball man Naked Jakob. To say that I was excited for this record would be an understatement. I've loved all of Jakey's music up until this release with the single off of this record "Pine Barrens" being on of my absolute favorite songs of the year. The song "Not Dead Yet" is also one of my favorite songs of all time. I've always loved Jakey's production and he had yet to miss until this record came out. The album was originally announced to be released in February of 2022 but The album came out on November 18th of 2022.

The First song on the album is "DRIVE OFF A BRIDGE". A snippet of the song was actually shown all the way back in December of 2021 in the "Pine Barrens" music video where it appeared at the end. The track is beatiful with this ethereal orchestra and somehow incorporating a sample of a womens frat chant and making it fit perfectly. The only thing I'm not a big fan of is the dry clap that's there the whole song but the clap isn't as apparent once everything else makes it's way to the song so it's alright. The lyrics in this song are also just...I don't like the rap parts, I love the "drive off a bridge with you" but the "Shout out to my girl named lexi, keeping my brain real healthy" and "Finger in the air like check please, ass looking fat like a pair of old etnies" is just ugh. "LIKE TOTALLY FREAK ME OUT" was one of my least favorites on first listen because of the flex lyrics but upon listening to the record more and more I've come to love it. The beat goes hard, the production is great and the sample work is spectacular. The incorporation of the frat girl chant AGAIN is also impressive AF. "EVERY DAY" is one of my least favorite off the record but funely enough, it was one of my favorites on my first listen. I liked the piano and the choir is a nice touch but i don't know what happened but I just don't enjoy the song anymore. I do however enjoy the FUCK out of "SURVIVAL HORROR" The song has a great beat, the lyrics are great and the sampling of "I don't get no sleep cause of yall" is INSANE. Jakey's sample work is truly his most definining music trait which he's mastered. The meloncholic synth is also really pleasing to the ears and overall this song fucking bangs.

"PINE BARRENS" is my favorite song off this record. I fell in love with it after hearing it all the way back in december of 2021. The lyrical aspect of this track is unlike any other cause it blows everything else out of the water. The Vocals are clean and beautiful. The orchastral assembly and spliced choir is so ethereal and amazing and then the beat kicks in. The only gripe I have with this song is that I enjoy the Single version better. In The album version, Jakey has a little rap part where the single version had the singing come back and it's just not an improvement, the harmonizing is nice when the chorus kicks in again but I prefer the single version even though the album version is better mixed and produced.

"REEBOKS OR THE NIKES" goes HARD. The song samples "The Rhythm of the night" but adds this crunchy, raw bass and hard beat. There's this pitched up and spliced vocal in he background aswell that I just love, especially at the second verse. Jakey's productional talent is really well showcased in this song. But then we have "TOMMY HANKS. The Worst song Jakey has ever released. The song is cheesy, annoying and Jakey's pitched vocals are just a really terrible choice. There isn't an awesome sample use, the beat is mid and the whole song as a whole is just a low point. And then we have the last song, "FAT HEAD". One of my favorite songs upon first listen and I grew out of it and then it grew back on me! The song is beautiful with the elongated synth and piano and so many samples. The biggest gripe I had on first listen was that I just wanted the elongated synth to go up a note at least once but it doesn't bother me anymore and OMG THE USE OF THE FRAT GIRL CHANT FOR THE 3RD TIME IS SO FUCKING COOL. The song also ends with the "Drive off a bridge" verse which makes for a great ending to the record.

All in all, this album is flawed but the production and sample work is phenomenal. I think Jakey is extremely talented but there's still a lot of room to grow and I can't wait to hear what he makes next!

7/10

Favorites: DRIVE OFF A BRIDGE (Chorus) LIKE TOTALLY FREAK ME OUT SURVIVAL HORROR PINE BARRENS REBOOKS OR THE NIKES FAT HEAD

Least favorites: DRIVE OFF A BRIDGE (Second verse) EVERY DAY TOMMY HANKS

(This review was written on January 6th, 2022)