Podcast
Album Mode
Hosted by Demar Grant & Adriel Smiley · EN
Welcome to Album Mode where journalist, Demar Grant and The Cool Table host, Adriel Smiley breakdown and review the latest albums. Each episode features a new album where both hosts dive in-depth about the project and the artist’s path to its release.
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Olivia Rodrigo, "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love" and sometimes boring | REVIEW
5d ago01:02:49Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Olivia Rodrigo's third studio album "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love", whether she's a rock artist fighting her destiny and if she's the best songwriter of our time.Timecodes:4:00 The growth of a Young Star9:06 Past Reviews10:20 Stupid Song14:05 How Good a Singer Is She?14:40 Purple18:31 Begged25:10 Expectations29:15 u + me = <332:05 The Cure35:30 Miley Cyrus comparison39:50 Gwen Stefani comparison42:50 Potentional collaborators49:30 The Cover56:20 The ScoreTwitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/Adriel_SmileyDémar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrantTikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepodAdriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Démar’s rating: 7 / 10Adriel's rating: 5.5 / 10 The Love List: expectations, u + me = Less than 3, my way, maggots for brains,
Transcribe →Vince Staples' "Cry baby" gains consciousness | REVIEW
2w ago00:51:09Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Latto's seventh studio album "Cry Baby", whether Vince Staples is a conscious rapper and how Paris Texas was the blueprint to "Cry Baby"'s sound.Timecodes:2:37 - Album Mode Venn Diagram6:10 - 4th Vinces Staples Review8:49 - Only in America13:54 - TV Guide20:53 - The Big Bad Wolf22:40 - Rap/Rock Era30:32 - Is Vince Staples a conscious rapper?37:13 - The Cover42:34 - The Score===================================Follow us:TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram:Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/Adriel_SmileyDémar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant===================================Démar’s rating: 8 / 10Adriel's rating: 7 / 10The Love List: Okayyy, Hostage, Fallin, AnxiousVince Staples - Cry Baby / 2026 / hip hop, rap, rock, alternative hip hop, conscious rap
Transcribe →Latto finds her "Big Mama" sound | REVIEW
3w ago00:50:25Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Latto's fourth studio album "Big Mama", whether not having a hit song to pair with the album is a problem and did she finally find her core sound?Timecodes:04:04 Her influences05:53 Past Reviews08:15 The Rap Summer Walker13:04 Did Crodie Write it?18:50 The Latto Sound22:17 Government-mandated Sexyy Red Feature25:33 Her Improvement as a Singer28:00 Daddy’s Girl Interlude32:30 What this means for her career42:54 The Cover46:15 The Score===================================Follow us:TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram:Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/Adriel_SmileyDémar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant===================================Démar’s rating: 7 / 10 Adriel's rating: 5 / 10The Love List: Okayyy, Hostage, Fallin, Anxious
Transcribe →fakemink is "Terrified" of being boring | REVIEW
4w ago00:45:49Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Fakemink's debut studio album " Terrified, whether it's good or just interesting, and his lyrics being mythic or lost in the sauce.Timecodes:03:14 How He Talks About Himself04:13 The Voice6:12 All Eyes On Me9:57 Distortion is the new Autotune12:29 Chinese Dictator Bars15:54 Rewind24:25 Essex Girls35:20 The Score=================================== Follow us:TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant=================================== Démar’s rating: 7.5 / 10Adriel's rating: 3 / 10 The Love List: Hard Candy, Creep, Jungle-Affair, Rewind, Forget me Not
Transcribe →Drake's "Iceman" is not so nice, man | REVIEW
May 2201:57:17Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Drake's latest three albums, but primarily 'Iceman", whether current Drake is Lakers Lebron and if this is a true comeback for The Boy. Timecodes:2:14 The Biggest Comeback in Music History7:15 Comparisons to Taylor Swift12:32 Jordan/LeBron comparisons24:22 Past Drake Reviews32:49 What does lyrical growth look like for Drake?41:00 Ran to Atlanta43:44 Brat vs Iceman51:25 Are there too many similes?54:44 Too Hard for the Radio57:19 Adriel’s favourites1:06:44 Government-mandated 21 Savage feature1:10:15 Make Them Series1:22:41 Maid of Honour & Habibti1:33:31 The Nokia test1:37:39 The Covers1:47:47 The ScoreFollow us: TikTok:Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepodAdriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram:Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter:Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant===================================Démar’s rating: 4.5 / 10 Adriel's rating: 6.5 / 10The Love List: Shabang, Make Them Remember, Little Birdie
Transcribe →Isaiah Rashad "It's Been Awful", ain't awful | REVIEW
May 1100:58:59Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Isaiah Rashad's third studio album 'It's Been Awful", whether 'a vibe' is an accurate description of his music and how his lyricism reveals his battle with addiction.Timecodes2:56 Introduction to Isaiah Rashad4:40 The Timeline10:00 Isaiah Rashad vs Ab-Soul13:52 RIP Young17:15 Domnic Fike feature20:30 Boy in Red29:45 Fan of the flows32:53 M.o.M.38:05 Ain’t Giving Up45:40 The Cover53:18 The ScoreFollow us:TikTok:Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepodAdriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram:Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter:Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant===================================Démar’s rating: 7 / 10Adriel's rating: 7.5 / 10The Love List: M.O.M., SAME SH!T, 719 FREESTYLE, SUPERPWRSIsaiah Rashad - It's Been Awful / 2026 / hip hop, rap
Transcribe →Kehlani's "Kehlani" is new, old school pop R&B | REVIEW
May 400:53:04Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Kehlani's fifth studio album 'Kehlani", whether the songs are pale imitations and the difference between Démar and Adriel's R&B taste.The Love List: Folded, Back and Forth, No Such Thing, PocketTimecodes2:00 - Expectations vs. Anticipation6:40 - Folded11:15 - The Features18:00 - Shoulda Never19:45 - The center of Pop/R&B31:00 - Pocket is Demar’s favourite song38:20 - What does this mean for Kehlani’s career?42:45 - The Cover46:00 - The Score=================================== Follow us: TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepodAdriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant===================================Démar’s rating: 8.5 / 10Adriel's rating: 5 / 10Kehlani - Kehlani / 2026 / R&B, pop R&B
Transcribe →Angine de Poitrine's "Vol. II" is good... right? | REVIEW
Apr 1300:36:52Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Angine de Poitrine's second studio album 'Vol. II' and whether skipping the intro to songs that are great afterwards makes for a good albumTimecodes2:35 The Viral Video7:15 Is it Intentional?11:34 Angor14:54 Mixed reactions online20:00 Similar to Rosalia23:10 The Cover29:30 The ScoreFollow us:TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepodAdriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram:Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter:Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant ===================================Démar’s rating: 4 / 10 Adriel's rating: 3 / 10The Love List: Fabienk, Yor Zarad, Sarniezz
Transcribe →Arlo Park's new sound brings 'Ambiguous Desire' | REVIEW
Apr 1100:42:46Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Arlo Park's third studio album 'Ambiguous Desire', how drastically her sound has changed since the beginning of her career and the regression of her stellar songwriting.Timecodes 2:49 First inductee into the Album Mode Hall of Fame4:11 Past Reviews8:35 No more guitars12:12 Heaven20:55 Jetta24:45 Luck of Life27:37 What If I Say It?30:05 South Seconds31:29 What this means for Arlo Parks’ career34:33 The Cover38:16 The ScoreFollow us: TikTok:Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepodAdriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram:Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter:Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant===================================Démar’s rating: 8.5 / 10 Adriel's rating: 9 / 10The Love List: Jetta, Senses, 2SIDED, nightswimmingArlo Parks - Ambiguous Desire/ 2026 / indie, UK garage
Transcribe →Yeat's 'ADL' is nearly DOA | REVIEW
Apr 501:02:33Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Yeat's sixth studio album 'ADK' how his venture to the centre has hurt his sound and why normal doesn't work for Yeat.Timecodes05:59 Past Yeat Reviews9:00 Let King Kylie Talk12:45 2010s trap era18:52 The rapping is lacking22:48 Hip-Hop politics28:05 Yeat trying new things34:34 Swizz Beatz is back39:25 What I want45:39 What does ADL mean for Yeat’s career?51:51 The ScoreFollow us: TikTok:Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepodAdriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram:Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter:Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant===================================Démar’s rating: 4 / 10 Adriel's rating: 4.5 / 10The Love List: General Purpose, What I Want, Back Home
Transcribe →