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.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Isaiah Rashad "It's Been Awful", ain't awful | REVIEW
3w ago00:58:59Tap 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 →underscores' 'U' is hyperpop's best written album | REVIEW
Mar 2700:51:54Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss underscores' third studio album 'U' how shocking well written it is and whether her songs need transitions between them or just within.Timecodes3:34 What genre is this?5:35 Production9:00 The power of Dubstep14:43 The Peace17:50 Daft Punk mixed with Justin Timberlake?22:50 More on Hyperpop28:45 Bodyfeeling35:08 The cohesion39:03 Who should she collaborate with?42:36 The Cover46:06 The ScoreFollow us:TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepodAdriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar: 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: 7 / 10The Love List: Hollywood Forever, The Peace, Innuendo, Do ITunderscores - U / 2026 / Hyperpop
Transcribe →Jack Harlow's 'Monica' exceeds his body's limit | REVIEW
Mar 2100:49:54Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Jack Harlow's fourth studio album, 'Monica', how he's doing what black hip hop fans say they want white artists to do, and how his artistry has exceeded his body.Timecodes1:47 Past Jack Harlow Reviews8:04 The internet jokes12:16 Four Rules for Monica12:35 Production16:57 New to Neosoul20:20 Using his tools26:26 Strong songwriting30:10 All My Friends32:02 Good for his career40:24 The Cover43:44 The ScoreListen to our Audio Podcast on Spotify:https://spoti.fi/40aOnbHListen to our Audio Podcast on Apple Podcasts:https://apple.co/3KYpUSyFollow 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/X (formerly known as Twitter): Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant===================================Démar’s rating: 6 / 10 Adriel's rating: 7 / 10The Love List: Trading Places, Prague, Move Along, Say HelloJack Harlow - Monica / 2026 / R&B, Neo Soul
Transcribe →Harry Styles 'Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally' is British pop centrism | REVIEW
Mar 1600:50:32Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Harry Styles' fourth studio album 'Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally' who he is as an artist 10 years after One Direction and whether he's just a watered down version of other British artists' aesthetics.The Love List: Aperture, Are You Listening Yet? Carla's Song Timecodes2:45 Past Reviews5:42 Aperture is the Intro10:10 Coming Up Roses is a Billie Eilish song12:05 Demar calls Harry Styles risk-averse20:10 Pop is not a pop song28:30 Lyrics38:45 What does it mean for his career?42:43 The Cover44:47 The Score=================================== Listen to our Audio Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/40aOnbHListen to our Audio Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3KYpUSyFollow 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: 7 / 10
Transcribe →Bruno Mars and "The Romantic" fall off | REVIEW
Mar 900:52:30Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Bruno Mars' fourth studio album 'The Romantic' how it is edgeless and how Bruno Mars' songwriting has suddenly fallen off a cliff.The Love List: Why You Wanna Fight?Timecodes:4:00 - First time hearing Bruno Mars9:38 - Favourite song from his catalogue14:10 - I Just Might21:53 - Cha Cha Cha24:55 - The Debt33:25 - Adriel compares Bruno Mars to Don Toliver39:39 - Biggest Fall44:50 - Album Cover47:00 - 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: 3 / 10Adriel's rating: 2 / 10Bruno Mars - The Romantic/ 2026 / R&B, Soul
Transcribe →Baby Keem runs out of luck at the "Ca$ino" | REVIEW
Mar 700:54:08Tap to summarizeDémar and Adriel discuss Baby Keem's sophmore album 'Ca$ino' how he's changed in the 5 years since his last project and how close his lyrics cut to the bone.The Love List: I am not a Lyricist, Good Flirts, Circus Circus Free$tyleTimecodes:4:55 The Melodic Blue6:30 The Next Generation of Rap14:40 Production17:45 Momo Boyd21:05 I am not a Lyricist26:19 Dramatic Girl29:35 Sex Appeal 35:25 Lyrics42:44 What does this mean for his career?44:15 The Cover49:16 The Score =================================== Follow us: TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepodAdriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcomDémar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemiInstagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepodAdriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant===================================Démar’s rating: 5 / 10Adriel's rating: 5 / 10Baby Keem - Ca$ino / 2026 / Hip Hop, R&B, alternative R&B
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