5/10
Jack Harlow is known for his smooth flow, clever pen game, clean vocal samples, and radio hits. Monica is completely different. The album sees Harlow leaning into a softer, neo-soul-inspired sound, abandoning the sly hip-hop that fans have come to expect. With a concise 28-minute runtime, Monica is filled with laid-back vocals and cozy instrumentals, delving into themes of finding love, longing, and heartbreak.
Despite the stylistic shift, Monica brings nothing exceptional to Harlow’s table. The pivot towards a neo-soul sound is certainly interesting, but the album rarely pushes the sound enough to make it feel exciting. It’s slightly better than Harlow’s lackluster discography, but the album still screams mediocrity.
The opening track, “Trade Places,” sets the tone for the whole album. A hush, bass-heavy instrumental takes over, creating a warm, coffee-shop atmosphere. Harlow’s smooth delivery embodies the beat, but his lyrics are strikingly shallow. In the song, Harlow describes his desire to spend time alone with his love interest. “I wish I could trade places with that fence / I wanna be the one that you lean against,” Harlow sings, sounding like a ten-year-old confessing his first love via poem.
Lyrics remain generic throughout the album. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Harlow’s carefree tone makes it clear he isn’t trying to craft a deeply emotional project. This is evident on tracks like “Living Alone,” where Harlow playfully flirts over a soothing guitar and lo-fi drums. “Wanna love you till my name is etched on to stone / You say, ‘What are you on?’ / My fault, I’m just gone off you,” he sings. Although the phrases are shallow, they’re cute. But on an album that doesn’t offer much to begin with, its lyrics do it little favors.
Monica, however, has its moments. “Lonesome,” featuring guitar chords that would perfectly accompany a campfire, is one of the more enjoyable tracks. Its chorus subtly layers vocals to create a polished, catchy hook. “Gotta walk away even though you’re lonesome / Givin’ up my love even though you want some,” Harlow sings, reflecting on walking away from a relationship despite lingering feelings.
The album’s only feature arrives with R&B artist James Savage on “Move Along”, where he warns his lover of the emotional pain he may cause. Located in the middle of the tracklist, Savage’s soulful vocals feel like a breath of fresh air in the album’s monotonous sound.
While some tracks are catchy, others are flat-out boring. Songs like “Prague” and “My Winter” include painfully slow pacing, and instead of feeling soothing, Harlow’s overly soft delivery can verge on sleep-inducing. Despite the stronger lyrical content, which describes emotional conflict and longing within Harlow’s relationship, “My Winter” is one of the album’s worst. The track feels confused, with the vocals awkwardly accompanying the even more awkward instrumental.
This points to another flaw: with only a few standout melodies, the album can feel like a slow trek. While the production is satisfactory, it’s remarkably repetitive, with some songs feeling indistinguishable from the rest.
Harlow’s singing is also strikingly average. At times, his vocals feel monotonous, fading into the background. And even if his laid-back aesthetic often suits the album, allowing his charming personality to shine through in the vocals or lyrics could give the album much needed emotional depth. Yes Harlow’s certainly grown as a vocalist, but he still has much room for development.
It’s clear what Harlow’s trying to accomplish with this album: create a comfortable, loving, R&B-inspired mood. For the most part, he accomplishes this. The soundscape is pleasing. The theme is consistent. Nothing is offensively bad, but nothing is particularly memorable either. If there’s one way to characterize the album, it’s background music. In the end, Monica settles comfortably into mediocrity.
