For this album review, I have chosen Talladega Muziq, the first studio album from the Louisiana r&b artist, Mista Roe. The album was released in October 2012, under the independent label, Ground Up Records. The artist is very edgy, resulting in a variety of upbeat to mid-tempo songs, in collaboration with a ballad or two with many intricate details. I will discuss a few songs I have selected from the album to review in detail. The first is “Let It Play.” This song is filled with meaning that shows through both the text and the music. The song begins with soft vocals accompanied by a single guitar alternating between two chords. The vocals suddenly become louder as the guitar and synth move into sharp, separated blasts, with a MONSTROUS 808, helping to convey the mood of the text. At the bridge, the dynamic reduces to the single synth before returning to the final, elevated chorus. The next song I have chosen is “Country Boy.” From the instrumental beginning of the song, the music helps to convey the title. The guitar introduces the theme, a “country” series of notes, followed by the entrance of a second guitar alternating between two chords. This pattern continues throughout the song, with small variations. At the end, the lead guitar plays an electrifying solo take, as the rhythm guitar and bass compliment with an exciting drum twist. All of these match the vocals. The song fades out into a really nice guitar roll. The keys build slowly with a faint vocal chant until the verse begins, leading one of the later songs, “You Get My Love.” This song begins quickly with all instruments. The tempo is mid and the form is A-B-C, alternating between the verse, pre-chorus, and chorus. The mid tempo further demonstrates what the text is about, having fun being in love and living a happy life with that someone to the fullest. The genre of this album is r&b or more specifically, r&b soul. Some characteristics of this style of music include a slow to mid tempo, the use of multiple guitars or keys, and texts that are based on common issues such as relationships and making the most of life. The primary audience of this genre ranges from teens to older adults. While there is a large number of artists that fit this description, I consider Mista Roe to be unique. Not only does the vocalist have a very distinct voice with a wide range, but he also uses texts that are very meaningful and matches them with guitar accompaniments that speak almost as loudly as the words themselves. This album is one of my personal favorites. The songs flow from one to the next, making it easy to listen to the album all the way through. That said, no two songs on the album are alike. Although the artist’s more recent work shows that Mista Roe’s voice was not fully developed at this time, the vocals on this album certainly do not sound immature. The album has a very natural sound as artificial enhancements are minimal. This is the first album released by the artist, yet it is comparable to the work of more experienced artists that have released one or two albums already. Because this album came very early in Mista Roe’s career, many are unfamiliar with Talladega Muziq. However, I believe that it is the best work by the artist, both musically and lyrically, and I would recommend that this album be added to everyone’s music collection.