The last Album of the Year nominee I’ll mention is Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding. This is Malone’s second straight nod in this category, after 2019’s Beerbongs & Bentleys. I guess the Recording Academy has a soft spot for auto-tuned hip-hop inflected pop songs.
I like Malone well enough based on his media appearances, and a few of his songs have worked for me (specifically, ‘Rockstar‘ and ‘Circles‘). But a quick dive into this album didn’t impress me. It’s a lot of the same mid-tempo, moody pop you find in ‘Circles,’ but with less success.
I do like today’s track, the album’s fifth single, which has a little more going on musically.
Wasted on Sunday
Erase you on Monday
Allergic, allergic
Gave in by Friday
Went straight back to sideways
Allergic, allergic
[Pre-Chorus]
I took your pills and your drugs just to feel something else
‘Cause I can’t feel you no more
[Chorus]
So sad, but true
You’re friends with all my demons
The only one that sees them
Too bad for you
So sad, but true
Gave a hundred million reasons
But why can’t you believe them?
Too bad for you
[Verse 2]
Yeah, we fight and we fuck until we open the cuts
And now we’re soberin’ up but never sober enough
Allergic, allergic
Instead of holdin’ me down, you’re only holding me up
It shouldn’t be so hard, this is impossible love
Allergic, allergic
[Pre-Chorus]
I took your pills and your drugs just to feel something else
‘Cause I can’t feel you no more
[Chorus]
So sad, but true
You’re friends with all my demons
The only one that sees them
Too bad for you
So sad, but true
Gave a hundred million reasons
But why can’t you believe them?
Too bad for you
[Outro]
So sad, but true
Gave a hundred million reasons
But why can’t you believe them?
Too bad for you
Meet Me In Montauk 
I have t heard all that much from Post Malone, but find his sound pleasant enough.
Post Malone is one of those artists where whenever I hear a song from him, I 9/10 enjoy. However, whenever I’ve done deeper dives I’ve always found myself disappointed. I had heard quite a few songs from this album, this song included that I really liked. When the Grammy nominations came out I felt that this one was deserved, but that I should do a full listen before I make that judgment. Needless to say the album does stay pretty monotone in its production and subject matter. I’m still pushing for “Circles” to get song and record of the year, because that is a great track. However, if this album wins I will question who the academy even is.