Ah, summer 2019. It was a busy summer of transition for me. I moved and left behind people who were very special to me. I transitioned into a new job. There was a lot going on! But on August 16th, after a summer of high anticipation for me, Snoh Aalegra released Ugh, Those Feels Again. I remember anxiously awaiting its release after hearing the lead single “I Want You Around” so much throughout that year. That particular song drew me in immediately when I heard Snoh reference Stevie Wonder not once, not twice, but three times: “all I wanna hear is Innervisions on replay”, “my Higher Ground, my Rocket Love“. In case you’re not aware, I love Stevie Wonder, so that did a lot for me. I mentioned this in a previous post.
Upon listening to the album, I heard more obvious influences by other artists that I love and admire, like Michael Jackson, Sade, Prince, and Maxwell. Take the song “Find Someone Like You”. I fell in love with it immediately. The lyrics and meaning coupled with her vocals made me so emotional the first few times I heard it. I remember saying that I would use that song for my wedding, and then I jokingly “loaned” it to a good friend of mine and her now husband for their wedding, because they loved it too. Haha. Getting back to Snoh though, when she sings “yeah, yeah, yeah” on the chorus, she gives me strong MJ vibes. It’s her tone for me. Then the choir in the background?! Yes!
My other favorite song on the album was and still is “Toronto”. Whew! Again, her vocals! But that production too…it is just so dope. It’s funky, soulful, and jazzy all at once. It has a catchy melody, and the instrumentation is very sultry. Then the way Snoh sings “baby baby” at the beginning of the verse gives me Toni Braxton “Seven Whole Days” vibes(it reminds me of the way Toni sings “honey honey” and “baby baby” on it…just listen to it and you will hear what I mean). The song has strong Prince and Maxwell vibes too, but especially the former. It definitely sounds like something that Prince would have sung, and Snoh did have a connection to him, so it makes sense.
“Situationship” was another instant favorite of mine. Again, lyrics! For better or worse, the song was relatable for me at the time, okay? (Lol AND Smh) The beat and groove are so smooth, and Snoh’s vocals are everything as usual. I usually do some serious head bobbing when listening to this song. Haha.
It’s been an interesting two years since this album dropped, for sure. It will always remind me of the summer of 2019, but also the pandemic that changed our lives roughly six months after it dropped. Be sure to check out Snoh’s latest album, Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies and be on the lookout for a future post on that one too!
Next, check out all the favorites I just mentioned, plus one extra! And feel free to comment with your favorite song from this album!
My Favorites From the Album