ALBUM REVIEW: “Scrapyard” By Quadeca
- Post Authorby Music director
- Post DateSun Mar 10 2024
BY: Jack Anderson
Coming into this album, the last time I had listened to a Quadeca song was sitting in my
friend's car during my sophomore or junior year of high school. This was back when Quadeca
was seen as strictly a rapper, releasing his songs through YouTube. My friend turned on some of
his early work, and to be honest, he didn't seem to set himself apart from other YouTube rappers.
He was more talented and refined than others in his space, but there was nothing to make me add
him to my playlists or consider him a serious musician. But with this recent album Scrapyard, I
had heard too much about it not to check it out. After listening, it's apparent Quadeca has made
leaps and bounds ever since the first time I heard him in that Dodge Avenger six years ago.
The first thing that stood out to me about this album is how many influences Quadeca
brings into this album, and yet he still manages to make it sound entirely cohesive. Putting this
album into a singular genre would be impossible, and doing so would discount the obvious
amount of musical research that Quadeca has done throughout his career. From glitch pop beats,
to trap flows, to Bright Eyes vocal styling, to Beatles-esque delivery, Quadeca traverses these
genres flawlessly. Oftentimes artists will try and do too much, and the result will end up feeling
like it's attacking you from all angles. On Scrapyard, however, these influences are balanced
perfectly, and it feels like getting wrapped in a blanket of emotions.
Scrapyard is a “throwaway project”, as in these songs didn't fit on his last album I Didn't
Mean to Haunt You, and weren't going to end up on his next album, Vanisher. Despite being
songs without a home, I was blown away by the cohesiveness of this album. The songs flow
together so well, especially at the start and end of the album. The first four songs on the album
are nearly perfect, and they pull you into Quadeca's headspace perfectly. In the same way, the
last three songs are a perfect sendoff to the album. “U Tried That Thing Where Ur Human” will
have you sobbing your eyes out as Quadeca talks about a rocky relationship with an ex, leaving
him emotionally destitute. “Guide Dog”, the penultimate track, talks about how Quadeca wishes
the person he's interested in would see themselves the way he does. The writing on this track,
backed up by an amazing acoustic guitar, cuts like a hot knife through butter. After the last two
tracks bombard you with heavy emotional anguish, the closing track “Texas Blue” leaves you
hopeful as Quadeca and featuring artist Kevin Abstract blend perfectly to talk about past
relationship troubles, and how they eventually worked through them. “Texas Blue” is the perfect
sendoff for this hyperemotional album. If Scrapyard ended on “Guide Dog”, I don't
think I would've mentally recovered for a few days.
A standout track for me was “Pretty Privilege”. Quadeca combines these weeping vocals
with this emo guitar riff, backed by a booming synth to add to the atmosphere. He transitions
into a more hip-hop and trap influenced delivery, all while maintaining the atmosphere he
created from the start. Later in the song, he brings in these vocal harmonies that remind me of
For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver. He uses this enveloping sound as the backing to his
vulnerable lyrics, talking about his struggles with his self-image. He wants this person to
acknowledge he's pretty, hoping they'll notice his new hairstyle he did just for them. Yet when
they do call him pretty, he struggles to believe they're telling the truth.
This album is simply amazing. My favorite album of the year so far, and I don't think it's
close. If you love alternative, genre-mashing, and emotional music like I do, I think you're going
to love this album. Every time I've listened to it, I find something new, whether it's a striking
lyric or an influence Quadeca brought onto this album and used perfectly.
My favorite songs, as of right now, and they definitely will change, are “Pretty Privilege”,
“Dustcutter”, “Guess Who?”, “U Tried That Thing Where Ur Human”, “Guide Dog”, and “Texas
Blue”. A song that left something to be desired was “I Make It Look Effortless”. Not a bad song
by any means, but it's sort of this braggadocious alternative trap song that doesn't evoke as much
emotion as other tracks. I would strongly urge anyone who hasn't heard of Quadeca to check it out. Or if you're like me and have been hesitant to listen to Quadeca after boxing him in as a YouTube rapper six years ago, give this album a listen because the evolution will legitimately blow your mind.