NF – Therapy Session
Review by Haley Black
Listener discretion advised: NF doesn’t care about critics, opinions, or opposing tastes in music. This record is for him; music is his therapy.
The intro to his second full length, Therapy Session, is like a warning notice addressing concerns and questions up front in order to set the record straight. He bellows powerfully, building momentum, projecting his path as a musician and reliving the judgements that his career is meaningless. He instructs the audience to proceed with caution, saying, “If you don’t like music that’s personal, I don’t know what you people are doing, you might as well throw out the record.”
Similar to Justin Bieber’s “Purpose,” but much more articulate and profound, NF speaks about God as well as the meaning of the song in the title track, “Therapy Session.” NF’s music is not only therapy for himself but also for his fans. This song is a reflection of testimonies he has heard from fans regarding their personal struggles and what his music has done for them. It is a compassionate outcry for his hurting fans with clamoring lyrics that are woven together with genuine care and empathy.
“Oh Lord” begins as a morbid image of ashes and gravestones. In a way, it is a lament of feeling abandoned and distant from God. NF challenges a society that blames all of their problems on a God they frequently deny. There are moments of deep philosophical questions and observations, such as this: “It’s hard to answer prayers when nobody’s praying to you.” This is a proposition that invites the audience to at least consider how faith actually works.
From track one to the end, Therapy Session takes a journey through NF’s music career. “Intro 2” recalls the early years of empty venues while “Statement” starts off with the image of the rapper flying through the clouds on his way to New Zealand. In “All I Do,” NF admits he doesn’t want to be like mainstream rappers. He doesn’t want to be them; he wants to beat them.
Coming from someone who doesn’t typically enjoy this genre, NF has already beaten them. NF’s lyrics are far more purposeful and relatable than what is heard on Top 40 radio, which is plagued with the same redundant themes of sex, money and partying. There is a stigma of violence associated with rap music, but NF shatters the stereotypes despite his rambunctious tone.
Although much of the album is amped up, there is a juxtaposition of mellower tracks, giving the audience a much needed moment to catch their breath. The contrast of tones is a vulnerable expression of NF’s emotions, ranging from frustration to desperation. Much like a therapy session, it goes through cycles and peels back painful layers during self-reflection. Therapy Session is not simply an album; it’s a memoir.
Overall Rating: 4/ 5
Recommended Tracks: “I Just Wanna Know” and “Oh Lord”
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