If the name Anthony Ramos sounds a little familiar to you, you may recognize him as the original John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the sensational Broadway musical Hamilton. Apart from his stellar performance in the sung-and-rapped through musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ramos also makes his own music. His debut album titled The Good & The Bad was released in late October of 2019, and it debuted at number 21 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. I finally got the chance to listen to it a few months ago, and it’s safe to say that it is one of my favorite albums to listen to on the go! The Good & The Bad follows Anthony’s journey on self-realization and self-discovery as he sings about topics such as love, heartbreak, mental health, and everything in between. Though there aren’t any bad songs on this album by any means, I definitely have my favorite tracks I play on repeat.
12. “Either Way” With the haunting yet exciting opening of “Either Way,” you can expect nothing less of greatness from this song. Set as the third-to-last track in The Good & The Bad, “Either Way” is about how life goes on through all of the ups and downs. “Either Way” also pays tribute to Anthony’s friends who were there for him through everything he has been through in his life. Though we may experience loneliness in life, especially when we are in places we are unfamiliar with, there is always a way to overcome obstacles that may get in our way of achieving eternal happiness. Despite this being at the bottom of my ranking, I absolutely love this song and it’s an absolute bop.
11. “Figure It Out” While this song is towards the bottom of my ranking, there is no doubt that this song is absolutely incredible and well-crafted. “Figure It Out” is a song that is more introspective than some songs on this album because Anthony talks about the nature and reality of not dealing with our problems. This is one of the more serious and somber songs on the album, but Anthony’s incorporation of detailed symbolism in his lyrics and vulnerability in his vocals set the mood perfectly. Anthony has such a way of getting right into the nitty-gritty of problems we all face in life within his music, and “Figure It Out” is nothing short of a masterpiece.
10. “Relationship” If there was a particular song in The Good & The Bad that was an indication of a mood switch, I feel like it would be “Relationship.” While the first half of the album talks about his emotions of happiness and curiosity after leaving home, Anthony utilizes the halfway point of the album to take a turn. “Relationship” talks about the more negative emotions one may encounter when in his journey of self-discovery, particularly when he has love for someone special. This song is about an imbalanced relationship where one is fully invested and the other one is not, and it talks about the frustration of being taken advantage of. Despite the negative emotions that are introduced in this song, the melody is super catchy and the song overall is perfect for a car ride.
9. “One More Hour” In my opinion, “One More Hour” is the perfect song when you just want to vibe. Maybe you’re taking a shower, lying down for a bit, or even taking a relaxing drive; with its feel-good lyrics and steady beat, “One More Hour” is the perfect song for winding down. In the album’s third track, Anthony talks about the feelings of getting to know someone after meeting them for the first time, A.K.A. the night he and his now-fiancée Jasmine Cephas Jones became more than just friends. As the song progresses, Anthony talks about his desire to spend as much time with Jasmine as possible because he knows that this is something more than friendship, and knowing that they are engaged now is pretty much the cutest thing ever.
8. “Isabella” When I first listened to “Isabella,” it immediately gave me incredibly positive vibes that reminded me of driving with the windows down and gazing at a sunset, which makes it one of my favorite songs on the album. This song is named after one of Anthony’s favorite towns in Puerto Rico, where he took his fiancée Jasmine on a spontaneous and last-minute trip. Anthony talks about getting away from the hustle and bustle of life for a while in order to spend time with the one he loves. The introductory instrumental before the first verse immediately hooked me in, and “Isabella” is a great continuation of Anthony’s journey of self-discovery because it talks about a period of euphoria when in love. “Isabella” is a very feel-good song, and I always find myself singing along when it comes on!
7. “Auntie’s Basement” In the album’s second track titled “Auntie’s Basement,” Anthony paints a picture of being at a party in order to describe one of the first encounters with a group of strangers after leaving home, or his place of familiarity and safety. Though he likes the vibes of the party he is at, Anthony compares this to “Auntie’s basement,” a place of comfort and authenticity. He brings up a lot of elements in an “Auntie basement” party such as Aunt Emily mixing the drink, dollar slices, and lime Coronas in order to emphasize his nostalgia for being around people he is familiar and comfortable with, which goes with the album’s theme of going on a path to discover oneself and the world. This is definitely a song I listen to a lot when I’m walking to class or commuting somewhere just because it always puts me in a really good mood! I’ll sometimes find myself bopping my head to the beat, and I’ll sing along if no one’s around—it’s so catchy!
6. “Woman” “Woman” is one of those songs that gets you right in the feels if it’s ever on shuffle; the song shows up in the moments I least expect it, and I always sing my heart out when it comes up on my Spotify. “Woman” explains how loving is hard, no matter how long the relationship has been going on. Anthony wrote “Woman” as a tribute to what he thinks is most powerful in the world: a woman’s love. When he was describing this song, he said, “Women have this kind of love that I don’t think men can ever touch. It’s like a supernatural love.” You’ll find yourself belting “If I coulda loved you like I was a woman” along with Anthony when the chorus arrives, and it never gets old.
5. “Mind Over Matter” I will say with my whole chest that “Mind Over Matter” is one of the sexiest songs I’ve ever heard, point blank. In the fifth track of The Good & The Bad, Anthony continues singing about experiencing a period of euphoria and excitement during his journey away from home. He explains how the emotional aspect of sex elevates the physical act into something more, and Anthony sings about how true love appears beneath the surface. “Mind Over Matter” is a song that makes you feel like you want to strut down the street, showing off like nobody’s business. If you’re looking for a song you need to listen to when you want to feel yourself and have a mini dance party, look no further than “Mind Over Matter”—I assure you, it will be in your head for days on end!
4. “Little Lies” This is one of the more heart wrenching songs on the album, but I consider it to be one of my favorites because of the truthful and raw message that it conveys. Set as the track directly after “Relationship,” where Anthony discusses the downsides of being in an imbalanced relationship, “Little Lies” discusses how lies and deceit are incredibly damaging in a relationship, no matter the size. While we may have good intentions and want to protect the ones we love, little lies have big consequences. Despite its heartbreaking and honest lyrics, “Little Lies” is an amazing song to vibe to; whether you are listening to it to energize your morning or to wind down at night, “Little Lies” can do no wrong.
3. “Dear Diary” I already had a good feeling about the album just by listening to the opening track. “Dear Diary” talks about Anthony leaving home and his place of familiarity, something that a lot of college students and young adults can relate to. What I love most about this song is how vulnerable he is from start to finish; he acknowledges that he and his parents might not always see eye to eye, and that they may have pitfalls once in a while. Despite the hardship that he goes through in his journey of finding himself, he always sees his family as a priority and will never forget the importance of home wherever he goes. A lot of what Anthony sings about in “Dear Diary” has stuck a lot with me because I share similar sentiments about my own path of self-discovery and how important my family is to me, so I applaud Anthony for being so vulnerable and authentic in this song.
2. “Come Back Home” Prepare your tissues because this song is quite the tearjerker. Serving as the last song on The Good & The Bad, “Come Back Home” perfectly wraps up the journey of leaving home to discover oneself by describing how the adventure comes full-circle. From start to finish, Anthony has been on a journey away from home in order to find himself and who he wants to be; in “Come Back Home,” he realizes that he already had everything he has ever wanted. As kids, we’ve dreamed of bigger and “better” things, finding our so-called “paradise,” and to escape the life we are familiar with. On the other hand, we are also scared of what the future holds and what we will find outside of our comfort zone. “Come Back Home” explains all of those indescribable emotions perfectly, and it is sure to tug at your heartstrings.
1. “The Good & the Bad” Finally, “The Good & The Bad” is my absolute favorite song off of the album, and probably one of the best songs I’ve heard this year! It was the first released song off of the album, and it did not disappoint! As the second-to-last track in the album, “The Good & The Bad” is a well-crafted song that corresponds with the album’s theme of journeying away from home in order to find oneself. Within the verses of the song, Anthony refers back to his own life in order to tell his story of growth and understanding the ways of life to us while also conveying that although not giving up during times of hardship is difficult, it is worth it in the end. This song immediately stuck with me since listening to it for the first time, and it’s a great reminder that there’s great value in both the good and bad moments in life.