Saba’s Care For Me: A Profound Album For A Tough Moment

Never has it been more apparent that suffering is a communal human experience. As the last few months have reminded us, no one is without their own personal struggles.

2020 may go down as the first year in most of our lives that we all suffered together. The truth is, suffering is often emotionally engrossing and captivating. If it weren’t, it wouldn’t be so universal. And because of that, there’s no shortage of art (of all forms and disciplines) that attempts to capture and express this feeling.

There’s so much art about heartbreak, mental illness, grief, and sadness that it can almost feel as if they all collectively water each other down. While I would never discourage anyone from expressing themselves or their pain, the mere act of doing so doesn’t automatically make it profound or authentic, either.

The first time I heard Care For Me, I wasn’t particularly impressed by Saba.

I appreciated the vulnerability and ambition he brought, but I found his mic presence and delivery to be forgettable and uncharismatic. It sounded like his voice was drowning underneath the beat. There was a palpable desperation you could feel in his words, and yet, he couldn’t even rise above the minimalist production for long enough to grab your attention and make you want to listen.