01. Everything (ft. stig)
02. Sober
03. On Them Lines
04. Gone Off the Rock
05. Demons
06. Addicts Mind
07. Lost My Mind (ft. Stig) [REMIX]
08. Demons Just Feed
09. Death From A Million Paper Cuts
10. Skin
11. The Afterworld
12. Ghost
13. Amen
14. Purgatory
15. Ponds of Sound
16. You and Me and Melody
17. My Heart is a Fading Star
18. Breathe
19. More Than Glory
20. About A Dollar
21. Apologize
22. Premier
23. Garden of Eden (Needs a Verse 2)
24. Today’s Decay Version 2 (feat. P.S.)
25. Just A Lie – Arranged by Luck (Arcade Fire Sample)
Charles Luck, the restless mind behind Black Astronaut Records, has never been one to do things small. With 39 Charles Street, he delivers an audacious 25-track opus that plays like both a memoir and a mixtape of his many alter-egos. The record is sprawling, messy, hilarious, self-destructive, painfully honest, and—at it’s best—absolutely brilliant.
The album opens with “Everything (ft. Stig)”, an almost nostalgic callback that sets the tone with lo-fi cool and Charles’ trademark smirk in the lyricism. From there, the ride is as unpredictable as Luck himself. “Sober” is a standout—equal parts absurd comedy and razor-sharp execution. Luck drops lines that will make you laugh out loud, then blindsides you with wordplay that cuts deep. It’s this strange balancing act between parody and poignancy that makes BAR’s world so immersive.
Tracks like “Lost My Mind” and “Today’s Decay” showcase how much personality Luck can wring out of his collaborators—each emcee feels fully committed, even when the subject matter swerves into gross-out humor or drug-fueled mania. “Demons” might be one of the strongest cuts, quiet in its production but heavy in lyrical weight, while “Addicts Mind” reminds us of BAR’s roots, revisiting older material to flesh out the autobiographical narrative.
But with 25 tracks, quality control becomes a looming question. Some songs (“Skin,” “The Afterworld”) lean too hard on technique or suffer from uneven production, losing the replay value. “Apologize” feels half-baked, as if Luck’s urgency to release overshadowed the final polish. Still, there are plenty of moments that remind you why BAR has built a cult following: “My Heart is a Fading Star” and “Breathe” shine with genuine emotion and haunting originality, while “More Than Glory” proves Luck can deliver introspection with sincerity.
What holds it all together is Luck’s unfiltered vision. He raps about sex, addiction, God, paranoia, and 7-Eleven Slurpees with the same raw conviction. It’s chaotic, yes, but it’s also authentic—no one else in hip-hop sounds quite like this. 39 Charles Street may not be a “zero skips” album, but it’s an uncompromising document of an artist unwilling to sand down his edges for mass consumption.
It’s a chaotic but fascinating trip through Charles Luck’s universe and there are plenty of bright moments here. Definitely a refreshing and unique project! This record is a time capsule of an artist’s unfiltered mind—sprawling, self-indulgent, and daring enough to be unforgettable.
https://soundcloud.com/blackastronautrecords
