On The Failure B.Dolan–slam poet veteran and regular Sage Francis opener–yells, whispers, and raps over varying beats, samples, and noise on his dark-tinted, hard-to-categorize debut. Whether talking politics (“Young Americans”), flexing rap cadences (“Knock, Knock”), or fervently dishing dialogue (“Sky Cycle Blues”), Dolan does so with wit and vigor. The Failure does have disjointed moments (“Junk Poetry” and “The Scorpion Arrives”), but they reflect a non-linear approach that doesn’t pander to any genre, trend, or type of listener. Weird, heavy, and full of presence, The Failure, solidifies B. Dolan as a performer who can leave a mark solely with words and energy.