Those songs absolutely pale in comparison to the best songs on A Seat at the Table. And for me, an album does need standout, memorable moments if I'm going to want to return to it. The cohesiveness of this album doesn't mean much when the songs themselves are so lacking imo.
I think cohesion is just as important, if not more, when you're putting together a work that's trying to sustain a certain mood/tone/ideas. Not everything needs standout moments or big singles. Maybe that's not what interests you in music, but it's definitely not a slight against this album for not indulging in that.
I love ambient music and listen to it nearly every day. I definitely see both sides of the argument here, but I feel great mood-oriented music doesn't sacrifice composition for cohesion. Even drone can have particular moments where you can step back from the trance you'd fallen into and appreciate singular details. I've only listened to this album a few times, and not much has stuck with me, though I do find myself enjoying the first half more. Maybe it'll click at some point in the future.
This album has definitely grown on me since it was initially released, but I still don't like it as much as A Seat at the Table. I hope she returns to more conventional songwriting on her next album if I'm honest.
Honestly, 9/10 I'd rather hear someone fail at trying something unconventional than repeating the same thing over and over.