99 days I’ve been going through something…
So yeah, after what is probably my longest hiatus I have possibly ever taken I am finally back with another review and I really wanted to knock it out of the park with this one, so what better than one of my favorite artists PERIOD dropping a brand new LP after what felt like an eternity (so that’s one thing I have in common with Kendrick). So without further a do, let’s just jump right in to it, shall we?
So here we finally are, at the brand new Kendrick Lamar album – a sentence I was really worried I would never get the chance to say but yes, here we are indeed. Now the question on everyone’s minds right now is probably „was it worth the wait?“ and the short answer is yes, so for everyone that just wanted to know if it’s good well yeah it’s good, I would even go as far as to say it’s great. Now for those 2 people who actually care about what I have to say, here goes nothing – I’m gonna try to break this album down track by track to the best of my abilities but honestly nothing I can really say here can truly do it justice, but I’m gonna try my best anyways. So right off the back, we kick off things super strong with the opener „United In Grief“ an instant Kendrick classic and definetly a step-up opener from his 2017 effort „DAMN.“ (which can be said pretty much about this whole album). It starts very mellow in a classic Kendrick fashion, after that there is what feels like a musical number from Kendrick and right after that out of nowhere comes flying out these super fast and agressive drums over which Kendrick starts rapping – this song literally gave me adhd and i love it. Kendrick here as the title suggests talks about his struggles with grief and how he copes with loss – it’s a really touching moment that sets the stage pretty well for the rest of the album (themes like this are brought up all through the project, like if you thought DAMN. was personal then this is Kendrick literally putting his soul on full display for everyone to see, it’s heavy stuff). On the next song „N95“ Kendrick goes the opposite route and we encounter our first banger on the album and oh boy does this one bang. It’s like the DNA. of this album, but somehow even more energetic and honestly done to perfection in my eyes. This song goes criminally hard, like it should actually be illegal. I heard a lot of people criticizing Kendrick’s voice inflection here but honestly once you get used to it it adda even more to the track. And the Baby Keem influence I mean… Kendrick doesn’t even try to hide it here, he obviously is just having fun and it works like a charm. It’s probably not the most lyrically profound moments on the album, but definitely one of the most instantly enjoyable. After that comes what’s probably Kendrick’s most weird song, but in like a good way in the form of „Worldwide Steppers“. It’s a really solid story-telling track but the beat is what caught me off guard when listening to it. Its this wabbling wall of bass mixed in a really strange way that just shouldn’t work but it kind of does?? I don’t know, I still have a few mixed feelings about the track but overall I have to commend Kendrick for not playing it safe and trying out something new – and I’d say that overall he sticks the landing, for the most part at least. „Die Hard“ is honestly a song that I could just take it or leave it, it’s fine, the beat is fine, everyone’s performance is fine, but it just feels like a left over from the Black Panther soundtrack Kendrick worked on which isn’t like one of his best works or anything, but you know, it’s still listenable, I just tend to skip it most of the time and there are more intriguing tracks I’d like to talk about. Case in point „Father Time“ with Sampha on the hook and honestly this one was kind of bound to be great, like it’s Sampha, the man is incapable of missing – the whole song could absolutely suck and this man’s voice would make it one of the best on the album. Fortunately this song doesn’t suck, the opposite from that actually and is one of the most profound and yet banger-ish songs on the album. Up next we have „Rich – interlude“ with Kodack Black and „Rich Spirit“ a really weird choice of a song to make an interlude on considering it’s probably one of the least impactful ones here – don’t get me wrong, as with „Die Hard“ the song still sounds fine you know, it’s listenable, but would it really bother me if it was cut from this album? No, not really. Still, it’s really nice hearing Kendrick really feel himself on this song here and makes for one of the more relaxed songs on the album – which is funny considering what the next song is. Now if you’ve heard „We Cry Together“ I mean, there isn’t really anything I can add, the songs kind of speaks for itself. The song portrays a… Toxic couple, to say the least, in a heated argument that honestly is so well acted both from Kendrick and especially Taylour Paige, her performance here is what really sold this track for me. All I can say is that this is one of Kendrick’s best songs that he’s ever done period, and go listen to the clean version of the song, because that’s one of the funniest things I’ve heard all year, it’s basically an instrumental. Oh did I forgot to mention that this album is actually the first Kendrick DOUBLE album? That’s right, we’re just finishing off the first half with „Purple Hearts“ a song that I like more on paper than in actuality. Same goes for the opener of the second disc „Count Me Out“ – both songs are great, but I’m just missing that extra connection that so many people had with these songs, they just haven’t really fully clicked with me unlike some others yet. „Crown“, the next song, is another song that exists. I mean sure, it’s something new for Kendrick, but by this point we had like a 3 song run of songs that are just okay, which just isn’t the standart for a Kendrick project in my opinion. Fortunately things do pick up substantially from here on out, starting with „Silent Hill“ which is like a hybrid of „N95“ and „Rich Spirit“, just a smooth banger where Kendrick once again does his weird Baby Keem-esk voice inflection that actually compliment the track very well. Speaking of Baby Keem, the next song „Savior – interlude“ sure does have him featured – well featured, it’s more like an entire song, but don’t let the fact that it’s just an interlude keep you from seeing how actually good this interlude – the orchestral instrumentation compliments Baby Keem’s surprisingly introspective bars surprisingly well, it’s a mix that shouldn’t really work but it does. It also leads well into the actual song „Savior“, a song that’s slowly but surely becoming one of my absolute favorites from this album. There is just something so infectious about the production of this song, it’s like musical drugs, I love it. It’s very trippy and surreal and Kendrick just FLOATS on top of this beat, it’s just so smooth and natural and comes together in a really nice way, I honestly have zero complaints about this song, definitely a highlight for me for sure. Now, for the next song „Auntie Diaries“ I’m just gonna avoid talking about the controversy this song sparked up, because I think even though it may not have 100% stuck the landing with what it was trying to do with it’s message, I think the good intentions are definetly there and I feel like in a few years time, this will become one of the most important tracks in the rap genre, quote me on that. For more context the song talks about Kendrick coming to terms with a member of his family being a transgender and reflects on how his younger self just didn’t know any better but to call that person names, because at the time he didn’t understand. But he understands now. And that’s what I think should the main takeaway from this song be, accepting these things as part of life and that it doesn’t make anyone less of a human-being for just being what they are. After that comes the title track essentially „Mr. Morale“ a song that again, I like in theory (I mean c’mon, it’s a Kendrick song produced by Pharell AND it’s the title track, like all the ingredients to an instant classic are there), but with this one I think it’s just not pushed far enough if that makes sense? Like the foundation for a great song is there, but it just misses that extra… Something. Regardless still a great song and a much needed banger in between 2 most lyrically-focused songs on the album. The second of those being… *Sigh* „Mother I Sober“. Now this is the „Sing About Me…“ of this album, I legit cried the first time I heard this song and I still do most of the times when I put it on. This is Kendrick at his most vulnerable we have ever seen him be. An absolute emotional climax of this whole album and definetly one of if not the best song Kendrick has ever done and I will die on that hill (a Silent Hill, if you will HOLY MOLY THAT RHYMED). Finally we arrive at the last song on this album simply called „Mirror“. Now here is where I have to bring up the concept and structure of this album – the album is called „Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers“ and it’s a double album so what would you assume is that the first half represents Mr. Morale and the second The Big Steppers HOWEVER it’s actually the other way around – you know, like how MIRRORS work? So yeah, you already can piece it together much sooner considering how the entire first half is filled with these what I assume to be stepping sounds all throughout the disc, but hey, it’s definitely a more neat concept than just „OMG A NEW MESSAGE UNLOADS ONCE YOU PLAY THE ALBUM BACKWARDS!!!“ (looking at you DAMN.). But back to the song, „Mirror“ makes for a great, while a little abrupt end to the album and ties the whole together not only musically but thematically.
Wow, I have like 14 different carpel tunnels from writing all of this but hey, that’s what I get for not posting 3 months I guess – in conclusion, „Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers“ while not perfect makes for one of Kendrick’s most realized and personal projects to date. Definetly can’t wait to see where he goes next after another 6 years!
-favorite tracks: United In Grief, N95, Worldwide Steppers, Father Time, We Cry Together, Silent Hill, Savior – interlude, Savior, Auntie Diaries, Mr. Morale, Mother I Sober, Mirror
-least favorite tracks: Purple Hearts, Crown, Die Hard
Light 9/10