dontp

So this is the so called masterpiece. Right.

Time and Us and Them are the peak of this album, no question. Great lyrics, great themes, they actually speak to you. Breathe and Eclipse are solid too, a clear tier below but they do their job. Outside of those four though, this album is a lot of nothing dressed up as something profound.

On the Run is a waste of time, Any Colour You Like is pure filler, and Money is the big hit that I found genuinely underwhelming. The bigger issue is how much of ... read more

Before good kid, before DAMN., before the Pulitzer. This is where it started.

ADHD is the closest thing to a standout here. HiiiPower and Fuck Your Ethnicity have their moments too. But here's the thing, I didn't love a single track on this album. Not one. There were great bars scattered around, moments where you'd sit up and think okay, there he is. But the consistency just wasn't there to back them up.

Kendrick himself is hit and miss throughout. You can hear the talent ... read more

For a first mixtape this does a lot right. Frank clearly had something to say and you can feel that across the whole project. That alone carries it further than it probably should go.

Strawberry Swing and Swim Good are the standouts. There Will Be Tears hits quietly but it hits. And American Wedding is the smartest thing here, taking someone else's song and making it feel completely his own. Those tracks alone make it worth a listen.

The problem is some songs start strong then just fall ... read more

Coming off Parachute, the bar was already set. This one doesn't quite clear it.

The Scientist is the best track here and it's not particularly close. Just a genuinely moving piece of music, piano-led and quietly devastating. Clocks earns its iconic status too, and the title track closes things out with a real sense of weight. Those three alone make the album worth your time.

Everything else is decent but rarely more than that. A Whisper is the low point, it just doesn't go ... read more