And now for something that'll hopefully cleanse my pallet of that EP thing I just talked about. I haven't heard great things about it thus far, but I wanna keep an open mind regardless. I love these guys' work; The Heist was fantastic. Hopefully you guys won't disappoint me.
1. Light Tunnels (ft. Mike Slap)
The violins and piano do a good job at grabbing my attention, in a good way. Also Mack goes off on award shows in pretty deep detail. It's pretty humbling. Also possibly the best way to open this album.
2. Downtown (ft. Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee & Grandmaster Caz)
I'm still basically in love with this song. It's so all over the place, but so much fun I don't even care. And I'm glad at least a few people feel the same way.
3. Brad Pitt's Cousin (ft. XP)
Oh god this song is weird. What does Ben's cat have to do with anything? His flow also feels kinda stilted at times, but he picks up in the third verse. There are some great moments on this song, but some equally awkward moments. So far the weakest offering on the album.
4. Buckshot (ft. KRS-One & DJ Premier)
Straight up banger. Even the horns underlining the melody aren't that distracting. I feel the energy, and I love it.
5. Growing Up (ft. Ed Sheeran)
Wasn't on Spotify so I listened to it on Ryan Lewis' YouTube page. Anyway, this is a really heartfelt song for Ben's daughter. Ed works surprisingly well with Ben.
6. Kevin (ft. Leon Bridges)
Light jazz instrumentation to emphasize the dangers of prescription drugs. And it's surprisingly potent. It's no Starting Over but it'll do.
7. St. Ides
I like Macklemore best when he gets emotional and humble like this. It legitimately brought tears to my eyes. And I honestly can't think of another MC who can do that.
8. Need to Know (ft. Chance the Rapper)
Looks like we're not quite done being somber. Fine by me. This isn't as potent as the previous two tracks, but it still gets the job done. People seem to be sick of artists reflecting on the depression their fame causes them but I've honestly never minded it. Except when Jay-Z did it...
9. Dance Off (ft. Idris Elba & Anderson .Paak)
Title says it all. It's so surreal, kinda reminded me of Zoolander. And it honestly works for me. Does what it's supposed to do.
10. Let's Eat (ft. XP)
This might be the corniest/funniest song on the album. Kinda reminds me that I should hit the gym more often though... Ah well. I like this. Could've done without the "eat the booty like Pacman" line though. Even if it makes more sense than groceries.
11. Bolo Tie (ft. YG)
Ben raps about dating. It's alright. Both MCs do a serviceable job, but I feel like it could hit harder. Beat feels just a bit underdeveloped.
12. The Train (ft. Carla Morrison)
Here Ben seems to rap about an ex. And it feels genuine. The train noises really do add a lot, and overall, it works.
13. White Privilege II (ft. Jamila Woods)
This song's hard to talk about. I do like it, but I'm not prepared to open a discussion on modern racial politics. I will say this though: I think Macklemore has just as much of a right to voice his concerns as black people.
Final verdict: This album was not as good as The Heist. But that honestly doesn't bother me. This Unruly Mess I've Made is actually more cohesive and enjoyable to me than it is with most of you. A few funny tracks, a few introspective tracks, that works fine for me. And the songs do connect for the most part. I can see where it would lose people, but hey, that shouldn't bother me.
Rating: 7/10
Best songs: St. Ides, Downtown, Let's Eat, Buckshot, White Privilege II
Worst songs: Brad Pitt's Cousin, Bolo Tie
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