Kendrick Lamar is better than Soundgarden

[Ello Sailor]

I don't think it's some hype conspiracy. I think that some people genuinely do enjoy the album, and that's perfectly fine. Fantastic, even.

[verb_to_trust]

I played we cry together for my wife in the car last night and we laughed our asses off

[Jorge]

We Laugh Together

[Higgs]

We Cry Alone

[VinylGuy]

I do believe if the artist is hyped or coming from a long absence is normal to try a little harder with a new album of his. Specially if it seems its going to touch certain themes and you wanna hear his mind.

I dont think this album has really strong legs for me, at least, but ill try and see if i can grab a few songs and feel exited to hear them in the future.

[tragabigzanda]

[VinylGuy]

I do agree that, so far, Donda seems to have a more replay value for me.

[tragabigzanda]

[epilogue]

I don't think it's some hype conspiracy. I think that some people genuinely do enjoy the album, and that's perfectly fine. Fantastic, even.

Yep.

And I fully understand why this album isn't resonating with some. Makes total sense to me.

Touching again on what trag said earlier, at this early stage I don't think the album is as strong overall as the last two. It isn't as sprawling and ambitious as TPAB and it isn't as immediate and hooky as DAMN (which is clearly his "pop" record). I think Mr. Morale is a tough record in a lot of ways. But that doesn't mean it isn't still fucking brilliant.

[epilogue]

Die Hard is gonna be a hit single, right? This song rules.

Finally!

Nobody else is talking about this track.

[VinylGuy]

Die Hard is gonna be a hit single, right? This song rules.

yeah, i love that one

[epilogue]

I think a lot of these beats are super simple/spacious, without any obvious hooks, so Kendrick can just say what he wants to say.

I agree.

Also (and again I'm still struggling to find the words to fully articulate this) the sparseness, the simplicity, the interplay of the music is fascinating and moody and purposeful. There's so much tension in just two notes sometimes.

But to your point, this is an introspective album. But it's also trying to talk about the culture. And having these simple beats, allowing Kendrick to monologue, allows more immediate access to *what* he has to say and to allow the listener to hear it more clearly than before. Maybe? I'm still processing all of this, but that sort of thing feels right to me at this point.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Just some more stip like posts from the trags and durdens.

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[E.H. Ruddock]

I love when entertainment makes me uncomfortable.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Except for that movie Human centipede. I didn’t like that at all

[tragabigzanda]

[VinylGuy]

I think a lot of these beats are super simple/spacious, without any obvious hooks, so Kendrick can just say what he wants to say.

I agree.

Also (and again I'm still struggling to find the words to fully articulate this) the sparseness, the simplicity, the interplay of the music is fascinating and moody and purposeful. There's so much tension in just two notes sometimes.

But to your point, this is an introspective album. But it's also trying to talk about the culture. And having these simple beats, allowing Kendrick to monologue, allows more immediate access to *what* he has to say and to allow the listener to hear it more clearly than before. Maybe? I'm still processing all of this, but that sort of thing feels right to me at this point.

Are you watching Atlanta this season? By far, the most impactful episode for me was Trini 2 De Bone, in which a white upper-class NYC family grapples with the sudden death of their Trinidadian nanny. Long-story-short, the family wants a transactional experience with race and culture, so their young son can gain the right mixture of experience to make him more competitive once he gets to his college and professional years. They aim to keep Black and Asian people at just the right arm's length so their boy can get some exposure, but not have to see their suffering.

I've been thinking about this episode a ton since I watched it; it's got implications for choices we've made in my house (namely raising out daughter in pure-white MT rather than our beloved NYC)...

I can't help but think Kendrick is operating on a similar wavelength here. GKMC was a breakout hit, and since then he's trafficked in crossover appeal by virtue of more palatable hits and placement in the MCU. And on his new one, it really feels like he's throwing down a challenge to his audience, saying "OK, you'll hang with me on the Black Panther soundtrack, and on the Rihanna hook (LOYALTY), but can you have on a deep dive?"

I'm halfway through my third full listen this morning. It's just getting better and better, even if I find myself bristling at (and potentially skipping, once the dust has settled) a few specific tracks. The aforementioned We Cry Together, and also Rich (Interlude), and maybe Rich Spirit, don't do much for me other than make me uncomfortable...

But the thing is, I'm keenly aware of my option to skip these songs. Like, I can just hit the forward button on my player and skip over Rich (Interlude) / Rich Spirit / We Cry Together, to get right to Purple Hearts. But it's a function of my privilege, right? People who live in this world can't just skip it (unless they numb themselves, which Kendrick references throughout this album, most notably on Mother I Sober).

At 41 years old, I generally don't have an appetite for art that makes me overly uncomfortable; it's a defense mechanism for my psyche. But I love how Kendrick challenges me on this, gives me some really raw art and says "Are you uncomfortable? Must be nice to just skip the song and not have to think about this world whenever you feel like it."

Loved this, specially because i loooove this season of Atlanta, as you know. And the most laughable stuff in that episode is how it shows culture appropiation. Him going for a jog listening to hip hop, or the whole asian nanny.

Yeah, i get what you mean. The choices Kendrick made on bringing Black Kodak or talking bout cancel culture...how many of those who like him will stick with these? or his amazing rant with the amazing Taylour Paige?

So far, i wish he could have done a little bit more musically.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I love when entertainment makes me uncomfortable.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not watching Young Sheldon over here. But there's a limit. I've got no use for something like Midsommar or Hotel Rwanda. Abject suffering is reality, but I don't need to gorge myself on it to be aware of it.

But what about human centipede

[tragabigzanda]