Kendrick Lamar

[dentalplan]

1 hour ago, defrio29 said:

I feel like Kendrick really missed an opportunity at Coachella, he should've done LOYALTY. with Rihanna guest appearing, I mean - she's already right there in front of the stage. 

I can't believe she wouldn't have been asked so I guess she just didn't wanna.

[Jobseeker]

6 minutes ago, ConorC said:

Also as much as it pains me to say it I'm struggling to fully get on the DAMN. hype train at the moment.

It's an excellent hip hop album, probably the best of the year so far. I think it's probably his most easily accessible album yet.

But after about 15-20 listens, for me it isn't up to the standard set by TPAB or GKMC. Maybe it'll grow on me as I hear it more but right now I'm just not hearing it. Those 2 are modern day classics across any genre, think DAMN. is more comparable to Section 80 or Untitled Unmastered in quality for me.

I think in isolation the songs on DAMN. stand up to anything on GKMC and TPAB, I just think they don't flow as well as those two, which makes the narrative of the album a bit less clear. But as someone said up there ^ it makes it easier to jump in on songs mid way through the album, so swings and roundabouts really. Definitely one of the best albums I have heard all year.

I think you're probably right that the Coachella set could have gone better, I think Swimming Pools, ADHD, i etc would have gone down better than any of those guests. But even with that I think he still nailed it, I didn't expect to play Levitate either but the crowd seemed to be all over that as well. 

[ConorC]

4 minutes ago, Jobseeker said:

I think in isolation the songs on DAMN. stand up to anything on GKMC and TPAB, I just think they don't flow as well as those two, which makes the narrative of the album a bit less clear. But as someone said up there ^ it makes it easier to jump in on songs mid way through the album, so swings and roundabouts really. Definitely one of the best albums I have heard all year.

I think you're probably right that the Coachella set could have gone better, I think Swimming Pools, ADHD, i etc would have gone down better than any of those guests. But even with that I think he still nailed it, I didn't expect to play Levitate either but the crowd seemed to be all over that as well. 

Agreed. As I said, I think it's more accessible than anything he's done before. Think he'll get a lot of new fans off the back of this project that'll elevate him up to true superstar status (more so than now). 

But yeah, no real narrative for me. TPAB/GKMC are both albums that have this ability to put you into his mind and take you on a journey through the world seen through his eyes. Magical bodies of work.

He did Swimming Pools didn't he? I thought he should've at least done These Walls from TPAB and a cover of F*ckin Problems would've gone down better than the Future appearance.

[Jobseeker]

Just now, ConorC said:

Agreed. As I said, I think it's more accessible than anything he's done before. Think he'll get a lot of new fans off the back of this project that'll elevate him up to true superstar status (more so than now). 

But yeah, no real narrative for me. TPAB/GKMC are both albums that have this ability to put you into his mind and take you on a journey through the world seen through his eyes. Magical bodies of work.

He did Swimming Pools didn't he? I thought he should've at least done These Walls from TPAB and a cover of F*ckin Problems would've gone down better than the Future appearance.

Ah yeah so he did! I remember it now, he did the intro or chorus or something, and then jumped into something else. Yeah These Walls would have been good, lets be honest he could play pretty much anything from TPAB and it would go down a storm. I don't if it is just because I really like the song, but I loved LUST. with Kendrick in that light box. Not sure how good it would have looked if you were actually there.

[ConorC]

1 minute ago, Jobseeker said:

Ah yeah so he did! I remember it now, he did the intro or chorus or something, and then jumped into something else. Yeah These Walls would have been good, lets be honest he could play pretty much anything from TPAB and it would go down a storm. I don't if it is just because I really like the song, but I loved LUST. with Kendrick in that light box. Not sure how good it would have looked if you were actually there.

It looked good but again, for me it was let down by the crowd.

He seemed to be saying to the crowd "Is there anybody out there?!" quite regularly. He hasn't been like that the 2 times I've seen him live, I dunno if he was trying to get the crowd going saying it or if that was genuine frustration at the crowd. I remember Andre 3000 making similar remarks at the crowd there a few years ago during Outkast's set, he was visibly pissed off with the crowd feedback and it just ruined the set a bit.

[XIV]

49 minutes ago, defrio29 said:

...except it wasn't.. did you even watch the show? 

There was Travis Scott - played Goosebumps which Kendrick was a feature in the song. SchoolboyQ made an appearance, they did That Part, which again Kendrick was a feature in the song. And then there was that FUTURE appearance which....let's face it, what was the point of that???? (Kendrick wasnt even a feature in that song) 

Probably only there to give Kendrick some rest I reckon

If Kendrick delivered the same set list at any major U.K. Festival it would of been lauded. He has such a wide range of songs now to pick from too, only makes the prospect of seeing him live a greater experience. The Coachella audience is notoriously difficult to please and hold down attention. When I went a few years ago, I was shocked to see so many iPads in the audience. For me, Kendrick was wasted on them. 

[defrio29]

2 hours ago, ConorC said:

Also as much as it pains me to say it I'm struggling to fully get on the DAMN. hype train at the moment.

It's an excellent hip hop album, probably the best of the year so far. I think it's probably his most easily accessible album yet.

But after about 15-20 listens, for me it isn't up to the standard set by TPAB or GKMC. Maybe it'll grow on me as I hear it more but right now I'm just not hearing it. Those 2 are modern day classics across any genre, think DAMN. is more comparable to Section 80 or Untitled Unmastered in quality for me.

Edit: That's not to say it's not a brilliant album. It just isn't in the discussion for 'greatest hip hop album ever' like the other 2 probably are. Obviously I realise that's a ridiculous standard to hold a musician to, but that's the standard Kendrick has created for himself.

You're not the only one...

Every other publication seems to be hyping it to be an 'instant classic' GKMC and TPAB were, but it's just not.

Doesn't mean that the record is not good. It's just not as great a lot of people/publications are making it to be.

 

[FloorFiller]

Aye it's a great album but its definitely being overhyped/reviewed at the moment and I feel in time people will look back at it not so fondly in relation to his discography. The strong songs just aren't as strong this time round imo and there are even a couple of songs which, whilst still great, come closer to filler than he's had on his previous two releases (although I'm sure others would disagree). 

Still the best hip-hop release this year by far mind. 

[st dan]

3 hours ago, defrio29 said:

what? 

Just in the sense of all the different styles used within the same song. Just me then! 

[dentalplan]

Great review from TND. Reasonably surprised at the score but it's well articulated, as ever.

I have had similar issues with the tracks he doesn't like, GOD. and LOVE., and also HUMBLE. as well but they're all at a minimum "okay" to me and this is still a stellar record imo. Just so much fun to listen to.

[CaledonianGonzo]

29 minutes ago, st dan said:

Just in the sense of all the different styles used within the same song. Just me then! 

B Boy Bouillabaisse got there a few years back.

[EighteenSixty7]

I've had that LOYALTY. hook and beat in my head all day.

[VCK]

Seems more like a slow burner compared to his other two. I'll grow to like it the more I listen, no doubt. That's usually the case with a lot of modern Hip-Hop artists for me though. I didn't get Death Grips at first, but now I'm addicted to their music.

[DropBeat]

 

[AdamWillingham]

3 hours ago, dentalplan said:

Great review from TND. Reasonably surprised at the score but it's well articulated, as ever.

I have had similar issues with the tracks he doesn't like, GOD. and LOVE., and also HUMBLE. as well but they're all at a minimum "okay" to me and this is still a stellar record imo. Just so much fun to listen to.

Anthony always floors me by the quality of his reviews and the depth he goes into on albums like this.

I'm on a similar stance, its a great album, definitely not the best I'll hear this year but definitely has some incredible stand out tracks, DNA, DUCKWORTH, PRIDE and HUMBLE for me 

[Amy Lawn]

6 hours ago, dentalplan said:

Great review from TND. Reasonably surprised at the score but it's well articulated, as ever.

I have had similar issues with the tracks he doesn't like, GOD. and LOVE., and also HUMBLE. as well but they're all at a minimum "okay" to me and this is still a stellar record imo. Just so much fun to listen to.

[adds Anthony Fantano to list of Dentalplan's real life identity suspects]

[EighteenSixty7]

2 hours ago, DropBeat said:

 

So good

[dentalplan]

1 hour ago, GETOFFAMYLAWN said:

[adds Anthony Fantano to list of Dentalplan's real life identity suspects]

That would be an interesting list.

[Amy Lawn]

Just now, dentalplan said:

That would be an interesting list.

This guy is on it
 

 

[dentalplan]

busted

[dentalplan]

That Don Cheadle bit is proper naff. Worse than his cockerney accent in Oceans.

[Nduja]

LOVE. is wonderful. That Zacari vocal is just spine tingling. Verse two channeling a Drake/Chance flow. Wow. Then the transition into XXX.

Perfecto.

[Guy Incognito]

that interview with Zane Lowe that was posted online today is really good. Gives a great insight into DAMN and Kendrick himself. 

6 minutes ago, Nduja said:

LOVE. is wonderful. That Zacari vocal is just spine tingling. Verse two channeling a Drake/Chance flow. Wow. Then the transition into XXX.

Perfecto.

Gotta say LOVE is my least favourite on the album by some way, nice to see a contrasting opinion though!

[FloorFiller]

No second album then. Lazy bastard.

[Nduja]

13 hours ago, rhg_99 said:

that interview with Zane Lowe that was posted online today is really good. Gives a great insight into DAMN and Kendrick himself. 

Gotta say LOVE is my least favourite on the album by some way, nice to see a contrasting opinion though!

I'm a stan-level Drake fan so a woozy rnb cut always goes down well over here.

I think DAMN. is an exceptional album. You can tell he has consciously moved himself back into the orbit of mainstream hip hop and I think it's the right move. TPAB was a masterpiece but it sort of existed in its own galaxy.

Which is great as it demonstrates his (incredible) artistic vision and range but one of the great things about hip hop is how the sound moves and changes so quickly, new styles, new boundaries being pushed. Part of that process is one rapper having a go at something and then someone else having a pop. Some call it biting, I call it recycling.

TPAB came out and obviously was a monstrous cultural moment, but the whole rap world went the other way - towards minimal trap beats rather than lush jazz orchestration.

Moving to the mainstream hasn't sacrificed his artistry - look at the results on DAMN. But it clearly is a conscious play for the rap crown amongst all of the other messages delivered - Mike Will beats! - and I think the genre is richer for it. It's been an amazing start to the year - can't wait to see what happens next (Young Thug album plz!).