Maybe it was because it was midnight, but listening to heavy metal and rock-infused Lil Uzi Vert records wasn’t on my bingo card for last night and they felt mostly in the way of the quality rap records that I was interested in.įinal thoughts/overall first impressions? Kameron: I am not the biggest heavy metal or rock fan, so those elements of this album were immediate skips for me. I think it would have benefitted from a considerable chop session that excluded unnecessary songs or tracks that dont add to the overall energy of the album, which come early. I know they’re leaning into the whole demonic rockstar aesthetic, but it just doesn’t sound good to my ears. Maybe it’ll grow on me, but I’m thrown off every time Uzi makes that growling throat sound you hear at 0:14 on “Amped” (and elsewhere on the album). But besides that, I have a stupid complaint. Uzi could’ve split the album up and released it in the same way they did with Eternal Atake.Įric: The obvious answer is that the album is too damn long at 26 songs. There are definitely some good songs in the mix, but it’s hard to find them when there’s so much music to go through. But the overall energy of the project made a lengthy album relatively easy to take in all at once. That mainly has to do with the top-tier from Don Cannon, BNYX, WondaGurl, CuBeatz, Brandon Finessin and a host of others. A 26-track, hour-and-a-half-long album at midnight could seem like a daunting task to listen to all the way through in one sitting, and though all of these songs didn’t quite hit the mark, I was engaged all the way through. Kameron: You can’t say that this project lacked energy, and that is a positive. I’m glad they took this album as an opportunity to try different things and lean completely into their punk rap sound. There are a few legitimate rock songs in the middle portion of the album, like “Werewolf,” and it feels like songs that Uzi has been waiting to make. Jordan: I enjoy how eccentric Uzi gets on this album. A lot of music that’s emerged from the “rage” rap era is so reliant on pure energy that it sacrifices substance and song structure (and really anything to hold onto when you’re not thrashing around in a mosh pit) but Uzi injects enough of their personality and songwriting instincts to make it all sound much more compelling here. Jessica: Uzi is clearly having fun and not backing down from embracing their eclectic style despite the negative feedback they’ve received over the years, and it pays off at times on the album.Įric: I’ll always love melodic Uzi songs the most, so my favorite stretch is the four-track run from “Pluto to Mars” to “Rehab.” I also like how much other stylistic ground they cover, though, and I have to give credit where credit is due: tehir twist on the new rock-infused, moshpit-ready, rage-adjacent sound is the best version of it I’ve heard yet. I just wish it didn’t take until an hour into the album to get to this track. After the first listen of the album, this song definitely got the most spins from me. The hazy production, melodic hook, and Don Toliver providing the background vocals is perfect for a nighttime drive in the summertime.

Kameron: There are some very high highs on this album, but for me, the standout track is “Patience” with Don Toliver. They sample a bigoted Boosie interview and flip it to their advantage, which reflects how comfortable they are in their own skin. Jordan: I think the way Uzi talks their shit on “Suicide Doors”‘ is dope. But when it comes to the more energetic post-SoundCloud songs, I’ll go with “Suicide Doors.” I was standing a few feet away from them when they debuted it at Summer Smash the other day, and it somehow sounds even crazier on the album-pure adrenaline rush. It has an infectious beat, Lil Uzi is rapping aggressively, and their flow is insane.Įric: “Days Come and Go” stands out because it’s got that classic melodic Uzi sound that I love (plus some of the best raps on the whole album). Jessica: “Flooded The Face” is the best song on the album.

Rockstar made travis scott