Best Ever Albums

Re: DAMN.

Trendall — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 20:44:39 GMT

Author: Trendall

Posted: 04/20/2017 00:44

Puncture Repair wrote:

I've always wondered who enforced the use of that sticker?

I don't think they were ever enforced, it is up to the record label to decide whether a disc includes one or not. I imagine that if anything, having one of the stickers on an album causes more young people to buy it than would have otherwise.

Re: DAMN.

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 14:02:00 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 04/18/2017 18:02

Hayden wrote:

I like everything about the cover apart from the deliberately huge parental advisory sticker.

I've always wondered who enforced the use of that sticker? Plenty of explicit albums without them, and a fairshare of self published albums that have slapped it on to seem official. I assumed it's an outdated label at this point, but sort of claimed by the Hip Hop community as a symbol?

It'd definitely look cleaner without it. If it's a necessity though, I think it was the best place to put it. It kinda adds weight to the right side of the image where the full-stop (period) is, and I like that it's hovering above the bottom to give it that slapped-on look.

I gotta say, I love it when the sticker is made translucent. Looks super clean on Future's HNDRXX and even To Pimp A Butterfly. They could have done something nice like that, I guess.

Re: DAMN.

Hayden — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:09:06 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 04/18/2017 15:09

I like everything about the cover apart from the deliberately huge parental advisory sticker. I know why the graphic designer is defending it, but I still think it's a little tacky. The rest is fine. Very bold, etc...

Going to read the P4k review in a bit. Fair score.

Re: DAMN.

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 09:14:55 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 04/18/2017 13:14

Skinny wrote:

A friend said to me that this album feels really effortless, and I think that might be both its biggest strength and its biggest weakness.

I think this is a great way of putting it. It sounds like Kendrick was keen to strip everything down and make something really clean - a really good direction to take after TPAB.

Had some time to spin this a few times while traveling around for easter and will be writing up a review for my thoughts, but Kendrick has totally lived up to my expectations. As a quick note, I think the U2 feature is actually just boring. Not as bad as I'd prepared for, but I almost wish it was. Just sounds like a Song-Writing-By-Numbers U2 track shoehorned in, and Bono doesn't even sound particularly excited to be there.

The cover art is seeing some backlash but I feel I ought to defend it. Not saying my opinion is any more 'right' but after studying Graphic Design this would absolutely be considered good contemporary design within some spheres. It's deliberately garish, and the photo of Kendrick has clearly been taken with consideration by a professional photographer - comparing it to a Viper album (which it might actually be aluding to) isn't very fair. Only thing I don't like is the dramatic full stop they've added to every title.

Probably my favourite cover of his. TPAB is great but it's too busy to be immediately iconic, imo. It's also a bit of a shaky photoshop job, whoever did it. good kid cover is what it is.

Re: DAMN.

19loveless91 — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 17:08:09 GMT

Author: 19loveless91

Posted: 04/17/2017 21:08

Ok so while I'm not a fan of any trap influences or some other production choices when comparing it to TPAB in particular, I still really like it. And while it doesn't seem very adventurous in terms of compositions and lyrics, it also seems just kind of mysterious, compared to relatively straightforward (or at least easier to interpret and more cohesive) concepts of TPAB or GKMC.
Nothing with Kendrick seems coincidental, everything feels carefully thought through. So I feel like I still need to unpack everything that this album has to offer to me conceptually. Like what is the idea behind Fear and how it ties the whole album together. The idea behind album's reversed parts and returning to the starting point. Pride and Element starting on an identical note (first couple of seconds).
Etc.
As far as the individual moments go so far, Fear and Yah (seems almost lazy, but it's right up my alley sonically) are what I'm most obsessed with at this point.

Great album. His discography is already insane.

Re: DAMN.

HoldenM — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 13:41:35 GMT

Author: HoldenM

Posted: 04/16/2017 17:41

Not much to add here. Like I commented on the album page, this feels like Kendrick making a record for and about himself, more than anything. I think he's got another TPAB in him, but really, when you're last two albums are arguably the two best albums of the decade, and flat-out all-timers, you're allowed to have a few that are just "masterpieces," or "near-masterpieces," or "among the best of the year."

Loving "DNA," "YAH," "FEEL," "PRIDE," "HUMBLE," "XXX," "LOVE," "FEAR," and "DUCKWORTH." Not as sonically adventurous or layered as even Section.80, but still terrific.

Re: DAMN.

souplipton — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 03:39:33 GMT

Author: souplipton

Posted: 04/16/2017 07:39

My initial impression of DAMN. was coloured strongly by my expectations. His previous two LPs are two of my all time favourites, and I was absolutely in love with the jazz and funk influenced sound of TPAB. So my first listen was slightly disappointing, as it wasn't as good as GKMC or TPAB, and it definitely didn't sound like TPAB.

Having given it a couple more listens, I'm now starting to be able to judge this album for what it is, rather than for what it isn't. What it is is an excellent album. I don't think its as good as his previous two LPs, but that's an unreasonable standard to hold this (or any) album to. The change of style is not a bad thing, and I like that he's letting himself explore different styles. Plus, untitled unmastered already gave us some more tracks in the same style as TPAB, so it made sense to move on to something else. It's also more nuanced than it appeared to be on first listen, and there's some really cool stuff going on with some song structures and with effects like reversed playback.

Re: DAMN.

AAL2014 — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 20:07:26 GMT

Author: AAL2014

Posted: 04/16/2017 00:07

Apologies if there is a thread on this elsewhere or if someone mentioned it here and I just didn't see it, but you guys are aware of the totally plausible theory that Kendrick is dropping another record tomorrow (or at least very soon) right??

As for DAMN... I think as a concept, it's a tighter record than his previous work, albeit, my love for TPAB knows no bounds. Is it his best? No, at least not in my opinion, but it's a deep, dark, and very engaging listen. The U2 feature worked effortlessly and I had a bit of trepidation of that going in. 🤣

Re: DAMN.

Antonio-Pedro — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 19:58:16 GMT

Author: Antonio-Pedro

Posted: 04/15/2017 23:58

DAMN good album by kendrick, I was expecting it not to be so good as the two last but he surely put up the record close to those standards, and hell even the U2 song was good enough, wish he could cut or polish the spoken skits, it doesn't flow as good as it did in TPAB. Also I can't get how bad the album cover is, might change to an alternate cover in my music library. Other than that it's a good effort by kendrick.

Re: DAMN.

Hayden — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 18:18:47 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 04/15/2017 22:18

Second listen opened my ears up a little more.

DNA, ELEMENT, LOVE, FEAR and GOD are all pretty great tracks. HUMBLE's up there too. It's a respectable follow-up to To Pimp A Butterfly. I think he knew he might not be able to top it, so he took a different route. It's a sharp album, I like it. I just wish it was a little more inspired and creative. Composition-wise, it's a pretty straight forward hip-hop record.

Re: DAMN.

Tom-Todd — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 17:09:33 GMT

Author: Tom-Todd

Posted: 04/15/2017 21:09

I feel like I need to listen to it a couple more times to really form a full opinion of it? But the first couple of times listening I definitely enjoyed the experience. However, I can't say that anything really hit me from the album, or made me stop and think wow.

Re: DAMN.

Skinny — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 14:25:14 GMT

Author: Skinny

Posted: 04/15/2017 18:25

This is the least corny Kendrick album. Not the best, not the worst, but the least corny.

Re: DAMN.

CharlieBarley — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 07:22:50 GMT

Author: CharlieBarley

Posted: 04/15/2017 11:22

Good album. Nice to hear some fresh material. Looking forward to the other album next month.

Re: DAMN.

Skinny — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 12:01:00 GMT

Author: Skinny

Posted: 04/14/2017 16:01

A friend said to me that this album feels really effortless, and I think that might be both its biggest strength and its biggest weakness. It doesn't have the narrative or conceptual cohesion of GKMC or TPAB, and at times can even come across as a little lazy, but as a set of songs it does feature some brilliant moments and ideas. Only three or four listens deep, and I really like it. But some of the transitions from song to song seem unnecessarily jarring, and any overriding arc or theme (which - given the cyclical nature of the record, with the end of the last song feeding back into the intro - we can safely assume is supposed to be present) feels so subtle as to be undercooked. As a showcase of Kendrick's versatility it's fantastic, but I personally think that if this album was just meant as an opportunity to flex his creative muscles in a number of different directions then he could at least try to sound like he's having fun with it. These are issues that will probably iron themselves out as I grow more familiar with the album, but for all its brilliance there's still something tonally off about this.

Still, it's better than the vast, vast majority of hip-hop albums released this year are or will be. I guess I just hold Kendrick to a ridiculously high standard.

Re: DAMN.

Mercury — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 11:51:31 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 04/14/2017 15:51

Skinny wrote:

Kung Fu Kenny got folks outchea vibing to Bono.

🤣 🤣 🤣

I was mildly dreading that track. Not bad at all.

Being the hopeless romantic, "LOVE." is the early favorite. I did not remotely expect it, it had tears welling. I'm a softy, sure, but not often that a track can burrow its way deep into my heart so quick. Brilliant.

Re: DAMN.

Skinny — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 11:41:19 GMT

Author: Skinny

Posted: 04/14/2017 15:41

Kung Fu Kenny got folks outchea vibing to Bono.

Re: DAMN.

RockyRaccoon — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 10:36:34 GMT

Author: RockyRaccoon

Posted: 04/14/2017 14:36

After first listen, I really like it. It's not GKMC or TPAB, but those are insanely high bars to measure it to. It's still really good, probably on the level of Untitled Unmastered.

Re: DAMN.

boyd94 — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 08:48:34 GMT

Author: boyd94

Posted: 04/14/2017 12:48

Not as good as TPAB, probably on a par with GKMC. It's a shame he'll always be held to that standard. This is a very good album.

Re: DAMN.

lleon79 — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 01:51:22 GMT

Author: lleon79

Posted: 04/14/2017 05:51

Komorebi-D wrote:

Have you guys been seeing that conspiracy going around that he might be dropping another album on Easter Sunday?

I've seen it all over the place. After having seen all kinds of proofs, it's possible that a second album drops this Sunday. However, I'll remain skeptical about the rumor.

Re: DAMN.

Komorebi-D — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 01:44:30 GMT

Author: Komorebi-D

Posted: 04/14/2017 05:44

Sean wrote:

it feels different than a lot of Kendrick's releases, I think it was as best he could do to follow up TPAB

Agreed. It definitely sounds more mainstream than TPAB but it still maintains similar artistic devices, especially with the continuous "You decide. Are we gonna live or die?" line. Apparently this is the uncompleted version. Otherwise, this is yet another solid album from Kdot & certainly one of the better releases of 2017 thus far.

Have you guys been seeing that conspiracy going around that he might be dropping another album on Easter Sunday?