"Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers" - Kendrick Lamar

After 5 years since the last kendrick album, Kendrick has just come out with his latest double album and It was worth the wait.

Kendrick throughout the whole album is telling us about his growth as a human. From discussing his fathers toxic masculinity and how it affected him to just an entire argument between a toxic couple as a song. The album doesn't shy away from taboo topics and Kendrick actually let's himself get vulnerable.

The Big Steppers

The record begins with the song "United In Grief" a song about grief and how we all "greive different" The song has this incredibly beautiful piano composition and an insane beat to go with it. The delivery of every line and the lyricism is on point here alongside the wonderful production, it is the perfect beginning to this record. Then there's the song "Worldwide Steppers" Which is one of my favorite tracks off this album. The weird beat along with the piano, the beat is so dark and ominous but the piano adds just a bit of colour to it. The song Father Time is incredible. The song deals with the problem with this toxic mentality to "Be a man" and never being allowed to show emotions if you're a man. The father in this song exactly how this mentality develops in younger boys. The song features Sampha who sings on the chorus and he did an amazing job on it. The beat is beautiful, The chorus is catchy and kendricks lyricism and rapping on this one was on point like always.

"Rich - Interlude" is a really interesting song with this great piano instrumental accompanying Kodak black's rapping. Even though it's just an interlude it's still really well made. The song "We Cry Together" is an INSANE song where Kendrick and Taylor Paige have this awful imaginary fight which is so well acted that it feels like a movie scene. Taylor Paige's vocals are so cool with this raspy voice and the delivery from both of them is so well done. The song "Purple Hearts" is a great song with great vocals from Summer Walker and it's a great closer to Mr. Morale.

Mr. Morale

"Count Me Out" Is SOOO GOOD! The vocals are so catchy, Kendrick's lyrics are amazing and the beat is so awesome and the bass makes this song go so hard, This song is one of my favorite songs on this album. The next song, "Crown" has this dark sound to it. The composition on this track is really great. Honestly the piano on this album is top tier throughout the whole record. The song "Savior - Interlude" Is this powerful orchestral piece with great bars by Baby Keem. The instrumental is really pretty, especially the piano at the end. "Savior" has an amazing beat to it, the flow is great, The synth that sounds like a choir sounds so cool and the bass hits so hard. It's one of the songs I added to my playlist and I will very likely be listening to a lot. "Auntie Diaries" is an incredibly beautiful song about 2 people in kendrick's life who are trans. Kendrick tells us about how his family weren't accepting of his aunt and cousin because they're trans. Kendrick also discussed the words that you're not allowed to say, Like the "F word" and "N Word" and how it's contradictory that he's allowed to say the "F Word" but the white girl who rapped with him on stage that said the "N Word" isn't allowed to say that. The song is really beautful with the orchestra getting more and more excititing as the song goes on. "Mr Morale" is a really cool song with a really interesting beat and the vocal harmony is really nice. "Mother I Sober" Is a song where kendrick get's incredibly vulnerable, The song is a really somber and sad song. The whole song is filled with vulnerable bars and traumatic moment's in kendrick's life. Portishead's production really helped add to the pain of the track. The chorus shows kendricks mentality of wishing he was somebody else. The last song on the album "Mirror" begins with the line "I Choose Me" The song is about kendrick accepting himself and it leaves the album at a happy ending where kendrick has accepted himself. The whole album is about kendrick trying grow and facing his problems and this song is a great and climacting ending to the album.

But now for the complaints. there's the song "Rich Spirit" which is more of a minimalistic song with this bass that's similar to the one in "One Right Now" by Post Malone and The Weeknd. I found the song to be very boring and repetative. Then there's a song which I didn't like at first called Silent Hill, it just felt basic and with me I'm more gravitated toward maximalistic music that's very unique. But as time went on and I listened to the album more, It's kinda grown on me. It's not the type of song I'm gonna add to any playlists listen to a bunch but I bop my head now when I hear it. With all that being said, This album is an incredible project and even the "Bad" songs have qualities that I know people fuck with. I'm going to give Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers a

9/10

Favorites: United In Grief, Worldwide Steppers, Father Time, Rich - Interlude, We Cry Together, Purple Hearts, Count Me Out, Saviour - Interlude, Saviour, Auntie Diaries, Mr. Morale, Mother I Sober, Mirror

Least Favorites: Rich Spirit

(This review was written on May 18th, 2022)