By - J
Normally I'm quite skeptical about anything the "Wolf" puts out but this album was surprisingly well done it wasn't the same kind of crazy as Bastard or Goblin. The album features many of the Odd Future group with some nice additions such as Pharrell and Erykah Badu. The album wasn't what i was expecting, but it's sure to have an entirely different reception than Goblin and Bastard. This album made both our Top 10 albums to look out for in 2013 and our 5 Hip Hop albums to look forward to as well, and when people hear the album the reason for placing on these lists will be justified. So as I sit here and about to begin the album, i've decided i'll just do a track by track review:
1. Wolf
The introductory track for Wolf features a jazzesque piano strum with some light background lyrics. It then explodes with some trumpets and drums and Tyler's voice with, "F**k You... him". He then introduces the Sam character to Wolf.
2. Jamba (feat. Hodgy Beats)
Jamba starts off with some muffled gun shots and the first line Tyler speaks is, "Papa ain't call even though he saw me on T.V, it's all good". The beat is one of those retro sounding video game sounds, with some heavy drums in the back and some synths on the hook. He then proceeds to talk about his irritation with having Asthma and that he's "sick of hacking and coughing". The hook features "Shut em down" screamed in a comedic tone. Hodgy comes in for the second verse and to keep things short basically amps up the Odd Future crew in his usual style. Tylers 3rd verse talks about how they should smoke weed which has Domo come in to call Tyler out for not even smoking weed.
3. Cowboy
The first two lines of Cowboy has Tyler using F**k 3 times in a variety of fillers for words. He goes on to say, "life ain't got no light in it/Darker than that closet that n***a Frankie was hiding in". Referring to Frank Ocean, saying that the life he's living is very dark and secretive something like what Frank must've experienced before he came out. The hook features Tyler saying that he's basically living solo by himself. The third verse is probably a deeper view of Tyler's mentality saying "Do you know how weird it is knowing I make a bunch of cheese / While my friends can't afford little pizzas from Little Caesars". Tyler references here that he's making money from music as his friends sit by and cant even afford to buy pizzas. There's then an overlay on the track saying that Tyler still treats his friends anyway. The beat on this track is very dark, featuring a simple 3 or 4 note strum with some snare heavy sounding drums and a light piano ensemble as he enters every hook.
4. Awkward
A very mellow slow piano strum with some low to high points and a bass heavy set of drums begin the tone of this track. At this point I'm completely confused at what I'm hearing I don't even know if this is a Tyler album. This track is more of a love ballad speaking about a girl he was "sprung" on when he was 16 which eventually turned sour. Frank Ocean comes in at the end to a very low alteration of his voice singing "You're my Girlfriend/You're my Girl/You're my girl/You're my girlfriend, you're my Girl Girlfriend".
The tone of this album takes a very noticeable twist on Domo 23. This was the first single we were exposed to by Tyler with a video to go along with it. This track is more of a main stream sounding song to amp you up reminiscent of Goblin and Bastard. Knew the kid couldn't have gone soft yet. It features that bass heavy beat which is opened up with trumpets and a beat that i cant even explain in words.
6. Answer
This album is flipping on me every time I think its going in a new direction. This song goes back to Jamba's first line with Tyler asking pops to answer the phone. Again a very mellow sounding beat with a nice retro beat. Here we can truly see a look into Tyler's life as he rages on his father's absence in his life. The third verse sounds like its about his father as well however he quickly mentions "the last verse was about this girl".
7. Slater (feat. Frank Ocean)
I enjoyed the beat on this track. It's got a heavy baseline that underlies a heavily repetitive strum. It's also got a very eerie sounding piano in the background. I was hoping to hear more of Frank Ocean on this track but he came in at the end and thats cool. This tracks has Tyler speaking on his wealth and venues perception of him because of his insane style. This track I ended up listening to 3 or 4 times before I understood what was going on (which I still don't think I do).
8. 48
This track features a sample of Nas at the beginning speaking on how crack f---ed up the world. Tyler enters story mode on this piano, guitar strummed bass heavy beat as he puts himself in the role of a drug dealer. He speaks on his rational for doing it based on his hunger and a need to support the family. It ends with a continuation of Nas speaking on people's addiction to the hustle.
9. Colossus
This song reminded so much of Eminem's Stan. In essence it's got the same concept as Tyler rhymes in the position of a Fan. This song just bars upon bars by Tyler and it really shows the talent Tyler has for Hip Hop. It offers no drums but a piano solo with a very edgy baseline in the background and I'm just gonna say its an xylophone overlay. Occasionally some drums come in with a smash of symbols as the story reaches it's climax.
10. Partyisnover/Campire/Bimmer (feat. Laetita Sadier & Frank Ocean)
Another really dark sounding beat which really outlines the plot of this song. The kind of sound you'd hear at the end of a party basically telling you to go home. Partyisntover offers one verse repeated twice telling the girl to take a chance with him. Campire enters an unorthodox sound with a short verse from Tyler eventually ending with Laetita Sadier coming in what I really cant understand right now. Bimmer was the point I was waiting for as Frank Ocean came in, it features another verse relating a girl to a BMW.
11. IFHY (feat. Pharrell)
I was looking forward to this track and it's production has not disappointed me. This song is probably one of Tyler's favourites since Pharrell is one of his favourite albums. He recently released the video for this song which you can see below.
12. Pigs
In this siren ridden, organ haunted house sounding beat, Tyler goes in on his youth being bullied and depressed and being called a variety of offensive names. It's an insight into the life of Wolf Haley.
13. Parking Lot (feat. Mike G & Casey Veggies)
13 tracks in and i've loved almost every minute of it. Tyler just goes in on this jazz sounding beat. It's almost disappointing that I'm here thinking what to write as I listen to this album.
14. Rusty (feat. Domo Genesis & Earl Sweatshirt)
The first thing I hear on this track instantly makes me love it. Im a big fan of heavy bass strums taking over songs. It oddly reminded me of Dr. Dre's Housewife (one of my favourite beats ever). Tyler gives Domo the first verse on this track which he completely bodies. This song is one of those arrogant songs that you'd hear from Kanye. Tyler comes in on the second verse and begins with "In a world where kids my age are popping mollies with leather". Tyler goes in on the song and goes at everyone who's talked shit about the things that he says. Earl the man comes in for the knock out verse and just rips it up.
15. Trashwang (feat. Na'kel, Jasper, Lucas, L-Boy, Taco, Left Brain & Lee Speilman)
As soon as I heard the eerie sound on Trashwang I remembered the music you'd hear when you go into a cave in the Pokémon games. In this feature filled track it brings back that insanity of Goblin and Bastard fans will love.
16. Treehome95 (feat. Coco O & Erykah Badu)
Because Erykah Badu is on this song I knew it had to be something special. It's a departure from the album of rapping as Tyler brings out his "vocals" and tries to sing. A nice addition to the album as it comes to a close.
17. Tamle
This was the song I was waiting for, I knew there HAD to be a song where Tyler jabs at how different this album is to his prior ones. The beat is so abstract and weird I was like wtf when I heard it but it made sense as he starting rapping. Probably not one i'll be constantly listening to though.
18. Lone
As Wolf comes to a close Tyler again goes with a really mellow mellow beat. Tyler again gives us another insight to his life from his career to the death of his Grandmother.
Conclusion:
This album was a surprising twist to the guy we know as Wolf Haley, Tyler, The Creator etc. I give this album an 8/10 because it's pretty good and I think I'm going to buy it when it's officially released on April 2nd, you can purchase it off of iTunes here.
I'd also like to shout out to Rap Genius who saved me the time from typing out the lyrics, check them out for a deeper insight into the album.
You can listen to the full album below.
