Alright, alright, so me and Kid Cudi have had some differences over the years. Almost everything he's done has gotten historically low rating from this site, which may bring up the question, "why do you keep reviewing his music if you're going to shred it to pieces? Aren't you supposed to me giving props to deserving artist?" Well yes, I am, but I'm also loosely trying complete the discographies along the way, so Cudi will continue to pop up on the front page as long as he's making music. That and its kind of funny. But who knows maybe this will be his moment. I have no expectations of hating this album or hoping its wack. So after this prelude of sorts, I present to you my completely disinterested and unbiased analysis of Kid Cudi's fifth album, Satellite Flight: Journey to the Mother Moon.
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Kid god damn motherfucking Cudi. Yeah, you man. You known damn well that I hate your music, and your douchebag personality certainly hasn't helped the case either. Regardless, I've already started your discography (regrettably) and I feel forced to at least look over the first two albums. Yeah, don't act like WZRD was hip hop either, its not getting past me.
Okay, that last paragraph was horrible in every way imaginable, I admit it. For a reviewer that is supposed to be unbiased, that was pretty awful. I'm not going to try and hind anything, though. Anyone that knows me is aware of my particular distaste towards Scott. The thing is, that's my opinion in the current day character and what he's making nowadays. I may have given Indicud a one star rating (still think that was generous) but you don't know how I view his debut, Man On The Moon. If you can make conclusion, you'll probably realize that I'm just trying to make up for my diatribe against Kid Cudi in the first paragraph. Oh well, if anything you'll see why exactly I don't like him and hopefully you won't get too aggravated. Like the majority of you all, A Kid Named Cudi, was my first Kid Cudi experience. That's a mixtape to be exact, which means I don't feel obligated to include it on the site. My quick-to-jump-to-conclusions-although-I'm-usually-right self saw him as a whiny, self absorbed, fame hating asshole who had a particular liking towards marijuana. That wasn't a huge problem, though. I listen to that kind of music all the time, but there was something about this guy that just got under my skin. I mean c'mon man, you don't even have a real job, the least you could do is act like you're enjoying just a little. This album came out and I didn't listen to it, partially because if the title, which is stupid as shit. The fact that he thought it would be necessary to separate the album into five separate parts was pretty alienating as well. Ok Scott, this music shit isn't that serious. Well, one thing led to another and I ended up giving this a spin. I'm still not sure exactly what made me do it but it came to a point were he just couldn't be ignored. After this project alone, he was able to gather together one of the worst fan bases in contemporary music and have hundreds of twitter parody accounts created for him. If I'm not mistaken, this also sold over five hundred thousand copies making him the most notable artist out of Cleveland. (Sorry Bone Thugs n Harmony, but your time has passed) I guess one could consider a Grammy nomination an achievement, but after Take Care won best rap album last year, I have a hard time caring about that type of thing. HBO was in on the mix as well by giving him his own show. Good job guys, another ego boaster is exactly what the man needs. Long story short I listened to it... Act I: The End Of Day 1. In My Dreams (Cudder Anthem) First of all, it bewilders me that a guy who hasn't even released a full length album deserves his own anthem, but I'm nit picking. Instead, Cudi gives the listeners a taste of what they will be listening to for the rest of the album, or at least I think that's what the intro is supposed to do. He pretty much talks about how everything is perfect in his dreams, including his singing. Keep in mind that we can actually listen to this shit and easily realize that its far from ideal. The musical backdrop isn't bad at all, at least for an intro, but that means Scott is already getting shown up. The song is ended with some narration from Common, who can't seem to find anything better to do nowadays. Unfortunately, it looks as though this will be a concept album. Not that I dislike those type of projects, but there's no way this is done well. Bad start. 2. Soundtrack 2 My Life I applaud his attempt to make more of an experimental sound that most of his listeners will be unfamiliar with. I'm just not that listener. Sadly for him, experimental hip hop is kind of my thing and I can tell whether or not it sounds good, which is exactly why Yeezus was also a failure. It does work a bit here, though. I'm always a fan of No I.D., who nicely lays a surface for Kid Cudi to pretend like he's a lyricist. Mescudi's lyrics come off as insincere and entirely unrelatable, as he talks about his issues that nobody can see. Problem is, is virtually impossible for anyone to relate when you don't name your damn problems. All I got was that his dad died, which is obviously devastating, but it seems like he would get over it, or at least to the point where it doesn't consume your entire life. This also should have been placed towards the end of the album, where we know Cudi better. Since it comes so early, I have no reason to care about your problems. Sorry broski, its not that easy to gain my interest. 3. Simple As... Kid Cudi does the best thing possible, which is making a song that is actually pretty damn good. Can't front that much, I do enjoy this song. A lot of that may come from the fact that it is such as change of pace compared to the last couple song. The "1,2,3" and "A,B,C" sample gets annoying quickly but No I.D.'s simple beat makes it listenable. Cudi sounds pretty nice too, as he delivers a couple quick verses where he doesn't sound completely miserable. If there's one thing I've learned, its that Cudi sounds ten times better when he's just talking shit, and not crying. He may have sensed that I was enjoying things, so he told Common to go and deliver another interlude, which nearly ruins the song. I'll give it a pass, though. Act II: Rise Of The Night Terrors 4. Solo Dolo (Nightmare) Cudi starts off the second act with an eerie Emile production. Now, on to our main host. His vocals may seems to be somewhat nightmarish, but that's only because of the beat. Don't let him fool you, his singing would sound right at place over the instrumental of "Simple As...". This isn't a hip hop song, though, and shouldn't be looked at as one. Its closer to R&B but there's no real way to categorize this. I guess that's a success, as he seems to be really into this whole creating another genre thing. Like I said, the beat is actually pretty dope, but is entirely ruined when Cudi attempts to rap. Gargling on mayo may mean something to you, but I'm at a loss for words. Next please. 5. Heart Of A Lion (Kid Cudi Theme Music) I know I questioned the usage of his anthem earlier but apparently he thinks so much of himself that he also deserves his own theme music as well. Honestly, I'm pretty indifferent towards the song. Yes, that's definitely a win for the Cudder. If I call your songs decent and consider it a win, well I guess you can guess where the rest of this review is going. Nothing really worth writing about other than how incredibly cheesy most of the lyrics come off. Still, I don't hate this song. 6. My World (Feat. Billy Cravens) Cudi has a devious plan to rule the entire world, but lets us all in on his plan. This was actually pretty good in comparison to the last time I heard it. One of the only occurrences where Cudi is able to lay consistent bars without sounding corny as hell. I really don't even know why they brought it Billy Cravens, as all he does is continuously yell out "This will be my world".Not to discredit him, but Cudi could have done that himself. Best of all is that he gives some sort of reasoning behind his bizarre hatred towards the world. I mean he says is that he got bullied and shit and how he hated all his bosses. Sorry dude, but that's just how life fucking works. Don't act like you've gone through some other worldly bullying. I'll stop now, though. Remember that I did like the song. Act III: Taking A Trip 7. Day N Night (Nightmare) Yeah, you've all heard this one, as it single handedly (I tried to think of some clever way of saying that but it just wasn't happening) broke him through onto the mainstream radio waves. Five years later the song sounds exactly how I remember it. Cudi rhymes in third person as he tells of a lonely stoner searching for something. I've never really cared enough to find out exactly what that something is. You know why this actually became a hit? No, it wasn't because of Dot Da Genius' decent instrumental, nor was it because of Cudi's performance. No, it was actually a Crookers remix that lifted this song to its crazy level of popularity. Remember the one with the blaring sirens in the background? Well that's the one that you heard so you really should. I must admit that it is the type of shit that would go good in that type of club, which I'm sure is what they were going for. I doubt anyone was listening to it for Cudi's groundbreaking lyrics. The remix was so popular that they didn't even bother calling it a remix but rather "Day N Night". Anyways, this makes for a less than enjoyable listen while in the context of the album. 8. Sky Might Fall Oh man Cudi really out did himself on this one. These albums have always had some pretty good production. In fact that's the only reason I haven't turned this off yet and just guessed as to how the remaining songs would sound based on the titles. Now that I think about it, that actually might be pretty be fun. Back to the point, Cudi is able to secure himself a really nice beat, but his presence completely ruins the track. That's right, he ruins songs by simply being in them. He makes sure that I know that he really doesn't give a fuck about me, as indicated by his "none of this matters" lyrics. Seems to be stuck in the stoner personality of the last song, but I guess that's the theme of this little act. It doesn't matter, this song is depressingly bad. 9. Enter Galactic (Love Connection II) What. The. Fuck. Is. This. I've heard this song before, but I'm always just blown away by the rediculous level of horse shit that my ears have just been subjected to. In all my years of listening to rap (I've just about covered it all) this is right up there at the top of my "worst love songs ever" list. The instrumental is obviously going for another club feel, with a little bit of corniness to even things out. It sucks. Cudi's lyrics just sound like he's lying straight to my face with the absurd things he thinks of. It sucks. The only uplifting thing is that Cudi isn't completely depressed, which is good for his own sake. Then Commons stupid ass shows up again to ruin the song even more. Avoid this one at all costs. Act IV: Stuck 10. Alive (Nightmare) (Feat. Ratatat) Just for good measure, Cudi teams up with electronic rock group Ratatat, in another attempt to prove to all of us that this just isn't another rap album. The thing is, I don't care at all what genre you are. The fact is that I'm listening to you and I just want some good music. The instrumental is a little repetitive, but is actually done very well, courtesy of our guests. Cudi sounds worse than usual, which is saying something. If you're trying to make another genre, then go for it. Just don't try an act like you're a lyricist. Not even the biggest Cudi fans will claim that he's a good rapper. "Alive" just ends up being another bad song in the middle of the album. 11. Cudi Zone I'm losing my damn mind listening to this shit. Don't think Cudi could have gotten any cheesier after that last Enter Galactic song? Well you're wrong! Cudi hates you too and forces you to hear this horseshit. I guess I shouldn't use the word "forced". Its completely your choice whether or not you listen to this. Cudi's actual rapping on here isn't all that bad and suits the beat fine, but that hook discredits anything good he could have ever done. It's that bad. You know how I've referenced how Scott takes this music too seriously? Well, one would think that seriousness would translate into him realizing how horrible this song is. Whatever man, fuck this album. 12. Make Her Say (Feat. Common & Kanye West) I never thought I'd say it, but thank God Kanye found his way into the album. Anything is better than listening to Cudi's voice. Common's fine too, but I've had just about enough of him also. The songs subject is now fairly frowned upon, as it deals in large portion to getting your dick sucked. Cudi sounds average as hell and gets completely destroyed by the other two rappers, especially Kanye, who actually spits a really good verse. Unfortunately, Lady Gaga is the highlight of the song, and she's a fucking sample. All three manage to make sex sound horrible and disgusting, which is not what I'm looking for whenever I listen to music. Yet another bad song in a series of unfortunate events. 13. Pursuit Of Happiness (Nightmare) (Feat. MGMT & Ratatat) Another song you've already heard. I'm just going to say it, a large reason people feel inclined to like Kid Cudi is this song right here, as they assume that the rest of his music is just as good. This was pretty decent when I first heard it but has since become very annoying. That's not really a shot at the song, though. When you play a song as much as my friends like to play this, it's almost impossible to like it. Also, I can't even listen to this shit without seeing that stupid music video in my head. I guess that also says something about the video since it managed to stick with me for so long but i still hate it. For a single, this track actually fits pretty nicely into the context of the album but that really doesn't make it much better. Act V: A New Beginning 14. Hyyerr (Feat. Chip The Ripper) Who said I wanted more?!!!?! (highest of props to you if you caught that roots reference) 15. Up, Up, And Away Cudi finishes up his debut with yet another song about weed. (that last song was too, but I obviously didn't care enough to write about it) Out of all the songs on here, this is probably the most un-rap, which might be a good thing because this hip hop shit clearly isn't working very well for him. Instead, we get a full out emo-stoner track that is only good to be placed to that terrible Kick Start commercial. This track isn't terrible but the last thing it did was impress me. That's all I've got. Rating: 1.5/5 What can I say guys, I'm always right. Kid Cudi's Man On The Moon: End Of Day sounds exactly like I remember, which means it sucked. Another listen only confirmed that the guy can't rap at all. No matter how much you like his music or how cool he sounds, I simply cannot see how someone could defend his rapping ability. He may be talented, but that doesn't mean anything when you can't put it to use. I mean, at least the guy is trying, but his efforts only result in a couple good tracks, which is a really bad ratio. The instrumentals are decent enough to give the album one and a half stars, but Cudi seems to ruin all of them by being way to cheesy and committing the cardinal sin of rapping: he's boring. If you search though all these song, you might find something you like, but it just doesn't seem worth it to me. There's much better music out there and there's really no reason to listen to any of these songs. Hopefully this will be my last journey through this mess. If you read any of these reviews you saw my partner mention our return from the stress of our daily lives. Trust me I love criticizing and praising music as it deserves it more than anything, but life has its priorities. That being said, I'll attempt to get back into a flow with this blog.
This last Tuesday was a huge day in hip-hop. As you saw earlier Ghostface gave us a masterpiece, and Scott Mescudi gave us Indicud. I don't know if i just keep losing coin tosses or if it's bad luck... but I was given the ladder. Not to discredit Cudi, I'm just a big Wustan. This album was was produced in entirety by Mescudi, aside from one track co-produced by Hit-boy. Leaving listeners to question if Mescudi was up for the task. I wont give away my stance on the production quite yet, but as a warning it is not very positive. You can also take a look at the cover. Did Cudi even try to make it look like an album, who knows (that guy loves to be original...) maybe it is just an artistic piece that my mind cannot comprehend. I have never been a Huge fan of Mescudi, but my brother is fucking obsessed with the guy, so I am very familiar with his catalog, and what his fans expect. That being said, can Indicud pass the test. 1. The Resurrection of Scott Mescudi The title of this song alone gives me hope that this won't be the total piece of shit that WZRD was(god that album was bad) but titles can decieve. As Scott just gives us an instrumental. If you hated that beat, turn this album the fuck off because nearly every beat sounds exactly like it. This was just an intro, so I still have hope for this project. 2. Unfuckwittable First of all, terrible track title. Second of all, did the beat even change from the intro?!? And these vocals are way to similar to that of the ass of a single that was "Erase Me" on MOTM2. You can hardly here Scott, and what you can here is hard to make out, as it is mostly moaning. A redeeming quality is the chill vibe this track brings. Not bad, just kinda boring. 3. Just What I Am (Ft. King Chip) I have always thought that Chip Tha Ripper or King Chip should just stick to producing, because simply, he sucks at rapping. I thank god that we finally have some variation from an instrumental standpoint. Don't get me wrong, it is very similar, but slightly more upbeat. Remember that 7-month period where Scott didn't smoke? Well that shit was apparently just a joke as this ode to weed results in a below average track. Grr 4. Young Lady (Ft. Father John Misty) Am I the only one who can hardly ever understand the words Cudi is saying? Anyways at this point in the album you are begging for Scott to give you something above decent( I know, it's only track four) and you get this pile of fuckshit. The hook is weird as hell the verses, the instrumentals, why is this shit happening! 5. King Wizard Simply put this might be the worst song I have ever heard. Mescudi mumbles through the entire track resulting in a boring almost unlistenable track. The only good thing is a semi catchy hook along with, what do ya know, the same damn beat. 6. Immortal It seems as rather than a song this is Cudi trying to say the words, to no avail, as once again, it is more moaning than speaking. While not nearly as bad as King Wizard, this was not the bounce-back this album desperately needs. 7. Solo Dolo pt II (ft. Kendrick Lamar) I think this song deserved an original title, as it sounds nothing like the original solo dolo. That being said I give this track all the gratitude in the world. This is a good song, with solid efforts from both parties involved. Cudi seems to step up his game, knowing Kendrick is going to bring it all to the table. It's not great, but I'll take what I can get. 8. Girls (ft. Too $hort) Earlier I said king Wizard may be the worst song ever, well here is its competition. I mean if this shit wasn't bad enough, you throw in $hort, and all sorts of nonsense is sure to happen. This song is so bad, that it really makes all of the good songs on this album(the few) forgettable. 9. New York City Rage Fest Was that a song, or a skit/interlude of some kind? Either way it is better than Girls. 10. Red Eye (ft. Haim) This song is different, and it sure as hell isn't hip-hop. But different isn't always bad. I actually found myself enjoying this little harmonizing session. It may be just be that everything else has been subpar, but this is good listening. 11. Mad Solar This song has that classic MOTM vibe. It may not be my cup of tea, but Cudi fans will like this one. I found myself enjoying this track for what it was. I like the beat a lot more than most of the others, which isn't saying much, but it is a fine beat. I tend to enjoy Cudi a lot more like this. 12. Beez (ft. RZA) Now this right here my friends. This is what we refer to as, THE TITS. This is the best RZA has ever sounded, making me even more excited for the upcoming wu album. Mescudi had little contribution on this song, which was very smart. Competing on a track with a legend in his prime is a mistake. Being a Wustan this is a biased opinion, but as neutral as I can be I am saying that this is the best track on the album. 13. Brothers (ft. King Chip & A$AP Rocky) Honestly this song just happens. 14. Burn Baby Burn Cudi (over once again the same damn beat) comes at us with a slightly different flow. While it works, the track is just slightly boring. This album is something you will fall asleep during, it is long ad boring. This song is good, but not entertaining 15. Lord of the Sad and Lonely That thing I said on the last track, "different flow", well here is that same flow in case you didn't get the point. While I detest Scott's emo attitude with a passion, this song is an upgrade from the last. However, there is a point in every rapper's career where they need to realize that their life is fucking awesome. Be gracious. 16. Cold Blooded This album has really picked it up in the second half, and has more or less kept the momentum built buy Beez. This sounds like another classic Cudi track, which I am very relieved to hear at this point because of the shit I sat through in the proceeding half. 17. Afterwards (Bring Yo Friends) [ft. Michael Bolton & King Chip] I just sat through a fucking 9-minute Kid Cudi song to write this, goddamn I deserve readers. I don't like this beat at all, it is just annoying. Michael Bolton on the hook is an odd choice, but not too bad. Oh and when I said the beat was annoying, I forgot to mention it changes like 7 damn times. How is one meant to enjoy a song while that shit is happening. 18. The Flight of the Moon Man Don't bother listening, nothing happens. Rating 1/5 Maybe that is generous, but this is easily the worst album I've heard all year. It is really hard to like an album when all 18 songs have nearly the same beat. I'd really like to give this half a star just to show you all how much better Twelve Reasons To Die is, but that could be a bit much. Just know that this is an awful album that does not deserve your money. I strongly disliked Man on the Moon and Cudi he consistently been able to follow up his albums with even worse ones. Maybe he'll grow on me if he gets out of this damn emo phase. I mean c'mon man you don't even have a real job, the least you can do is make people think you enjoy your life. I'm pretty mad right now so I'm just going to end the review here and calm down, Peace. |