Hallelujah: You already know how I feel about longer tracks, and right off the bat here, we get one that’s just about 7 and a half minutes. Takes some guts to do something like that. Either way, the song itself is basically an introduction to the album’s concept, where Logic gives his perspective on the world as a whole, and I have to say, it definitely has some very luscious instrumentals, some nice vocal melodies from Logic (though I think he goes on really long with the “open your mind” thing at the beginning), and I appreciate that his flow and clever lyricism remain strong from the “Bobby Tarantino” tape, even if I could do without the skit in the end with Atom and God (the latter of whom is portrayed by Neil deGrasse Tyson). Good start to the album!
Everybody: Logic speaks about racial equality on this track, and while the hook on this screams “KENDRICK LAMAR IMPRESSION,” I do think said hook is pretty catchy here, and Logic’s flow remains on point as usual. The instrumental is kind of light, but it’s bright and the drum beat is really sticky, and it compliments Logic’s flow nicely. I am a little shocked that the track is as short as it is, but overall, it’s a very enjoyable song that I think I’ll come back to in the future.
Confess (ft. Killer Mike): Here, we see Logic talking about some of his habits that he isn’t very fond of, and how he won’t let those habits bring him down. The piano-driven melody is very head-noddy, and I love the very smooth percussion on this track. Logic’s rapid-fire flow is really strong as a whole, and lyrically, some interesting things are going on here. There are also some very luscious vocal melodies throughout this thing, and all of them combine to make this track really great. Killer Mike’s speech at the end certainly doesn’t hurt either. Great song!
Killing Spree (ft. Ansel Elgort): Logic talks on this track about how society is so connected all the time, specifically to social media and technology, and how we need to put down our phones and live in the moment. Again, the production on this track is very grand and upbeat, and Logic’s flow is really strong, though I don’t really find the hook all that memorable on this one. And while featured artist Ansel Elgort’s vocals sound nice, I can’t help but feel like he’s trying to do a Post Malone impression. Still, it’s definitely a decent track that might grow on me with some repeat listens.
Take It Back: I really like the transition on this track from the last one, and once again, I think Logic’s rapid-fire flow is really strong and it fits nicely up against the kind of dark instrumental on this one, but I feel like the hook on this one is not as strong as some of the others on the album. And I also kind of get what people aren’t liking about the album from this song because while Logic is definitely charismatic and has the right idea in making an album with a huge political statement, I feel like it just feels like he’s bonking us on the head with the same ideas throughout (doesn’t help that he is literally repeating the same bars at several points). And while it’s certainly not bad to ask for the things he’s asking for (I think we can all use a little PLP), it feels a bit repetitive and it comes off as kind of preachy.
America (ft. Black Thought, Chuck D, Big Lenbo and No I.D.): A more full-blown political statement, Logic spends this track talking about Donald Trump and, even Kanye West, rapping over a dark but still up-tempo instrumental with a very braggadocio but catchy hook and some clever lyrics on his verses. Black Thought and Chuck D come through with some really strong verses as well, and the song as a whole is so head-noddy and so upbeat, it’s easy to forgive any potential preachiness in the song. No I.D. and Big Lenbo also provide some verses late in the song, and they add to a song that already has some great flow throughout. Definitely really enjoyed this one!
Ink Blot (by Juicy J): This song talks about a rapper who always discusses materialistic possessions, even though he really has no desire to, and the track features Juicy J, which…I should address the elephant in the room, yes, Juicy J has a line on this thing where he says “kill yo’ motherfuckin’ self” to people on social media, and while I understand that they wanted to portray the ignorance of people that put on a face for social media, I do think it’s a hypocritical line, especially given that a song about suicide prevention is on this album. Already, not a very good look. That line aside, while the track has some cool things going on sonically, I don’t really care much for the hook on this one, and Juicy J’s performance, while energetic, doesn’t really save this very short cut from feeling like it’s lacking in something.
Mos Definitely: Another track that delves a bit into the “Black is Beautiful” message, Logic’s flow is once again amazing, the production is very grand and the drum beat is nice, and he’s definitely got the right idea going with this song in preaching that “Black is Beautiful” (because it is), but again, I honestly can’t help but feel like he once again just comes off as a bit too preachy on here. I’m all for music that spreads a social message and makes a bold statement, but right now, it kind of feels like it’s not really making a bold statement: it feels like it’s just repeating itself over and over again. Definitely not the worst on the album, but I feel like Logic could do so much more with his messages throughout this thing.
Waiting Room: This is not a song. This is a nearly 5-minute skit between Atom and God where God discusses reincarnation with Atom, while Atom asks God several questions about life in general. I honestly have to wonder what Neil deGrasse Tyson thought as he was reading through some of the lines on this thing because this is some wild stuff on here. Either way, it’s an overly-long skit, and while it’s well-acted, it’s not particularly entertaining. And the only reason I’m laughing at it is out of pity because it’s just so baffling. I will give it a shoutout for so perfectly leading into the next song, but otherwise, it’s definitely one of the weaker parts of the album.
1-800-273-8255 (ft. Alessia Cara and Khalid): One of the biggest hits of 2017, and arguably one of the most impactful songs of 2017 for how much it raised awareness for suicide prevention (in fact, 1-800-273-8255 is the number of the National Suicide Hotline, please call them if you are battling suicidal thoughts and you feel you have no one to talk to, they will help), the song itself is still quite enjoyable even after almost a year. It’s plenty emotional, and there are really some great vocal performances from Logic, Alessia Cara, and Khalid on this track, and I can see why it’s been so impactful. It’s a song that’s stuck with me, and I still consider it one of my favorite songs on this album. Part of me kinda wishes it ended off the album because then it would be even more powerful than it is, but either way, great track!
Anziety (ft. Lucy Rose): A track that delves into anxiety (which is something I was personally interested in, as someone that battles with anxiety), Lucy Rose provides some very pretty vocals on the intro, and the instrumental is bright, lush, and gorgeous. Logic’s flow, as always, is on point, and I feel like I related to this one a lot lyrically. It’s definitely one of the more moving songs on the album for me, and given his speech at the very end, I feel like it’s definitely a really personal song that came from the heart. Definitely one of my favorite songs on the album.
Black SpiderMan (ft. Damian Lemar Hudson): Logic returns to the theme of being oneself after focusing the last few tracks on anxiety and suicide, and he raps over a piano-driven, up-tempo, kind of soulful instrumental. The hook on this one is definitely quite head-noddy, and I definitely appreciate Logic’s confidence and fantastic flow throughout this cut. And this track is one of the few examples where Logic repeats himself, but keeps things interesting nonetheless, largely thanks to the musical merits of the song (Logic’s flow, the up-tempo beat, and the bright instrumentals). Singer Damian Lemar Hudson also provides some vocals on the track, and he does sound nice overall. Good track!
AfricAryaN (ft. Neil deGrasse Tyson): I was excited when I heard this previewed on the “Bobby Tarantino” mixtape, and then I saw that it was a 12-minute track, gulped, and wanted to run for my life. Then, as I read through the lyrics and saw that Logic once again talks about his biracial background (something he brings up quite a bit on this record), and I only feared even more. And then I listened to the song, and admittedly, I do like some of the things that are going on here sonically, and I once again love Logic’s flow. Vocally, there are also some really pretty moments on here as well, from both Logic and John Lindahl. However, I can’t shake the feeling that Logic just sounds like he’s repeating himself too much on this very bloated track that didn’t really have any business being 12 minutes. This isn’t like Kendrick Lamar’s “Mortal Man,” where it’s 12 minutes, but there’s still something interesting to look forward to in Kendrick’s conversation with 2Pac, this is an overly-long track with another skit that’s no more entertaining than the last few, and a J. Cole outro that just feels out of place, unfortunately. Not a terrible track, but not the best end to the album.
Overall, with “Everybody,” Logic takes on the idea of making an album with a social/political statement, and I have to say he’s only marginally successful on this record, in that some of the concepts feel undercooked. Most of the album honestly feels like him bonking us over the head with some of the same themes throughout, and part of me wishes he further developed the mental health angle he had going on tracks like “1-800-273-8255” and “Anziety” a little bit more to make the album feel a little bit more varied. Beyond that, the whole storyline between Atom and God just feels like an unentertaining throw-in without any real purpose. So, all in all, Logic has the right idea on paper, but not necessarily in execution, and all in all, he doesn’t seem to do enough with said idea, making it feel like he’s repeating himself a bit.
Admittedly, though, despite this feeling of him repeating himself, Logic consistently shows throughout the album that he is still a rock-solid rapper and lyricist with an ear for good production, which is good enough to keep the record afloat. The songs themselves are still plenty enjoyable and a few of them are quite meaningful, and there’s plenty on here that are worth connecting to. Is the album for everyone? No, not at all. Does it fully realize all of its concepts? Nope, unfortunately. Is it messy? Sure. Is it still worth a listen? Yeah! Logic’s musical skills are still on full display here, the only real issue is that some may find it a bit too preachy. Even with that, it’s a pretty enjoyable album, and even if you’re not interested, it’s worth listening to because, given its polarizing nature, it’s worth seeing what side of the fence you sit on.
And if you don’t like it, at least there’s “Bobby Tarantino.”
Favorite tracks: Hallelujah, Everybody, Confess, America, 1-800-273-8255, Anziety, Black SpiderMan
Least favorite tracks: Take It Back, Ink Blot, Waiting Room
Rating: Good
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