GO:OD am by Mac Miller Review

Mac+Miller+performing+at+his+show.+Photo+via+Flickr+by+Eddy+Risling+under+Creative+Commons+license

Mac Miller performing at his show. Photo via Flickr by Eddy Risling under Creative Commons license

Pittsburgh born and raised rapper Mac Miller is beginning to gain the widespread popularity he’d hoped for with the September 18 release of his newest album GO:OD am.

His album gets 4.5 stars (out of five). Mac really displays his creative and professional progression in this album, which is likely why more people are starting to follow his music more closely.

GO:OD am has more of a modern taste, especially when it comes to Mac Miller. His first studio album, Blue Side Park, definitely provides more of the upbeat and “I don’t care” attitude commonly associated with Mac Miller, with many of the songs revolving around his Pittsburgh roots and lifestyle. In this album, he centers his music around himself: achieving his long-time dreams, making money, and the fast-paced, professional world. The song “100 Grandkids,” a single that dropped a few weeks earlier, depicts all of these characteristics.

The whole feel of Mac’s new album is very different from his other album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, which had more of a Tyler the Creator meets Frank Ocean vibe, with more mellow and mysterious tracks. GO:OD am has its own variety of emotion and music styles thrown into it, something that is Mac’s own.

For one thing, Mac Miller’s range of voice styles and unique backtracks definitely catch the attention of the listener. From a slower song like “Ascension” or “ROS” to an adrenaline-pumping song like “Jump” or “When in Rome,” the album provides the necessary beats for any situation.

Yet, there are definitely some tracks that will get a lot of attention. For instance, the song “Weekend” featuring Miguel is one predicted to rise in popularity. The song starts off pretty mellow then rises during the nicely-flowing lyrical chorus to a true hip-hop beat, and with Miguel singing along, it’s definitely a track to jam to… who doesn’t love Miguel?

Anyone who is familiar with Mac Miller’s style could understand many of his older songs were about smoking, girls, and making the most out of life. His true creative and lyrical potential was still far out, and with this album he made a big leap towards it. Listeners will be able to tell that he carefully reviewed and worked on every song.

Mac’s raps reflect this potential. In the second song on the album, “Brand Name,” he focuses on the material and ideal world people seem to strive to live in. He makes his standpoint clear when he begins the song by saying “we in between heaven and hell/ I’d rather be dead or in jail.” For “everything we love/ it ain’t nothing but a brand name.”

In “Time Flies,” Mac says that he “fill[s] the shoes and walk[s] a path where only giants stand.” This Pittsburgh native may not be taking the nation by storm, but he is sure to catch attention with the latest release of his best album yet.