Here's the second part of my five part series on reviewing the Best Album category for the Grammy's.This is a straight through review of each track, and then an overall conclusion on the album. So with that, lets begin. Following the review of each track, a mark will appear within ( ), a check-mark "✔" meaning a great track, an "O" meaning an okay track or track that could have been great with a few adjustments, or an "X", meaning a miss. (All rights to any video of the mentioned songs is copyright of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Macklemore LLC)
1) "Ten Thousand Years"
"Ten Thousand Years" has a nice simple opening. The hook really works. The line "time slips through my knuckles" really hits you with the message being conveyed. The track is about the fight of drug abuse and its various struggles. Another powerful line that really conveys what the album is about is "moment is now, can't get it back from the grave....welcome to the heist". This is a very strong opening for "The Heist". Its a message of Macklemore's independence along with his struggles to get there. Its a simple message, which is why it works to introduce the album, and tell you what's left to come. (✓)
2) "Can't Hold Us" ft/ Ray Dalton:
"Can't Hold Us" has a nice stomp/fast intro. It has strong instrumentals. An important line here is "labels out, give it back to the people, spread it across the country". This again signifies his independence and giving the music directly to the people, with no intermediary. Ray Dalton provides a solid hook. There's also a nice horn breakdown midway through. "Can't Hold Us" is a burst of excitement, continuing that independence message. It may sound more mainstream/top 40 than "Ten Thousand Years", but it really works. ( ✓)
3) "Thrift Shop" ft/ Wanz:
"Thrift Shop" has a retro sounding intro. Its more of a fun upbeat track (especially with the R.Kelly diss). Somehow Macklemore finds a way to say "I'm going to take your grandpa's style", just showing his creativity. A more powerful line is "one man's trash is another man's come up", showing the meanings/values different people place on things. Macklemore also disses the name-brand clothing, like "Gucci" and "Limited Edition". "Thrift Shop" is a take off the first track, but its a fun track with still a really good message on originality. And with lines about "flannel jamies....built in onesie with the socks on it", its just genius. (✓)
4) "Thin Line" ft/ Buffalo Madonna:
"Thin Line" has a bit of an awkward intro and a weak hook. Macklemore really picks the track up though. A line that struck me was "wish I could photoshop the scars off", meaning his past. However, this is the first real miss, with poor sounding instrumentals along with that weak hook. Macklemore saves it to a point, but its still a weak track. (X)
5) "Same Love" ft/ Mary Lambert:
"Same Love" has a nice slow piano opening that builds. There are a host of lines that struck me; "right wing conservatives think its a decision (meaning homosexuality)", "America the brave still fears what we don't know". Mary Lambert provides a strong hook, with "She keeps me warm". One of the most powerful lines from Macklemore here is "If I were gay, I'd think that hip hop hates me". Just a powerful human rights message and calling out the general hip hop community. Macklemore also gets personal, showing why this is a big issue to him; "No freedom til we're equal, damn right I support it.....my uncles can be united by law.....we have to change us". A powerful statement and message, groundbreaking for hip hop. Everything just works here. (✓).
6) "Make The Money":
"Make The Money" starts with a almost-sounding rock intro. This track goes back to giving the music directly to the people and independence, with lines like "If I'd done it for the money, I'd been a lawyer.......make the money, don't let the money make you". It feels like a continuation or sequel to "Ten Thousand Years". Its a simple message of what music and art are about. It doesn't need a fancy beat/background, because the lines make the track. ( ✓).
7) "Neon Cathedral" ft/ Allen Stone
"Neon Cathedral" has a soulful keyboard backing. It has a strong hook with solid vocals from Allen Stone. The compare and contrast between church and in this case Macklemore's sins is really striking; "My faith is having seizures" in particular. A very powerful track with strong imagery on the struggles of alcoholism and abuse combined with trying to find faith. Allen Stone brings a lot of soul to this. ( ✓).
8) "BomBom" ft/ The Teaching:
"BomBom" starts off with a fast piano intro, which is a bit awkward. The instrumental settles itself out. This really feels like its Ryan Lewis's feature. The horns change pace midway. The conclusion is directly connected to the intro. You can tell what this is trying to do, send the theme of "The Heist" through instrumentals. It has its awkward spots, but its a good effort from Ryan Lewis and The Teaching. (O)
9) "White Walls" ft/ SchoolboyQ and Hollis:
"White Walls" has a nice half-time feel with the hook. There are plenty of shout-outs to Seattle. You get the general message about "White Walls", passed on by the Cadillac references, but it does seem a little jumbled. Its still a solid track with another fantastic hook. (O).
10) "Jimmy Iovine" ft/ Ab-Soul:
"Jimmy Iovine" has a hard intro with Ab-Soul. There's a diss to Interscope records. The track lays out the process of getting a record deal, and the uncertainty with it; "artists didn't get to be sophomores". There's a truth to the track, especially during the conversation with Jimmy Iovine. This is a good takedown of Jimmy Iovine and the record label, with realness. The hook is somewhat lacking, and the track as a whole seems a little to deliberate, but a solid track. (O)
11) "Wing$"
"Wing$" has a soft piano intro, simple and nice. The beginning shows a sense of innocence leading to naivety in the lyrics. There's a strong message on how companies control us through consumerism; "economy makes us want it", and "this dream they sold you" . There's also a nice strings instrumental breakdown midway. This is more than a song, this is a story with a precise message on consumerism, and the need to have the newest thing to fit in. Brilliant. (✓).
12) "A Wake" ft/ Evan Ronan:
"A Wake" has a bit of an awkward intro. It starts out with a message on fitting in, and the youth trying to appear/act older. Evan Roman doesn't bring a whole lot to this, but Macklemore's strong lines makes this track great; "celebrate the ignorance while these kids keep dying (with a mention of Trayvon Martin)." Despite Evan Roman, Macklemore's real message makes this great. Its a harsh and ever real reality of how we look the other way at these issues as a society. (✓)
13) "Gold" ft/ Eighty4 Fly:
"Gold" starts with a nice synth background. There's a good hook by Macklemore, however a weak chorus with Eighty4 Fly. You get the general message "feelin like gold", but honestly, seems like a fairly weak track. (X)
14) "Starting Over" ft/ Ben Bridwell:
"Starting Over" deals with personal issues, such as the struggle with sobriety and relapse; "I only got 48 hours, treated like some wise monk......If I can be an example getting sober, I can be an example starting over". This is a real personal track on Macklemore's initial struggle trying to stay sober, while fans would say how we was an inspiration to them getting sober as well. You can sense the shame he felt as they looked up to him, not knowing his relapses. (✓)
15) "Cowboy Boots":
"Cowboy Boots" has a folksy intro. It has a drinking song-esque hook to it. A strong line is "kidnap the memories". This is a fun sounding track to leave on. You wish for a little more, but it makes for a good light conclusion. (O)
(✓) = 60%
(O) = 27%
(X) = 13%
Overall, "The Heist" is an incredibly solid album, with no real throwaway tracks. It has a solid message to tell, with tracks like "Ten Thousand Years", "Can't Hold Us", "Make The Money", "Neon Cathedral", and many many more. It does have its fun, mainstream songs like "Thrift Shop" and "White Walls", but they still work. There really is no comparison between "The Heist" and Part 1's review of "Red". "The Heist" very well may be the album of the year. Trust me, "The Heist" is well worth the hype.
"The Heist" - 134
"Red" - 63
