By Martin Castro (The Cascade) – Email
“Ain’t sayin’ that I’m sober, just sayin’ I’m in a better place,” croons Mac Miller in the first proper track of GO:OD AM. His third studio album is also his most coherent, both sonically and thematically.
The opening track serves more as a prelude to the following song “Brand Name” than a full track in itself. “Brand Name,” however, completely incorporates a mixture of trap percussion and soulful instrumentals while Miller opens up with a verse that’s immediately charismatic and impressive: “We in between heaven and hell, fuck a nine-to-five, I’d rather end up dead or in jail / American ninja to these obstacles, no stopping me I’m on the move / Mouth running like a prostitute’s, keep your head to yourself.”
More often than I would have guessed, Mac delivers not only interesting rhymes and wordplay on GO:OD AM, but a barrage of melodic lines that caught me completely by surprise. “Rush Hour” is a track that’s carried on pretty much just by Miller’s cadence, as the production does more for the atmosphere of the track than anything else.
“Time Flies,” which features Lil B, sees Miller spitting over distorted horns, which match his relaxed, effortless delivery almost perfectly. He raps with a confidence that would seem disingenuous coming from any other rapper, particularly because of the subject matter; Miller almost glorifies relaxation, and does it in a way that has the listener agreeing with him.
“100 Grandkids” proved to be one of the best tracks on this entire project, boasting some lush synth work and horns in the background while Miller treats the listener to a narrative replete with one-liners that, although simple (“what’s a god without a little O.D.? — Just a G”), provide enough charisma to make the track stand out. Additionally, Miller brings some of his best bars to this track. The breakdown on this track is also completely infectious, even though it only really pops up for about 12 seconds in total.
“Weekend,” featuring Miguel, is probably the most relaxed track on the record; although Miller spits over some comparatively minimal production and his tone of voice suggests anything other than a positive attitude, the track quickly changes to a carefree celebratory, if not escapist, narrative. Miller’s delivery is on point here — every verse on the track is worthy of the listener’s attention.
“In The Bag” is a more stereotypical track, as it’s characterized by its use of trappy percussion (hi-hats and snares are abundant), and minimalist, whiny synths providing the mere hint of a melody in the background. Although it takes longer for Miller to work his charm on the listener during “In the Bag,” as he makes his way through the narrative, the track wins the listener over.
Although Miller’s GO:OD AM is one of the most entertaining projects I’ve heard from the rapper to date, it still seems to be loosely put together at certain junctions, and it lulls mid-listen. That said, if Miller continues this upward trend, I eagerly look forward to his next release.
