Macklemore - Gemini Album Review
Macklemore is back for the very first time since 2006 with a solo produced album, Gemini. For the second time the artist is not alongside of Ryan Lewis, as he was in his previous mainstream released albums.
Created in good faith Gemini, did not live up to its expectations nor did it live up to the hype of the previous albums such as The Heist.
Of the three singles released from this album - “Glorious,” “Good Old Days” and “Marmalade” - none helped with the anticipation for the album's release. The usually peculiar but modest artist collaborated with many different mainstream and underground artists to compliment his album, which helps with the variety of sounds that come with it.
The singles on this album are nothing compared to singles he has released before. If anything he released the wrong songs as singles for this album. Singles like “Can’t Hold Us,” “Same Love” and “Thrift Shop” made Macklemore known and helped with the hype of the album. The singles he chose from Gemini did not help him at all. “Willy Wonka” would have made a big difference as a lead single not only because it features Offset, but because that song would have hit harder in this year’s music scene.
This is not the first time an album by Macklemore did not live up to the expectations of the public. This Unruly Mess I’ve Made partially produced by and with Ryan Lewis was also a second class album.
Gemini includes an exhausting amount of piano which takes away from the music and over time sounds repetitive. Macklemore usually includes a variety of uniquely vintage style of aesthetic beats, but it is surely lacking on this album.
The entire album has a rap/pop feel to it, with the exception of “Firebreather” featuring Reignwolf, which has a more pop/rock feel to it, which gives the album its variety. In the first verse of “Firebreather,” Macklemore spits bars that proves he is in fact a force to be reckoned with. But sadly, he does not continue this throughout the album with songs like “Good Intentions” and “How To Play The Flute,” whose lyrics prove to be more comical and outlandish.
Although Macklemore is one of the few understandable artist in mainstream hip-hop/rap today, he quickly falls to many confusingly odd bars. Some lines from various songs leave listeners with baffled thoughts and unsure feelings.
The production of the album was done by Macklemore himself and it was executed tastefully. The album entails a variety of different types of vibes, from hard rap to romantic style. The production of the album also has a more personal vibe with the references to his daughter, grandmother and his personal inner demon-battling experiences. As opposed to his other albums, Gemini is not as controversial and he seems to be laying low from touchy topics.
The album wasn’t enough to gain him more attention in the music world and it is likely going to chase away both new and old fans from his music. Compared to his other albums, it was not what he needed lyrically and is not the comeback album the public was waiting for. In order to stay relevant, Macklemore will have to do a lot of rebranding of who he is and/or who he wants to be in the music industry.
Rating: 6/10
Jacinda Soto is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism and Spanish. To contact her, email JacindaSoto15@gmail.com.
