Around this time last year, to much hype, Tyler, the Creator released Goblin, his first official album. He burst on to the scene with the singles “Yonkers” and “Sandwitches,” and his name became relatively well-known. But for the hardcore Odd Future fans (such as myself), the album was a bit disappointing. Fortunately for us, Tyler had laid out his plan to release a new album in 2013, so we had something to look forward to.
That something was Wolf, which, to put it bluntly, is a great album. First of all, Tyler really steps up his beat game, with this being by far the best produced project from any OF member, but at the same time, he keeps the songs sounding like “classic” Tyler. The lyrics are often absurd, as per usual with Tyler, but at the same time, many of the songs explore deeper themes such as problems with girls, drugs and his relationship with his father. Furthermore, on Wolf, Tyler’s flow is the highest it has ever been. On songs such as “Rusty,” “Domo23,” and “Jamba,” tracks with pounding beats and faster tempos, Tyler doesn’t let himself get lost in the hoopla, as Hodgy Beats (for the rookies, another member of Odd Future) often does. But where he really shines is on the slower, spacey tracks such as “Colossus,” “Cowboy” and the masterpiece “Answer.” On these tracks, Tyler can really tell the story that he wants to tell. These tracks give a window into Tyler’s intense emotions, and due to the slower tempo, we can really listen to what he wants to tell us.
As with any album, it does have its low points. For instance, the track “PartyIsntOver/Campfire/
Overall, Wolf is a spectacular album. There are very few songs that aren’t good, but most of the songs, in my opinion, at least, are great. Tyler’s maturity as a lyricist and a producer shine in this album, and we should all be on the edge of our seats for what comes next.
43 days/46 days*
*Note: As a die-hard phan, each of my rating systems for albums or concerts or whatever will be a reference to Phish. This one alludes to the Phish song “46 Days.”
