Breezy_Kilroy
New member
Being in the age of albums with 13 features on a 15 track album this is a breathe of fresh air.
Cole did his thing by himself. at no point did I feel he could've used someone else point of view.
He stepped his pen game up and he is better on the boards than previous efforts.
even if he didn't make all the beats he still was able to get to expand his sound outside of the sometimes monotonous and identical production. and that's what many felt was holding him back was staying in the pocket and not trying to explore different sounds. there were no cringe worthy bars on this album, he left that "out fart me" shit in the past. Perhaps Cole's best asset is his ability to relay emotion and remain relatable. There was no shortage of Cole speaking on world issues such as Ferguson, poverty and being black in America. The album starts strong and finishes strong even though it does feel a little short outside of "Note to Self".
Although the quip on "Firing Squad" about white people stealing our shit is a highlight however it overshadowed the fact that Cole was spitting. "January 28th" is another standout track where he was proving that he can be elite on the lyrical side. As previously stated Cole stepped his pen game up and it shows from top to bottom. There shouldn't be any doubt whether or not if Cole can hang with his peers. Punchlines have been his weakness but he had a few that stood out. It's great to see his growth as an artist after 3 albums.
Cole showed that he understands how to construct songs. That's not to say he didn't put forth the effort before but I feel it was something that he completely improved on and it shows in songs like GOMD, Apparently and No Role Modelz. As relatable as "Wet Dreamz" may be I truthfully could've done without it. That's not to say I didn't like it but after the standout Jan 28 he should've placed another track after it to keep the momentum going.
The next step for Cole is getting motherfuckas that can actually sing. It's ok in spurts but when he is dedicating entire songs like "Hello" to his less than Drake singing voice it becomes a problem. Although Cole can't really sing or harmonize it doesn't bring down the overall value of the album. You almost have to applaud the fact he is taking that type of risk. There are many highs and very few lows. It's fun, relatlable, there is emotion, substance and lyrics. Practically everything you would want from a Cole album. This should've been his first but it is his third and definitely his best effort.
4.5/5
Cole did his thing by himself. at no point did I feel he could've used someone else point of view.
He stepped his pen game up and he is better on the boards than previous efforts.
even if he didn't make all the beats he still was able to get to expand his sound outside of the sometimes monotonous and identical production. and that's what many felt was holding him back was staying in the pocket and not trying to explore different sounds. there were no cringe worthy bars on this album, he left that "out fart me" shit in the past. Perhaps Cole's best asset is his ability to relay emotion and remain relatable. There was no shortage of Cole speaking on world issues such as Ferguson, poverty and being black in America. The album starts strong and finishes strong even though it does feel a little short outside of "Note to Self".
Although the quip on "Firing Squad" about white people stealing our shit is a highlight however it overshadowed the fact that Cole was spitting. "January 28th" is another standout track where he was proving that he can be elite on the lyrical side. As previously stated Cole stepped his pen game up and it shows from top to bottom. There shouldn't be any doubt whether or not if Cole can hang with his peers. Punchlines have been his weakness but he had a few that stood out. It's great to see his growth as an artist after 3 albums.
Cole showed that he understands how to construct songs. That's not to say he didn't put forth the effort before but I feel it was something that he completely improved on and it shows in songs like GOMD, Apparently and No Role Modelz. As relatable as "Wet Dreamz" may be I truthfully could've done without it. That's not to say I didn't like it but after the standout Jan 28 he should've placed another track after it to keep the momentum going.
The next step for Cole is getting motherfuckas that can actually sing. It's ok in spurts but when he is dedicating entire songs like "Hello" to his less than Drake singing voice it becomes a problem. Although Cole can't really sing or harmonize it doesn't bring down the overall value of the album. You almost have to applaud the fact he is taking that type of risk. There are many highs and very few lows. It's fun, relatlable, there is emotion, substance and lyrics. Practically everything you would want from a Cole album. This should've been his first but it is his third and definitely his best effort.
4.5/5
My biggest complaint about Cole was always his production and his monotonous singing. He sings alot on this album but it's bearable. What I and damn everyone has been asking Cole for the longest is outside production to break up his monotonous sound and he finally listened. The album flowed so well sonically and none of the tracks sounded forced. It feels like Cole found himself. The first half of the album is the more lyrical part but the second half is where the soul is. Best songs are January 28th, Adolescence,etc and Hello is the worst. It's Coles best album imo.
4.5/5 rating
4.5/5 rating
SixSickSins
New member
I don't post up here too often, so I hope I may participate as well.
This album, though....................man. I'm a girl that can typically tell within 10 seconds of hearing a song whether or not I'll like it and, for that reason alone, I rarely sit through and listen to an album in its entirety. This album, however, compelled me to listen and I didn't regret the hour and change I spent listening. This is by far my favorite J. Cole album. I've noticed that some folks don't like his beat selection, but I found the sounds refreshing and that they meshed well with the respective songs. He allowed himself to be vulnerable and open with the story each song told. I see soooo much improvement in this work compared to his earlier works, he truly develops and evolves with each project. I absolutely love that his prevailing themes were genuine love and happiness, not material things and big booty heauxs. I love that he said no more kings--that they (rappers) must present a strong, cohesive example to the younger generation and talk about things that matter. Who else is spitting about love and happiness with such raw, blazing fieryness? There were moments in nearly every track where the lyrics and flow had me like:
Need to listen a few more times to solidify the order in which I would place the songs in regards to faves, but I know for certain that Apparently & Love Yourz are up there. Only song I didn't really care for was St. Tropez. Other than that I give it 4.5/5. Phenomenal.
This album, though....................man. I'm a girl that can typically tell within 10 seconds of hearing a song whether or not I'll like it and, for that reason alone, I rarely sit through and listen to an album in its entirety. This album, however, compelled me to listen and I didn't regret the hour and change I spent listening. This is by far my favorite J. Cole album. I've noticed that some folks don't like his beat selection, but I found the sounds refreshing and that they meshed well with the respective songs. He allowed himself to be vulnerable and open with the story each song told. I see soooo much improvement in this work compared to his earlier works, he truly develops and evolves with each project. I absolutely love that his prevailing themes were genuine love and happiness, not material things and big booty heauxs. I love that he said no more kings--that they (rappers) must present a strong, cohesive example to the younger generation and talk about things that matter. Who else is spitting about love and happiness with such raw, blazing fieryness? There were moments in nearly every track where the lyrics and flow had me like:
Need to listen a few more times to solidify the order in which I would place the songs in regards to faves, but I know for certain that Apparently & Love Yourz are up there. Only song I didn't really care for was St. Tropez. Other than that I give it 4.5/5. Phenomenal.
Awesome reviews guys. Just read through all of them. Keep 'em coming. I tallied up the scores so far.
@usmarin3 be mindful of the word limit (150 words for albums, 80 for songs). I'll let it rock since this is new and you did over 100.
@The_R_ that review has to be more in-depth to count lol
@usmarin3 be mindful of the word limit (150 words for albums, 80 for songs). I'll let it rock since this is new and you did over 100.
@The_R_ that review has to be more in-depth to count lol
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http://mrworldpremieretv.blogspot.ca/2014/12/j-cole-be-free-david-letterman-live.html?m=1
If you don't respect dude after this fuck you man fuck you because you're part of the problem
If you don't respect dude after this fuck you man fuck you because you're part of the problem
Chasin Bundlez
New member
YoungGoldie;7600422 said:
Close this fuckkng thread, ain't no need for anyone to make another review after this one, it will be filled with lies, bias and pure semen slurping...Goldie hit on the head, shit felt weird as fuck reading this cuz he literally said everything I was thinkin bout this mediocre album...word.
I may be the only one but I love the singing. drake has a trained voice Cole has a soulful natural voice he misses a few notes but it makes it feel genuine hello and st Tropez were good to me. MY LEAST fav song maybe tale of two cities. My fav song is apparently fire squad and Jan 28th. His song structure
Is on point its not all 16 bars hook 16 bars hook. I'll give it a 4 out of 5 I would have liked a more time relevant project. I agree this should have been his first project its prob his first project with creative control
Is on point its not all 16 bars hook 16 bars hook. I'll give it a 4 out of 5 I would have liked a more time relevant project. I agree this should have been his first project its prob his first project with creative control
Stew
Active member
Was really hype after I heard it the first time then I listened a few more times and let it settle in. The production/harmonizing gets really redundant on this joint although he does a good job at keeping the content relevant(assuming this record is about his old world which we already knew about btw) outside of "Wet Dreamz". Almost positive somebody told him that singing/harmonizing would sell him more records even tho he claims he doesnt care(lies). High points were "Fire Squad", "G.O.M.D." and "No Role Modelz", "Hello" and some of the joints early in the album were like mehhh after a few listens. Lyrically hes on point but I think he needs to hand over some of his production and let his growin up in Fayetteville go, on record at least. Overall not much better than his previous efforts, id probably say they are all around the same as far as quality goes. 7/10
I have minor grievances with the album, on first listen I thought there was a little too much singing. Upon my 2nd listen, things seemed to fall into place a little more. I think that's because I read a breakdown of the flow of the album, and it made more sense at that point. Plus, Cole has always harmonized.
(A) January 28th
2nd Verse
Don't like the bar at all, seems like a throwaway - "Show me NY's ladder I'll climb it
and set the bar up so high you gotta get Obama to force the Air Force to find it
Nevermind it!"
(A) A tale of two Citiez
Fucking dope, but seems a little drake influenced let me know if you hear it?
(B) Gomd
Don't like production entirely. Love the beat at the beginning, wish it never switched at around 1:00. I like what he's saying but don't like the delivery of the hook (yes I know what song it's from)
(B+) Hello
Don't like the flow when he raps doesn't seem to match perfectly and he's done better flow wise. But I like the song overall. Example -=youtu.be
Everything else A+ to me. Different strokes for different folks but St. Tropez is sick. Little D' Angelo, little Outkast, little Badu, and many more older soul/african acts that I can't think of off the top atm.
Overall a solid album, there isn't a wow factor, nothing that made me say "yo rewind that b". But, that's not what this album is about or portraying. It's about his honesty and growth as a man, and artist.
Update : Total score changed from B+ to A-
The more I listen to this album the more I appreciate it and understand it as a whole. On my third listen I was playing it for someone and realized how much I appreciated the songs and how I felt listening to them. I also downloaded J. Cole's David Letterman "Be Free" performance and added it as the last song (before Note to self) on the album. Works well.
(A) January 28th
2nd Verse
Don't like the bar at all, seems like a throwaway - "Show me NY's ladder I'll climb it
and set the bar up so high you gotta get Obama to force the Air Force to find it
Nevermind it!"
(A) A tale of two Citiez
Fucking dope, but seems a little drake influenced let me know if you hear it?
(B) Gomd
Don't like production entirely. Love the beat at the beginning, wish it never switched at around 1:00. I like what he's saying but don't like the delivery of the hook (yes I know what song it's from)
(B+) Hello
Don't like the flow when he raps doesn't seem to match perfectly and he's done better flow wise. But I like the song overall. Example -=youtu.be
Everything else A+ to me. Different strokes for different folks but St. Tropez is sick. Little D' Angelo, little Outkast, little Badu, and many more older soul/african acts that I can't think of off the top atm.
Overall a solid album, there isn't a wow factor, nothing that made me say "yo rewind that b". But, that's not what this album is about or portraying. It's about his honesty and growth as a man, and artist.
Update : Total score changed from B+ to A-
The more I listen to this album the more I appreciate it and understand it as a whole. On my third listen I was playing it for someone and realized how much I appreciated the songs and how I felt listening to them. I also downloaded J. Cole's David Letterman "Be Free" performance and added it as the last song (before Note to self) on the album. Works well.
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Better late than never shit nobody else bothered to drop one for the site
http://allhiphop.com/2014/12/14/j-cole-2014-forest-hills-drive-album-review/
http://allhiphop.com/2014/12/14/j-cole-2014-forest-hills-drive-album-review/
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