Rating: A-
After flying under the radar for a while, Mac Miller has finally released a brand new album this past week, titled “GO:OD AM.” Miller’s third studio album shows a different side of the young rapper, with maturity and development in this new album both lyrically and in sound. Original fans may be shocked at the change that has taken place since Miller’s last album, but will still enjoy what “GO:OD AM” has to offer.
Miller demonstrates growth and maturity with the songs on his new record. His early mixtapes, such as “Best Day Ever,” were known to be party anthems filled with upbeat sounds. Miller continually flaunted his large amounts of money and scoring with women in songs such as “Donald Trump.” During this era, Miller was still growing up and was still in the later years of his adolescence. It’s easy to see that this early work was made up of songs that came across as childish and appealing to high school students.
Now 23 years old, Miller shows a more adult version of himself. The sound of the album is something you would big-time expect rappers such as Drake and J. Cole to release. The record features songs that have slower instrumentals and beats that give off a mellow vibe. The record could even come across as jazzy and unique to some by the heavy use of trumpets and piano — demonstrating that Miller has come a long way from the heavy use of synthesizers and electronic sounds in “Blue Slide Park.”
Instead of constantly rapping about money, drinking and girls — as seen in earlier albums — “GO:OD AM” instead reflects back on Miller’s long history of substance abuse. Lyrics show honesty through confessions of bad decisions and constantly being under the influence. Some fans may say that Miller chose to talk about his drug habits in this album because of his recent decision to be partially sober.
The only downfall of “GO:OD AM” is its length. The album features 17 new tracks. This is a lot for one album and some songs, such as “Perfect Circle/God Speed” and “ROS,” last for five to seven minutes. Although the songs are good and show a lot of meaning, some fans may not like sitting through an album that lasts more than an hour.
Overall, “GO:OD AM” shows improvement, both in Miller’s rapping ability and sound. The new record shows a lot of growth in Miller’s life as well. The transition from his early work to now shows that he has grown up along with his fans. His early high school-aged fans have now grown up and are in college.
