Review Summary: As exciting as it is bizarre, it won’t win “Album of the Year”...but it could make a good hard run for “Most A.D.D. album of the Year”.
People are always surprised to hear I’m into Tyler, the Creator. I’ve found the only way to get into his music is to essentially throw all your preconceptions of normality and etiquette out the window. He hasn’t exactly made a true classic album yet. In fact, he hasn’t even made an album one could say is consistently good from start to finish. Yet, there’s something about him that keeps people coming back. He’s almost a sort of “black” version of Eminem. While he doesn’t have the slick flow to match Marshall Mathers, his background is eerily similar. There’s the deep, swelling hatred for a father who left him at a young age. There’s an immeasurably complex relationship with a young female (the character “Salem” in his narratives) whom drives him to the brink of insanity with many lyrics uncomfortably crossing the line of domestic violence when talking about her. And all of this is portrayed using minimalistic jazzy beats and piano, with a gruff voice that exemplifies the epitome of “pissed off”.
Thank goodness Tyler decided to veer away from the convoluted storyline structure that permeated his first three albums. He had essentially made the same album three times, and it was absolutely time for him to experiment.
Cherry Bomb is the resulting album where Tyler branches out musically while keeping the length of the album at a much more digestible level. It’s a shame though, that the methods of experimentation Tyler employs here will not be to everyone’s satisfaction. The heavier involvement of rock in opener and lead single “Deathcamp”, the sludgy explosion that is the title track, or maybe the ten uncomfortably long seconds of listening to Tyler vigorously going down on a girl in “Blow My Load”; these do not necessarily come across as welcoming. It also doesn’t help that Tyler can’t seem to keep a consistent idea in a song, choosing to swerve in a completely different direction, sometimes right in the middle of the song too. “2Seater” switches pace about four times in the first four minutes: from a vintage Tyler jazz beat, to an angelic violin piece, to a heavy drum beat, to a full stop that finally leads into a sombre piano ballad. It really does show exactly where Tyler is at creatively at this point; which is everywhere at once. The record truly is designed for someone with Attention Deficit Disorder.
The amazing thing is that it all somehow works. And by “works” I don’t mean it knocks it out of the ballpark, but rather that it doesn’t repel everyone in its path, which it could have so easily done if executed poorly. His album cover is grotesque and yet luring at the same time, possibly a nostalgic representation of what he says he would do as a kid; ripping the covers out of albums and drawing his own imaginary covers. It’s the most variety in a Tyler album to date. It’s got the infectious ballads you’d expect, like “***ing Young/Perfect” or the less enticing “Find Your Wings”. But it’s got an equal representation of the more aggressive side of Tyler, and this is where he branches out the most. There are moments that are a stroke of genius, like the hilarious sample of the intro to “Shake Your Booty” by Bunny Sigler in the song “Buffalo” or perhaps his grimiest beat to date 45 seconds into “The Brown Stains of Darkeese Latifah”.
Something tells me that even if this album does ultimately repel people, Tyler could care less. He’s making the music he wants, as he clarifies on highlight “Smuckers” with the lyric
“money ain’t the motive”. It oozes with everything this guy is about, which is that he doesn’t give a sh
it what people think. The album retains his dark and scatterbrained sense of humour, with often hilarious skits littered throughout the record. But decisions like intentionally having the music drown out a bit of the vocals will not be to everyone’s liking. It’s up to the listener to decide whether they jump ship or they go along for the ride. Just know that whatever decision you arrive at with this album, Tyler’s answer is the same:
“I’m the new pilot in this bi
tch, and I ain’t bring no extra baggage for this trip”
Recommended Songs: Buffalo, Cherry Bomb, The Brown Stains of Darkeese Latifah, Smuckers
