Review Summary: Mindless fun at best.
For an artist whose biggest criticism comes down to a lack of substance in the face of glitzy guest features and world-class beats,
At.Long.Last.A$AP. goes a long way towards proving A$AP Rocky is worth the guests he's flanked by. The problem inherent in that is that Rocky doesn't need to prove himself to anyone, delivering some of the best pop rap bangers of the last few years regardless of innovation or incite. What results in his second major label effort is simply unremarkable, a questionable descriptor when considering the context of A$AP Yams' recent death and the evident wider ambition on display.
At.Long.Last.A$AP. is enjoyable enough, but it rarely shakes the looming shadow of its far superior predecessors. Some risks are taken- to great effect, no less, on the drugged up drift of "L.$.D."- but for the most part the beats play up to expected Rocky fare. Rocky's dependence on guests works to his advantage yet prove that his skills can be mediocre at times; as a result, most of
At.Long.Last.A$AP. is buoyed by features, with Rocky's few lone moments ("Excuse Me" and "Better Things" most notably) serving as filler. The likes of "F
uckin' Problems" and "1 Train" that made for
Long.Live.A$AP's highlights feel repeated here, as "Jukebox Joints", "Everyday", and numerous tracks featuring singer-songwriter Joe Fox delivering the better and far more hallucinatory moments of the album. It doesn't wallop with bangers quite like its predecessor nor does it seem as revolutionary as
Live.Love.A$AP's careless haze. Instead,
At.Long.Last.A$AP is mindless fun at best, perfunctory at worst.