Black Milk
Album Of The Year


4.0
excellent

Review

by pixiesfanyo USER (118 Reviews)
September 15th, 2010 | 29 replies


Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

Review Summary: eatin' on perogies / goose mixed with sobe / smokin' on an oz / pimpin' like an og

I'm questioning whether Black Milk is trying to evoke a double entendre by naming his record "Album of the Year". The intention of speaking on the year of events that lead up to "Album of the Year" is referenced in the first track on the album. A skit after the track 'Black and Brown' mocks the notion that the name stems from Black Milk thinking he released the best record of 2010. Though he attempts to make his intent obvious it seems the title of his album has had enough ambiguity to prompt comments. Constant criticism of the record in various publications seems to revolve around how the record is not the best hip-hop record of 2010. The disconnect between the reviewers and the subjects discussed on "Album of the Year" is shocking. It provokes myself to question if many reviewers even listened to the record before writing up their reviews. "Album of the Year" or not though, Black Milk's latest work is another step in the progression of the Detroit hip-hop scene.

Black Milk's struggles over the past year are examined throughout the record. Issues discussed stem from his new found popularity to the death of his Aunt and Slum Village's Baatin. The album is clearly rooted in the artist overcoming the hardships of his life. The main theme on a few of these tracks could be summed up as "*** 2009". Black Milk switches up his style of rapping which give the album a more personal feel than his previous work. Black Milk's attitude towards hip-hop does seem to refute the ideas of him naming his newest album, "Album of the Year" due to self indulgence. Instead he, seems centered on expanding his textural landscape as well as improving his MC skills throughout the record. The goal of "Album of the Year" is easily summed up as an artist in transition. Tracks like 'Over Again' tread this topic questioning his typical behavior and examining what Milk's next step should be.

Black Milk's effort on "Album of the Year" should silence his critics. His sound has finally come out of J Dilla's shadow and into its own. His raps subject matters have extended past simple braggadocio. Most surprisingly is how quickly he has achieved his progression. The evolution seen from "Tronic" to "Album of the Year" took hip-hop legends like Madlib and Dilla nearly a decade to reach. Black MIlk's career was previously met with skepticism in terms of longevity. He was seen as a replacement producer in Slum Village and then in his solo work as yet another Dilla clone. Over the past two years his image has changed most importantly because of his willingness to constantly experiment. He mastered soul samples on "Popular Demand" and then made an album complete devoid of them with "Tronic". "Album of the Year" seems focused around maintaining a musical legitimacy in his beats. It isn't surprising that many of these tracks come off sounding similar to The Roots in terms of productions. Touches like the extended guitar solo on 'Distortion' really show how far ahead the beats are on "Album of the Year". Key inclusions like live drums throughout the record also reflect nuances from his previous works (i.e. 'Hell Yeah' off of "Tronic") that have become full fledged aspects of the "Album of the Year" sound.

'Closed Chapter' closes the record with a collaboration from Mr. Porter. The beat evokes the guitar heavy tracks that populated the mid-'90s hip-hop scene. Mr. Porter makes another case for his love of extremely long progressive hip-hop beats after the brilliant Pharaohe Monch track 'Trilogy'. Much like 'Long Story Short' summed up Milk's career 'Closed Chapter' seems to sum up the events and feelings that have passed since the release of "Tronic". Black Milk knows where he is poised in terms of his legacy, but at the same time he knows he hasn't fully reached the production level of an artist like Pete Rock or DJ Premier. "Album of the Year" certainly makes a case for his continual progression into one of the best producers in the hip-hop game. Maybe next time out he'll release the 'Album of the Year', but for now we just have one of the best of 2010.



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Comments:Add a Comment 
Electric City
September 15th 2010


15756 Comments


certainly better than a 3.1 wtf

iisblackstar
September 15th 2010


431 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

nice review... picked this album up today, loving it definitely gonna be up there for one of my faves of the year me thinks

hydeyomoney
September 15th 2010


934 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

eh album is not that great.

Urinetrouble
September 15th 2010


5771 Comments


mr.porter=kon artis from d12

alachlahol
September 15th 2010


7593 Comments


was waiting for this, videos looked pretty slick like vaseline in your ass

Zip
September 15th 2010


5312 Comments


Oh man I went to Poland last year perogies are the shit

HighandDriving
September 15th 2010


3288 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Great album.

kingsoby1
Emeritus
September 15th 2010


4970 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

i like it more than when i first listened, but still not as much as tronic

Inveigh
September 15th 2010


26901 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

or maybe he just wanted to name the record after Faith No More's last album?



I'll be checking this out, and nice review too. I still feel like I don't know why it's called Album of the Year though...

HighandDriving
September 15th 2010


3288 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Black MIlk's career was previously met with skepticism in terms of longevity.



"Instead he, seems centered on expanding his textural landscape as well as improving his MC skills

throughout the record."



Do you really need a comma there?

MaskAtTheMasquerade
September 15th 2010


2924 Comments


Tronic has some awesome material. i'll definitely check this out

iranscam
September 15th 2010


469 Comments


fug i completely forgot about this one

Romulus
September 15th 2010


9113 Comments


or maybe he just wanted to name the record after Faith No More's last album?


hahaha i thought about that too. maybe i'll check this out.

SeaAnemone
September 16th 2010


21429 Comments


awesome... if this is anything like Tronic than I'm pumped to hear it. great review!

Awesomesauce
September 16th 2010


1092 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This is actually pretty cool. Not as good as FNM's album of the year though.

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
September 16th 2010


32288 Comments

Album Rating: 3.4

Kinda underwhelmed by the little bits I've heard

Mixupsupreme
September 17th 2010


7 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Deadly Medley and Black & Brown are the two best songs on the album. im also kinda digging the Bouncing beat. I like black milk as a mc but i like him more as a producer.

deathofasalesman
September 19th 2010


8641 Comments


If someone gave me black milk I'd be like "Ugh!" but if someone were to give me Black Milk I'd be like "Yeeee this is my jam."

SeaAnemone
September 21st 2010


21429 Comments


this is ok, but there's nothing on here as good as "Long Story Short" or "Bouce" : (

AggravatedYeti
September 30th 2010


7683 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I dunno this is pretty tight wtf everyone



round of applause -- holycrap



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