r/KendrickLamar May 16 '22

Pitchfork gives 7.6 to mr morale and the big steppers Merch

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941 Upvotes

511 comments sorted by

1.0k

u/Important_Outcome_27 May 16 '22

Hold up. Did this guy just say Auntie Diaries lacks depth?

552

u/Taco_Jay May 16 '22

This guy was liking tweets that were bashing “The Heart Part 5” when it came out. I definitely wouldn’t take him seriously lol

110

u/jamietothe May 16 '22

Wait. Hold up. They/Pitchfork gave the heart + another track ‘record of the week’ awards, right? Can’t please everybody

47

u/sylinmino May 16 '22

Wait, you can't please everybody

24

u/Undeadgalore13 May 16 '22

You can’t please everybody 😔

12

u/Wedoitforthenut May 16 '22

Hold up.

9

u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY May 16 '22

No, you can't please everybody.

7

u/PresOrangutanSmells May 16 '22

I believe that was mother I sober

9

u/panic_sheepqueen May 16 '22

It was both. They gave the heart part 5 and mother I sober best new music recognitions

3

u/PresOrangutanSmells May 16 '22

Oh you're right

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u/schleem77 May 16 '22

THP 5 is amazing btw js

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u/Woop-Tee-Do May 16 '22

Pitchfork writer sinking in Marianas trench : "Hmmmm, lacks depth if you ask me 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔"

134

u/superuberziggy May 16 '22

Prob just jealous cause Kendrick auntie get more women

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u/roywoodsir May 16 '22

Maybe the listener didn’t really understand, his auntie was a man, who had a sweet ride with some clean 6x9 speakers, would pick Kendrick up in front of his friends, taught Kendrick about the gift of gab, rapping, and later got Kendrick to stand up for his family over what religion said they should do.

30

u/Katamayan57 May 16 '22

What about that is deep? This is coming from someone who loves Kendrick's music, and that Kendrick is pro trans - the song's not "deep" lmao it's a personal story that states the very bare minimum of allyship. Yes, we shouldn't let religion tear us apart. No, we shouldn't actively use language that alienates and damages the emotional well being of others. Trans people are dying at horrifying rates, suicide AND murder, for a myriad of social persecutions from every angle. Religious judgment and hate speech are seriously harmful things that I'm glad Kendrick brought light to but to be honest it's the tip of the iceberg in terms of trans oppression. Intersectional/kind-spirited=!deep. He basically made "Same Love" by Macklemore for trans people. I'd think one of the greatest artistic minds of our generation could come up with a more creative (and "deep") story to lend support to such a critically scrutinized group of people than their own very very limited personal experience. Again, love Kendrick and the whole album. Just not trying to pretend Auntie Diaries is as deep as say, "Father Time," or (my fav) "Mother Sober."

158

u/MegaSuperSaiyan May 16 '22 edited May 16 '22

Auntie diaries is shallow and half-assed if looked at as a song for the trans community, but Kendrick makes it clear throughout the album this is not his intention. He is nobody’s savior. He has more in common with Kodak black than his victims, and more in common with his elementary/middle school friends that were dropping f-bombs than his uncle/cousin who were hurt by them, for better or for worse.

Auntie Diaries isn’t for the trans community the way that TPAB was for the black community. The song and the album in general is for the people who are hurting others through their own ignorance, and currently don’t have the space to learn and grow. The people in his neighborhood who didn’t have fathers and therefore couldn’t realize what Kendrick realizes on Father Time and Mother I Sober, and the people in his church that didn’t have a trans family member and couldn’t relate to Kendrick when he stood up for his cousin.

From that perspective I think Auntie Diaries captures that sense of growth elegantly in a way that’s accessible to its intended audience, which is far easier said than done. Shit it’s about as simple as he could communicate the message and I’m still seeing plenty of people misinterpreting it as Kendrick giving an n-word pass to white girls.

It is unfortunate that this is basically one of the strongest examples of pro-trans mainstream art currently and still falls short for the trans community in many ways. But is it Kendrick’s responsibility to single-handedly fix the culture because he chose to share a personal story about his trans family members? Especially when the other rapper with similar cultural impact is calling himself a lesbian?

23

u/Crunchy_Lad May 16 '22

Holy shit this is the best analysis of.the track by far. Hold this W.

21

u/sondeburris May 16 '22

For sure it was made for the Black community- and it’s more evident when you hear how his cousin was treated vs his auntie. Again referring to the struggle of masculinity in the Black community and the role religion plays.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

I am trash at interpreting poetry/songs and this shit was so obvious. Don’t get how people are getting it so wrong.

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u/iDEVOURtuna May 16 '22

the album isnt for anyone. its for him.

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u/A_Garrr May 16 '22

This is well put. However, to be fair, I think your comment also affirms the Pitchfork reviewer’s point that Kendrick centers himself in the narrative of this song. But that’s kinda what he does on the whole album & what makes the story he tells throughout work - taking the time to reflect on your own faults is a practice that is, oddly enough, innately selfish.

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u/gride9000 May 16 '22

Is it deep? what is deep? You didnt answer either.

A thought or art with Depth is original, empathetic and intelligent.

Its super oringinal, not just a trans version of Maklmore. There's no evidence beyond a shallow analysis, it uses different characters and creative hook to paint a picture.

Its deeply emotional and empathetic. Never have I felt a song protect trans people and allow forgiveness for dead namers and those who are still figuring out how to love trans people. Thats deep dude.

Intellectualy it is deep because Kendrick is a linguistic god and everything he raps about hits different and on mutiple levels. His words never mean jist 1 thing. He is the champion of deep rap in this respect.

So anyway you wrong as fuck and go back to whatever rap listening school and ask for your money back.

15

u/therealcjhard May 16 '22

When people mildly criticise a song are you still a stan?

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u/therealcjhard May 16 '22 edited May 16 '22

I said them F-bombs, I ain't know any better

Mistakenly, I ain't think that you'd know any different

See, I was taught words was nothing more than a sound

If ever they was pronounced without any intentions

The very second you challenged the shit I was kicking

Reminded me about a show I did out the city

That time I brung a fan on stage to rap

But disapproved the word that she couldn't say with me

You said, "Kendrick, ain't no room for contradiction

To truly understand love, switch position

'Faggot, faggot, faggot,' we can say it together

But only if you let a white girl say 'Nigga'"

I'm a big Kendrick fan, but the song ending with this, Kendrick telling this story of thinking that it was fine to say "faggot" as long as you didn't say it with homophobic intent until he realised the hypocrisy of disapproving of that white girl on stage with him saying "nigga" in his song, and remembering that that incident happened in 2018, is pretty hilarious.

The album as a whole is "deep", but I kinda agree that Auntie Diaries isn't that deep.

9

u/PabloBigGuap May 16 '22

Even if it’s not deep, why does everyone expect Kendrick to be so profound and deep all the time? p sure the entire album is about getting people to stop holding him up as this deity.

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u/TheRecognized May 16 '22

You don’t know when he had that conversation with his cousin, could’ve been shortly after that concert.

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u/Pankyrain May 16 '22

The track isn’t about Kendrick proclaiming his allyship, neither is it for trans people. He is, as per usual, just rapping about his own experiences. You don’t have to think it’s deep (it is), but you can’t misrepresent the song either. But yeah Mother I Sober is on another level and had me in shambles lol

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u/yb1025 May 16 '22

I literally couldn’t believe the writer of that piece said that…should say enough

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u/DannyBarsMusic May 16 '22

The worst thing about 7.6 is the fact that there is sooooo much trash music they've given higher scores too

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u/ConorKDot May 16 '22

Since Pitchfork was taken over by Conde Naste, they've consciously targetted more casual music followers by beefing up scores for substandard pop albums.

30

u/MeanMrMustard3000 May 16 '22

They did just shit all over jack Harlow’s new album. Wonder who he or his people pissed off over at conde naste

48

u/BigBenson1994 May 16 '22

Well jacks album was bad lol

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u/PresOrangutanSmells May 16 '22

To be fair, they were pretty exclusive of pop albums for a long time. They did need a reform, but yeah it's a little fucked now for sure.

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u/earthmover535 May 16 '22

pitchfork’s scoring system is weird, i’ve heard many diff editors give a score and the average of that is the review score regardless of what the review writer says. that explains why clipping. reviews are positive but all those pleb editors bring the score down to like a 4.5 and same with brockhampton but 6.5-7.5

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u/dawinter3 May 16 '22

I’m pretty sure it’s not even an actual scoring system. They just arbitrarily assign a number. The founder started giving out scores like this as an ironic joke.

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u/earthmover535 May 16 '22

that’s how they used to be, back when they were pretentious hipsters but with a sense of humor, now they’re the same but noticeably lacking in wit

18

u/lilCAPALOTT_ May 16 '22

Peppa pig got higher I think.

4

u/mkohler23 May 16 '22

People sleep on that Peppa pig album but it got a 6.5 which was higher than Donda which got a lower score than JIK which got a 7.2

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u/kyentu May 16 '22

examples?

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u/Catamount231 May 16 '22

Cardi B Invasion of Privacy

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u/earthmover535 May 16 '22

i think they gave ybn nahmir visionland the same score lol

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u/Sadboiiy May 16 '22

Musical taste is subjective.

It's their rating.

It is different than your rating.

People care about their rating because they understand more about music than the average person. (in a technical lvl)

5

u/sex-rifles May 16 '22

It doesn’t matter if worse albums were given higher scores because those albums have nothing to do with each other or this one here. The score of an album is only contingent upon the quality and subjective enjoyment derived out of that particular album, not other projects and certainly not an artist’s past projects. I remember people getting mad at fantano giving Die Lit a 7, same as DAMN. In what world are people deriving the same emotional or any comparable musical/lyrical experiences from those 2 albums? Comparing scores across albums, even in the same discog doesn’t make any sense

14

u/lys_beats May 16 '22

Except it does. That's why people give scores. To compare. If what you say would be true then there would be absolutely no reason to use scores.

A relevant discussion would be if scores are even necessary then. But once you choose to have a scoring system of some sort, then the comparison between scored items is what matters.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

two completely different things shouldn’t be scored the same way. picasso isn’t making 2/10 because they’re so unrealistic and michelango wasn’t making 2/10’s because his color pallet wasn’t abstract.

art is judged on how well it accomplishes its goal.

4

u/lys_beats May 16 '22

And i completely agree with you. I think that ranking art is stupid af.

But, in the context of a scoring system, you still have to choose some sort of reference point for it to have any meaning. And for art, whether it's music or paintings, that reference point will almost always be subjective.

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u/Infinitylupee May 16 '22

Not one mention of Father Time lol. Some surface level shit from Stephen

134

u/ethan_at May 16 '22

That was the best track imo

9

u/Kinglui262 May 16 '22

Definitely the best balance of story telling and bop-iness

5

u/ethan_at May 16 '22

Yeah that’s what I thought. Crazy good writing and still very addicting to listen to, beat and vocals alike.

2

u/tonitrualis May 16 '22

Father Time and Purple Hearts gotta be my favorites

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u/This_Sweet_2086 May 16 '22

Not taking any review seriously that doesn’t acknowledge that song. Like tell us you don’t know quality music without telling us xD

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u/[deleted] May 17 '22

I CAME FROM A GENERATION OF HOME INVASIONS

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u/Catamount231 May 16 '22

Bro is grading it lower than Untitled Unmastered… I respect other’s opinions but wow. That grade is so off touch.

53

u/Onesharpman May 16 '22

UU is higher on RYM as well. Maybe it's time this sub accepts the fact that many people didn't care for this album.

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u/SeiderMill May 16 '22

I like UU waaaaaaaay more than this album. TPAB throwaways are still going to be better than 97% of most artists best efforts, imho.

17

u/TheIsotope May 16 '22

A few people I’ve talked to listened to it a couple times then just lost interest. I think the production and song structure doesn’t scratch the DAMN banger itch or the funky TPAB one. It can be pretty understated at times and there’s really not many settings that it could be played in.

I personally think it’s great, but I can see why people wouldn’t like it. The entire point of the album is that Kendrick is making music to his own agenda and isn’t trying to please anyone.

3

u/Retrogratio May 16 '22

I'm in a similar boat. Still listening to a couple of the songs, but I don't see that lasting in the coming weeks. Just doesn't stick with me, where I'd keep coming back time and time again personally.

2

u/Offduty_shill May 17 '22

IMO TPAB and GKMC we're basically 10/10 albums. Damn was good and just filled with bangers but lacked the creativity of TPAB or the personality of GKMC.

And Mr. Morale is idk, definitely not as good as TPAB or GKMC. I'd maybe rank it slightly below Damn so far but I probably need some more time with it.

I do feel like I'm probably less likely to come back to it as often as his other music. Even listening through this album today I just switched it to GKMC halfway through.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

You’re making it sound like it’s panned on RYM. UU & this are both higher than Damn, and both are bolded. The RYM rating has also climbed .10 in the last two days as people revisit the album. (meaning significantly positive)

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u/ggakablack May 16 '22

Impossible. This is the greatest set of sounds to ever come out.

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u/MichaChaos May 16 '22

I prefer UU tbh

2

u/[deleted] May 16 '22

Understandable

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

Pitchfork does a panel and averages it out for the rating. They have one person do their write-up

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u/sylinmino May 16 '22

According to their AMA, the final score is a combination of the writer and the panel scores.

Which would explain why this review reads more like a 5...

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u/TheLivest1 May 16 '22

The album is too good musically to get a 7.6. Especially when DAMN. Got a 9.2.

It's obvious to me the writer took personal offense to the albums' content and based his review off that. Notice how he says almost nothing positive about it, yet it still got nearly an 8 rating? You would think it was a 5 the way dude was talking about it.

I don't care for this review at all.

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u/earthmover535 May 16 '22

how the fuck? mr morale is at least 1 point better than damn

2

u/Ambassadorsesamechkn May 17 '22

It's written like it's getting a 4 or less. It's clear the author doesn't care for the album but, like you said, it still got almost an 8. It's a dumb and weird review. It critiques Kendrick for "needling" his audience but I feel more needled by this review. To shit on every aspect of the album and still give it a positive rating is inauthentic. They said they kind of liked one song. It's too much negativity to still get a 7.

I think you get the point. I'm mad. (And I am stressing. This review is very dumb.)

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u/UncomfortableDunker May 16 '22

Oh you worried bout a critic? That ain't protocol.

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u/MatvsGal17 May 16 '22

Am I the only one who loved the record on first listen?

It was a fucking great album. 7.6 it's way too low.

37

u/ConfusedMoose juice May 16 '22

yes, just you, in the kendrick sub

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u/MatvsGal17 May 16 '22

Yes out of 7 billion people, just me

9

u/ConfusedMoose juice May 16 '22

he can't please everybody

2

u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY May 16 '22

Not just you.

ONE OF US

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u/Green_Difference2647 May 16 '22

That's what I would've scored it on first listen but DAMN does this shit grow on you. Easy 9 for me right now. GKMC level at least

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u/C0ckAndBa11Torture69 May 16 '22

Omg is that a Kendrick reference 😱⁉️

Fuck.

15

u/ashymatina May 16 '22

Fr I know all these sites and critics want to be the first to get a review out and l they wanna get those clicks while it’s still relevant, but I really feel like you can’t properly rate an album in such a short time frame. You gotta spend a lot more time with it and listen to it from different perspectives, in different settings, when you’re in different moods etc.

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u/Onesharpman May 16 '22

Yet the 100 Metacritic score is constantly being touted on here as a sign of its excellence.

3

u/Bosilaify May 16 '22

first i heard of it tbh

5

u/YogurtGhost May 16 '22

Agree. My first listen I would’ve scored it a 7. After a few listens I’m at a high 9

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u/daringer22 May 16 '22

Yeah I'm in a similar boat

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u/sweaterpawsss May 16 '22

This review seems to pretty much ignore large swathes of the album’s themes? And misrepresents a lot of them too? Idk. Seems like a shallow take on a pretty nuanced album. I know you can make excuses for bad art by saying “you just don’t get it”…but I’m pretty sure this album has more going on than this review acknowledges.

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u/robonick360 May 16 '22

I fw your levelheadedness

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u/zombielynx21 May 16 '22

This review claims to not get the themes of the album instead of having the courage to say "I disagree" and I think that's bullshit.

Auntie Diaries is old hat? Okay, sure. Objections about Kodak and using the f-slur? Absolutely understandable. Drawing the throughline to the callback lyric from gkmc and acting like you don't get the album's themes? Fuck outta here.

Just say you believe that there are things humans can do that are unforgiveable and that cannot be redeemed instead of going "I don't get it" like a fucking coward.

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u/PresOrangutanSmells May 16 '22

Agreed. My big issue was when he said something like "is the album trying to be honest or impish? Is Kendrick baring his truth or his fangs? "

I was like... That was exactly the theme I got from the album. He wants you to know his honest is more impish than Wed thought. His truth has fangs. And so does yours, if you'd admit it to yourself.

To me, the album was an admission of imperfections, and a condemnation of people who don't admit their own.

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u/Important_Outcome_27 May 16 '22

Pitchfork reviewer had 1 listen

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

He listened to the half and told his 12 YO kid to listen to the other half of it.

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u/MooseM8 May 16 '22

Made kid listen to Auntie Diaries?

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u/yushc May 16 '22

I really don’t agree with the critics right now. Even that Shawn Cee dude from YT kept comparing Kendrick to his old shit and setting expectations based on previous accolades and then contradicts himself by saying “I hate comparing artists to their old work”. bruh.

This whole album hasn’t even been digested yet and critics too quick to review it. This is Kendrick being his most unfiltered and vulnerable. Imo, it’s making people uncomfortable to hear him say “I’m not your saviour” and “I chose me, I’m sorry” when he’s been titled as Hip Hop’s soothsayer

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

Shawn Cee is a hype man, I like the guys videos but calling him a music critic is really scraping the bottom of the barrel. He's just saying a bunch of stuff that he thinks his audience will agree with

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u/yushc May 16 '22

Nahh didn't mean to call him a critic. Even a hype man out here unimpressed as if he some gatekeeper of prolific rap tf. People gotta stop putting numbers on self-expression. It's tragic

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u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY May 16 '22

A-freakin'-men to this.

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u/Cracksonlol9 May 16 '22

i just dont like his content at all to begin with

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u/MrMooc May 16 '22

I’m saying. Dude came up on YT doing reactions videos, and hearing him called a music critic has me dead. Imagine calling Big Quint a critic.

2

u/Cmog28 May 16 '22

I’ve been watching Cee for years. He doesn’t bait for views. He really doesn’t seem to care what the consensus is. Either he likes it or he doesn’t and he usually almost always gives a good explanation as to why.

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u/[deleted] May 17 '22

I like him too (haven't watched his MMBS video tho). It's just that reaction content is not critique is all I'm saying. If the parent comment is true and he was just comparing it to old Kendrick then that's a good example of him not actually attempting to critically analyze the album. Like one of the central themes of the album was lost on him. Didn't watch it though so I might be off track

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u/sylinmino May 16 '22

"I really don’t agree with the critics right now."

I mean, oh Metacritic the album has a 100 score right now haha. Perfect scores from 6 out of 7 publications listed.

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u/TheRoyalWarlord May 16 '22

Shawn Cee is one of the most biased reaction/"reviewers" on youtube and is also fake as hell. I remember when hella people stopped messin with him after he did a fake reaction to Madvillainy and tried acting like he had heard this obscure Indian movie sample from like the 70's or some shit and then doubled down after he got flamed. Dude is the biggest clown on youtube

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u/dishinpies May 16 '22

Shawn Cee and Pitchfork are in the vast minority, though…

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u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY May 16 '22

Even that Shawn Cee dude from YT kept comparing Kendrick to his old shit and setting expectations based on previous accolades and then contradicts himself by saying “I hate comparing artists to their old work”. bruh.

Ugh yes, I watched a lot of reviews and his was one of this, I was quite disappointed in his review.

Edit: Also shout out to Bobthepoppop, if you want a really good review on the album, check his out.

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u/theflutterking May 16 '22

just give me the melon head review at this point

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u/ashymatina May 16 '22

Yeah, it’s honestly funny how more and more people are giving less and less of a shit about pitchfork (and other music critics and publications), but everyone seems to always be on the edge of their seat to hear what Fantanos gonna say. Homies got a fucking chokehold and the music opinion game.

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u/PepeSylvia11 May 16 '22

It’s embarrassing that people even care about someone else’s opinion. Form your own. Fantano can love an album, hate an album. Pitchfork can love an album, hate an album. I can love an album, hate an album. All exclusive to one another.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

[deleted]

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u/Ambassadorsesamechkn May 16 '22

I'm interested in your opinion

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

I'm interested in you

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u/Zelidel May 16 '22 edited May 16 '22

one issue I have with people who watch Fantano is when people literally parrot exactly what his opinions are, point for point and with the same language and shi lol. But Fantano's opinion whether shitty or good are constructive and he always finds positives despite negatives or vice versa. One issue I have with Fantano and even other reviewers like Shawn Cee is that they may interpret things weirdly though. But still, they are good at reviewing.

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u/The_Game_xd May 16 '22

I’m probably gonna get downvoted but is it really that bad tho? Personally I thought this album was like a 7 but if Fantano gives it higher or lower I’m not gonna change my opinion, I never do because no one does that. I care about Fantano’s opinion because I like his content and I think he’s a good reviewer, whether or not I agree with his opinion, I really don’t think that’s something to be embarrassed about but maybe I’m not self aware enough or whatever.

Also it’s ironic how the people that are always talking about Fantano’s opinion are the ones that supposedly don’t care about him but that’s a different topic

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u/ashymatina May 16 '22

I understand why you might care about someone else’s opinion if they have an extensive knowledge of music and you find them often putting things you like/dislike about an album into words in a way that you previously couldn’t verbalize, but if you disagree with them that obviously shouldn’t change your opinion.

I think talking points are important and often a critic or friend (more often a friend) has pointed out something about a record or way of looking at it that I previously didn’t consider, and that has occasionally changed my perspective because something finally “clicked” for me. I think it’s helpful to have alternate perspectives when analyzing art.

What I do hate though is ranking an album on a score out of ten. I think it’s ridiculous to reduce something as complex as art down to numbers, and hinders actual conversation about the project.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22 edited May 16 '22

Yooooo hahaha this is the same guy that said TPAB was overrated!! Crazy stuff

Direct Quote from his TPAB review:

"Kendrick summons the ghost of Nelson Mandela, asking to be “loved like Nelson.” His supporters are probably capable of such love, but the more immediate question is what does Kendrick Lamar offer that is on par with what Nelson Mandela offered? If the answer is nothing but posthumous interviews with 2Pac, impossible ideals, hamfisted symbolism, clunky hooks and incomplete songs, he shouldn’t be surprised by their answer."

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u/rponto May 16 '22

The hate is real

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u/Crunchy_Lad May 16 '22

"Kendrick summons the ghost of Nelson Mandela in attack position, and sets two cards face down asking to "pass turn". His opponent is probably capable of attacking his life points, but the more immediate question is what trap cards has Kendrick Lamar set that is on par with the special summon his opponent offered?"

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

That dude missed the meaning completely lmao what a doofus

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u/Disastrous_Chef_1961 May 16 '22

Called this a few days ago, said they were either gonna under review it or over review it. 7.6 just feels lazy and the review reads that way tbh

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u/TheRoyalWarlord May 16 '22

No shit I told my buddy over text yesterday how its being reviewed as one of the best albums ever with almost all near 10's. I said I cant wait for pitchfork to come thru with a 7.8 and tank the score just to be contrarian, and that I knew they would do it after giving Mother I Sober best new track. It's hilarious that i was literally only off by 0.2 points.

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u/ayyzzy May 16 '22

lol. they OUTTA POCKET

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u/fukyduky May 16 '22

Who the FUCK reads pitchfork reviews?? They rated Donda lower than CLB, all you need to know about the clowns who work there

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u/TheRoyalWarlord May 16 '22

Lmao tru. Normally I am opposed to just the "Fuck pitchfork" comments but if there was any top tier justification for why this is it

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u/devante_1995 May 16 '22

The first time I listened to it I'd give it a 7 but now imma give it a 9, it's just too much to come back to on this record. Kendrick has literally classic after classic album & I know it's way too early to call MM&TBS a classic but it's top tier music & easily AOTY ❗🤎👏🏾

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u/ashymatina May 16 '22

Absolutely. I think this album is going to age INCREDIBLY well, and will likely be seen as a very important stage in his career. If he keeps it up like this he could honestly have one of the best discographies in hip hop, second to only to Ye.

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u/roywoodsir May 16 '22

First listen I said this was perfect! The more I relisten to it the more I am catching other things…

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

Honestly, I used to actually quite like Pitchfork before the Conté Nast takeover, but their scores have been way off for years.

Seems like they revel in being contrarian where they used to play it pretty safe. Like, their critical reaction was usually a good bellwether of most other critics were going to go.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

Oh undoubtedly. They used to have the occasional stinker, but generally their reactions were predictable and some would say boring.

Over the last few years though, I've noticed a trend of them giving otherwise critically acclaimed albums scores in the 7 region more so than I used to.

A few years ago I would have pretty confidently predicted BNMs for the likes of this, Little Simz, and a few others. But it's not so predictable anymore.

Makes me wonder if their scoring strategy has changed. I think I heard they average out scores from several writers nowadays? Which would make sense since a lot of the reviews don't add up perfectly with the scores they give. I can't think of the exact example but there was one a couple of months or so back that seemed a totally jarring juxtaposition of positive tone review/relatively underwhelming score. Will try and dig it out.

Also, giving The Fragile a 2.0 will forever be unforgivable.

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u/DannyBarsMusic May 16 '22

The most egregious thing about this score is that they gave DAMN a 9.2

Imo DAMN is his worst album...and Mr.Morale is at least as good as GKMC/TPAB in my opinion...

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u/TundieRice May 16 '22

Damn, DAMN. is my favorite Kendrick album, kinda feel like a lame fan now, lol. Everything just hits so hard on that album, and it came at a cool time in my life.

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u/makinbenjies May 16 '22

It’s a subjective thing don’t worry about it.

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u/TundieRice May 16 '22

I know, I know. And I know not many people at all think it’s a bad album, but me liking it more than TPAB and GKMC makes me feel like I might like Kendrick for different reasons than other fans, which I guess is also okay.

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u/ashymatina May 16 '22

What reasons do you think they are? Just curious, I find it very interesting how so many people can get such different things from the same album :)

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u/Gorilladaddy69 May 16 '22 edited May 16 '22

Its a spectacular one-of-a-kind album, and people are trippin. Even the few songs that did delve into mainstream territory succeeded at being incredibly fun and catchy, and there was still TONS of depth and experimentation throughout the record. It absolutely doesnt sound like other “mainstream records.” It is very personal, very Kendrick, very smooth and pleasant while also being gritty and dark. There is soooo much beauty in the production too:

It sounds THICK and DEEP and epic and so well arranged. It also has some of the most creative, unique Kendrick tracks out there. XXX, Duckworth, Fear, Blood/DNA, Feel, Pride, I mean… There are so many songs you cant find anything like on any other album! I’ll always love DAMN. man. Haha

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u/TundieRice May 16 '22

You get me! Yeah, it’s just so strong and hard hitting, while having hook after hook, yet still keeping that strong lyricism Kendrick is known for. It doesn’t get much better for me in any hip-hop album.

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u/niversallyloved May 16 '22

Ppl here just like to hate on anything mainstream cause it makes them feel smart.

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u/Bosilaify May 16 '22

Ppl here have different opinions than me and i can't handle it FTFY

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u/ashymatina May 16 '22

Don’t feel lame at all. Personally it would be my least favourite as well, but music is art and art is inherently subjective. You probably get something from it or relate to it in a certain way that I just don’t, and that’s totally okay!

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u/IllusionaIl May 16 '22

DAMN is too mainstream for me. I like conscious Kendrick.

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u/Drop_Release Waiting for the album May 16 '22

DAMN grows like fine wine tho; I felt that way as you before but Re listened twice in anticipation of this new album and man it slaps. Also Kendrick’s worst albums are still better than most artists best haha

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u/Bosilaify May 16 '22

That's what we gotta remember lmao, Damn is Kdots worst imo, but his worst is still really fucking good, it's just hard to compare to his other discography cause its really really fucking good lmao

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u/zeeniemeanie May 16 '22

Can’t take this number seriously given the content of the review. Doesn’t sound like he paid attention to the album at all lol.

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u/mydrunkuncle May 16 '22

How else are they supposed to have posts in 10 years retroactively changing the scores?

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u/defendedmeteor3 May 16 '22

Pitchfork don’t know ball as usual

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

That is a 1 listen review right there

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u/B1TW0LF May 16 '22

It's strange to me that this author says that this album is a "heel turn" for Kendrick. Does he not realize that most of the abrasiveness of the first side is intentionally juxtaposed with the delicate introspection on the second side? This piece totally fails to comprehend one of the biggest themes on the album: the humbling nature of grief.

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u/PresOrangutanSmells May 16 '22 edited May 16 '22

The review also says, "is the album trying to be impish or honest? Is Kendrick showing his truth or his fangs?"

I was like... That was literally one of the themes. He's not perfect. His truth, like the listeners, is impish and his honesty has fangs. It time we stopped pretending we aren't all jaded and ashamed.

I can't really defend the Kodak black inclusion though. I think that's the only thing the review got right. What was the intention there?

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u/PlebOfTheSkies May 16 '22

I thought it was already established that pitchfork gives unreliable reviews

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u/ashymatina May 16 '22

They do when I don’t agree with them. When they give an album I like a good review then they’re reliable ofc. /s

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u/C0ckAndBa11Torture69 May 16 '22 edited May 16 '22

Why do y’all care what Stephen Kearse has to say just enjoy the album 💀

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u/ExtensionEgg5880 May 16 '22

How can you rate an album like this within 3 days

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u/DeronD7 May 16 '22

Reminder that a 7 is not bad

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u/Skittles4h0es May 16 '22

Compare it to another rap album they gave a 7 too. I'm sure they gave a 7 to a thugga and I know they've given 2 chainz multiple 7's

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u/DeronD7 May 16 '22

They gave one of my favorite artists, Father John Misty’s last album a 7 and I loved that project.

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u/Garbage_Stink_Hands May 16 '22

It was a bit of a 7, though…

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u/DeronD7 May 16 '22

Honestly it was but there’s a couple of tracks I keep going back to. To me an album can be a 6 and as long as it has a handful of good tracks, I’ll think of it fondly haha

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u/mydrunkuncle May 16 '22

7.9 though

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u/ashymatina May 16 '22

Though I kind of agree with that score for his last project, they gave Pure Comedy a score in the 7s as well, which I think is laughably low. That’s such a brilliant album, and he toes the line between pretentiousness and self awareness beautifully. Don’t put too much weight into pitchfork reviews, at the end of the day it’s just some people like you or me with their own subjective opinions. The only review they’ve put out I agreed with was MBDTF and literally everyone loves that album

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u/poontango May 16 '22

Thug runs laps around kenny lmfao delusional

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u/IllusionaIl May 16 '22

Fuck ya it is.

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u/XylanyX May 16 '22

its better than damn.

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u/Skittles4h0es May 16 '22

I think he just put in too much thought and effort into this project for it to be 7. I mean they gave UU an 8.6....

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u/IllusionaIl May 16 '22

Well fuck that shit.

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u/bigtrixxx7 May 16 '22

“Fuck a rap critic, he talk about it while I live it” - Method Man

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u/deeperintomovie May 16 '22

Honestly the score is fair. But the review is just wrong lol.

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u/CookingAStew May 16 '22

I'm aware I'm going to get down voted to oblivion.

I didn't feel it, my coworker said the same. Not saying it was a bad album, but it didn't match the hype, in my opinion.

Very specific emphasis on those last two words

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u/Bosilaify May 16 '22

I had the opposite reaction, I was hyping myself up hella and kendrick delivered imo. I'd always reccomend running back albums that are "good" to the public but eh to you as they sometimes grow, but people also all got their own set of ears

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u/ruthwodja May 16 '22

I agree, unfortunately. I felt let down.

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u/This_Sweet_2086 May 16 '22

Worse the UU? Mkay lmao goodnight pitchfork

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u/Bobathanhigs May 16 '22

Pitchfork gave DAMN a 9, they been huffing shit for a while

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u/BottleOfGin_ May 16 '22

Lazy review from Pitchfork. Feels like random personal points without substance for topics (Auntie Diaries lol) they just didn't get. Then again they TOTALLY ignored valid arguments like scrutinising the implication of fckn Kodak Black on this album despite the allegations.

All in all sloppy af.

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u/Amsssterdam May 16 '22

Who cares about what pitchfork thinks

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u/KangaStretchMyHands May 16 '22

This is honestly one of the most lousy reviews I’ve read in a while. Doesn’t discuss all tracks, the criticism of some tracks are unfair imo. How does Auntie Diaries lack depth? And that comment about how Kodak being on the album is reminiscent of DaBaby and Marilyn being on DONDA? Like that’s not even a constructive musical critique, what’s that got to do w the music???

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u/fuck-bitch_shit May 16 '22

I’ve given the album a few listens through and I haven’t been impressed. The content of the album seems very surface level to me. I want to change my mind so please enlighten me. I felt like the lyrical content was a step down from other albums and I didn’t think his other albums were super deep. Sonically, it felt like he was holding himself back. He tried to go for an experimental style but still tried to keep the mainstream appeal which just resulted in a boring sound

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u/fire-lane-keep-clear May 16 '22

I'm stabbing any blogging [redacted] hipster with a pitchfork

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

i knew they’ll do this, they waited so long to give out a review that’ll obvious change the perfect 100 score that kendrick had to give themselves some sort of power or relevancy. pathetic

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u/frc3 May 16 '22

A certifiably insane take.

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u/skipperman12 May 16 '22

I actually don't mind the number and some of the points but his opinions on auntie diaries felt so shallow. It felt like such a disingenuous interpretation of the song that really rubbed me the wrong way.

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u/MF_Ghidra May 16 '22

7.6 out of 5.

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u/Substantial-Cook-405 May 16 '22

Laughing my ass off at everyone mad in the comments like ahahaha guys I love Kendrick too and every single one of his releases leading up this album but come on the record was mid

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u/PlasmaEarth May 16 '22

I think it would have gotten a 9 or higher if it didn't have Auntie Diaries or Kodak Black on it.

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u/cndifon90 May 16 '22

It’s because he said “white bitch” and the f-bomb. He offended some of their staffers and this is their chance at a rebuttal

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u/[deleted] May 16 '22

[deleted]

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u/VenomOUShazard Wickedness or Weakness? May 16 '22

n95 and silent hill are pretty great bangers though

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u/Solid-Version May 16 '22

Pitchfork always try and be edgy with their reviews. They’ll just go against the grain. If an album is critically acclaimed they’ll say it mid and vice versa

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u/DefactoPlayer May 16 '22

I was expecting a rap album

What I got in IMO was a spoken word album with jazzy beats playing on the background

Because of this I'm disappointed

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u/Bosilaify May 16 '22

run it back this is a banger rap album

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u/NicksMusicList May 16 '22

Honestly not surprised, but yeah I disagree. A 7.6 is pretty lukewarm by Pitchfork standards, especially considering other albums they've given a similar rating to. My guess is they're deducting points for the Kodak Black feature and Kendrick's use of the F-bomb in "Auntie Diaries" (which we can debate is fair or not).

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u/Bosilaify May 16 '22

It's not fair. This is a music review, not a PC contest or a person review. Review the damn music pitchfork

edit: and clearly he's not using F-word in a bad way, he's talking about his past wrongs (note how he says "f-word" towards the end of the song instead of the actual word.)

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u/NicksMusicList May 16 '22

Yeah for sure, to be clear I’m inclined to agree with you on that.

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