Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (New Album) May 13th.

Nice! Thks for sharing. For sure, I need to start listening while bringing up the lyrics, I realize I'm not hearing everything even when I've listened for years.

I'm gonna come back to the new Kendrick after I do a couple days of listening to him and others, I think.

 

Echoing what some other folks have already said, I can’t believe how fast this album flies by. It’s a long record but doesn’t feel like it at all. I’m hoping I can get tickets to catch his upcoming tour. I’m really curious to see how these songs translate live. And I’ve never gotten to see him live

 

i didnt check those previous scores. in that context its not that bad.

But he usually does this. build up an album and completely explain it for 10 15 minutes then drop a light 6 or 7 on it.
i guess i need to watch him more to see those 10s and 9s...

 

Thank you. I’m not a video consumer

Yeah, I could see someone wanting more lighthearted material about Women, Weed, Weather or more politics, that’s fair, but for me right now, I’m glad we got this album instead.

I keep seeing you guys mention Frank Ocean and Tylor the Creator. I haven’t listened to either one before, I’m going to fix that now.

 

Curious to hear what you think! Frank Ocean’s Blonde is tied with TPAB for my favorite album of the 2010s

 

CDs for sale!

Kendrick Lamar – Interscope Records

 

Thanks! I just pre-ordered the black t-shirt CD combo

 

I've been finding myself taking a break from this album for the meantime, I've listened to it so much over the last few days... poring over it, taking it in, so much so that I'm conscious of overplaying the life out of it. I think I've listened to it full maybe 10 or 11 times (roughly) since it was released, so time to give it a break. I still think it's an incredible, excellent record and I'm glad to see that many who weren't keen on it on first listen are coming around to it.

 

I just got an e-mail from Live Nation that presale starts tomorrow for a Sept 01 concert near me, so he will be touring soon. Luckily I saw the DAMN tour since I won't be going to this one.

 

That buildup has been the part of the album that has stuck with me when I'm not listening to it. It has a similar impact to the end of Movement 6 on the Floating Points/Pharaoh Sanders/LSO "Promises". It's so completely different from what I normally expect to hear in a hip-hop song.

 

Beat me to it! Just seen that Amazon are selling it from 03rd June. The Kendrick website is shipping from 27th May, though.

 

I like how the gradual build up in the music mimics the slow realisation of the lyrics. As Kendrick is learning and reaching a realisation in real time, the more the track builds and the more things pull into focus. It's really clever.

 

I got a ticket to see him in Philly. The presale code was FINALE. Really makes me wonder if he’s retiring after this album cycle

 

TPAB also took a while to sink in for me. I’m ashamed to say that I dismissed it when it was first released, not for any particular reason, it just wasn’t an album I sought out at the time. When I finally listened to it a few months after it was released it threw me for a loop. After it really sunk in with time and more spins, it made me voraciously re-examine (or seek out for the first time) everything Kendrick had done to that point and examine it under a microscope. Now I consider myself a huge fan, and TPAB and DAMN. easily make my “all-time greatest albums” list (probably GKMC, too, but I rate it just a tad lower than those two).

I’ve listened to the new one a couple more times and the thing that strikes me is just how personal/confessional this album is. I don’t quite know where it ranks yet, but I’m loving it. The variety of soundscapes he raps over, and the dense lyrics (still picking up on things he’s saying and having “oh, wowwww” moments) keep it interesting throughout all 18 tracks, and it leaves me wanting more once it ends.

It’s hard to say, but I feel like this is going to be up there with TPAB and DAMN. I’m just glad I’m able to experience this man’s art. Bravo, Kendrick. Bravo.

 

i saw him on the damn tour. honestly, i was underwhelmed. just kl on stage, no instrumentation, no dj. but the kids loved it!

 

I think it could well be. I managed to get standing tickets in Birmingham UK, only date I could commit to being a lecturer without a published timetable otherwise would have been Glasgow or London with my brothers. A cool £88 per ticket, so hoping for an amazing show.

 

Damn, I missed out. XL tees are sold out already. I hope there's a vinyl bundle in the works...

 

That’s most of the rap shows I see these days. As long as the performer is engaging enough, I’m into it. Cool visuals help too. Tyler rode a boat through the crowd when I saw him earlier this year! Vince Staples does some wild things with lights. The only thing that bugs me at some rap shows is when they rap over a backing track with all the vocals on it already. I hope Kendrick doesn’t do that

 

The Heart part 5 is up on Qobuz in 24/96 now. It isn’t on HDTracks yet but I assume they will follow as well

 

I saw Kendrick at the Austin City Limits music festival in 2016 and he had a backing band with a full horn section, backup singers, a DJ, and a huge video screen. It was a helluva show. I wonder how he’ll structure this tour.

 

The live band thing definitely fit the style and production of TPAB. DAMN makes sense with just a backing track. I legit have no idea what he’ll do for this tour

 

I just learned a friend of mine cowrote a song on this album!

He's going to be insufferable now!

 

Grabbed a pair of tickets myself - Long Island is much cheaper with better seat possibilities than Brooklyn - but I was stunned that GA prices are now $375 + fees. A pretty big jump since last time! Everyone else seeing similar prices for the GA area?

EDIT: It's actually $153 - for some reason, the map feature only previewed prices for the "Morale" package. As soon as you click on the GA area to actually put tickets in your cart, the $153 option comes up.

 

Also Frank Ocean’s channel orange. It’s not rap, it’s RnB.
But man it’s good!

 

Bringing up the lyrics is what caused me to catch my breath during certain parts of Mother I Sober.
It’s a different kind of impact when you’re reading the actual words. Haunting and so, so heartbreaking.