On Sept. 18, Mac Miller released his third studio album entitled GO:OD AM, which is his first record on the major label Warner Bros. Records. His album tour began on Sept. 20, stopping in New York City on Sept. 27 and returning to the Big Apple again on Dec. 16.
Mac Miller, born Malcolm James McCormick, is a 23-year-old rapper from Pittsburgh, PA. He’s been making music ever since 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 when he went on his first tour and sold out every show. GO:OD AM has been highly anticipated by Miller fans, and he has been working hard to not disappoint them. Miller tweeted, “I put 2.5 years of my life into making this album,” and also, “I made 9 different albums until I finally arrived at this one,” which showcases the effort he put into GO:OD AM.
Ever since the album came out last week, I have been listening to it as much as possible to get an accurate feel for Miller’s work. I have listened to Miller a small amount in the past and I would not consider myself his biggest fan, but being very into rap, I decided to check out GO:OD AM. After hearing it in its entirety, I can definitely say that Miller has put forth a solid compilation.
When I originally listened to the first single, “100 Grandkids,” I really did not like it. However, after exploring the album in full, it has become one of my favorite tracks. “Break the Law” and “Clubhouse” were also released ahead of the album, but I didn’t give them much of a chance until the full release of GO:OD AM.
Overall, I would say the record has a very chill vibe. It’s an easy listen and is generally very mellow, which is something I really liked about it. However, there were a few songs (“When in Rome,” “Cut the Check,” and “Break the Law”) that I found to be slightly out of place. Those tracks are a bit more aggressive and don’t really fit into the laidback theme that the rest of the album portrays.
However, the variety isn’t really a bad thing. What’s cool about Miller is that each album has a different sound, so his listeners are always kept on their toes. This is my first time listening to Miller since his debut album Blue Slide Park, which came out in 2011, and I can definitely say that he has made a total 180 from that album.
There are five features on GO:OD AM and, if I am being honest, I don’t think they do much for the record. The only one that stood out to me was Miguel’s feature on the track “Weekend,” which I actually thought was extremely incredible. Miguel’s style of music is very mellow, which compliments Miller’s work on GO:OD AM. All of the other features don’t seem to enhance the record and, to me, are entirely forgettable.
“Brand Name” is my personal favorite on GO:OD AM because of its awesome beat. Other tracks I wouldn’t miss include “Ascension,” “Rush Hour,” “Jump,” “Clubhouse,” “100 Grandkids,” and “Weekend.” While the lyrics don’t stick out on every track, there are a few songs, like “Rush Hour,” that have strong lyricism.
If you’re a fan of Miller or just a fan of rap music in general, I would certainly recommend giving GO:OD AM a listen. Personally, it was an album that had to grow on me, but after listening to it multiple times, I can say for sure that it is a solid album overall.
Miller’s style is normally not the type of rap music I go for, but I still enjoyed it, which just goes to show that anyone can like his work, even if it’s out of the ordinary for their standard music taste. Miller did a great job of achieving an overall mellow vibe on this record and if that’s something that interests you, it can’t hurt to give it a listen.
