The last CD I reviewed was OK Go. I’m such a hipster sometimes.
Though he’s on tour at the moment, George Watsky still had time to release a new [free] mixtape on his personal Bandcamp page, and I, of course, immediately downloaded it.
Normally, I like maybe two or three out of ten songs from Watsky, who is also incidentally my favorite spoken word poet. But this album? This album is brilliant. Let’s go song by song.
Track 1: Ninjas in Paris. I assume the title is some kind of allusion to Kanye West’s song N****s in Paris (I’m not even going to type it). It’s got a traditional, fairly regular hip hop track while Watsky raps a response to Kanye with a bunch of references to his half Jewish heritage. It’s a fun song to blast in your truck on the highway because it doesn’t make any sense coming from a tiny truck like mine.
Track 2: Rich Girl. A mashup with Hall and Oates’s classic, this song is much more laid back but still fun and imaginative in a way only Watsky can accomplish. You can watch the music video here:
Track 3: Difference is the Differences. Apparently, this is another response song to another, more popular rapper, in this case Dr. Dre. He raps about contradictions and expectations and although it’s not one of my more favored tracks, I still really like the song.
Track 4: IDGAF. This song isn’t one I would normally listen to casually, but it amuses me so much that I can’t help but sing along. The initialism stands for “I Don’t Give A F***”, and he definitely says it a lot, but as profane and silly as this particular song is, I love it. My favorite line is this one: “Cuz I want to see the cool and the classy, and I want to see the cruel and the nasty. Cuz if it’s real shit, I wanna feel it, and if you can’t deal, I don’t give a f***!”
Track 5: Gummy Bear Hundrednaire. This song’s beat is a bit more erratic, and I have no idea what this song is about, but it’s whimsical and fun and it always makes me feel like smiling.
Track 6: A Hundred Words You Could Say Instead of Swag. This song is exactly what it sounds like… a hundred words you could say instead of swag. The best line? “In 1860, Walt Whitman wrote ‘I cock my hat as I please’ in his famous poem Leaves of Grass. In 2012, Justin Bieber said ‘Swag, swag, swag on you. Chillin’ by the fire while we eatin’ fondue’.” Oh, condescending Watsky, how I love thee.
Track 7: All I Ever Wanted.Basically, a track about being yourself and loving poetry and rap without ever feeling like you have to be something else to do what you love. It’s not the greatest song, but I can respect and enjoy the concept. “All I ever wanted to do is write rhymes.” <3
Track 8: Other Cities. Another more traditional-sounding hip hop backing track with a cool beat. Watsky’s basically talking about how much he loves his city (San Fransisco, I believe). Nothing special, but good for casual listening, if that’s possible with Watsky.
Track 9: Write Your Name. The most erratic of all the beats, but it’s definitely the most interesting beat to listen to. Another call to empowerment song, fun and light and autobiographical.
Track 10: Stupidass. One of the most authentic-sounding Watsky tracks, reminiscing about how dumb we used to be sometimes. Simple beat, sharp lyrics, great song, ’nuff said.
Track 11: Bucketlist. Probably one of my least favorite songs on the album, but again, I can definitely respect the concept. Another very simple beat.
Track 12: Wounded Healer (Dear Tick Sampler). I love the backing music, making this song my favorite of the album. I haven’t listened to it enough to discern a concept, since Watsky’s songs are LOADED with meaning, but this is always the first song I pick when listening to this album.
Track 13: Nothing Like The First Time. His latest slam poem, set to a simple beat. Not one of my favorites of his poems, but still amusing and sharp-witted.
Track 14: $. The audio from his tour announcement. I’m not totally sure why this is on the album.
Track 14: $$. I’m not sure what happened to his song title names at this point, but oh well. The song is actually called “Energy”, and I really, really like it, especially because it showcases one of the best examples of Watsky singing, not just rapping.
Track 15: $$$. Song titles?? This one is called “4am Monday”, which I also really enjoyed for its musical rather than lyrical composition.
If you’re ok with some profanity and enjoy eclectic and poetic rap, I would definitely suggest downloading this album. Watsky is a talented genius, and I can’t wait until the next time. (That was a play on the album title. Get it??)
