Macklemore - Gemini

Macklemore
Gemini
2107
Spotify

Macklemore (minus the Ryan Lewis) has returned with his new record Gemini. In all honesty I doubt many people are rooting for this record to be any good, which honestly makes some of the brighter moments quite pleasant. That however is the real trick of this album, the beats would be successful with any artist, because they absolutely fucking bang. "Marmalade" has the potential to be this absolutely savage trap inspired beat that's brighter than the average, but in Macklemore's hands it becomes this spineless kidz bop fucking track, and to make matters worse que Lil Yachty! There are so many moments on this track where you get sucked in but those are always shattered by some Macklemore bullshit. The use of all these trap beats also feels like an issue for the very publicly sober Macklemore. It may be close minded for me to suggest that a sober person can't make trap music, just not this sober person. As a lyricist He is obviously talented, and his delivery is also really deft, but the things he chooses to talk about don't relate at all. Offset features on "Willy Wonka" and his parts are fantastic but then it just becomes so silly when Macklemore comes in. "Intentions" is another track which is WAY to preachy in a cavalcade of way to preachy Macklemore songs, He just can't seem to get out of his own way sometimes.

There are times where he has these cutting lines like: "I'm like a 2002 Usher/let it burnout/im wearin a rubber" on "Levitate"  but then in the same song he says: "I could make it rain/but i wont/shit". Are you a hard guy that will throw disses or a guy that gives bachelor parties a lecture for going to a strip club? Make up your mother fucking mind. He also vacillates between been a hip hop star and a rock god, which is beyond cringe. "Firebreather" which is supposed to be his hardcore rap/rock track finds him cutting himself off at the knees time after time. He tries to call out his peers by diminishing ad-libs but it just makes him look more dated than He already is. I've been thinking about it a lot and with Macklemore's catalogue I don't know what move He could make to really ensure people were excited about this record, it seems nearly impossible. Yet there are still those moments like on "How to Play the Flute" where you think Macklemore is actually gonna throw some heat, but He misses and leaves King Draino on a ledge. This record is to uneven, and starts from the wrong starting point that Macklemore belongs in the Trap conversation. He doesn't, nor does this album.

4.0 out of 10