Around 2008, Mac Miller had slowly accumulated an abundant underground following that made him indie music’s biggest Cinderella story at the time. Then Blue Slide Park happened. One Macklemore later and Miller was old news. Just like that, the hype stopped. In 2011, the Pittsburgh emcee proved that all it takes is one “meh” album for people to forget about an artist and his/her hard work. But instead of giving up, he starred in a reality show, produced for Earl Sweatshirt, and made a Jazz EP before announcing a new album. We were eager to see if Mac’s sophomore LP could right the wrongs of his lackluster debut – a do-over, if you will; a chance to capitalize on the mulligan of his first effort.
Watching Movies With The Sound Off trumps its predecessor in stride and in almost every way possible. Production, vocals, creativity, lyricism, meaning, features, everything shines more than his debut did on its best day.
The production throughout the album was particularly impressive. Mac’s alter-ego Larry Fisherman handles a good chunk of the beats, but several guest contributors made notable impacts as well, including Pharrell, SAP, and Chuck Inglish. However, the name in the production credits that most stuck out to rap nerds everywhere was experimental hip hop’s biggest name, Flying Lotus.
The album’s production is lightyears beyond anything ever heard on a Mac track. Not only is it layered, crisp, and exotic, but it is seeping in experimental hip hop and compliments Mac’s new found introspective lyricism perfectly. One thing is clear, Mac learned (and gained) a thing or two from his jazz EP, You. Not only does Mac use an abundance of jazz sounds throughout, even crooning on a few hooks, but he makes it work. It actually sounds well put-together and not as if some saxophone had been slopped on a cheesy, horn-filled bridge.
Mac has also evolved lyrically since his mixtape days. While the happy-go-lucky rhymes of K.I.D.S. and The High Life were good for a teenager, Mac has grown up and so have his bars. On WMWTSO, he turns inward. Comparable to a somewhat modern Plato who can rhyme, the artist formally known as Easy Mac philosophizes, theorizes and explores life around him, as heard on “Objects In The Mirror” and “Aquarium.” He also vents what is deep inside of him on “Star Room” and “Avian.” On these deep tracks, Mac rhymes over a variation of heavy bass, tribal drums, synthesizers, electric guitars, church hymns and everything in between.
If it’s the Mac of his “Don’t Mind If I Do” days that listeners yearn, do not fret for Miller revisits high school on the Ab-Soul assisted “Matches,” abandoning the slow and thoughtful flow that dominates most of the album in exchange for delivering a supercharged, double-timed verse which has easily become WMWTSO‘s standout track. At first, it seemed Ab-Soul would body Mac, but Mac not only holds his ground, he gives Soul a run for his money.
The one weakness of the album is the easily skip-able “Bird Call”. With his new slowed down flow, it is hard for Mac to give us great party tracks like he used to. Not saying he can’t, because “Goosebumps” works, but it’s certainly harder. Miller’s old rager songs were always dripping in that high school party vibe, but on “Bird Call,” it comes off as more of a passed-out-at-a-strip-club kind of vibe.
Overall, there are no total losers when it comes to this album. Hip hop heads who thought Mac was an abomination of the culture will love his deeply observant rhymes while soaking up a variety of experimental jazz-and-RnB sounds coming from their speakers. Especially on the Lotus-assisted “SDS” and “Suplexes Inside of Complexes and Duplexes” which features a scene-stealing verse from Jay Electronica. Fans of K.I.D.S. will hear enough of old Mac to enjoy the album while applauding his profound maturity.
That is the best part of Watching Movies With The Sound Off. Miller has come to possess the ability to combine the best of both worlds in everything he touches. Deep tracks alongside club anthems; jazz beats following church choirs; the energy of teenage Mac with the internal confessions of the adult Malcolm. If Blue Slide Park made Malcolm a “frat rapper,” then WMWTSO does more than enough to make up for any lost ground. This album makes him the game’s newest “rapper’s rapper.”
8/10
