The Far Corners of the Mind

Nearly a week ago, I decided that I wanted to expose myself to more music. I have been known to listen to the same selection over a long period of time, and going back through my old mix cds, I realize just how much. So I posted on my facebook, and requested suggestions of music to listen to. In my own mind, I kept the concept of blogging about it. I didn't know what would come of this, or if I'd even get sick of it, and go back to my three mix cds that I have in the car, and jump ship on this project. However, as a music aficionado, and enthusiast, I have to have my say. Maybe ten people read this, or ten thousand, but I have my thoughts that I choose to voice, if for no reason than personal therapy :)

The first week, which ran a bit long, since I work the weekends and I failed to keep to my sleep schedule, ends today. This week's album was chosen by me, since I'd just recently acquired it, and wanted to listen to it.


Lupe Fiasco's Lasers. Much-anticipated by the ever-growing community of Lupe's fans, and myself, I expected a lot from it. Perhaps that's my downfall. I absolutely loved his previous two albums, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor and Lupe Fiasco's the Cool, so I really expected a whole lot from his third album. The concept changed a few times, originally it was to be his final album, allowing him to end his full-time career as a performer, and focus on getting his company First and Fifteenth Ent. off the ground.

Per the Lupe Wiki : "Fiasco announced at a Chicago concert late in 2008 that his next and most likely final album will be a three disc album called LupE.N.D. and that the first disc "Everywhere" would come out in June 2009.^[42] On January 30, 2009, Lupe Fiasco originally announced that LupE.N.D. will be postponed indefinitely. Instead, he would release three albums; The Great American Rap Album in June 2009, two following albums in December 2009 and June 2010, with LupE.N.D. following afterward.^[43] However, it was announced by Fiasco that his next album would instead be titled, "We Are Lasers"; yet later his official rep announced and confirmed that it would instead be titled simply "Lasers"." Also, on the subject of FnF, "...like I got rid of the whole label. It was just such a ‘this isn’t right for you right now. This isn’t gonna work for you right now. You need to be focused on you..."

My hopes drowned slowly, with each album delay, and I nearly missed its release when it did come out.

Now, as far as my thoughts on the album.

Overall, I'd give it a 3/5. It is an album, that as a fan, has grown on me over the week I've listened to it. I have finally, after a week of listening to it, found a song I really need to learn the lyrics to. With "The Cool", Go Go Gadget Flow and Dumb It Down drew me in, and the rest of the album knocked me down. On "Lasers" I had no such pull-in, and sadly even less of a knock-down. The singles that came out were at best "Ok", and the rest of the album does not impress beyond that. The music is good, not great. A few of the songs are really fun beats, but I don't care about the content. The entire thing to me, is entirely overproduced. Too much distortion applied to the vocals, and on more than a few occasions, too many instrumentals and loops at the same time. I haven't a clue as to the concept of the album, without looking to the Wiki. On his facebook, Lupe had a strange campaign over the three years the album was delayed, during which I cared less and less about the concept, and just wanted the damn thing to come out.

At the end of the day, I'd call it a buy, if you're a fan, and can listen to an album you don't love a few times, till you get to like it. I'm off to learn the lyrics to "I Don't Want To Care Right Now".

Next week's album is Gorillaz - Demon Days.

Go!