This is great (of course) on first listen but 'Auntie Diaries' will tear a hole through Twitter and create an avalanche of think pieces.

Didn't take long...

 

@1524969679495864339

 

I haven't heard the track yet (making my way through the album now) so I can't comment. But I think it's one of those moments where context is key and it's quite ground breaking hearing one of the biggest (2nd biggest behind Drake?) mainstream rappers rap about transphobia. That last verse goes HARD on paper, so I'm really intrigued to hear that entire bit in the song.

Yeah 'Auntie Diaries' is incred.

Very early days but debuts with a score of 100 on Metacritic :cheeseblock:

Made an exception to my recent form of being 3-4 weeks behind listening to new music to make sure I heard this on day 1 and it definitely hasn't disappointed.

 

I'll definitely be listening to it in full at least once more so I may have more insightful things to say later but on first listen I think the only song (excluding the interludes which I can take or leave but meh they're just interludes x) that strikes me as a definite "skip" is 'Savior' (not that it's bad but I would be surprised if it turned into a song I particularly care to go back to, it's just ok, a little disappointing compared to the Keem/Kendrick colllabs from Keem's album).

 

Disc 1 is more instant for sure, the first 3 songs all absolutely slap, 'Father Time' is gorgeous (loving hearing Sampha's voice on a few songs again recently), 'Rich Spirit' I think will probably be one of the most earworm-y songs, 'Purple Hearts' is a vibe and 'We Cry Together' is... I'm not sure honestly but 'engrossing' is the first word that comes to mind, the comparison to Dave's 'Both Sides Of A Smile' feels apt. Maybe not a song I'm desperate to keep going back to but it works well as part of the album experience. 'Die Hard' is the weak spot on the disc but I can see why it's being pushed to the playlists as it is a little more accessible and I did still enjoy it and can see it being a grower.

 

'Count Me Out' and 'Mr. Morale' are the most instant songs from the second disc, regrettably I wasn't 100% paying attention to 'Mother I Sober' while it was on which I definitely need to do next time I listen to it because I can tell that is going to be a huge standout track on the lyrical side (and Beth Gibbons is such an inspired choice of collaborator!) I think all that needs to be said about 'Auntie Diaries' has been said better by people elsewhere on the Internet already, I can see why people would be justifiably upset by it but I think it's an important and (IMO, not that I'm really the right person to give my take on this x) well executed song and definitely a standout moment as well. 'Crown' was a nice transitional vibey track and 'Mirror' similar as a closer, I think both of those could grow on me too. And 'Silent Hill' is probably the song I'm most conflicted about on first listen because I love the instrumental but the hook is a curious one, I could see me either growing to enjoy it or it getting really annoying with repeated listens. Kodak Black's presence on this album is the one thing that leaves a little bit of a sour taste as well, I do think he delivered a solid verse but did he really need to be on this album? Lol ~

Help

 

I've just discovered that Amanda Reifer (feature on 'Die Hard') is apparently the singer from Cover Drive?! How on Earth did she end up on a Kendrick album lmao

Spotify Day 1:

 

1. United In Grief

2. N95

3. Die Hard (with Blxst & Amanda Reifer)

5. Father Time (feat. Sampha)

6. Worldwide Steppers

9. Rich Spirit

10. We Cry Together (with Taylour Paige)

11. Purple Hearts (with Summer Walker & Ghostface Killah)

12. Count Me Out

13. Rich - Interlude

14. Silent Hill (with Kodak Black)

16. Savior (with Baby Keem & Sam Dew)

17. Crown

19. Auntie Diaries

21. Mr. Morale (with Tanna Leone)

25. Savior - Interlude

27. Mother I Sober (feat. Beth Gibbons)

30. Mirror

 

Hopefully 3 top 10 hits this week for Kendrick.

He's dropped a video for 'N95':

 

 

#1 on both Apple and Spotify (nearly 5 million first day) in the US, strongly manifesting it getting a #1 debut on the Hot 100 please. It won't have any airplay which won't help of course.

 

Hopefully 'Die Hard' and at least one other to make the top 10 in the UK (I think 'N95' is likely to end up being his second song but not sure about the third, I'd love it to be 'United In Grief' but I think that one is gonna drop off very sharply and it might end up being 'Father Time' instead, that'd still be fab ofc)

 

He does have the entire top 18 on US Spotify (only just, 'Mirror' was very close to being beaten by a new Morgan Wallen song).

Chart Update:

 

3. United In Grief

4. N95

6. Die Hard (with Blxst & Amanda Reifer)

 

Spotify Day 2:

 

4. Die Hard (with Blxst & Amanda Reifer)

5. N95

7. United In Grief

9. Father Time (feat. Sampha)

16. Rich Spirit

18. Worldwide Steppers

19. We Cry Together (with Taylour Paige)

22. Count Me Out

23. Purple Hearts (with Summer Walker & Ghostface Killah)

26. Silent Hill (with Kodak Black)

32. Savior (with Baby Keem & Sam Dew)

34. Rich - Interlude

42. Auntie Diaries

43. Crown

46. Mr. Morale (with Tanna Leone)

 

54. Mother I Sober (feat. Beth Gibbons)

56. Savior - Interlude

57. Mirror

 

Spotify Day 3:

 

5. N95

7. Die Hard (with Blxst & Amanda Reifer)

9. Father Time (feat. Sampha)

11. United In Grief

15. Rich Spirit

20. We Cry Together (with Taylour Paige)

21. Worldwide Steppers

23. Count Me Out

24. Purple Hearts (with Summer Walker & Ghostface Killah)

29. Silent Hill (with Kodak Black)

32. Savior (with Baby Keem & Sam Dew)

46. Rich - Interlude

 

54. Crown

55. Mr. Morale (with Tanna Leone)

56. Auntie Diaries

71. Mirror

73. Mother I Sober (feat. Beth Gibbons)

78. Savior - Interlude

 

I wasn't expecting to see N95 become the highest track even with the video or a climb for Rich Spirit.

Looking to miss out on a #1 debut here due to Florence's physical sales.

 

Listened to the album again today and it's growing even higher up my affections with repeated listens. The one that hit me this time was 'Mother | Sober', just sensational heart-breaking poetry :'(

I’m gonna check this out as a whole album. I’ll admit this genre of music isn’t usually my go to but I’ve always admired Kendricks talent and I can appreciate him as being a whole album listen kind of artist the way I similarly enjoy Daves music.

 

I suspect this album may have good longevity even if it does miss out on the #1 peak here this week (and for the next few weeks as Harry is coming :lol: ) should be a huge US #1 though.

Not surprised that 'Rich Spirit' is holding up better than most, seems like one of the more commercially viable songs as well. 'N95' overtaking 'Die Hard' on UK Spotify today was a nice surprise, on the other hand 'Father Time' now being the third song as I expected would happen pretty quickly, 'United In Grief' is still his third song in today's midweek update but no idea if it has enough of a lead to hang on all week. I hope that it does and then we get 'Father Time' debuting next week.

While everyone else seemed to be trying to get N-Dubz tickets I managed to bag a ticket to see Kendrick in November :o

 

So excited, he's someone who's definitely on my bucket list of acts I need to see live.

Hope you have a great time Lewis! Saw him back in 2018 and it was an electric show. James Blake was such a good support act too :wub:

He ended up bagging 2 new top 10 hits!

 

6. N95

7. Die Hard (with Blxst & Amanda Reifer)

14. United In Grief

 

Hope you have a great time Lewis! Saw him back in 2018 and it was an electric show. James Blake was such a good support act too :wub:

 

Thanks Jade :)

No worries!

 

So pleased that 'United In Grief' held on as one of his three charting songs :wub:

I'll definitely be listening to it in full at least once more so I may have more insightful things to say later but on first listen I think the only song (excluding the interludes which I can take or leave but meh they're just interludes x) that strikes me as a definite "skip" is 'Savior' (not that it's bad but I would be surprised if it turned into a song I particularly care to go back to, it's just ok, a little disappointing compared to the Keem/Kendrick colllabs from Keem's album).

 

Update: I was wrong. 'Savior' still not exactly one of my faves but it has grown on me a lot, I now rank it ahead of quite a few other tracks from the album. I think I was just let down by the Keem feature (which I still think is one of the more meh features on the album unfortunately) but the instrumental and Kendrick's parts slap. x

 

'Purple Hearts' is my new least favourite on the album excluding the interludes, but even that still gets good with the Ghostface verse and heightened production around it. Just not sure it's worth the fairly monotonous rest of the song leading up to it. 'We Cry Together' (outside the context of the album) and 'Mirror' are the only other non-interlude tracks that I don't care too much to go back to in the future. 'Crown' and 'Silent Hill' have both grown on me as well.

Aunties Diaries is the one track on the album which stopped me in my tracks!

‘Rich Spirit’ has changed to my favourite track after giving this a third spin today. It’s quite a slug to get through simply because it’s a two sided album so take over an hour to listen too but def comes together a lot more the more you listen. Also enjoying the second side or the ‘Mr Morale’ side of the album better!

Edited June 20, 20223 yr by Steve201

We Cry Together is quite the track too!