When a Kid Cudi project drops, it’s Christmastime for Garbage. For the uninformed, WZRD features Kid Cudi and “Day ‘N Nite” producer Dot Da Genius. It is a bold move for an artist to move from hip-hop to rock. I mean, look at the turd that Lil Wayne crapped out. Has Kid Cudi finally lost it? Or is this new sound a welcome breath of fresh air? PLUS: Will I ever be critical of Cudi? POSSIBLY!
NOTE: What Are Tunes Reviews will rate songs on a scale of 1-5 “Fresh Prince Running Mans“, with 5 being the best score.
THE ARRIVAL
No one really knows what to expect from WZRD; is it hip-hop? rock? electronic? “The Arrival” sets the mood of the album and gives the listener a smooth instrumental to prep their ears and minds for Cudi and Dot’s creation. The grimy guitar riff at the beginning leads into Dot’s drums. It’s a slow build up that eventually picks up steam in a dark, eerie way. The song fades and slows down into a single grating guitar leading into the next track. I foolishly hoped Cudi would start rapping. Jokes.
Rating: 4/5
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HIGH OFF LIFE
When “High Off Life” kicks in you realize this is definitely a rock album. Cue Kid Cudi and his latest batch of mumble-singing. Some people like it, most hate it. On the bright side, it doesn’t affect the hook, which is very catchy. “HOL” is an uplifting tune. It’s almost like a sober “Trapped in My Mind” and it generally works. Cudi is off the coke, and it seems like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. That weight being TONS of cocaine, obvi. And even though this could easily be the theme song of a fifth grade D.A.R.E program, I like it.
Rating: 5/5
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THE DREAM TIME MACHINE
Buzzkill. “High Off Life” gets the listener pumped up, only to mellow out with “The Dream Time Machine”. It really doesn’t give off a “rock” vibe at all. Not that I want that, but after the first two tracks, I kind of expected it. “TDTM” features Empire of the Sun, but WZRD could have done so much more with it. Frankly, I didn’t even notice them in the song. At this point in the album, I wasn’t sure what to expect the rest of the way.
Rating: 2/5
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LOVE HARD
There’s the guitar. “Love Hard” kicks in and gets back to a rock feel for WZRD. Sure the lyrics are cheesy, but that’s what makes Kid Cudi enjoyable; he somehow makes it work effectively.
Ohh if you love soft, then you’ve already lost
But ohh if you love hard, you should let down your guard
And follow your heart, follow your heart, follow your heart, follow your heart
Rating: 4/5
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LIVE & LEARN
Though not the best guitar player, it’s obvious Kid Cudi has some chops. The opening riffs to the songs on WZRD are surprisingly good. The hook is catchy and I think this could be a potential single. The last minute of “Live & Learn” transforms into a rough electronic beat that loops over and over again. It SEEMS completely unnecessary, but then again so did a rock album by a rapper.
Rating: 4/5
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BRAKE
Here’s another great intro that leads into some typical monotone Cudi. The instrumentals for this song are superb, but the vocals really drag down a potential hit. This was a recurring problem on MOTMII: The Legend of Mr. Rager; so much potential but limited by “artistry”.
Rating: 3/5
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TELEPORT 2 ME, JAMIE
My clear-cut favorite on the album. “Teleport 2 Me” features a Desire sample that fans of Drive will recognize from the outstanding soundtrack. The sample is perfect. Cudi wrote this song for his on-again off-again girlfriend as a way to win her back. He certainly won me over. I really love this song. His voice is dripping with emotion and it’s a one of my favorite songs ever done by Kid Cudi.
Rating: 5/5
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WHERE DID YOU SLEEP LAST NIGHT
Kurt Cobain is one of Kid Cudi’s idols, and he pulls off this cover of a Nirvana live performance beautifully. Cudi’s voice fits the style and he doesn’t try to make the song something that it’s not. Nirvana fans will probably hate it because it’s not Nirvana, but a music fan will appreciate this as a fantastic tribute to the late rocker.
Rating: 4/5
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EFFLICTIM
Just like the rest of the album, Cudi changes things up by throwing in an acoustic jam. I really dig the song, although super confused on the title, but it shows Cudi as a musician, not just a rapper. Dot Da Genius hops in at just the right moment on the piano to make this a simple yet beautifully well done song.
Rating: 5/5
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DR. PILL
“Dr. Pill” brings us back to the grainy sound we heard on “The Arrival”, with an electronic rock feel. The hook is one of the best on this album, and no one ever doubts Cudi’s talents writing hooks. This song was a late addition and it makes sense as the rest of the album is all about loving life, not drugs…except for this one.
Rating: 4/5
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THE UPPER ROOM
Kid Cudi made an effort not to curse on this album. The only gray area is in “The Upper Room”, when he says “most people are pussies”. When asked about it in an interview, Cudder answered “Pussies is a word used when talking about multiple cats. My daughter watches Puss N Boots, it’s not a swear word”. Well OK then.
Rating: 3/5
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Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with WZRD. I had my doubts as “Perfect is the Word” and “No One Believes Me” were terribly disappointing and felt uninspired. As a diehard fan, it was tough to accept a new style from Cudi, however I haven’t stopped listening since it came out. I wholeheartedly believe that Kid Cudi will get back to rapping and finish the Man on the Moon trilogy, but I think WZRD is more like what we can expect from the Cleveland native in the future. And I think the future is bright.
Album Rating: 4/5
Standout Tracks: “The Arrival”; “High Off Life”; “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie”; “Efflictim”
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