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This album was released on September 7th in 2010. Unless I’m forgetting something, this is Atmosphere’s shortest album, so that should make this review pretty easy. This album is just a compilation of EPs, so I’m not expecting it to sound like their previous album. Hmm… I can’t figure out which EPs these songs are taken from… Actually, maybe this ISN’T a compilation. I think it’s just a double EP. Whatever. It doesn’t matter. I’m expecting this to be dope. I’m just glad it’s only 12 tracks long.

Track 1: Until The Nipple’s Gone

This beat’s alright. It kinda reminds me of something Aesop Rock would rhyme over. The first verse was really dope. I just listened to the whole song. It’s pretty good. I wasn’t in love with the production, but Slug was rappin’ his ass off on this shit. That’s pretty much all I have to say about this one. There wasn’t really a hook. It just felt more like a break between the 2 verses. I fuck with this song. It’s dope. 4/5

Track 2: The Major Leagues

This beat isn’t bad. The first verse was dope. He’s rapping about a crack dealer. The hook’s cool. Okay, I guess the crack dealer used to be Slug’s friend. WHAT IF IT’S SPAWN?? Nah, I’m just playin’. The second verse was really dope. I don’t really have much to say about this one. I think they did a good job with the song. I’m not in love with the beat from Ant, but it’s not terrible. I fuck with this song. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track 3: Scalp

This beat is really dope. I just listened to most of the song, and so far it’s dope, but he’s telling a story, and it hasn’t really gone anywhere yet. The song’s about to end. Oh shit… OH SHIT. This is REALLY dope. It’s basically a sequel to the song Hair, which was on God Loves Ugly. Well, it’s not really a sequel. It’s the same story, except it’s told from a different perspective. I didn’t spoil the story of Hair, so I probably shouldn’t spoil this either. It’s really dope once you realize how they’re related tho. I fuck with this song. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track 4: The Best Day

This beat is cool. Slug’s just rapping about his shitty day. It kinda reminds me of an early Kanye West song. Kinda like Spaceships. “Then to top it off, I’m kinda hungry / But can’t eat ’til I find my money / It’s in my wallet, but my wallet ain’t in my pocket / Can’t remember the last time I saw it.” It’s shit that the average American man can relate to. In other words, Slug is just listing off all of his first world problems. The hook isn’t bad. The second verse is rapped from the perspective of a high schooler who’s having a shitty day. It was pretty dope. The final verse was about an old ass person having a bad day. This is a cool song, but I’m still not blow away… Hmmm… Do I like this shit? I don’t know. Nah… I don’t think I’d ever wanna come back to this. I mean, it’s cool, but it’s not something I’d have the desire to listen to again. It was entertaining on the first listen, but that’s pretty much it. Nothing about it is bad. It’s just not that good to me. It’s alright. 3/5

Track 5: Americareful

This beat is dope. Now Slug’s rapping about… Medical bills? Man… I know Slug is a white American dad, but this song really sounds like it was written by a… White American dad… I really hope the rest of Atmosphere’s work isn’t as uninteresting as this… The second verse is about a girl who’s unable to get an abortion because the doctor got shot as he was walking into the building… I don’t know. This just… It’s just not for me I guess. It’s just not very good. I don’t think it’s really bad, but… Nah. This is just okay I guess… 3/5

Track 6: Hope

This beat is cool. I just listened to the whole song. It’s just one verse in which Slug sarcastically says that he hopes you have a good day. It’s really short. It’s just under 2 minutes long. I enjoyed the song, but it’s not really the kinda track that sparks a lot of conversation. I honestly don’t even know if I really like it that much. I mean, it was entertaining to listen to once, but there’s pretty much zero replay value for me personally. It’s alright. 3/5

Track 7: The Loser Wins

This beat isn’t bad. The first verse was dope. I just finished the song. It was cool. Again, I’m not blown away, but I enjoyed it. The subject matter isn’t really that interesting to me, but I think Slug did a good job with it. He’s just rapping about assholes who pretend to be his friend but always cause him trouble. “I won’t trust you again / Getting better at choosing friends / This time the loser wins / ‘Cause I learned how to cut off the looser ends.” It’s a cool song. The replay value isn’t super high, but I enjoyed this track. That could be said about pretty much every song on this album so far tho. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track 8: Shotgun

I don’t know if I like this one. The beat’s fine, and the first verse wasn’t bad, but I’m not really feelin’ this hook. I really liked the second verse… I just… I don’t know. I feel like this is a good song objectively, but I just didn’t really enjoy it very much for some reason. It’s not the wackest song on this album, but it’s just not something I’d wanna listen to again. It’s decent tho. 3/5

Track 9: Commodities

This beat… Uuuuuh… I don’t know, man. It’s kinda corny to me. I’m pretty goddamn bored right now. I haven’t really liked the production on this whole album that much so far. Ant’s been incorporating a LOT of guitars in these beats. I was unfortunately wrong when I thought this album wouldn’t sound like When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. The beats just aren’t for me. This stuff is just so different from the shit they were putting out before. I know I was complaining that their stuff sounded too similar, but this wasn’t the direction I wanted them to go in. I feel kinda bad for saying this, but you can kinda tell that they’re both getting older through this music. Wow. I just got really distracted. I just made a Pinterest account. They make you choose 5 topics that you’re interested in before you can do anything. My 5 topics were “Hip Hop,” “Rap,” “Music,” “Rap Music,” and “Sandwiches.” I just deactivated my Pinterest account. Well, that was a waste of time. Anyway, this song isn’t really doin’ anything for me. I don’t think it’s that bad, but it’s just not something I’d wanna listen to again. 3/5

Track 10: The Number None

This beat is fine. This is yet another song that I enjoyed hearing once, but wouldn’t ever have the desire to return to. He tells a story about how this girl broke up with him because he was trying to have sex with her, but she ends up smashin’ his friend on the first date. It was a cool story, but, again, it’s just not something that interests me enough for me to wanna hear it again. It’s a decent song. 3/5

Track 11: Freefallin’

I actually kinda like this beat. The first verse was cool. I fuck with this hook too. Hmm… I like the second verse. I think I may actually end up liking this song. Slug is basically saying “Hey, man. Don’t worry. Those first world problems could be a lot worse.” It’s basically about appreciating what you have. I liked the final verse. I’m not completely in love with this song, but I definitely like it more than the previous few songs. This is actually dope to me. 4/5

Track 12: To All My Friends

I actually really like the production on this track. This beat is dope af to me. I’m really enjoying this song. It’s just one long verse from Slug over this really great, guitar driven beat. It’s an acoustic guitar tho, so I like it. “It’s funny when I bump into fools I used to go to school with, and they ask what I’m doing / Half of the time I want to crack a lie, but fuck it / I’m still a wannabe rapper guy / Yeah, I guess that it seems that way / I get to see the world, and it’s decent pay / As long as somebody wants to see us play / I wake up every morning and I seize the day.” He’s basically just rapping about his life. I really don’t have any problems with this song. It’s really good. I love this one. This is dope af to me. 5/5

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this album for the most part, but I still feel kinda… Hmm… I don’t know if “disappointed” is the word I should use… I guess I’m really just worried that the rest of their discography is gonna sound like this. I mean, I know it isn’t reasonable for me to expect them to have the same sound that they did in 1999 when they dropped Headshots: SE7EN, but this newer sound just isn’t as enjoyable for me. Well, I don’t even know if I’d say that. I don’t mind them having a softer, less aggressive sound, but I kinda just wish they weren’t using so many guitars. I mean, I know that sounds like kind of a silly nitpick, but if they used piano’s instead of guitars I really think that I’d like this a lot more. Most people probably don’t feel this way. I know that my dislike of guitars is kind of a weird idiosyncrasy that a lot of people can’t relate to. It sucks. Shit like this really makes me wish I liked guitars more than I do. It is what it is tho. I can still enjoy this shit to an extent. It’s definitely their worst album in my opinion, but I still think it’s good. I fuck with this album. It’s dope to me.

Favorite Song: To All My Friends

Least Favorite Song: Commodities

Verdict:

71%

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