Since the incredible success of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below OutKast fans have been waiting for Big Boi and Andre 3000 to reunite. After separate movie careers and rumors of splitting up, OutKast is back with a new album and movie, Idlewild.
Personally, I have been waiting quite a while for this. I suffered through Four Brothers because of my love for Andre 3000. I even bought The Purple Ribbon All-Stars CD not only for the beat of "Kryptonite" but because of my love for Big Boi. OutKast is the best thing to come out of my hometown since Coke. My belief that the group is one of the most original acts in music has been proven true once again with Idlewild.
The blues and jazz vibe of the album blends perfectly with smooth hip-hop and excellently produced beats that come standard with OutKast. This 25-track epic will not let fans down. Idlewild shows what most new pop music releases have been missing. It has a cohesive running theme but none of the songs sound the same. Most popular artists today focus on singles, while the overall album loses focus, without a common thread. OutKast manages to make Idlewild a concept album with good singles that will most definitely be heard in clubs or perhaps on Rugby.
One of OutKast's greatest attributes is their ability to utilize guest artists. This has been evident for all of their records but it particularly shines on this album. This is important considering the number of songs without guest artists are few in far between. Janelle Monae provides amazing vocals on a few songs. "Call The Law" is the epitome of how OutKast and their guest artists complement each other -- Big Boi's witty rap with Monae's gorgeous blues/Broadway style vocals. Also, Sleepy Brown and Scar guest on "Morris Brown" (a tribute to the college whose band provides the horns in the song). I also have to admit that listening to "The Greatest Show on Earth" is the first time I've heard Macy Gray's voice and not wanted to cut my ears off.
"Idlewild Blue," the album's second single, stands out as one of the best songs. Andre 3000's trademark voice is at its best on Idlewild. Don't get me wrong, the album is not without pitfalls. It seems that Andre 3000 and Big Boi are still not as unified as they once were. There is a definite lack of songs where OutKast is a group and not two individuals making separate music. After speculations of discontent, the fact that most of their recording was done separately this album doesn't bode well for OutKast fans. The other problem with Idlewild is that while the album is spectacular part of it feels like it is only a soundtrack.
Don't worry, fans. The overall album is well worth the price. Even the skits, which are classily titled, "Interludes," are funny and worth a listen. Idlewild continues OutKast's tradition of innovative and well-produced albums. Their latest effort stands out effortlessly from the current acts dominating the popular music charts. The blues/jazz vibe seems to be an upcoming trend in music, but OutKast's take on retro-recycling will definitely find an audience.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
