To say that the release of Kid Cudi’s newest album “Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven” was heavily anticipated would be a generous overstatement.
With the expected release of the third installment of Cudi’s “Man on the Moon” album series set sometime next year, the three albums that Cudi has released since “Man on the Moon, Vol. II” have fallen flat. Despite releasing several good tracks mixed within these albums, none have risen to be a part of his most popular.
“Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven” is overall a disappointing addition to his collection. The album lacks a unifying theme, as its tracks range from repetitive and sleepy to chaotic and sporadic. Despite its underwhelming sound, however, this album does have hidden value.
It is the first deliberate glimpse into Cudi’s struggle with mental illness. Cudi has even gone as far as to publicly dedicate the album as a ballad for anyone who has ever struggled with mental illness.
The first track, “Edge of the Earth / Post Mortem Boredom,” gives a slower intro that later picks up a bit with track two, “Confused!,” that seems to reference his original sound with more of a guitar-based rhythm.
Only later on is it discovered that “Confused!” is one of the only redeeming tracks on the two-disk release. The next several tracks all seem to resemble each other and are linked by Cudi’s chant-like lyrics. You get the sense that the album was created in part from Cudi’s own repeated mumblings and reassurances.
“Fade 2 Red” is clearly a taste of when Cudi’s emotions turn from sad and dreary to confused and overwhelming as he confronts his demons.
“Return of the rage, return of the rage / A warriors’s curse, a warrior’s pain / I got the rage forcing through my veins,” he screams.
“Adventures,” the sixth track, seems promising at the intro of the song, with a more low-key guitar presence. Cudi raps softer and more soothingly, “Only crazy makes sense, its starting to make sense.”
Another confusing and sleepy track quickly follows this one. “The Nothing” is a track that seems to be just that.
“Handle with Care” is less painful to bear, as it is less aggressive and seems to carry a little more of a melody. However, all hope is lost when Cudi decided to end the track with a Muppet-like dialogue about hallucinogens that seems to be straight out of a “Sesame Street” episode, narration and all.
By the time the 12th track rolls around, I’m beginning to wonder if Cudi himself knew he only had produced a few successful tracks, and decided to disperse them evenly throughout the album. It’s a pattern of one mediocre track followed by three to four unbearable ones.
“Wedding Tux” and “Angered Kids” are unimpressionable, and “Red Sabbath” follows, leaving listeners depressed.
“I need to escape forever, forever,” he says.
“Fuchsia Butterflies” starts off decent, with a more upbeat tempo and catchy chorus. However, it all ends too quickly.
Things slightly change pace in the album’s title track “Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven,” as Cudi seems to reassure himself that everything will be okay: “When I crash, when I crash / Or if I land, no matter the case / I’m all smiles.”
“Embers” starts out slightly slower, with a more negative tone. “I realize there are no answers to rid me of this cancer,” he says. Despite the depressing message, it would fall under the album’s collection of bearable tracks.
And just when it doesn’t seem like it could get any worse, “The Return of Chip Douglas (Demo)” turns the tables and halfway through the track turns into Cudi purely grunting and growling aggressively to a beat.
If you’ve somehow found the willpower to make it through the entire album, as I barely could, the only lasting impression you will have is confusion. What happened to the Kid Cudi of 2010? What happened to Mr. Rager?
I found this album to be hilarious and fun, people take music too serious these days. Its the trollest album of the year; its like Metallica’s St. Anger meets Black Metal by Dean Blunt. It’s bad but it’s so bad it’s great.
There is no way you’ve listened to this album if you are calling it fun, and hilarious. This is the farthest from fun or hilarious.
Cudi is not into replicating in formulas on his works. He always will be bold enough to step out the box simpletons try to place him in. That being said I enjoyed the album. Esp being a 90’s kid that missed the lofi grungier rock of the early 90’s. The ode to Nirvana, the Beavis:Butthead skits, the just let it all out for the hell of it garage band vibe. That’s his art open your ears and listen for what it is. This is the Most Rager album he’s done.
This album is different, Kid Cudi is different. Most judge the kid based on their hiphop views. I personally enjoyed the album, Maybe you just have to be weird to relate.
Yaaaaaaaas^^^^^^^
Dude hit it right on the nail!
This was an absolute master piece
It’s like a better more refined version of wizard
Kid cudi really stood out with this album.
I started out with only 5 tracks on my phone, now I have almost 17 it’s such a powerful album.
You have to listen I it again and again and one more time just cause! The lryics he sings are reminiscent of his 08′- or “old cudi” you guys swear up and down about. OVERALL SAME LYRICS DIFFERNENT SOUND SAME CUDI 9/10
It’s a very different sound from Cudi, but I’ve always respected artists who climb out of their box and stop aiming to meet expectations. Though the content IS random, I still think his delivery and emotion were on point. I definitely know how he feels going through this Album. Track 2 says it all.
Judgement Absence* (shout out)
Also my favorite tracks are
Confused
Man in the night
Screwed
Adventures
Handle with care
Fairy tell remains
Wedding tux
Angered kids
Red sabbath
Fushia butterflies
Insides out
Worth
Melting
The author of this article appears to know absolutely nothing about Kid Cudi. Totally agree with “LOOK!” The album is very different, but anybody who has listened to Cudi’s music knows he has always incorporated rock elements in his hip-hop tracks. The lyrics of this particular album relate to those who have faced extreme pain and adversity. Sophie Lindemann seems to have not faced any of that, nor does she have good taste in music. Seems to be the type of person who loves radio singles, a shallow human being. (She could not even recognize Bevis and Butthead!)
Coming from someone who listened to Kid Cudi and truly embraced him as who he is through his music, and not what he depicts in rap, this reminds me of Cudi and who he is. Mr Rager, Lonely stoner, Man on the Moon are all part of his complex self. If you can’t understand that, fine, but this album isn’t trash or mediocre. It’s expression and raw emotion. Something artists are almost literally scared to do in their music, and as an artist I pledge to follow in a man like Cudi’s footsteps and make them stand on their toes.
When I started to listen to this album I thought to myself that I would be blown away by sheer amount of tracks that Cudi produced. This was not the case. This album has totally confused me a baffled me. I was okay with WZRD because it seemed to me like it actually had soul in the songs. However this seems like a garage band full of high schoolers made this album and slapped Cudi’s name on it. I am not sure what is next for “Mr. Rager” but this was a step backwards. The world will look back and remember you for your amazing mix tapes and first two albums, your so so third and fourth albums, and this abomination of album. I pray you bring it back with MOTMIII but I am extremely pessimistic it will be any good.
Everyone who says they’re enjoying this album says that it’s “different” and that people are judging it because it’s not hip hop. This is ridiculous. Just because an album is different doesn’t mean it’s good. If Cudi had trimmed the fat (and there is a lot of fat) into a 30-45 minute album this album would tolerable. But it’s just bad. It’s a bad album. It’s dumbly repetitive and he ends up insulting the 90’s grunge rockers he’s trying to pay tribute to. Probably the worst album of the year easily.
The author states, “The album lacks a unifying theme, as its tracks range from repetitive and sleepy to chaotic and sporadic.” Followed by, “It is the first deliberate glimpse into Cudi’s struggle with mental illness. Cudi has even gone as far as to publicly dedicate the album as a ballad for anyone who has ever struggled with mental illness”. She negates the basis of her criticism herself.
The view into the struggle with mental illness is the unifying theme. Mental illness, like the album, can be repetitive, sleepy, chaotic, & sporadic. Anyone who has dealt with mental illness personally or thru a loved one can attest to these facts.
Loved the direction he’s going but the album was soooo weak