Definitely heard the opening track before "More Than a Feeling" from somewhere.
Straight from the get go, I have to mention the energetic use of the guitars here with a ton of catchy riffs and solos used to create an uplifting atmosphere. The organ play in some of the songs added a nice touch.
I liked the riff in "Something About You", that's about it.
Haven't got much to say. Not really my type of subgenre in rock but somewhat enjoyable with the overall mood it sets.
Decent album.
This really was a test to my Gen Z attention span. I was like oh cool, a five track album, until I realised it had a long runtime.
Jokes aside, it's an interesting change to the usual jazz I've heard before. The soul elements creates a very funky and rhythmic pace to the tracks. Not too fast that it's hard to distinguish what's being played, neither too slow to the point it gets boring.
Being a pure instrumental album, I can only regard this as something I'd play in the background on a chill evening, half-listening to it. Definitely gives off New York jazz club vibes.
Solid album but I do like lyrics to keep me engaged.
Okay so mixed emotions about this one. Having already known and enjoyed their songs from other albums (predominantly Paul's Boutique and Licensed To Ill), I often ignored touching this album.
A combination of rowdy tracks and instrumentals made me feel lost to what direction they were headed. I guess maybe it's their experimental aspect?
The rapping in this album lacked flair and felt like spoken words that rhymed for the sake of it. With "Get It Together" featuring Q-Tip being the only exception and him mostly carrying the majority of the track.
The album gradually dragged on and became obscure. Personally, I wouldn't revisit this entirely but only listen to a few standout tracks.
After listening to this, I can see why this is a highly regarded album.
The band's instruments and vocals honestly harmonise so well together, evident in the first track "Second Hand News".
Each song has its unique charm.
From the mellow "Dreams", which is such a vibe. To the powerful track "The Chain", amazing buildup and emotion poured into it. No wonder why they're so popular.
There are a few misses on here that I didn't really like, such as "Never Going Back Again" and "Oh Daddy".
However, I wouldn't mind listening to this again. Great album.
Basically, if adrenaline junkie was an album.
The opening track "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" will definitely get your blood pumping.
The intense, hard-rocking riffs and solos is really what hooked me here. An overall amazing, consistent sound that kept me engaged throughout.
I would've given this 4 stars if it wasn't for its standout flaw which makes it a 3 in my opinion:
The lyrics.
It does get cringey to a point that it interferes with the music itself, sticking out like a sore thumb.
However, absolute shredding nonetheless. Good album.
Lyricism. Poetry. Storytelling.
Nas is an absolute genius for this album.
When I first listened to this years ago, I only picked up on the heavy boom bap beats and I do see why people think all the songs sound the same. However, I revisited it back again shortly after my first listen and really soaked in the lyrics. Thank goodness I did!
If you're looking for an example of nonstop wordplay, listen to "N.Y. State of Mind". You'll find that nearly every single line has a meaning. Honestly, same goes for all the other songs.
The sampling in this as well is top tier from all producers.
The album clearly illustrates the environment that Nas was living in at the time in Queensbridge, New York City. Also, the fact that this was his debut and he was only a teenager when he wrote this makes him extremely talented.
This has no skips and every song is a hit in its own way. The definition of pure, quality rapping.
The review maybe a little bias but I'm telling you, this album grew on me.
Has to be one of the best, if not, the greatest Hip-Hop album to ever exist.
