Written for The Print (NUI Maynooth's student paper) for the 13th of December 2011 issue. This was a 2011 retrospective issue, the following review was part of the Best of 2011.
5/5
After the old school stylings 2009’s Bastard, the release
of Tyler, The Creator of OFWGKTA’s Goblin was much anticipated. This album,
released this May, saw the return of not only Tyler himself, but also his characters
Dr. TC (his fictional therapist) and his evil white alter-ego Wolf Haley. There
is also a return to the sick lyrical themes of his first record, such as the
ever popular necrophilia. With this album, Tyler and OFWGKTA saw a huge influx
of interest and acclaim, particularly after the video for the single Yonkers
dropped in February and Tyler appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
performing Sandwitches - the first television performance of any Odd Future
member.
On this record, Tyler tries to explain himself quite a
bit after the controversy that came with his first album due to the lyrical
themes. The opening and title track begins his second session with Dr. TC, who
taunts him about being a fake, pretending to be a murderer. The backing track is
eery as Tyler expresses his suicidal feelings and hatred for life, wearing his
flaws on his sleeve unlike most rappers of our time. After Goblin ends, the
distorted filthy beat of Yonkers starts up and we are introduced to Tyler’s
flawless flow. As Tyler battles with his alter ego Wolf, each line contradicts
itself: “I’m a fucking walking paradox - no I’m not”. The rhyming is at its
most clever in this track and he delivers lines with a musical patter and
staccato syllables: “Rapping as I’m mocking deaf rock stars”.
Goblin meanders through hip-hop styles during its hour
long duration. Tyler’s grungey-rock influences can be heard in the vicious
Radicals, but right after it there is the pop-rap sound of She about stalking a
girl until he finally kills her and has his way with her body in the forest.
Though Tyler goes out of his way with this record to make a disclaimer saying
this is all a fiction, at times it seems like he’s going too far out of his way
to deliver distasteful lyrics. Tron Cat opens with a pop piano chord sequence,
leading into a heavy dark beat, only to drop back to the sequence to deliver
the line “Rape a pregnant bitch and tell my friends I had a threesome”.
This album shows Tyler’s masterful flow, such as in
Sandwitches, and lyrical skills, like the musical delivery in Her. Though the
album might be long, it is an astounding example of modern day rap. Well worth
a listen for hip-hop fans. Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All.
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