I’ve given the album multiple listens in the gym, at home, in the car….on Air Pod Maxes, Bluetooth speakers, etc.
I like the album a lot. To me it’s his best work since TLOP. Yes there is some filler, and the album could have been refined/polished more, and sequenced better. The highs are really high for me, and I find myself on the fence of what my favorite track is (that’s when I know I like an album a lot and whether it has longevity).
While I love the production, I do feel he’s been stuck with this current sound since TLOP. From College Dropout till Yeezus, he made huge departures in the sound from project to project. Since Yeezus, it feels like his sound hasn’t changed much. Not necessarily a bad thing because he’s been refining, fine tuning it….but next time around he needs to make another drastic departure in sound.
I can understand why the album is a letdown for many. People are going to have polarizing views and that’s ok. I do think it may have been better received without all the theatrics/delays.