Coming straight from the underground of Seattle to a worldwide scale, Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) had a lot to prove with his first full length LP "The Heist". Yet again, he was already a proven star since the turn of the 21st century, performing for various audiences in his hometown. He met his long-time collaborator Ryan Lewis in 2005, and the pair have been toying around with a full length debut for an upwards of three years. This is definitely a smart move, since going from an audience of fifty to five thousand requires a few decisions about target audience, sound, and purpose for his music, most notably, the message. As Macklemore describes his music as "David Bowie meets Kanye shit", it's clear that his message is what's most important. The masses is what he aims to please, but "The Heist" doesn't quite play as popular music, even though there is plenty of bass, electro-pulses and indelible hooks. His declaration of his music might seem like a self-righteous oversell (on the Bowie side it kind of is), but truth be told, he has developed his sound well enough to know how strong it is. Upon the first listen of "The Heist", you'll find this claim to be true.
Even though "The Heist" suffers a bit from some didactic moods, it, along with Macklemore himself, is what the times need in 2012. A self styled, self-made, and ambitious star with a mission to make quality rap music popular again. If this reminds of you of Eminem, well, that comparison isn't one that "The Heist" repels. Most often, Macklore does sound like Mr. Mathers: his flow is very consistent, there are plenty of puns, there's plenty of attitude, and he's also undeniably real. And in fact, starting from the small audiences is what works very well in Macklemore's favor. He has yet to be corrupted by mainstream trends, so his debut is unaffected and genuine. It's very nice to see that he can churn out several potential hits without having to slut them up or dumb them down for the lowest common denominator. Although, this leads to the album's only flaw: it tries to appeal to a wide audience, but in the end it's still a rap album. The many guest appearances from other budding and unknown singers give each song a distinctive sound, but that doesn't change the overall style. "The Heist" will not please everyone; those who don't like rap won't change their minds and those who do will find another essential artist to add to their record collection. But, that doesn't mean there aren't some impressive moments when it plays as both pop and rap. The aforementioned "Thrift Shop" doesn't take itself too seriously and therefore delivers an anthem to those who live in the thrift stores. "Can't Hold Us" and "Ten Thousand Hours" are wall-to-wall parties for those who defy expectation and strive for a better life. Then there's "Same Love", which tackles the issue of same-sex marriage. Mary Lambert delivers the warm hook and the full-bodied piano manages to stop the album dead in its tracks; hey, Macklemore can be serious too. Ryan Lewis has already proved himself to be adept at production, as he layers it when necessary and strips it away when the track gets too heavy. Put him and Macklemore together, and "The Heist" truly comes alive with energy and style. The best part, is that the album definitely plays as a rap album, but not once does it play as just raps and beats, there's actual music at work here, something rather hard to find in the modern rap culture.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Ten Thousand Hours 2. Can’t Hold Us 3. Thrift Shop
4. Thin Line 5. Same Love 6. Make the Money
7. Neon Cathedral 8. BomBom 9. White Walls
10. Jimmy Lovine 11. Wing$ 12. A Wake
13. Gold 14. Starting Over 15. Cowboy Boots
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