Jan 13, 2016

Just gave both albums a quick re-listen.

Watch The Throne has a distinct personality and the chemistry between Kanye and Jay can't be denied. Like the Lone Ranger and Tonto. Like Batman and Robin. Like the skinny fellow with the fat friend. Serving as sort of a precursor to the sound of Cruel Summer,Throne has a more solid base and a consistent style throughout the album in exchange for less personality -- it is mostly Jay and Kanye, after all. That doesn't detract from quality, of course, because Watch The Throne is awesome. It's like a big plate of delicious meatball spaghetti.

Cruel Summer, in terms of production and style, serves as a dessert platter from MBDTF and WTT. HOWEVER, a lot of its tracks are also singles by other artists, which takes away from its cohesion. This doesn't make Cruel Summer a bad (or even mediocre) album, though. It's a good album on its own, but it doesn't have that Voltron-level of teamwork throughout the project, with some tracks feeling a bit awkward and clunky at times. Ice cream doesn't really go well after having spaghetti, but you know I won't pass it up. Note: Sin City is fire as h---.