Padded Room Evaluation
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I know this is a little late, but I'm going to do a track by track rating of Joe Budden's latest album, Padded Room. I will rate each track on a scaled of 1-5 and then give him an overall rating on the same scale at the end. Now I'm not a professional at evaluating albums, so this could be a difficult task, but let's just see how it goes. I'm going to do this from now on with all the major albums that drop. As always, I'm going to rate and evaluate this based upon what I like, hear, etc. and it is up to you guys to agree, disagree, or whatever else. Now, let's start.
Now I Lay - The intro to the album was pretty nice. I think he covered a lot in the song and it really lead in to most of the other songs on the album. The beat was alright, but like a few of the songs on the album, didn't quite match with the feel of the lyrics. However, I think that his lyrical presence on the track was solid, so I have to give this track an overall rating of 4.
The Future - It hasn't come out yet, but I would be willing to bet that this is a single, or at least was supposed to be, a single off the album. As many radio friendly songs are, it is dedicated to the ladies and there is also a guest appearance from former enemy turned best pal The Game. I thought this was probably a song that could have been left off of the album, given that the rest of it is very personal. This song is more of the flossin' and poppin' to impress the girl than it is expressing the stresses and emotions that consume Joe Budden, but if it helps him sell records, then it did it's job. It wasn't horrible, but I think there could have been a lot more there. I gotta give this track a 3.5, though.
If I Gotta Go - I think that this is where the album really starts, but not quite where it begins to pick up steam. We begin to really get the introspective Joe Budden. The thoughts of death will continue to appear throughout the album as well as some suicidal thoughts. The production definitely helps to bring out the emotion of Budden and we begin to see where the rest of the album is going to take us. I give this a 4.
Don't Make Me - This was one of the songs that really showed off Joe's ability to flow. He stayed with the beat, and I usually really enjoy when rappers use samples for hooks. I think that it usually helps to bring the most out of them lyrically, and I think it definitely helped Joe here. I think that this is really where the album beings to pick up steam and we get the best out of Budden from here on out. I give this track a 4.5.
Blood On The Wall - While this is his beef song, the anger and emotion in the song still blends well with the rest of the album. He addresses some of his issues, but then begins to take shots at Prodigy, where the song starts to slip a little bit. Not really the best diss song, but it still works. I have to give it a 4.
In My Sleep - Honestly, Joey had to have been high when he wrote this lol. As farfetched as the song may seem, it works! For some reason, bumping into a "bum with a mansion" and a "virgin with AIDs" makes for a good song. I thought the song was fantastic and the production was great. The creativity in this song was crazy and even though some of it may have even seemed ridiculous, I could still see everything happeneing (and this is before I saw the video). If you can see everything playing out in the song, then that makes for a great story. This gets a 5.
Exxxes - Another song where Joe got creative, but this one seems even creeper than the last, although this is more realistic. Budden describes his relationship with this girl that eventually turns into a fatal attraction. The girl, Ashley, can't live without him even though he tries desperately to break it off with her. Yet, in some twisted way, anything that she does affects him, so they ultimately end up being together. As weird as it is and you will probably not full understand the concept until you actually listen to the song, it works once again. His imagination took him to a place that not many go (or some people, including Budden himself, may go through with this, wiit a few exaggerations) and that nobody would ever want to happen. Still, I have to give him another 5.
I Couldn't Help It - This is the first song that we really get into the personal life of Joey. The other songs were about his thoughts and a little of what we went through, but this song covers his issues, his regrets, and more. We begin to see what shapes Joe Budden and where all of these angered and saddened emoitons come from. The production really sets the vibe of the song and the lyrics tell us everything that was going on at certain points in his life. From contemplating abortion to regrettable affairs with a certain woman, Joe begins to really let us into his life. Once again, a 5.
Adrenaline - I feel that this song takes away from the album just a little bit. I don't think it should have been dropped, but I think that it just doesn't quite fit with the rest of songs. The rock feel of the track definitely matches the title of the song and both Budden and featured guest Drew "Andrew Defilippo" Hudson flow with the beat. The song is cool, but I think I have to give this a 3.5.
Happy Holidays - This has to be the second best song on the album, in my opinion. Although the lyrics are the absolute opposite of the production, I still think the song was great. Since most people would match the feel of the track with the holidays, I think that it is actually appropriate, but holidays for Joe Budden are different for most. He claims that he doesn't even pay attention to the dates and that the holidays don't do anything for him. They actually put him in somewhat of a bad mood. I think the concept of this song was real nice. I gotta give this a 5.
Do Tell - We find some more of Joe's deadly thoughts on this song. Here, he asks that the important people in his life (mom, brother, grandmother, etc.) know that his intentions were good and that he wish some things had went different. In this song, it seems as if Joe feels as if he let everybody down and failed. This is one of two songs where he really let's everything off his chest. The other song has yet to come. I give this another 5.
Angel In My Life - This songs starts with a phone call with two of Budden's friends, having a conversation about how he has gone crazy, has had suicidal thoughts, and was taken into a psycho ward. This is another song that Joe Budden talks about many of the thoughts going through his head and all of the stresses that he is dealing with. This could have easily been titled "Padded Room" because I think this speaks to the title of the album better than the rest of the songs. Another 5.
Pray For Me - Without a question, the best song on the album. This is the other song where Joe gets everything off of his chest. It is probably the most personal song on the album. This is Joe Budden's attempt at speaking to God, just like DMX has done with "The Conversation" on It's Dark and Hell is Hot and all his other albums toward the end. And even though I don't condone people doubting and questioning God, I have to admit that people have these thoughts all the time and Joe just put it on record. And I don't think that it was by accident that he gave God the last word. I think this is his way of saying that God is right (although he questions Him in the song). I definitely have to give this a 5.
Overall, I would give the album a 4. I thought the album was great, but it took a little too long for the album to really pick up and get to the best tracks and it really could have done without "The Future" only because it doesn't fit with the rest of the album at all. Either way, it was a great effort, and I look forward to more of Budden when that Slaughterhouse album comes out. And I left it on the last post, but I'm going to put it on here again, the video for "In My Sleep."
What do you think about the rating and breakdown? Would you rate it higher or lower? What was your favorite song on the album? Any other thoughts about Joe. Comment here or hit me at straightouttahiphop@gmail.com. And you can listen to Straight Outta Hip Hop radio while your leaving your message lol.
Peace.
I know this is a little late, but I'm going to do a track by track rating of Joe Budden's latest album, Padded Room. I will rate each track on a scaled of 1-5 and then give him an overall rating on the same scale at the end. Now I'm not a professional at evaluating albums, so this could be a difficult task, but let's just see how it goes. I'm going to do this from now on with all the major albums that drop. As always, I'm going to rate and evaluate this based upon what I like, hear, etc. and it is up to you guys to agree, disagree, or whatever else. Now, let's start.
Now I Lay - The intro to the album was pretty nice. I think he covered a lot in the song and it really lead in to most of the other songs on the album. The beat was alright, but like a few of the songs on the album, didn't quite match with the feel of the lyrics. However, I think that his lyrical presence on the track was solid, so I have to give this track an overall rating of 4.
The Future - It hasn't come out yet, but I would be willing to bet that this is a single, or at least was supposed to be, a single off the album. As many radio friendly songs are, it is dedicated to the ladies and there is also a guest appearance from former enemy turned best pal The Game. I thought this was probably a song that could have been left off of the album, given that the rest of it is very personal. This song is more of the flossin' and poppin' to impress the girl than it is expressing the stresses and emotions that consume Joe Budden, but if it helps him sell records, then it did it's job. It wasn't horrible, but I think there could have been a lot more there. I gotta give this track a 3.5, though.
If I Gotta Go - I think that this is where the album really starts, but not quite where it begins to pick up steam. We begin to really get the introspective Joe Budden. The thoughts of death will continue to appear throughout the album as well as some suicidal thoughts. The production definitely helps to bring out the emotion of Budden and we begin to see where the rest of the album is going to take us. I give this a 4.
Don't Make Me - This was one of the songs that really showed off Joe's ability to flow. He stayed with the beat, and I usually really enjoy when rappers use samples for hooks. I think that it usually helps to bring the most out of them lyrically, and I think it definitely helped Joe here. I think that this is really where the album beings to pick up steam and we get the best out of Budden from here on out. I give this track a 4.5.
Blood On The Wall - While this is his beef song, the anger and emotion in the song still blends well with the rest of the album. He addresses some of his issues, but then begins to take shots at Prodigy, where the song starts to slip a little bit. Not really the best diss song, but it still works. I have to give it a 4.
In My Sleep - Honestly, Joey had to have been high when he wrote this lol. As farfetched as the song may seem, it works! For some reason, bumping into a "bum with a mansion" and a "virgin with AIDs" makes for a good song. I thought the song was fantastic and the production was great. The creativity in this song was crazy and even though some of it may have even seemed ridiculous, I could still see everything happeneing (and this is before I saw the video). If you can see everything playing out in the song, then that makes for a great story. This gets a 5.
Exxxes - Another song where Joe got creative, but this one seems even creeper than the last, although this is more realistic. Budden describes his relationship with this girl that eventually turns into a fatal attraction. The girl, Ashley, can't live without him even though he tries desperately to break it off with her. Yet, in some twisted way, anything that she does affects him, so they ultimately end up being together. As weird as it is and you will probably not full understand the concept until you actually listen to the song, it works once again. His imagination took him to a place that not many go (or some people, including Budden himself, may go through with this, wiit a few exaggerations) and that nobody would ever want to happen. Still, I have to give him another 5.
I Couldn't Help It - This is the first song that we really get into the personal life of Joey. The other songs were about his thoughts and a little of what we went through, but this song covers his issues, his regrets, and more. We begin to see what shapes Joe Budden and where all of these angered and saddened emoitons come from. The production really sets the vibe of the song and the lyrics tell us everything that was going on at certain points in his life. From contemplating abortion to regrettable affairs with a certain woman, Joe begins to really let us into his life. Once again, a 5.
Adrenaline - I feel that this song takes away from the album just a little bit. I don't think it should have been dropped, but I think that it just doesn't quite fit with the rest of songs. The rock feel of the track definitely matches the title of the song and both Budden and featured guest Drew "Andrew Defilippo" Hudson flow with the beat. The song is cool, but I think I have to give this a 3.5.
Happy Holidays - This has to be the second best song on the album, in my opinion. Although the lyrics are the absolute opposite of the production, I still think the song was great. Since most people would match the feel of the track with the holidays, I think that it is actually appropriate, but holidays for Joe Budden are different for most. He claims that he doesn't even pay attention to the dates and that the holidays don't do anything for him. They actually put him in somewhat of a bad mood. I think the concept of this song was real nice. I gotta give this a 5.
Do Tell - We find some more of Joe's deadly thoughts on this song. Here, he asks that the important people in his life (mom, brother, grandmother, etc.) know that his intentions were good and that he wish some things had went different. In this song, it seems as if Joe feels as if he let everybody down and failed. This is one of two songs where he really let's everything off his chest. The other song has yet to come. I give this another 5.
Angel In My Life - This songs starts with a phone call with two of Budden's friends, having a conversation about how he has gone crazy, has had suicidal thoughts, and was taken into a psycho ward. This is another song that Joe Budden talks about many of the thoughts going through his head and all of the stresses that he is dealing with. This could have easily been titled "Padded Room" because I think this speaks to the title of the album better than the rest of the songs. Another 5.
Pray For Me - Without a question, the best song on the album. This is the other song where Joe gets everything off of his chest. It is probably the most personal song on the album. This is Joe Budden's attempt at speaking to God, just like DMX has done with "The Conversation" on It's Dark and Hell is Hot and all his other albums toward the end. And even though I don't condone people doubting and questioning God, I have to admit that people have these thoughts all the time and Joe just put it on record. And I don't think that it was by accident that he gave God the last word. I think this is his way of saying that God is right (although he questions Him in the song). I definitely have to give this a 5.
Overall, I would give the album a 4. I thought the album was great, but it took a little too long for the album to really pick up and get to the best tracks and it really could have done without "The Future" only because it doesn't fit with the rest of the album at all. Either way, it was a great effort, and I look forward to more of Budden when that Slaughterhouse album comes out. And I left it on the last post, but I'm going to put it on here again, the video for "In My Sleep."
What do you think about the rating and breakdown? Would you rate it higher or lower? What was your favorite song on the album? Any other thoughts about Joe. Comment here or hit me at straightouttahiphop@gmail.com. And you can listen to Straight Outta Hip Hop radio while your leaving your message lol.
Peace.
yea...its not often i absolutely agree wit everything u say but this time i do...i also thought that on pray for me, my favorite song on the album, joe let god have the last word to prove he was right...i also thought futre was a real pathetic attempt at a single...not that it was a bad song but the fact it really didnt fit into the rest of the album in my mind...the only one i wouldnt give a 5 is exxes, but thas just bcuz of a personal preference, joe lyrical wise was still on point...but outside of that everything u said i pretty much agreed with...good post...
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