Mac Miller
Watching Movies With The Sound Off
Rostrum Records, Universal

Mac’s a guy who seems like he’s done a lot of LSD, and if there’s one thing that tells me besides everything, it’s that he knows musical atmosphere and he’s definitely got it. Check out the video for “Gees” if you want to see what I mean. Watching Movies… has a seamless sonically interesting flow beginning to end.

He may not usually write deep, introspective lyrics but his lyrical skill is maxed out and there are moments of real meaningful sincerity like “Remember”. Mac’s out to have a good time though and the album conveys that, it’s a masterfully produced feel-good hip hop album. “Avian” is catchy as hell, maybe the chorus doesn’t make sense but it doesn’t have to, he even says “there’s a bird in the sky, look at him fly, why?” I don’t know why, it doesn’t matter just look at him fly. “I am Who Am” gets serious for a minute and there are those moments of clarity on the album in Mac’s lyrics but they are typically just moments.

You don’t want to listen to Watching Movies… for insight or guidance, some great revelation, it’s not about that. If there’s a revelation to be had it’s that you only got one life to live, have fun and be real with yourself and the people around you. Enjoy the majestic beats and Mac’s skilled flow. “Objects in the Mirror” finds Mac on the serious tip for a minute, he even sings a bit and quite well, it doesn’t sound pitch-corrected either; I dig that. All in consideration the album feels like it’s the start of something great rather than an ultimate realization. I don’t know if Watching Movies is going to reach out to a wide audience but I love it and I’m sure most hip hop fans will too. – Robert Bernhardt