Like a lot of people, I really like Macklemore. He's fun, he's cool, he's pro-gay, he love thrift shops, and he's just an all around likable guy. However, one thing many people, even Macklemore fans, hate is his studio album, Gemini. My thoughts on it? Well, you're about to find out, as I review Gemini by Macklemore.
Cover: This cover is alright. It's just a simple image of Macklemore standing in front of an orange car, in a tree filled suburb. Decent image, which grabs the attention, but not exactly interesting. Verdict: 4/5.
Song 1: Ain't Gonna Die Tonight
This song is cool. Eric Nally sounds alright, Macklemore sounds good, and the song has a bombastic, energetic feel, similar to top tier AJR. While it's nowhere near as good as Thrift Shop, Downtown, or Can't Hold Us, this song is pretty decent.
Verdict: 5/5.
Song 2: Glorious.
Verdict: 4/5.
Song 3: Marmalade
A Macklemore and Lil Yachty collab? That sounds like a dream come true! But like Beautiful People, Marmalade is an incredibly disappointing crossover between 2 great artists. The pianos are grating, Macklemore sounds horrible, the lyrics are boring and dumb, and the song tries to capture the same fun, silly spirit as Broccoli and iSpy, but fails miserably. But this song does have one saving grace: Lil Yachty. I've always liked Lil Yachty's guest verses, and in this song, he is the only thing that doesn't suck. His voice is charismatic and fun, his lyrics are cool, and he's the only tolerable part of this trainwreck. Skip this song.
Verdict: 1/5.
Song 4: Willy Wonka
And now we get to the most infamous song of the album, Willy Wonka. And... I like it. No, seriously, this song is alright. The beat is ok, Mack sounds great, the lyrics are enjoyably stupid, and the flow is decent. Also, Offset is decent, although those trumpets are really terrible. So yeah, I think this song is ok.
Verdict: 4/5.
Song 5: Intentions
This song is cool. I love the relaxing guitar strumming and piano keys, Mack sounds great, the lyrics are really reflective and clever, and Dan Caplen sounds fantastic. So far, Intentions is the best song on the album. But that lyric about feminism and porn is really dumb. Still a great song though.
Verdict: 5/5.
Song 6: Good Old Days
This song is really good. The melody is nice and relaxing, Macklemore sounds good, Kesha sounds fantastic, and the song is very relaxing, nice and happy. Good Old Days is easily one of the best songs on the album. It's just so nice and happy.
Verdict: 6/5.
Song 7: Levitate
This song is really cool. It has a very funky vibe, Macklemore has a great flow, the lyrics are alright, and Otieno sounds great. If you're looking for a funky song to jam to, check out this song.
Verdict: 5/5.
Firebreather is a really good song. The beat is rocking and cool, Mack sounds great, and that lyric about wearing a Guns and Roses T-shirt because it looks cool is hilarious. It reminds me of quality classic rock. Oh, and Reignwolf sounds fantastic, and really helps make this song have a classic rock atmosphere. Really cool stuff. So yeah, great song.
Verdict: 5/5.
Song 9: How To Play The Flute
First off, I know this isn't part of the actual song, but that Wizard's Foreskin line is hilarious. As for the song itself? Uhhhhh.... What the hell am I listening to? This is just weird. But not the good kind of weird, that's in Lalala. This is the bad kind of weird, that's in Mixed Personalities. Except unlike Mixed Personalities, which is so bizarrely unique, How To Play The Flute is too forgettable to be bizarrely unique. The production is boring, the flutes are annoying, Macklemore sounds bored as hell, and while King Draino is technically better, he's so nondistinctive from Macklemore. Skip this song. PLEASE.
Verdict: 0/5.
Song 10: Ten Million
Ten Million is a really cool song. It has a really cosmic, relaxing instrumental, supported by Mackelmore's great flow, and decent lyrics. That's it. It's just a good song.
Verdict: 5/5.
Song 11: Over It
This song is ok. The beat is fine, Donna sounds alright, Mack sounds fine. It's basically a less memorable version of Ten Million. Still good, but not great.
Verdict: 4/5.
I really like this song. The beat is lovely, Mackelmore sounds great, and the song has a nice, relaxing vibe. Also Abir sounds really lovely.
Verdict: 5/5.
Song 13: Corner Store
At first, Corner Store sounds kind of weird, but after a while, it gets better. It feels like the song Marmalade was trying to be. It has a fun, enjoyable groove, Mack, Dave B., and Travis Johnson all sound great, and unlike Willy Wonka, the trumpets sound really good. It sounds like the kind of song KYLE would write. In fact, I kinda wish KYLE was on this song, because he would frickin' kill it. But even without KYLE, Corner Store is an alright song.
Verdict: 7/5
Song 14: Miracle
Miricale is really mediocre. It's not as boring as Turning Out, but everything about it is really bleh. Everything is so low energy, and while Mack doesn't sound that bad, he sounds far from good. Easily the most forgettable and boring song on the album. Also, Dan Caplan sounds boring as hell.
Verdict: 1/5.
Song 15: Church
Like Ten Million, Church has a very cosmic feel to it. And the pianos are really lovely, Macklemore sounds good, the lyrics are decent, and XPERIENCE sounds alright. It's basically a better version of Miricale.
Verdict: 4/5.
Song 16: Excavate
And now, the final song of the album, Excavate. How is it? Eh. It's not as godawful as Marmalade or How To Play The Flute, but Excavate is really dull. It's basically Same Love, but more boring, and without mention of homosexuals. It's an insanely boring peice of gospel nothingness, that is a definite skip, and an underwhelming end to an underwhelming album.
Verdict: 3/5.
Final Thoughts: Gemini is not a bad album. Quite the contrary; there are actually a lot of really good songs on it. I feel like Gemini is hated not because it's bad, but because it's forgettable. The reason songs like Thrift Shop, Downtown, Can't Hold Us, and Same Love are so good is not just because they're amazing pieces of music (which, they are), but also because they're iconic. But the good songs in Gemini, while good, don't nearly have the same iconic staying power as those songs, with the exception of Corner Store. That song is fantastic. And the bad songs? Woof. When this album fails, it really fails. So yeah, I consider Gemini more mediocre than bad. As an album by Macklemore, it's a huge disappointment. But as an album on its own, you could do a lot worse. I recommend checking out the songs I gave a 4/5 and 5/5. Because they are really decent, enjoyable songs. But Gemini as a whole is a really underwhelming experience, albeit with some value.
Verdict: 3/5.
Best songs: Intentions, Good Old Days, Aint Gonna Die Tonight, Willy Wonka, Levitate, Ten Million, ZARA, Corner Store.
Worst songs: Marmalade, How To Play The Flute, Miracle, Excavate
What are your thoughts on Gemini? What's your favorite and least favorite songs from it? What's your favorite Macklemore song? Comment below!!!!
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