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Rating: THE REVIEW
"Idlewild" by OutKast starts with references to Laurence Olivier and Cab Calloway. Your first clues will be that this album is not going how ordinary hip-hop would go.
This CD includes a wide variety of musical influences, including gospel, swing, blues, soul, ragtime, and acid rock.
As in their previous efforts, André and Big Boi are strong on originality and musical risk-taking.
For their work on "Idlewild," they wildly switch from one sound or theme to another musical extreme. Sometimes this kind of experimentation can work, sometimes not. Famous stars lend their talents, including Khujo Goodie, Killer Mike, Li'l Wayne, Macy Gray, Sleepy Brown, Snoop Dogg, Whild Peach, Scar, and Janelle Monae. The truly and unfortunately few best moments on the album are in the songs where the two partners (Andre and Big Boi) publicly collaborate, namely "N2U" and "Peaches." Other highlights include Andre's basket of 1930s-style ragtime, like "When I Look In Your Eyes," which gives a theatrical and pleasant effect. You will hear explicit lyrics here and there.
I must say that OutKast's musical experiment really doesn't work at all. Sometimes you'll get the feeling of being in the presence of the original vision of the true artist; more often, however, you'll think of how a couple of capable and talented guys can be so bizarre beyond the limit without exactly knowing why.
If you enjoy "Idlewild," you might want to listen to Scott Joplin, some classic ragtime, or something by Prince: an eccentric music with roots in another era.
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Summary by Bot
OutKast's Idlewild is a daring album that mixes hip-hop with diverse genres like gospel, swing, and ragtime. While some tracks with joint performances shine, much of the experimentation feels overextended and bizarre. The album pays homage to vintage musical styles but doesn’t consistently hit the mark. Listeners seeking eccentric and theatrical sounds may find moments to enjoy.Tracklist Lyrics
01 Intro (02:12)
03 Peaches (feat. Sleepy Brown & Scar) (03:10)
04 Idlewild Blue (Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me) (03:24)
05 Infatuation (interlude) (00:48)
06 N2U (feat. Khujo Goodie) (03:40)
07 Morris Brown (feat. Scar & Sleepy Brown) (04:24)
09 The Train (feat. Scar & Sleepy Brown) (04:09)
10 Life Is Like a Musical (02:14)
11 No Bootleg DVDs (interlude) (00:50)
12 Hollywood Divorce (feat. Lil' Wayne & Snoop Dogg) (05:23)
13 Zora (interlude) (00:16)
14 Call the Law (feat. Janelle Monáe) (04:51)
15 Bamboo & Cross (interlude) (00:54)
18 In Your Dreams (feat. Killer Mike & Janelle Monáe) (03:34)
19 PJ & Rooster (04:27)
20 Mutron Angel (feat. Whild Peach) (04:18)
21 Greatest Show on Earth (feat. Macy Gray) (03:06)
22 You're Beautiful (interlude) (00:29)
24 Dyin' to Live (02:07)
OutKast
OutKast is an American hip hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia, formed by Andre 3000 and Big Boi in 1992.02 Reviews
