Cole album...pretty front loaded. First few tracks are noteworthy but the second half tapers off. I think Cole is a good song writer and makes some decent beats...but he doesn't strike me as a complete producer. Multiple tracks would have been better with a female singer doing the hooks and singing vs his somewhat off key delivery. It just sounds awkward and doesn't really sound natural.
Sonically it's his best album, definitely. But his drums are still wack, and the production is still too samey. Piano, weak drums, maybe some horns thrown in.
At the same time thematically it's very similar to everything else he has done. From beginning to end it's like a short story of his life, including a lot of stuff we've heard before - but with some more broad, conscious stuff thrown in (Ferguson seems to swim throughout much of the album). Meanwhile I find it odd that while he shouts his mom out a couple times, he doesn't really talk about her much outside of one song. I don't think he needs to go full-Logic and air everything out, but there has to be an interesting story there. Same with him being mixed and not having much to say about it.
Finally I still think Cole's bravado really comes off hollow. If this is his move for the crown then good luck breh, I'm not really impressed on that front; lyrically he's still very basic. Speaking of crowns there's an interesting part of Fire Squad where he basically says the idea of a "king of rap" needs to be brought back to earth/the people, as royalty in hip hop is nothing but arrogance. It itched my rap nerd self, as it touched on something I always complain about: Cole and a lot of these new guys feel like fans, not stars. They're not really doing anything that makes me think they're on some upper echelon or untouchable. The first time I heard Dead Presidents II it blew me away, it was just on another level to me. Same with when I first heard NY State of Mind, or Everyday Struggle. I don't get that sense from anyone now, although Kendrick sometimes seems like he can do it.
7/10
