I've already exposed a lot of my thoughts about this record via discussion, but here's a standalone.
Open Mike Eagle -
Dark Comedy
This record is diverse and showcases a lot of Open Mike Eagle's finer points that some of his previous albums only touch on. Goofle turned me onto this record when it first came out, but that was early on in my hip hop appreciation and it didn't have the experimental or abrasive nature of the majority of the stuff I was into at the time so it kind of slipped off of the radar. I decided to revisit it after seeing it pop up in my discover section on Spotify and really came around to it.
Mike's sing-songy rapping style blurs the lines between singing and speaking, which is what I think makes OME so singular. I could just be ignorant on how unique his is in that aspect though. The line between singing and rapping is even finer on his latest album, Brick Body Kids Still Daydream, which I agree with Ant is a lot stronger due to its consistency and really powerful theme, but it hadn't been released at the time of my pick and it's even more of a grower so it might not have been a good choice.
Anyways, I like the diversity of the album a lot. The only track that I'd outright cut is Jon Lovitz and Big Pretty Bridges because they're kind of lackluster in comparison. Jon Lovitz is a funny characterization of overzealous promoters.
The two more upbeat tracks that open the album are good, but I think it starts to take off in a more interesting and dark direction with Thirsty Ego Raps.
I don't often go for skits, but that tone deaf interview at the end of Golden Age Raps is funny as ****. Really love how lyrically, his use of ironic humour on a lot of the tracks switches to social commentary and back very naturally.
I'm surprised that nobody mentioned the features. Comedian Hannibal Buress has a better than expected and funny verse on Doug Stamper. Don't set **** on fire. Really dig the darker beat and hook on this track, it goes hard. Kool AD of Das Racist has an awesome verse in his half-asleep and high as **** style on Informations, but I like OME's verse better. Just a fun track overall though and like, so deep too bruh.
Idaho has my favourite production on the album and lyrically I think it's trying to emulate falling asleep at the wheel as the vehicle goes from car to plane to spaceship about to make a crash landing.
Overall it's a fun listen for me that I can both throw on and get caught in the melodies of or zero in on the lyrics and try to catch all of OME's little jokes. Not a perfect record but a damn good time. 8.5/10