I woke up early this morning and wanted to get my hated run in before the rest of the family woke up and it got hot outside. Since I absolutely loathe running, I listen to my favorite isht to give me a boost and to keep me from getting distracted. I also use it as an opportunity to listen to new stuff and get caught up on projects I missed out on. This morning I was excited because I finally had a space carved out to listen to Mr. Morale. I left my house, and walked to the main road, which is where I start running - usually for about 35-40 minutes or so.
But I simply couldn't run to this album. I'm not talking about a lack of crazy beats or driving production, but just the overall tone and tenor of the whole thing. I ended up just walking, and walking, and walking...and walking as it played. That's the best way I can sum up the album for me. Walking in the early morning as the sun comes up, all alone in your headphones before the heat of the day arrives, nobody around is a great space for this album. I don't think I'd enjoy this album in the car or around other people - regardless of whether or not they could hear it. It's really intense and personal, but also extremely theatrical and/or cinematic. Sonically, much of it feels like it could be the final senior year project at a performing arts college, and then on top of that the content is a LOT to handle.
Father Time, Count Me Out, and Savior all caught my attention. Momma I Sober came on and I loved the triumph of it, but was emotionally exhausted after listening to what was essentially two full albums of a man working through himself in therapy over artsy instrumentals. I really wanted that to be the end, but was glad when Mirror finished the project on a more conclusive/brighter note.
I was still 45 minutes from my house though, there was NO WAY I could make it back if I looped the album - they would have found me laid out on the curb. So I turned to It's Almost Dry to carry me home.
Rereading this it sounds like I didn't like it or enjoy it, but that wasn't the case. It's an impressive work to me, I just found it to be a LOT to handle, and its sound is both non-commercial and atypical. I'll go back to the performing arts school project analogy - I could totally see Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers on Broadway being the hottest new musical with $1,000 a ticket prices and winning all the Tonys a few years from now.
