New Album Review: Macklemore- Ben

Macklemore- Ben

Label: Warner

Producers: Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Budo, Brian Walls, Daoud, Kid Culture, Naz, Sam Wish, Tyler Dopps

Crafted in the aftermath of a relapse with his alcohol addiction that occurred during a low-point at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it should come as no surprise that the third solo album from Macklemore is the rapper’s most personal to date. Without question, the titular Ben is truly a record of redemption in the wake of one’s most cripping self-destruction. This thematic tone is gorgeously established in the four-minute epic that is the opening track, “Chant”, a collaboration with indie-pop enigma, Tones & I. Like his moving 2013 hit, “Same Love”, “Chant” gloriously marries swirling Hip-Hop with pop-flavored gospel. All the while, it exposes the roller-coaster life that Macklemore has weathered since briefly emerging as one of pop culture’s buzziest names thanks to the runaway success of “Thrift Shop” one decade ago. That scrappy and powerful spirit of redemption and perseverance is a constant throughout Ben, which proves itself as a deep and multi-faceted collection of tracks. It strikes a fully-formed blend of the raw ingredients that made his early music so intoxicating: undeniable rap dexterity, a goofy but charming sense of humor, and a bleeding heart that Macklemore was always unafraid to wear on his sleeve. Whether it’s one of these specific qualities, or a combination, that initially drew you into Macklemore’s music, there is something here to sink your teeth into: full-fledged rap showcases (“Heroes” “Grime”, “Faithful”), reflective contemplation on matters both individual and cultural (“Day You Die”, “Lost/Sun Comes Up”, “God’s Will”), and unadulterated pop ear-candy (“Maniac”, “1984”, “No Bad Days”). And as is nearly a grand tradition on contemporary Hip-Hop albums, the number of collaborations is staggering, with an extensive roster of guests also including Collet, Windser, Sarah Barthel, DJ Premier, NLE Choppa, Livingston, and more. The most deliriously successful of them all proves to be the sheer bop bliss that is “Maniac” with Windser, which not coincidentally is the sole moment on the record featuring an appearance by his former marquee partner, Ryan Lewis as both co-producer and co-writer. It’s further evidence that Ben is an unabashed celebration and acknowledgement of Macklemore’s past, the highs and the lows, while also embracing the present moment and, as movingly espoused on album finale “Tail Lights”, a look toward the future with a mature sense of realistic optimism.

Track Listing:

1. “Chant” featuring Tones & I (Macklemore, Joshua Karp, Tyler Andrews, Tyler Dopps, Andrew Joslyn, Josephine Howell)
2. “No Bad Days” featuring Collet (Macklemore, Karp, Andrews, Chloe Gasparini, Dave Dalton)
3. “1984” (Macklemore, Karp, Andrews, Dopp, Sam Wish)
4. “Maniac” featuring Windser (Macklemore, Karp, Andrews, Jordan Topf, Brian Wall, Ryan Lewis)
5. “Day You Die” featuring Sarah Barthel (Macklemore, Karp, Sarah Barthel)
6. “Heroes” featuring DJ Premier (Macklemore, Karp, Christopher Martin, Joshua Rawlings, Terrence B. Cole)
7. “Grime” (Macklemore, Karp, Andrews)
8. “I Need” (Macklemore, Karp, Andrews, Lewis, Rawlings)
9. “Lost/Sun Comes Up” featuring Jackson Lee Morgan (Macklemore, Karp, Andrews, Jackson Lee Morgan)
10. “Faithful” featuring NLE Choppa (Macklemore, Karp, Andrews, Dopps, NLE Choppa)
11. “Tears” (Macklemore, Karp, Dopps, Naz)
12. “Sorry” featuring Livingston (Macklemore, Karp, Livingston, Sasha Sloan)
13. “God’s Will” featuring Vic Daggs II (Macklemore, Karp, Dopps, Daoud Anthony, Jake One)
14. “I Know” featuring Charlieonnafriday (Macklemore, Karp, Sloan, Daniel Hackett, Charlieonnafriday)
15. “Tail Lights” featuring Morray (Macklemore, Karpe, Andrews, Morray)