Album Review: Earl Sweatshirt-I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside

Earl Sweatshirt: I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside

8.1/10

Inside, Right Where it Belongs

I've never been a fan of Odd Future, or even Earl Sweatshirt for that matter. I've always thought at such a young age he has immense talent, but I always thought his projects lacked a little bit. My opinion on him started changing around the time I saw him perform at Pitchfork Music Festival. The way he connected to his audience really enticed me, so I decided to give his earlier projects some listens. I can now appreciate these projects a lot more, but I will say that there was something missing from these projects. Doris was close to great, but it was not consistent all the way through. Earl is a sleepy rapper, but I feel like on this project he was a little too sleepy and did not give back to his audience enough. I feel like on this new project of his, Earl has stepped up his game quite a bit. 

While his style has not changed much, Earl feels more comfortable and more sentimental on this project. He has never been afraid to be personal, but on this project it feels like Earl is really letting go. These tracks are pretty laid back, but they require a little more attention that the tracks on Doris. The production is better, the message is better, and the lyrics are better. For me Earl has improved every aspect on this release. This album is no To Pimp A Butterfly, but it is a pretty enjoyable hip-hop release. Mantra and Faucet are two tracks early on that create hazy atmospheres that just suck you in. These atmospheres allow you to really focus into what Earl is saying on these tracks. Grief shares personal anecdotes and hits home personally for me. Am//Radio is another great track, with a great feature from Ratking's Wiki. These two rappers mirror each other on this track and that is pretty cool to see. Wool is a fantastic closer, showcasing two rappers really coming into their zones. Earl has improved quite a lot, but so has Vince Staples and that is pretty evident on this track. While this is a very good, and personal album for Earl, it is certainly not without its flaws. I think Earl's sound could use some tweaking. The tracks sometimes just blend into each other which makes it hard for the listener to remember any track in particular. I also think Earl could use some more uptempo songs on here to wake up the listener. Also some of the anecdotes/stories kind of become annoying. A lot of them feel like they are just complaining about early life struggles. While Earl is very intimate and personal, it would be very cool to see him to something more widely problematic. Also Earl's voice itself can be too monotone. Sometimes it is hard to dive into an earl project because it just feels like sometimes he is not giving everything he has into the delivery. The content on this album is very solid, but overall the presentation is perhaps its biggest flaw. 

For a rapper I did not initially like, Earl Sweatshirt is really improving. He still has a lot of things to work on stylistically, but I think that if he continues on this trajectory he will make a truly great album. With this album Earl has separated himself from the rest of Odd Future, and he has solidified himself as a rapper to look out for. 

Best Songs: Mantra, Faucet, Grief, AM//Radio, Wool, Grown Ups

Worst Songs: Off Top, DNA (both not bad)