Mic Navarro's Corner: Yelawolf - Love Story ALBUM REVIEW

When Eminem signed Yelawolf to Shady Records in late 2010, that should have been a clear sign to everyone. Even someone as lyrically great as Eminem recognized the talent Yelawolf has. I myself took notice long before the contract signing. Yelawolf's unique and versatile flow, as well as his lyricism caught my ear immediately. Along with his country, Alabama redneck heritage that he proudly reps in every song. It all makes him a stand out in hip hop today. From the moment I heard his 2010 independent album Trunk Muzik 0-60 I was hooked. It was a much darker approach to southern trunk music that told gritty tales of his upbringing in Alabama and his country lifestyle. So I don't even have to further explain why I, as well as so many others, are anticipating this. His sophomore album Love Story. Now his 2011 Shady debut Radioactive received a ton of mixed reactions. Some loved it and though it was one of the best debuts in quite some time (even got 4.5 mic rating in The Source magazine). The there were some who were let down by it. Mostly because of what seemed like a number of commercial reaches that were totally out of his comfort zone and felt forced by the label. Nonetheless, everyone expected better this time around. I thought that while Love Story was a solid project, it's totally what I was not expecting as far as sound. The album is one huge fusion of hip hop and country music. Like there are literally full songs where Yelawolf is singing country. A few things gives this away though. First the album title. You immediately think there will be some level of emotion and he may talk about past relationships a lot. Not to mention a lot of country music is very emotional and talks about love. Also, Yelawolf's country roots should have had people expecting him to eventually go this route with his music. Lastly, the album cover. It may just look like a ordinary wolf but notice there's no collar. I think that represents Yelawolf being unleashed. Freed by the label and letting him make the album that he wanted to make from day one. I bet a lot of you didn't even catch that. Anyway, there's a lot of emotion on this album. From tales growing up in Alabama, family drama, drama within the music industry and of course past relationships. Though the album is very lengthy (18 tracks), you kinda forget that the more you listen to this album and it grows on you. That said, here's the breakdown:

1. Outer Space

So the album begins in dramatic cinematic fashion. Yelawolf ends up getting abducted by an alien space craft and flown out to space. The song is very intense. It has a very fast pace adrenaline rush feel. Yelawolf has done this a few times. Starting the album with a energetic adrenaline pumping intro. Props to WLPWR on the production (who handled majority of the albums production). One thing though, this songs kinda teases you. Where you hear it it gives off the impression that the rest of the album is gonna be this high octane. Only to find out that's not the case at all and this is the only song out of all eighteen with any level of high energy. Dope intro nonetheless.

2. Change

This song kinda sums up the reasoning for this albums country music sound. Yelawolf's telling his audience that this "change" was bound to happen and hopes that they can accept it. Production wise it has a bit of the country feel with the banjo and the country like harmonies on the hook. An alright song to me. Hopefully this new "change" will grow on us all.

3. American You

Now here is where we get out first taste of pure 100% country music. No rapping whatsoever. Straight country singing. Now I'm not a fan of country music and this song was a tough pill to swallow at first. The more I listen to it the more I actually start to like it a bit. It sounds like he's reflecting on his family and his upbringing in Alabama. Mentioning things that his mother used to tell him as far as making it in the world and things like that. If you're a fan of just hip hop and not country, you probably won't like this at all (or any of the songs on this album just like it). But I myself can live with it.

4. Whiskey In A Bottle

This one I kinda liked after just one listen. WLPWR does a great job with the production here. it's a smooth blend of hip hop, soulful jazz and country sounds. Now it wasn't until after my third listen of this song where I caught the songs concept. You look at the tile and you immediately think he's gonna talk about getting drunk or something. Nope. He refers to himself being the bottle of whiskey. In a sense that he, like whiskey, gets better with age. Acknowledging the fact that he's 30+ but still kicking dope raps. Dope.

5. Ball And Chain

This is nothing but a minute and a half interlude of him singing some more. Now understand, like many rappers, he's not a talented singer. But after all this is country music singing and in some cases, "vocals" aren't that important to get a point across. But this to me just seemed like an album filler. Could have left this off the album completely.

6. Till It's Gone

Here Yelawolf is again exploring one of the many demons that comes with being in this music industry. Having people from your past that were never around. all of a sudden wanting to be your friend. Now that your rich and famous. This is something I'm sure a lot of celebrities have dealt with at least once. Production was just average for me though. WLPWR overall did a good job with the production on this album but this one wasn't one of his best.

7. Devil In My Veins

Of every country music inspired song on this album, this song is definitive country music. It is the furthest thing from hip hop. Yelawolf sings country on this very moody and depressing sounding song. Speaking on the devil and how he tries to fight him off everyday. But back to this sound. When you walk into a bar/diner on the deserted country roads late night, this sounds like what they're playing on the jukebox. Or some old man with a long grey beard is in the corner singing it with a guitar. I mean all this was missing was a Tim McGraw and George Strait feature. Needless to say, this song wasn't my cup of tea.

8. Best Friend (featuring Eminem)

Here one of my personal favorites of the album. Released as a single, the song basically talks about two things at once. Yelawolfs past friendships and the new one he as now with Eminem. The only guest feature on the album. Production was mellow but gets livelier at the right time. Yelawolfs verse are calm and somber melodies. Then out of nowhere, Eminem does his usual thing when doing guest verses. A lyrical tirade that's well over sixteen bars. The hook sounds kinda cheesy the way Yelawolf sings it but I still find myself singing it because of how catchy it is. Dope song.

9. Empty Bottles

Here's yet another song with very mellow and calm production. Not much energy. But it's alright for what it is. Props to Malay Ho on the production. The song is just him talking about his alcohol addiction and how is hurting him. A relatable topic for most.

10. Heartbreak

Some of you can probably tell from the title what this song is gonna be about. I pretty much guessed it myself. He's talking about a past relationship that went sour. Sounds like the girl just wanted money and other materialistic things out of him and this frustrated him. Of course...breaking his heart. The production here has this very jumpy and "happy" melody to it. This is the sound the love songs on his last album had that people did not like. This might be a little better than those though.

11. Tennessee Love

By far my favorite song on the album. This song was also on Yelawolfs last mixtape Trunk Muzik Returns and I loved it even on that. But it sounds and fits better in context with this album. The production has that very low, whispering bass sound in which Yelawolf gives whipsering like vocals. Sounding similar to other songs like "Pop The Trunk" and" Gangster". I always love when he does songs like this. Now following a song where he wants out of the relationship, sounds like here he's on the rebound and wants in on a new relationship. He apparently meets a girl that he really likes and wants to start a new life with her in Tennessee (which is where Yelawolf recorded this album). Overall great song. Love it.

12. Box Chevy V

The fifth installment of the "Box Chevy" series that started on Trunk Muzik 0-60. Honestly, this may be the best one. It's a lot more catchier and a lot more radio friendly than the previous four (it is the first single). The hook sounds very..."sing-a-long-ish". It's guarantee to get stuck in your head due to it's catchiness. Of course as you know, the song is nothing but him once again expressing his love for a old school pine box Chevy. His favorite car apparently. Dope.

13. Love Story

This is nothing but one long sentimental verse about him reflecting on how he got to this point. Who has been there, the struggles, the obstacles he overcame and what are now his plans for the future. He touched on this a lot on this album. So much that I honestly think this sounds like just another album filler. Probably not needed. It at least should have been a bonus track.

14. Johnny Cash

Here's another song that grew on me quickly. Yelawolf is comparing himself to one of his biggest idols, Johnny Cash. In a sense of performing that is. He comparing how he walks on the stage and the crowds reaction to that of Johnny Cash when he walks on the stage and the crowd reacts. I love the hard head nodding bass line. As well as the simplistic yet straight-to-the-point hook. I was a little disappointed to find out through Yelawolf's Facebook page that 50 Cent was actually supposed to be on this song. He would've sounded pretty good over this beat. Dope song nonetheless.

15. Have A Great Flight

It's at this point where the album starts losing steam for me. Here's another full fledged country song with him singing. Didn't really like this too much either. It sounds like he's talking about someone who was close to him that had to leave for whatever reason. Telling them to "have a great flight". Unlike the other countrified songs on this album, this has a bit more country music instrumentation you can hear very clearly. But still, this one...I'm just not feeling.

16. Sky's The Limit

Not only does this part of the album lose steam, but the songs start sounding like bonus tracks and/or album fillers that are just not needed. The song talks about the issues troubling America and the world today. Also sharing his thoughts on what he believes is truly the American dream. Production sounds a little like something up Eminem's alley. Would have liked to hear him on this too. But this song is barely average for me.

17. Disappear

This song fooled me for a bit. I had to give it multiple listens to catch what's going on. When you hear the lyrics you hear him mention "daddy" multiple times. You immediately think he's talking about his father right? Well...you're close. The "daddy" he's referring to is God himself. This song is one big cry for help to God. Asking him to help him disappear from his actual daddy...well step daddy. Apparently he was mean, abusive and just an overall bad influence. I like the message but at this point the album becomes so draining that this song just sounds boring and tires you. Not to mention the fact that it already sounds soft and depressing to begin with.

18. Fiddle Me This

Well...we close out this long, long journey of an album with something a little bit more energetic. The song has a country, dixie rodeo sound with the fiddle and all. This probably has the best mixture of hip hop and country of all the songs. Especially how it ends with a fiddle solo that fades into record scratches. A way of merging both the country music world with the hip hop world. Very cool.

Well in conclusion, it was long, it was unexpected, it was a huge risk. But Love Story is an album that certainly did the job that it was supposed to do. It was a heartfelt genre blending album that Yelawolf wanted to do since day one. He had a story to tell that he never told, and delivered it the way he wanted to. Through his country roots. I give this a final grade of a B-. Despite it's length and the large amount of country music influence, this album proves Yelawolf's versatility and his ability to experiment with his music. Throughout this project, he talks about where he is in his career and where he might end up down the road. Now I don't know if this country music/hip hop style will catch on with many. But if it helps him better tell his stories that I say stick with it. Let it grow on people and make it become popular. That should definitely give him a steady path into his hip hop future. Well...hip hop and country music future. End.

Lyrics: B+

Production: C+

Collaboration: D+

Originality: A-

Concept(s): B+

Final Grade: B-