Album Review: Earl Sweatshirt - Doris

Earl Sweatshirt claimed he would lose many of his fans with the release of his debut album, Doris. He claimed his material was going to be more serious, indicating a lack of lyrics on topics such as rape and cannibalism. Whether for better or for worse, these topics have been subtracted from Earl’s lyrical content. To the dismay of myself and many friends of mine, his music seems to have remained at the same level of immaturity. The unusual lyrics about obscenities are indeed gone, but it seems they have been replaced by more brag raps and drug references. Earl continues to deliver very unique flows with interesting metaphors but his subject matter is still sub par. The first single from the album, Chum, was quite promising. It was wonderful to hear Earl speak openly about his past with such relatable clarity. After hearing Doris for the first time, I felt considerably less than satisfied. Not only is the lyrical performance lacking on this record, the production seems to fall short as well. Many of the beats feel as if they are missing some important finishing touches. To be completely blunt, they sound half-baked. The intro, “Pre”, literally sounds like a joke. This track sounds like it is straight out of OF Tape 2 (Odd Future’s train-wreck of a collective album). Also the SK La’ Flare feature on this track seems to be in poor taste. Why begin a rapper’s debut record with a feature from a wonky rapper few people know about? The second track “Burgundy”, is produced by The Neptunes. As a fan of Pharrell Williams’s, In My Mind, I had higher expectations for this track. The fake horns really get under my skin. Tracks like “Sunday”, “Sasquatch”, and “523” feel like unfinished projects. It is great to hear Earl trying his hand at production on some of these tracks, but I really believe his skills are underdeveloped here. A production feature from the jazz trio, BADBADNOTGOOD, on “Hoarse” was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately I had a hard time appreciating the combination of these two musical styles. The punchy snare on this track sound a little out of place in juxtaposition with Earl’s laid back flow. Fortunately Doris really delivers with tracks such as “20 Wave Caps”, “Centurtion”, “Hive”, “Molasses”, and “Knights”. The RZA produced “Molasses” is very satisfying. RZA’s hook on this song is solid, funny, and clever. Overall, Doris was a disappointment. After falling in love with Earl’s first mixtape, many fans, including myself, had very high expectations for an album. Sadly, Earl’s debut turned out to be another miss in the Odd Future catalog. 7/10.

Favorite Track: 20 Wave Caps, Hive, Chum, Molasses, and Knights