Review: Future - Monster
By Eli Schoop, Contributor
[Freebandz; 2014]
Rating: 6/10
Key Tracks: “F*ck Up Some Commas,” “Codeine Crazy,” “Radical”
The much-proclaimed king of Atlanta is here to take back his throne. With Rich Gang, aka Young Thug, Birdman and Rich Homie Quan releasing a mammoth compilation of tracks and Migos dropping Rich N**** Timeline in the span of a month, Atlantan trap's heavy hitters have all stepped up to the plate in delivering quality music. Nayvadius “Future” Cash is no exception to this trend, the 30-year-old running with the young guns in style compounded by his new mixtape Monster.
As par for the course with Future's LPs, this collection is no stranger to having a bevy of potential hit tracks. The most immediate seems to be “F*ck Up Some Commas.” Nonsensical title withstanding, booming bass and plinking piano keys compliment Future's most prominent skill--his outstanding manipulation of his voice and subsequent delivery. This man can sound like sandpaper, honey or a dying hyena all at once, which makes him so enjoyable and unpredictable as an artist.
Part of the appeal of Monster is how ridiculous the songs can get. Besides the aforementioned “Commas,” which is just a carefree good time in itself, Future demonstrates his ability to breezily create anthems without much effort. “Codeine Crazy” is one such example, an ode to one of the most dangerous drugs freely available, borrows from Chief Keef's mumble expertise until Future bursts into a rapid-fire flow that punches you straight in the gut.
But lines like “I just took a bitch to eat at Chipotle” don't exactly inspire the most involvement into the tales he's spinning and this highlights a big problem with the mixtape--the inconsistency. As with most releases in the genre, there are too many throwaway tracks and quality control is in sparse supply here. “My Savages” is a confounding track, with production hinting towards a heartfelt ballad but lyrics about Future's entourage and his extravagant lifestyle. The philosophy toward how Future develops his songs here is very perplexing, considering the lack of singing, which Future is known for since his major debut in 2011.
Elsewhere, the constant DJ shouts all over the tape are mildly infuriating. It's irritating that this has become commonplace in trap mixtapes over the past couple of years, but in a genre where trends rule, this is one Future unfortunately hasn't bucked already. The beats make up for it wholeheartedly; Metro Boomin, TM-88, Nard & B and other Atlanta stalwarts all show up with their usual bangers, which is definitely a relief.
Monster isn't a bad tape in the slightest and Future has yet to do anything remotely mediocre. What's troubling is how much better this could have been. Besides a feature from Lil Wayne, there's no appearances from his band of talented friends and Monster suffers for that. This isn't indicative of Future's solo talents, but it remains to be seen if he can replicate his heights on Pluto and Honest on future mixtapes.
