Magna Carta Holy Grail
Jay-Z’s twelfth studio album has been storming the charts worldwide, as well as breaking the record for being the first album to ever sell one million copies prior to its release in the US. With such facts in mind, and considering the host of collaborations and producers attached to it, Magna Carta Holy Grail looks set to be one of the best releases of the year… but does it really live up to such colossal hype?
The answer is a resounding “no”. Put simply, there are too many tracks of average quality and not enough material which really stands out, bar a few songs here and there. For instance, one highlight arrives in the form of the fresh production spearheaded by the 16-year-old WondaGurl on the track ‘Crown’. The minimalist setting, coupled with heavy bass and an ending similar to a string quartet is diverse and much welcomed. But despite solid moments such as this, Magna Carta Holy Grail is dominated by much weaker material.
It is perhaps an unpopular opinion, but the album’s opener ‘Holy Grail’, which features Justin Timberlake, is over four minutes of dated, tired fodder. As with Timberlake’s recent comeback, an overreliance on Timbaland to produce something fresh and out-of-the-ordinary is perhaps too much to ask. Even though prolific RnB producers The-Dream and J-Roc have also had a hand in this track, the result is nothing more than dull.
Put simply, there are too many tracks of average quality, and not enough material which really stands out.
Disappointingly, what could have been one of the album’s most interesting tracks is instead nothing more than a 55-second interlude. ‘Beach is Better’ incorporates the artistic sensibilities of producer Mike WiLL Made It, and hearkens back to Jay-Z’s stronger rapping days as he declares his love for Beyoncé. In fact, Jay-Z reunites vocally with his female counterpart and illuminating lover several times on the album. The most notable collaboration is ‘Part II (On The Run)’, a continuation of their 2002 hit ‘’03 Bonnie and Clyde’. The song mixes high-brow electronica, piano melismas and Timbaland’s infamous drum beats, creating an ’80s-tinged, sultry and relaxed atmosphere when married to Beyoncé’s effortless vocals. Yet these very strengths only serve to highlight why the song feels out of place, on an album which is otherwise filled with duds and skip-worthy filler.
Magna Carta Holy Grail could have been a strong body of work, but with a host of problems – including lacklustre production, overused rapping melodies and tired lyrics – the album has ended up as a shoddy effort. Having been shrouded in quasi-artistic mystery since its inception (including its placement next to the actual Magna Carta at the Salisbury Cathedral), it feels that all the hype leading up to this album’s release has built up to a bland conclusion indeed.
Similar To: Kanye West, Timbaland
MP3: ‘Part II (On the Run)’, ‘Crown’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YcIgow6TDk
Comments (1)
I largely agree – I was disappointed with it given that there was so much expectation. Compared to Kanye’s ‘Yeezus’ it strikes me as very one-dimensional. Despite his success, Kanye makes every attempt to innovate; Jay-Z seems intent on churning records out with no discernible objective or narrative. ‘Holy Grail’ has a catchy hook from JT but the transition from chorus to verse is really clunky. A real shame.