OutKast - Idlewild: Album Review

OutKast, Idlewild (Jive, 2006)
Before we begin, it's worth noting that I never really bought into the hype with regard to OutKast. I like all of their other albums to varying degrees, but I never thought for a minute that Andre 3000 was some Prince-like musical genius. After hearing this mess, I doubt anyone else will, either.

INTRO

One of these god-awful OutKast skits where several people converse in grating southern accents.

MIGHTY "O"

The first single leaked from the album. It was hailed at the time for being the first real OutKast song in a minute, but the chorus kinda ruins it.

PEACHES

Boring R&B shit with Big Boi on the verses and Scar + Sleepy Brown on the chorus. This wouldn't be out of place on that Got Purp album.

IDLEWILD BLUE

The Andre 3000 single. It's certainly no "Hey Ya." It's not as offensively bad as the rest of 3000's work here, but there's really not a whole lot to it.

INFATUATION

See my comments about the intro.

N2U

Khujo Goodie, who must be bordering on homeless these days, guest raps here. The verses aren't that bad, but again the chorus is overkill.

MORRIS BROWN

Finally, rap has its own "Tusk."

CHRONOMENTROPHOBIA

Goes from awful to just pretty bad once 3000 starts rapping. Still, there's hardly anything to this backing track. ATLiens fans will love this.

THE TRAIN

I think this was also leaked last week once Jive realized no one gave a rats ass about any of the other singles. It'd be alright, if not for all of the "creative" musical flourishes.

LIKE IS LIKE A MUSICAL

A really awful, bizarro take on the Doobie Brothers' "What a Fool Believes." Seriously.

NO BOOTLEG DVDS

See my comments about the intro.

HOLLYWOOD DIVORCE

Lil' Wayne murders Andre 3000 on his own shit. And to think that people were arguing as recently as this year that he was a top 10 MC.

ZORA

Is this supposed to be related to something in the film?

CALL THE LAW

Another one of Big Boi's R&B bitches sings about something or other.

BAMBOO & CROSS

Didn't transfer properly to my budget iPod. Sorry. Probably not very good anyway.

BUGGFACE

Another one of Big Boi's solo raps. The chorus just goes, Bug / Face / Toe /Jam!"

MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL

3000 borrows Prince' Camille voice from "If I Was Your Girlfriend" and can't do anything with it. Because he lacks the talent.

IN YOUR DREAMS

Maybe the album's most generically R&B-sounding moment. Big Boi raps pretty hard though.

PJ & ROOSTER

Gnarls Barkley fans will love this. It's real gay like that.

MUTRON ANGEL

Another one of Big Boi's R&B bitches gets political.

GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

A duet between 3000 and Macy Gray. Need I say more.

YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL

A snippet of dialogue from the film, which I'm sure is awful. Entirely unrelated to that James Blunt abortion.

WHEN I LOOK IN YOUR EYES

So bad it's actually kinda funny. Andre 3000 is such a joke. Even that title is just wrong on so many levels.

DYIN' TO LIVE

The sound of Andre 3000 discovering he has no talent, in real time. That may even be what the lyrics are about.

A BAD NOTE

Ironically, this really does end the album on a bad note. If pressed, I don't think I could've actually come up with a worse way to end anything. I listened to this all the way through once and I wanted to claw my eyes out.

COMMENTS: Because it's OutKast, there's parts here and there where they're almost onto something, but mostly this is one huge, smelly shit sandwich of an album. None of Big Boi's solo records here are as good as his ones on that Purple Ribbon album, and his is easily the best half of this mess. Andre 3000's half, meanwhile, is just the worst thing evar. I'm not even sure what I'd compare it to. Even cancer sometimes kills people who deserve to die. Idlewild is just inexcusable.

BEST TRACKS: "Morris Brown" "Idlewild Blue" "Hollywood Divorce"