Album Review: Stolen from the Best? Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "The Heist"

heist |hīst| informal

noun:  a robbery

verb [ trans. ]:  to steal

So, what exactly is the heist in The Heist?

We'd like to venture a guess.

We'd like to think that Macklemore & Ryan Lewis believe they've heisted everything good from rap history and woven it into one tight, explosive breakout album.  And if that's what they're trying to say, well, we think they might be right. So they might be guilty of Grand Larceny.  We're not complaining.  This album is a masterwork, and chart success aside, we think we're going to see a lot of great things from the duo and their cast of featured artists.  And that makes us very, very happy.  

What makes it so great?

Since the album is long at 18 tracks, we're not going to go track-by-track.  Instead, we're going to highlight a few threads and a few songs to show just how deep the glory goes.  Here goes:

Indie Meets Rap:  The opening track of the album, "Then Thousand Hours," speaks of the vast body of work of the artists of rap history.  We believe this tribute is also a statement of what the album is about - getting back to the roots of rap, bringing fresh sounds together with the memorable sounds of yesteryear; it's like what Fitz & the Tantrums and so many other bands are doing in the rock world, and it works beautifully.  

Take the Fugees-esque brass and dance grooves of "Can't Hold Us," or the "Brass Monkey" sax of "Thrift Shop." Take the sweet, Motown-esque vocals of Mary Lambert on "Same Love."  And how about the message of equality and love on the tune?  No drugs or sex here, kids:  just a message of acceptance and love, a social critique reminiscent of rap's origins.  We could go on, but that's a good start.  

A World of Innovation:  A children's choir on "Wing$" (a direct critique of the  consumerism that pervades most rap), AfroCuban drums and brass on "Can't Hold Us," the innovative use of synth effects and sounds drawn from world cultures, and the intoxicating groove and vocals of ScHoolboy Q & Hollis on "White Walls" are just some of the most innovative moments on the album.  It's good stuff.  Honest creativity at work.  

Now, we realize that many people might not go for how non-commercial a lot of sounds; much of the tunes aren't really danceable, and that's a big deal these days, but "My Oh My," take "My Oh My" and tell us what's not to like.  It's a beautiful dream of what life can be.

So, while we're not 100% sure what Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are stealing on their breakout album, we hope they'll keep stealing it, and with the same glee and creativity that makes the album the masterful melding of word and sound that it is.

Favorite Tracks:  "Can't Hold Us," "Same Love," "White Walls," "Wing$," and "My Oh My."  

Check it out!