Music: "This Unruly Mess I've Made" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

The Witch Trial:
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released their second album on the back of a very popular first single.
Does the rest of the album follow suit?

Who:
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
What:
Hip Hop/Rap
Why:
Second album
When:
Released February 2016
Where:
American

For (and Against) The Record: This Unruly Mess I've Made
Length: 57:39
  "Light Tunnels"
This opening track is a commentary on the Grammy's and other musical award ceremonies.  It has a really addictive chorus and beat going for it.
  "Downtown"
The big hit single released before the album and it's easy to see why with the clever inclusion of the Downtown tune forming the chorus.  The subject matter proves to be entertaining too.
  "Brad Pitt's Cousin"
In the vein of Bloodhound Gang we get what is probably the most comical song here.  Again, this one is questioning the emphasis put on achieving fame and the price you pay for your privacy.
  "Buckshot"
This is as close to old school rap as we get on the record.  It has that classic hip hop feel.
  "Growing Up"
The album drops a notch in tempo to give us a little gem about taking on the responsibility of becoming a parent.  This song is another instance where the chorus has you singing along in no time thanks to the appearance of Ed Sheeran.
  "Kevin"
Continuing the slower tempo, this tune tackles the subject of pharmaceutical companies and addiction.  There is a hint of gospel when it comes to the hook that fits well with the theme.
  "St. Ides"
This is mainly a song of verses with a nice little guitar riff breaking up each verse.  It shows that they don't need catchy choruses in all their songs for them to be a highlight.
  "Dance Off"
This will get people bouncing around and doing all sorts of silly dances as the title suggests - Dance Off!  A guest appearance from Idris Elba of all people certainly adds to the intrigue.
  "Need to Know"
Need to Know is another song continuing the theme that is most common on the album: fame and fortune and how it can change you if you aren't careful.  It also tackles how fame affects your relationship with your loved one.
  "Let's Eat"
We have another song not taking itself too seriously with its funny spin on everyone's fascination with healthy living and asking what all the fuss is about.  The lyric about carbs is worth its weight in gold.
  "Bolo Tie"
After Buckshot this is the next song that comes closest to paying tribute to old school rapping.
  "The Train"
This has a haunting guest vocal appearance from Carla Morrison as we go into wind down mode as the album draws to a close.
  "White Privilege II"
The record closes out with a commentary on how America still doesn't acknowledge the contributions black people give to the country at large.  The spoken word content help the message hit home along with Jamila Woods verse at the end.  Although the track does waver in tempo quite a bit.

Overall this album continues where The Heist left off.  We have the quirky songs much like Thrift Shop before it; in the form of Downtown; Brad Pitt's Cousin and Dance Off.  Whilst I compare them to Bloodhound Gang, they aren't lyrically played just for laughs.  They do have amusing lyrics but not to the extent of becoming parody songs.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis tackle the trappings of fame and fortune in a number of tracks too.  They address how they have felt being thrust in the spotlight.  The result of this are more than a couple of tunes being very self referential.  They perform a fine balancing act on these songs where they are happy to talk about their experience but not come across as if it has gone to their head.
Fame has found them not just because of having some hit singles; the subjects they cover in their music have often garnered headlines.  They aren't afraid to rap about potentially controversial topics such as Black Lives Matter or drug addiction as a result of prescription medication.  These issues mix surprising well with their more light-hearted output.
At nearly an hour in length this album does go on a bit too long.  Generally I like a record to come in around the forty to forty five minute mark and if you took out the opening and closing tracks then this would go pretty close to that.
Still that isn't enough for me to condemn This Unruly Mess I've Made at all.  There is enough variety for most hip hop fans to enjoy as well as a couple of radio friendly hits.  The guest appearances are a definite highlight of the album.  There are also some neat instrumentation additions to some of the tracks, ranging from horn sections to what appears to be middle eastern elements.

Verdict:
A decent follow up keeps Macklemore & Ryan Lewis from going to the gallows.

Evidence:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Unruly_Mess_I%27ve_Made
http://macklemore.com/