Mac Miller – Watching Movies With The Sound Off

    Mac Miller’s growth since 2011’s Blue Slide Park has been an exponential spectacle, with his atypical path leading up to Watching Movies With The Sound Off marked by a young man’s pursuit for harmony in a scene of personal skepticism. In between those 20 months in which this quirky, independent Pittsburgh emcee topped the Billboard charts, Mac has released a number of projects, none similar to the next, flirted with alter-egos, and dabbled in self-production, all the while dealing with an addiction to Promethazine that hampered his musical disposition. Now, Mac Miller is more focused, with his sophomore set lending a thorough look into the 21-year-old’s life.

    Musically, this album can be traced back to moments of Macadelic and You, but his execution has unquestionably improved. With a melancholic backdrop seeping through his patient prose, “REMember” details the passing of his close friend, Reuben Mitrani. While still shaken, Mac finds solace in wisdom as he raps, “Your life’s short, don’t ever question the length / It’s cool to cry, don’t ever question your strength.” Elsewhere, he embraces his baritone vocals with the unexpected treasure “Objects In The Mirror.” The topic here plays off the metaphorical outline of his previous dependence to “lean,” and Mac’s ability to mirror his words as if he’s describing an unhealthy relationship speaks to his lyrical ingenuity.
       
    Whereas Miller refrained from sharing the limelight on BSP, his guest selection for Watching Movies features a murderer’s row of new school misfits that bring out the album’s best moments. Whether it’s the vibrant glow on “Matches” or the eccentric tone of “Suplexes Inside Of Complexes And Duplexes,” Mac sharply raps alongside the likes of Ab-Soul and Jay Electronica with skilled precision. Then there’s the sensational pairing on “Red Dot Music,” where he saunters through lyrical acrobatics with Queens native Action Bronson. It’s a toss-up for best verse, but Miller definitely gets his licks in: “Word to my denim fiends, I’m Kennedy on ecstasy / My flavor from the nature, need an acre for my recipe / They got my soul, but I don’t let them take the rest of me / My melody, a little like Kenny G’s, it’s heavenly.”

    In the grand scheme of things, Mac Miller doesn’t completely leave his playful demeanor behind. Both “Watching Movies” and “Bird Call” sit on an island of sexual provocation, with the latter track pushing his lofty illusions to the max (“I used to give a fuck about success / Now I just want to see Mila Kunis undress / Hope she down for buttsex, it will be a cum fest”). He also hits a bit of a rough patch when channeling an existential perspective with “Aquarium,” issued through a monotone cadence. To be fair, there are some notably deep lines to be found here (“Read about the meaning of dreaming and all its messages / Sedatives that take me to God, witness his fetishes”), but ultimately how it fits into Watching Movies is unclear.

    Whatever adolescent deficiencies Mac Miller dealt with throughout his prodigious rise as Rostrum’s second brain child, Watching Movies With The Sound Off genuinely keeps him grounded for a calculated performance that will earn him the respect he’s craved since his Easy Mac days. Miller doesn’t pander for a clear cut radio single, nor does he let the fear of Internet backlash obstruct his experimental approach. In that respect, the Pittsburgh emcee is right back where he started; kickin’ incredibly dope shit.

    186 thoughts on “Mac Miller – Watching Movies With The Sound Off

    1. I’m not even a fan of dude, but his album had more energy and better beats than J cole album. At least I wasn’t bored through the whole listen!

    2. I dont get how HHDX’s review of Born Sinner primarily caries negative undertones, and criticisms, yet Mac Miller’s WMWTSO is given all praise, with positive marks regarding to immense improvement AND THEY BOTH RECEIVE A 4 STAR RATING!!! Something sounds off! The people have spoken, Yeezus isnt Kanyes best effort, but i dont get how you can bash Cole’s and highly praise Mac’s yet give their album the same rating?!?

    3. Has Cole set his expectations for HHDX so high, that when he underperforms in their eyes he still gets a 4 star rating? Has Mac set his expectations for HHDX so low?

    4. Yeezus= 2.5(Screaming, Autotune, Techno)
      Born Sinner= 3.5
      Watching movies with the sound off=3.5

      Correct

    5. This album ain’t all that. Only a few good ones like “Gees”, “S.D.S.” “Goosebumpz” & “Watching Movies”

    6. Possibly the biggest artistic growth in 2012. Give this man his propers. I think it’s a best album than Born Sinner and Yeezus, and everybody’s scared to say it.

    7. Niggas, Niggresses, Niglets are MOCKERY OF ACTUAL PEOPLE. SET THESE GORRILAS ON FIRE WHREEVER YOU SEE THEM

    8. Download Mac Miller songs alongside J.Cole & Kanye West @

      Bigblogtalk.com/songoftheday

      Free downloads of the hottest songs of the week and a fresh video everyday to make you laugh!
      Show some support and get free mp3s and check out our site

    9. This album is class, mac gets rid of the overly commercial bollocks that was present on blue slide park and successfully experiments with new sounds and concepts. With his own production element now in full flow he is managing to find himself and his own unique sound without doing a kanye and making an album of clutter

    10. Never cared for this dude, i been a huge Ye fan since college dropout. With that said, this album DOPE, and Ye album FLOP

    11. Not bad, not bad at all. I don’t know if that’s because I had (very) low expectations..but I came out of it pleasantly surprised..

    12. Idk what everyones talking about ,but this is a good ass album. Half the people rating it so badly probably didn’t even listen to it.

    13. Its Just Coo To Me Yeezus>Born Sinner>Watching Movies
      but www. hiphopgood .com has that new Ciara, Slum Village, and Daz & WC cds posted, cant ever go wrong with some slum village and DAZ & WC, check em out www. hiphopgood .com

    14. This album is deep and f*cking awesome.. Mac is a genius and this is just aborter proof of that… Bit still, i hope to se something different next time he give out something

    15. I was just an average Mac listener. Didn’t really find him that special but I liked a few certain songs. After listening to this album…wow. He’s gained a true fan in me. Dude’s dope. Probably one of the best tapes I have heard in a good while…Crapped all over Kanye’s new CD.

    16. Maybe it’s just because I am a Mac Miller fanatic, but this in my opinion the best album ever. I enter a new world each time I listen to it.

      1. “but this in my opinion the best album ever” – I hope you just started listening to hip hop, because otherwise, that statement is asinine.

    17. FREE Download Mac Miller songs alongside J.Cole & Kanye West @

      Bigblogtalk.com/songoftheday

      Free downloads of the hottest songs of the week and a fresh video everyday to make you laugh!
      Show some support and get free mp3s and check out our site

    18. Very good delivery and much better than Blue Slide Park. Also I think it’s smart to drop on 6/18 with Kanye since they are so different in their style it won’t lower anyone’s sales.

    19. He has improved a lot and this album has both clear direction and artistic intent with a good follow-through. This album will be one I listen to for a while.

    20. Been a fan of Mac since K.I.D.S. The normal progression of from kid to an adult, he is still discovering his actual style. He just keeps getting better. And all of it independently. Most dope!

    21. “Star Room” Is the first and easily best track on the album, along with red dot and complexes, Mac has stepped it up big time to all you Fuckin hatin ass bitches, imo this joint is better than J. Coles album all around, but im warming up to yeezus big time, that shit is ill too but mad props to Larry.

    22. This album was absolute garbage. Mac Miller makes better mixtapes than real albums. There was not even one song in this album that stood out. He sounds like he is laying in bed, just woke up, put a mic in front of him, and started recording his vocals. 2/10.

    23. After hearing everybody saying how great of an album this is I had to check out what all the fuss is about. I am still not impressed by Mac Miller and will never be. Ya’ll have decided this clown as an improved emcee?

      Mac Miller is a joke. He is the definition of an average mediocre rapper. Switch up the flow Mac, same stoner monotone rap.

      His delivery is lazy, his flow is boring. No energy

      The production falls in line with mac miller, nothing special. Just a plain dude who smokes too much and think he can rap

      “it must be the drugs”

    24. This is an amazingly dope artistic album. SICK production!! Deep lyrics, good wordplay and great concepts.

      EASILY better than J Cole’s album. That shit puts me to sleep. So fucking dull.

    25. MAC’S A G. J COLE & JAY Z GETTING GASSED HIS ALBUMS DROPPING SAME DAY AS KANYE’S AND MAC MILLERS ALBUM IS SICKER THAN BOTH.

      KANYES NEVER BEEN THAT A GOOD A RAPPER WITH DEEP MEANINGFUL LYRICS OR SONGS, HES MADE SOME NICE SONGS STILL BUT HIS SKILLS PRODUCING BUT EVEN THATS NOT THAT GREAT ON HIS NEW ALBUM NOT FEELING THE DAFT PUNK SHIT LOL

      WELL DONE MAC, THE TUNES ON THIS ARE DOPE AS.

      GOOD 4 HIP HOP

      JUST HOPE IT GETS KNOWN MAC OWNED THESE OTHER 2 RAPPERS

    26. This is without a doubt my favorite album that dropped on June 18th. Mac deserves all the success he will get after this, not that he hasn’t had enough already though. He will get even bigger though, and wait til that project with Pharrell comes a major label will probably pick him up. Salute to the homie, most dope! 5/5 CLASSIC SHIT!

    27. its was tremedous!! absolutely superb! i love objects in the mirror and claymation. mac miller, you’ve done it again, given me an album to listen to day and night. i love you!!!

    28. Crazy how he’s changed through all of his mixtapes and albums as an artist. He really has grown. He’s also one of the most dedicated artists out there. 8 mixtapes, 2 eps, 2 studio albums and an immense amount of features. I can’t wait to I see what he puts out next!

    29. Obvi the album is something different. Just because it’s different dosen’t mean it’s a piece of shit

    30. Looking back at it, Macadelic was a perfect way to change from the teen angst rap of Blue Slide Park to the deep personal words and beats of WMWTSO. Every time Mac releases something new it makes me excited for the next project. I love that both of his albums have been very personal, BSP has no featured artists and he did it alone, WMWTSO is an insight to the trouble he has experienced with becoming famous.

    31. his flow is very monotonous. after a few songs its really annoying. Although this is his best album to date.

    32. By far Mac Miller’s most intelligent album. You can see how he has progressed through his lyrics AND his music.

    33. This album is honestly very underated. Pains me to say it but it’s prob better than yeezus and born sinner lyrically and it ties production wise. And yes I just said Mac Miller had a better project than J cole and Kayne IDK if they dropped wack albums or mac dropped an amazing project.

    34. I never considered myself a Mac Miller fan but this album is surprisingly good. Better than Cole and Kanye’s albums. Freddie Gibbs has the best album from last week though, that needs reviewing.

      1. I agree, this album is the best of the year so far and I never even heard any of Mac Miller old stuff and I am African American!

      1. Hey you fucking idiot you dont rate albums on “levels” you rate it on the actual album, born sinner is good but in my ming cole underachieved on it, dick riders are hilarious

    35. he kills it in this album. He really steps up his flow and lyrics in this album along with leaving an underlying message.

    36. I’ve been hearing Mac for five years and he still fascinated me! Good shit Mac! Best Album of the year as yet!

    37. Theirs a bird in the sky, look at fly ,why, why, why, why, WHY..

      never have rhymes been so well casually delivered. Mac’s flow is so laid back, lyrically talented without doubt.

      Seriously raw as fuck tune and album is killer thru an thru.

    38. Did anybody else not find the bars they quoted exceptional in any way? I like Mac but those bars were medicore to the last degree

    39. The track with jay electronica might as well give Eminem a feature too.

      This album kinda boring like born sinner,yeezus weak as fuck too.

      Not impressed by any of these albums.

    40. If you don’t like this album you are either a woman who can’t stand Mac’s demeanor towards woman or you’re only listening once and not giving the lyrics a chance to set in. REMember and Objects in a Mirror are AMAZING and they really capture what Mac is all about. Anyone can rap fast if they practice long enough (Trust me I know.. I used to suck but now I can spit fast as hell – for proof check out http://www.facebook.com/khollamusic) It takes real skill to rap slow and write something that will entertain as well as make you think. Oh yeah if you hate on this you probably dont know what thinking is…. GO LISTEN TO WAYNE AND STAY RETARDED!

      1. i agree he has step up his delivery. now he has my full attention. props to miller for working with clams casino

    41. reverbnation.com/bctrice

      Whole album dropping on you dumb motherfuckers heads like WOW.

      btw, this shit is from 2005, never been released. Put your motherfucking crayons down and play with some big boys.

    42. Mac Miller was born in Pittsburgh, on January 19, 1992 United States. previous albums were selling one of them is the album Blue Slide Park, in 2013 issued a new album, entitled Watching Movies With The Sound Off with Style / Genre: Hip hop and issued 19 best

    43. i tried to hate this album. but damn dont i feel dumb. mac miller has put together an album that is further growing on me and now i am very excited to see wat else he has in store. not to mention the hard copy of the album is clever with the hidden message.

      1. i know i jus bought the physical yesterday…had the burned copy..but i loved it so much it made me crack ^ so much…hidden msg what does it say i dnt wanna tear the the card board lol

      2. COSIGN
        I TRIED TO HATE TOO
        I just couldn’t.

        Mac Miller got a lot of new fans with this one.
        The white boy is alright imo.

    44. Where is Mac going? Of course artist change through out their career but i haven’t liked any of Millers Music since Blue Slide park and in my opinion his best was in K.I.D.S. mixtape.

      Mac has steered off course.

      1. #true^^! BSP was his last decent album. Macadelic actually was ok in my opinion but other then that i like the olllld Mac better.

    45. Mac miller at his best in this song. This is as good as he’s gnna get though. Good luck being a rapper when Eminem is out there making them look bad lol

    46. People should really listen to Eminems music before even considering being a rapper. No ones ever gnna be better.

    47. Never heard of this dude until a few weeks back. A few tracks on here I can’t stop listening to. Red Dot Music is crack. This has me wanting to listen more and more, nothing else that’s been out so far this year has grabbed me. Jay’s was ok, Kanye’s is shit. Don’t feel J Cole much, to sing songy happy crap.

    48. This album could be a classic, followed Miller since Nikes on my feet wasn’t feeling his previous albums but this is brilliant no filler, listen to it all the way through start to finish.

    49. Racist fool. Listen with your ears, not your hate. All your ignorant comment does is reinforce a negative stereotype, which only harms black brothers who, unlike you, have a brain.

    50. Mac is an old soul, I’m convinced.
      This album is deep, progressive and a game changer for Mac.
      He’s singing his own hooks on tracks that are sick. His word play fresh and delivery so brilliantly lazy, seeming effortless, like he’s got the world by the horns and might be bored by the fact that he pulled it off already. The dude has a pair for putting himself out there the way he has on this LP. 5 stars, in my top 5.
      Gittem Mac!

    51. Seriously one of the best albums I’ve ever heard in my entire life. It shouldn’t be interpreted as an album persay, it should be an EP. Interpret it more as individual tracks not necessarily telling a story, but giving you information about a life. A life that had heavy drug use at times as well as periods of depression. Many of the tracks, such as REMember deal with the death of his best childhood friend due to cancer. He started an entire record label desecrated to him, called REMember, like the song. REM are the initials of mac’s deceased pal. Heavy stuff. First time I heard the second verse of REMember I cried. First song to make me cry in a long long time. Listened to it the next day; cried again. 3 times I had to listen to it before I could manage to not tear up. Now I have the entire song memorized, obviously, & it’s a great great great verse. Overall 5 out of 5 album & in my opinion one of the defining albums of this generations greatest music.

      Also I’m flying preeeeeetty fuck’n high, & have been taking numerous just vuluptuous bowls of milky smoke of the heaviest dankest buds of Grape Ape I’ve ever seen. Not that it matters, it’s a great album anyways, but it’s preeeeetty fuck’n rad to listen to while you chainsmoke joints like your parents are out eating dinner & seeing Transformers and will be home soon so you gotta high for the rest of the night.

      5/5

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *