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Mar 21, 2023Altogether, Ben feels like the first time Macklemore has truly let listeners into his inner world, showcasing his underrated lyrical skills and enough varied production to keep the album moving forward toward a hopeful finish.
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Mar 21, 2023Surprisingly, it finds him mellowed out, focused, with a newfound interest in subtlety and even subtext. ... Ben is handily his best album. It’s a midcareer downshift from an artist who desperately needed it.
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Mar 21, 2023The struggle of the wealthy and talented white rapper was never especially sympathetic. And on Ben, his trials are mostly internal, the enduring struggle of man to find meaning and leave a legacy. This Macklemore is likely the most honest version we’ve seen to date.
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Mar 21, 2023Despite some solid songwriting about addiction and mortality, Macklemore’s comeback album still experiences the same struggles with corniness and over-sincerity that torpedoed him from a household name to an afterthought, leading to a mixed bag that’s more admirable than actualized.