User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info
  • Record Label:
  • Release Date:
The  Wack Album Image
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 38 Ratings

  • Summary: The third release for the comedy rap trio of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone includes guest appearances from Billie Joe Armstrong, Lady Gaga, Hugh Jackman, Kendrick Lamar, Adam Levine, Robyn, Solange, T-Pain, Justin Timberlake, Too $hort, Kristen Wiig, and Pharrell Williams.
Buy Now
Buy on

Top Track

Spring Break Anthem
Alright Spring Breakers, you know what time it is I'm gonna need all the hot girls to come onto the stage right now Fellas, let me hear you make some... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 13
  2. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Jun 13, 2013
    90
    It’s dirty as hell, and you’re gonna laugh your ass off.
  2. Struggling for cred as aging rappers will, they stumble occasionally. Some of these ideas obviously seemed funnier when they brainstormed them.
  3. Jun 11, 2013
    75
    Even with the occasional duds, The Lonely Island’s hits make up for its misses.
  4. Jun 11, 2013
    70
    Most impressive about The Wack Album is that The Lonely Island manage to get their jokes across without feeling like they're making fun of rap which, given how much material they'd have by making fun of themselves, would really be a last resort.
  5. Jun 11, 2013
    70
    Despite its occasional lapses into overly familiar territory, The Wack Album proves there simply isn't anyone out there who executes this strain of musical comedy with as much satirical precision as the Lonely Island.
  6. Jun 11, 2013
    70
    Their third LP isn't as sublimely silly, or as consistent [as its last], but it rocks the same mix of guest stars and totally unsophisticated sex jokes.
  7. Jun 11, 2013
    50
    The Wack Album feels awfully short on fresh ideas.

See all 13 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 7
  2. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. Jun 11, 2013
    9
    The returning Grammy-nominated masters of frap (fake rap) come out strong with their best album to date. Nowhere else will you find PharrellThe returning Grammy-nominated masters of frap (fake rap) come out strong with their best album to date. Nowhere else will you find Pharrell Williams dreaming about hugging your mom in a Suburu Hatchback, Kristen Wiig jealously imagining a man with an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction, or Kendrick Lamar as a good financial adviser. Yes, The Lonely Island did it. The Lonely Island have created the ultimate mockery of rap and pop music and somehow made it sound better than every pop artist. Although the album has about ten times the profanity of the previous two albums, the significance within the songs really pack a punch. The Lonely Island is a revolutionary trio of creative frappers who know what's up. They take the blueprints of crappy pop music, make it unique, and blow every other artist out of the water. Although they aren't very family friendly, their lyrics express the true issues in the world... and plenty of penis jokes. Expand
  2. Jun 18, 2013
    8
    The album as a whole is a solid effort, some jokes fall short but it's to be expected in this difficult genre. Lonely Island use satireThe album as a whole is a solid effort, some jokes fall short but it's to be expected in this difficult genre. Lonely Island use satire throughout to address several modern societal issues. A recurring theme is the nonsensical and materialistic nature of 21st century Hip-Hop. At the same time they make it sound good, and credible as a track in its own right, exposing the formulaic hits spurned out by major record labels today. However the album retains a certain level of immaturity typical of TLI, and despite the absence of a stand-out hit fans of the group should enjoy 'The Wack Album' Expand
  3. Feb 16, 2014
    7
    We need good lyrics, not meaningless ****. YOLO, say no-no to this album. Just kidding, this is a good album, but when I heard "I **** myWe need good lyrics, not meaningless ****. YOLO, say no-no to this album. Just kidding, this is a good album, but when I heard "I **** my aunt" I felt like they had **** me over by giving me that **** instead of a good song. ; Collapse
  4. Jun 14, 2013
    6
    Probably their weakest album. While it does have some good humor, there is really no stand out songs like "I Just Had Sex", "Motherlover", orProbably their weakest album. While it does have some good humor, there is really no stand out songs like "I Just Had Sex", "Motherlover", or "Jack Sparrow". "3 Way" is included on this album but that song came out 2 years ago. Expand
  5. Oct 14, 2013
    6
    There's one thing that I'll say gives this an edge compared to their last 2 albums. While Incredibad and Turtleneck & Chain were good on theirThere's one thing that I'll say gives this an edge compared to their last 2 albums. While Incredibad and Turtleneck & Chain were good on their own merits, it was hard to get out of the head that half of those albums were basically SNL compilations from the last couple years, especially Incredibad which had a couple tracks dating back to 2005. Here though, besides “3-Way”, every track is from 2013, so it's easier to look at this as one cohesive project. Also because of that there aren't those awkward tracks where it's not nearly as entertaining without the video. But going to the music itself, one more advantage this album has is that here they're incorporating something they haven't before: cleverness. Even though they were funny for the most part before, it was more in a purely goofy way that even the most simple-minded of people could get 100%. While that's obviously the general vibe here, you can tell these ideas took a little more thought, particularly in the way they make fun of hip hop trends. For example look at “Go Kindergarten” & “Semicolon”, which make fun of dance-command rap songs & the hashtag-rap rhyming scheme respectively in the hyper-exaggerated attitude that they've made their name with, with the latter having a double joke between the actual verses & the last few seconds I won't spoil. Other notable ones in this department include “I Run NY” (feat. my favorite guest singer here Billie Joe Armstrong), “Spell It Out” & “YOLO”. And "Perfect Saturday" ends the album on a great note.

    The main problem with this album though is that while the highs are higher, the lows are much lower. Looking through the track list, to me it's extremely front-loaded, with almost all of the throwaway tracks coming in the back half. Tracks like “Hugs”, “I'm a Hustler (Song?)”, “Spring Break Anthem”, “I Don't Give a Honk”, “I F*cked My Aunt” & “We Are a Crowd” just feel like filler made to pad the album out to reach that 40-minute length, with lazy writing & few actual jokes whatsoever. Not only that, but “3-Way (The Golden Rule)” disappointed me as the 3rd in the trilogy following “Dick in a Box” & “Motherlover”. Why? Because unlike those songs, which are are so outlandish & absurd in concept you can't help but laugh, this is just one sub-par dirty joke with a couple one-liners thrown in. It's not as effective because it's more down-to-earth, and I'm sad to say I recommend skipping it. There's also one instance in the track “The Compliments” where the joke is frustratingly explained in the last 30 seconds via a guest verse from Too $hort.

    The Wack Album doesn't entirely live up to its name. It's not as consistently good as Turtleneck & Chain, but the better tracks here are some of the best they've ever done. If you were annoyed by The Lonely Island's previous stuff, then this won't do much to impress you outside of some refinement here & there. But for fans & anyone burned out on serious subject matter & just wanting an album to make them laugh a bit, I think it's worth a listen.

    Top 5 tracks: YOLO, Diaper Money, Semicolon, Go Kindergarten, I Run NY
    Score: 68/100
    Expand
  6. Jun 24, 2013
    6
    Some pretty awesome tracks here, solid production, lots of humor, basically everything you expect from these guys. Problem is, the tracks areSome pretty awesome tracks here, solid production, lots of humor, basically everything you expect from these guys. Problem is, the tracks are just too short! Ok so there are loads of them but I'd prefer less tracks and have them longer. Expand
  7. Jan 27, 2016
    0
    Simply not entertaining and I know that they are a comedy group but it was truly cringe worthy and personally one of the worst albums that ISimply not entertaining and I know that they are a comedy group but it was truly cringe worthy and personally one of the worst albums that I have ever listened to. Same I can't score it -1. Expand