This Unruly Mess I've Made
by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. New Musical Express (NME)
    Feb 29, 2016
    60
    It’s equal parts witty and serious, poppy and knotty, cracking wise one minute, then demanding you sit quietly and listen carefully through some complicated soul-searching.
  2. Rolling Stone
    Feb 25, 2016
    60
    "Make better music," he wills himself on "Bolo Tie." And sometimes he does, especially when the beats turn soulful and artists like Leon Bridges and Chance the Rapper swing by for assists. With the exception of the exuberant "Downtown," coming up with "Thrift Shop"-style catchiness is rarely the goal here.
  3. The A.V. Club
    Feb 26, 2016
    58
    It’s hard to think of a more apt title for this album than This Unruly Mess I’ve Made. Listeners can find everything that made Macklemore popular in the first place, mixed with everything that lead to the intense backlash against him two years ago.
  5. Pitchfork
    Feb 26, 2016
    51
    This Unruly Mess I’ve Made is nowhere near as bad as its detractors would like it to be. It’s an occasionally inspiring, often corny rap album made for winning Grammy nominations and waking the hearts of the unwoken. The sum of this is sometimes appealing, though frustrating.
  6. PopMatters
    Mar 24, 2016
    50
    Though This Unruly Mess I’ve Made is decent, its biggest failing lies in its quality control. For every good song, there are two mediocre and/or forgettable ones next to them.
  7. Pretty Much Amazing
    Mar 18, 2016
    50
    “Kevin” and “White Privilege II”, obvious attempts to spark political discourse, see an artist not afraid to speak his mind. It makes meme-chasing moments like “Brad Pitt’s Cousin” and “Dance-Off” all the more forgettable.
  8. Boston Globe
    Feb 25, 2016
    50
    Well intentioned but frequently clumsy (“I want to be Hugh Jackman/ you know jacked, man”), the record demonstrates that the duo’s skills haven’t yet caught up to their ambition.
  9. Consequence
    Feb 29, 2016
    42
    TUMIM shows a regression to the mean, further establishing him as an above-average emcee whose runaway hype train simply ran off the tracks.
  10. Clash Music
    Feb 29, 2016
    40
    Macklemore remains unsure of himself throughout, lacking the rapping skills and natural charisma needed to get things onto a surer footing. In the end, it’s a sadly fitting album title.
  11. The Guardian
    Feb 25, 2016
    40
    Admittedly, the pair also cover weightier topics--the co-opting of hip-hop, music industry machinations and parenting dilemmas--but it’s all against a backdrop of basicness that continues to grate.

Awards & Rankings

39
#39 Most Discussed Album of 2016
65
#65 Most Shared Album of 2016

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 153 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 87 out of 153
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 153
  3. Negative: 34 out of 153
  1. wrognibene
    Feb 26, 2016
    7
    Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' sophomore album together falls short of the fun-factor from "The Heist," but still features plenty of brilliantlyMacklemore and Ryan Lewis' sophomore album together falls short of the fun-factor from "The Heist," but still features plenty of brilliantly scored pieces of poetic justice. Overall, Ryan Lewis shows once again that he can create music that adds to someone's words and not the other way around, and most of the time, Macklemore steps up to the plate.

    Unfortunately, this time around, they don't always hit the mark. The lyrics are more overtly political, and we lose a little of that subtlety that made songs like "Same Love" and "Thin Line" easy to listen to but heavy to think about. There are at least three songs that deal with Macklemore's struggle to understand his place in Hollywood and his frustration with fame and entertainment culture.

    That's not to say it's all as extremely self-aware as "White Privilege II" (an impressive, albeit long-winded piece). Last summer's hit "Downtown" remains just as fun as the first time we heard it, the hilarious "Let's Eat" is both satirical and catchy, and "Growing Up" is a powerfully introspective piece about being a young parent, with excellent backup vocals by Ed Sheeran.

    It won't have as many plays as "The Heist," but "This Unruly Mess I've Made" is definitely worth more than one listen.    … Full Review »
  2. tpab
    Feb 26, 2016
    3
    Is time to stop macklemore. People who say he is different are ignorant. His "white privilege" is nine minutes of torture and him trying to beIs time to stop macklemore. People who say he is different are ignorant. His "white privilege" is nine minutes of torture and him trying to be black. His song Downtown obviously was similar to uptown funk by mark ronson. He was a one or two-hit wonder and should have stayed that way.… Full Review »
  3. fidasek
    Feb 26, 2016
    10
    TUMIM is missing some of the catchiness The Heist offered, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. This time, whole album is more seriousTUMIM is missing some of the catchiness The Heist offered, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. This time, whole album is more serious while it remains easy to listen with some parts that will stay in your mind for some time. It kinda reminds me of RAM from Daft Punk with the way TUMIM is built. It also has a lot of variety, features some old school, some modern, some pop-like songs and while some of the songs may seem redundant on their own, it adds that ridiculousness and corniness to whole LP that Macklemore is known for. So if you are looking for some damn funny songs with sweet tones and liked The Heist, you may not like TUMIM. It's not that album that makes you think "wow I like rap and hip hop" as The Heist, and I don't even think it was Macklemore's aim this time. TUMIM to me is an album that is done for his fans and is honest and comes directly from his heart.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »