I'd just checked out 'Rhythm-al-ism' and was underwhelmed but this is better. The beats do more, are funkier and harder, and just more my thing. There are still some average moments though on this album like the content on some of the sex songs such as 'Mo Pussy' and the attempt at reggae with 'Me Wanna Rip Your Girl' is a skip, but most are worthy west coast, g-funk, gangsta rap songs. Another song I won't be going back to is the closing shout-out track. I've said it before, but shout-outs should've been left to being text in the CD booklet. I don't know why it was a trend in the '90s, which is a shame, as the production bangs on 'The Last Word'. At only 42 minutes, there are still some skips, but it's a fairly enjoyable funky album. Beats: ★★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: America'z Most Complete Artist, Jus Lyke Compton, When You're a Gee, Only Fo' tha Money

To be fair, after a big meal, and a late night, I was crashing when I viewed this, but despite its charm and some originality, that are the strengths of the movie, this doesn't come together. Were Charlie's character, Latte Pronto, and his publicist, Lenny, ever close enough for all of the emotion felt at the end? I didn't think so. Watching this, you have to completely ignore that the plot makes no sense with Latte achieving what he did without speaking which some won't be able to. Given the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia fan that I am, I was crossing my fingers for Charlie Day to have a hit here, a project that he spent a long time working on, but it just has missing elements.

After loving a few of their albums, the next ones I checked out weren't as likeable, but this is back on form and feels more like the albums from The Tea Party that I rate - 'Splendor Solis' and 'Transmission' in particular. Best Tracks: The Maker, Black Roses, Water's on Fire, The Ocean at the End

Seeing Kendrick Lamar put this amongst his top 25 albums made me check this album out and I'm kind of with AllMusic's rating. This hasn't done much for me. It's hard to put my finger on exactly why. It's not bad, but it just doesn't hit. The production is the usual Quik sound, but they aren't his best, and they don't get me moving enough. The rapping is all too similar from song to song, including the features, Quik sounds more like Suga Free than what I've noticed previously, and the majority of the content isn't interesting at all. There is still some toe-tapping production and a couple of catchy hooks, but there aren't enough of them and the best don't grab me to make me want repeated listens. 3-2.5 out of 5. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★☆ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Rhythm-al-ism - Intro, We Still Party, So Many Ways, I Useta Know Her, Speed, Reprise (Medley for a 'V')

There aren't many better openings to an album than this with 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)'. What a damn song! I heard it in the car as a child and it hasn't lost its luster. I don't adore everything on this album, but there is enough I do, and you can't not appreciate the creativity. Best Tracks: Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God), Hounds of Love, The Big Sky, Cloudbusting, Jig of Life, Hello Earth