Irish Goobye by Mac Lethal [album review]

After having found great youtube "success" with Pale Kid Raps Faster!, Pale kid raps EVEN FASTER, and the currently ultra-trending Nerdy white kid KILLS "Look at Me Now", long-time fans of Mac Lethal (like myself) have been waiting to find out whether the sudden (somewhat) fame, attention, and major label interest was going to change the way Mac approached his music.  And although this release was probably mostly finished before he hit the 17 million views mark on his latest video, I must say, he appears to not have been neither skewed, nor jaded one bit.

With IRISH GOODBYE, Mac Lethal elected, for the first time ever, only one producer to supply the instrumentation for the entire album.  That producer is Seven, whose most notable work has been with fellow KC native Tech N9ne.  However, Mac and Seven have been making music together since early in Mac's career.  So, certainly, the cohesion, and chemistry is there.  The presence of only one beat-maker's mark throughout the entire album definitely makes IRISH GOODBYE Mac's most cohesive and consistent album to date.

IRISH GOODBYE dives right into the exact subject matter that is covered throughout most of the rest of the album.  It deals greatly with Mac's determination to find success, as well as happiness, in his life.  He continues, also, to explain why it is so important for the listener to also take heed in what he is saying.  Mac Lethal has, in recent releases, taken great interest in telling his listeners what the best way to live is, according to him.  His gospel hasn't changed much on IRISH GOODBYE, however, he is now finally in a position to lead by example.  Mac has toyed with his career much in the past, and it is clear that he wants to really grab the bull by the horns with this new-found opportunity, while still remaining true to himself, and his fans.

The tracks not dealing with his happiness-above-all theology are the real standouts here, though.  Royals Cap   is a nostalgic track about hometown pride, as well as embarrassment.  Black Rainbow and Slut show Mac returning to his emo roots, exploring the depth, or lack-thereof, of the opposite sex.  On Jake + Olive, Mac tells the tale, however genuine, of his grandparents lifelong love.   And on the definitive standout track of the album, Vodka Tonic With A Lime, Mac finds the balance that would assure longstanding success in hip hop for him.  He combines his introspective lyricism, with wit, honesty, braggadocio, and a fine-tuned Seven beat to make a delectable should-be single.

In all, IRISH GOODBYE is a departure from vintage Mac Lethal, finally settling itself in a comfortable space of accessibility with substance.  It won't go down as his greatest work, but it lacks the directional strength to be hated.  It is a ride upon a broad range of substantial meaning, however, and a high-above average album because of it.


You can purchase IRISH GOODBYE from Mac Lethal himself here: http://maclethal.bandcamp.com/album/irish-goodbye