State Run Radio Review

Album: Lasers

Artist: Lupe Fiasco ft. Matt Mahaffey

Year: 2010

Sound: 4/5

Lyrics: 4/5

Instrumental: 2/5

Idea: 4/5

Flow/Energy: 3/5

Music Video: (none)

Other: 3/5

State Run Radio gets a 3/5

Track nine in Lupe Fiasco’s lasers album I recently have listened to a lot, and I thought a review was in order. It’s another very pop friendly song, has a catchy hook, and has that thing lasers has of being so bubblegum like it’s hard to like, but I blame the instrumentals for most of that. But in this the instrumental isn’t too much, and the hook is nice, and I don’t have any problems with it. Lupe’s lyrics are as thought provoking as ever, turning what could have been a simple radio themed song into a really deeper thing. But again, on the negative side, it almost feels like he’s trying to be heard over the songs other sound. He doesn’t feel comfortable. But I will give the hook and lyrics their probs, they’re both great. Ironically the song that’s saying "and over again, and over again,” for a hook doesn’t get repetitive as it’s on replay. It sounds really nice, but still has those negatives I mentioned earlier. But I still think it’s a really good song, and it grew on me pretty quickly. Lupe gets really deep about how we should be more aware of what is being heard on the radio, and how we should look up independent artists,  and ultimately like what you like, not what the media tells you. It makes for a great song idea, I just don’t know if it meshed well. I doubted when he was given this hook, or this beat, or whatever happened, it was suppose to be about this. But I’m guessing Lupe refused to just do a typical radio themed song. And it shows, it feels a little messy. But sometimes that can be good. The song I feel has ups and downs, and has life in going through multiple stages. I get visualization, but not enough to make a music video in my head. The song is really fruity, but still very catchy. And sometimes I wished catchy songs would just be more conscious, and I guess that’s exactly what this is. It fit’s the Lasers theme well enough, and I think could have been passed as a single if Lupe really wanted to. I think so far it’s one of the best and most likeable on the album. And I’ve given the hook and drop a lot of credit it, so whatever Matt Mahaffey (I don’t know who you are) you did a good ass job. Whoever you are. I like the sound he made, and I feel the hook still is relevant to Lupe, and not two different songs. But I think it’s kind of ironic that the catchy bubblegum song I could easily hear being on the radio is talking shit about the radio. But again it works, it just takes a couple listens. That little State Run Radio, Radio, it got me. I don’t feel I should have to discourage an aware song that sounds good, that’s a really good thing, and I think the lyrics are really good. It’s a really nice track that normally would be filler on a normal album.