Album Review: Logic's Sophomore Album 'The Incredible True Story' is Next Level
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Rapper Logic released his sophomore album The Incredible True Story, a next-level album that ensures his longevity in hip-hop as if it wasn't there already.
The cinematic approach to creating albums is well in the favor of Logic. It carries over from Under Pressure and finds itself perfected in The Incredible True Story.
In the opening track, "Contact" Logic uses a sample of Kanye West's "Amazing" and transforms it into a track that is similar to more of a movie score.
Fans are also introduced to the characters on the mixtape that include Kai and Thomas played by Kevin Rudolph and Steve Blum respectively.
(Album Stream Below)
The Incredible True Story then jumps into "Fade Away". "Fade Away" features skillful production from Logic and the rapper solidifies his name in hip-hop by saying that they will know his name before he fades away. Towards the end of the track there is a jazzy breakdown adding an elegant layer to the track. Even further, "Fade Away" reintroduces listeners to Thalia, the narrator on Logic's freshman album.
Thalia now has the ability to be unisex, something that shocks Kai. She is also able to allow Kai and Thomas to speak to anyone in history.
That's where Kai asks to speak to Big Sean who makes a cameo on the album.
Next comes the short but extremely fire track titled, "Upgrade." The song finds Logic being a little braggadocios is talking about all of the things he has upgraded after his widespread success. After the track is a scene called "White People" where Thomas, Kai and the rest of the team are approaching another ship in the middle of space.
Kai points out that white people always have to investigate things. They receive a distress signal from the Aquarius 1. The signal warns the Aquarius 3 not to come knocking and they are granted the ability to move on to "paradise."
In some pretty good company right now #3 overall on iTunes! Get #TheIncredibleTrueStory now! https://t.co/L5lXQiMyZe pic.twitter.com/suOGXI1sH8
-- L?gic? ??? (@Logic301) November 13, 2015
As things jump back into the music, "Like Woah" in prime form. "Like Woah" surfaced a few weeks shy of the release of The Incredible True Story and served as another teaser track for fans.
from "Like Woah" the album moves into it's first single "Young Jesus" featuring Big Lenbo. The 90's styled production is absolutely astounding and Lenbo's flow is so close to that of Big Pun's it's spooky.
The next track is cleverly titled "Innermission" and features Lucy Rose. The song is a deeper track where Logic explains situations he has been in and how much he has grown.
He is also using the track as a reflection of who he was to the man he has become but he doesn't want to change the person he is inside.
"I Am the Greatest" is probably one of the highly anticipated tracks on the album. The trailer for The Incredible True Story contained a sneak preview of of "I Am the Greatest" and shows Logic pounding away on an MPC.
On "Lord Willin'" shines yet again lyrically. On thing that is accentuate more so on this album that Under Pressure is Logic flexing a bit of his vocals and helping the harmonies move along.
Such vocal ability is shown on "Lord Willin'" and isn't over done in any sense.
However, on "City of Stars," Logic sings for the majority of the track before breaking back into the lyrical assault for the 6 minute and 16 seconds song.
The bouncy production is reintroduced with "Stainless" featuring Dria and followed up with another scene titled, "Babel." Thomas and Kai are headed to a planet called Paradise and they are worried about landing there and destroying it like they destroyed Earth in 2065. The scene is followed by "Paradise" featuring Jesse Boykins III. It's one of the most powerful tracks on the album as Logic addresses race and the perils of growing up in a dangerous environment. It's almost as if Logic is telling the story of how he made it out of a tough situation and found his "Paradise," however, he is not forgetting where he is from.
"Never Been" serves as a break from the more serious tones while still carrying over the same subject matter from a few of his previous tracks. For The Incredible True Story it really seems to be all about the rise to fame and the fact that it's continuing and with it, Logic has to learn to curve certain aspects of fame to stay true to himself.
The Incredible True Story's closing offerings include "Run It," "Lucidity" scene and the nearly seven-minute long album titled track "The Incredible True Story." At the end of the album Kai and Thomas finally land on Paradise and they can hear the sound of birds chirping and running water, when Thomas asks "what's that sound," Thalia replies, "life." The album is a beautifully told tale of destruction and rediscovery. It's yet another classic release from still one of the most underrated hip-hop artists in the game.