Juice WRLD - Legends Never Die (Track By Track Review)
Legends Never Die is a Post-mortem album by Chicago Rapper Juice WRLD, who rose to fame just years ago, and passed away tragically in 2019 due to an overdose at only 21. Juice WRLD had such potentially since becoming one of the biggest names in rap through his fusion of genres and the way in which he uses his voice to rap, sing or slur, seemingly always at the right time. Juice WRLD is said to have over 2000 unreleased songs, so lets see if this 21 track album adds to his library of sad rap summer bangers.
Favourite Songs – Bad Energy, Righteous, Tell Me U Luv Me, Can’t Die.
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| Juice WRLD Performing 'Legends' in 2018. |
Anxiety (Intro)
Starting off, I think this is an amazing intro to a post
mortem album. It’s a simple instrumental, building up further with inspirational
strings, while audio clips from interviews and a live show play over, of Juice talking
about problems he wanted to tackle with his music, and telling his fans they
can do anything and that he loves all of them. Honestly quite a beautiful
intro.
Conversations
A classic Juice WRLD chill song, a chill beat, some hard bass, the pace isn’t too fast, nor too slow, but sits in the right spot to create quite a relaxed vibe. Lyrically this song is also quite ordinary for Juice, however this isn’t a bad thing, it’s a formula which stands very well on its own two feet, and I really enjoy this tracks instrumental, vocal and lyrical delivery. This song really puts the focus on the vocals, and they are delivered so well, Juice WRLD’s voice is so unique and its shown through this song. No overbearing, annoying autotune, just clear Higgins™ vocals.
Titanic
I like this song a lot, so don’t hate me for what I’m about to say. For as good as this song is, its way to similar to Conversations to gain much interest from a listener immediately after, the beat and instrumental and similar and repetitive, so while the song is good, its hard to appreciate it due to its placement in the album. So overall a good song, but too similar to the previous and honestly…. A little to similar to most of his music, for as good as this song is, there is nothing special about it, which, as I get further into this, I think could be a common problem for this album.
Bad Energy
The intro to this always gives a different vibe, the melodic
guitar riffs that hold a melancholic tone, followed up with Juice WRLD’s
improvisational singing is a great way to start a song and shake up from the
usual producer tag- straight into the beat kind of format. Then the beat comes
in and its nothing special but the vocals and layering in this song save it
from falling into the same hole as Titanic (Or rather, from crashing into the
same iceberg). As usual we get Juice WRLD’s raw, honest lyrics that hold some
sadness, some shame and some defeat. But the refrain effects over the chorus,
along with the delayed vocals backing it up as the beat slows into the start of
the verse in easily the highlight of this song.
Righteous
Easily the most beautiful, haunting and deserving song on this album. This is Juice WRLD at his most honest. This song captures everything Juice WRLD is about. Self-deprecating ego, anxiety and a sense of calm in chaos. The instrumental combines a usual modern hip-hop beat, some smooth bass, haunting vocals soaring and a beautiful guitar riff. The subject matter in Righteous is exactly the kind of thing that should be on his Post Mortem Album, and this song sums up everything people loved about Juice WRLD and his music. Every time I hear this song ‘We’re drowning’ sends shivers down mine spine, and occasionally puts a tear in my eye. This song also easily has one of Higgins’ best vocal performances ever, his soothing vocals are almost hypnotic as he rolls off rhymes.
Blood On My Jeans
There’s something about the flow of this song that makes it hard to not nod along with it. For as similar as this song also is, it doesn’t feel stale thanks to the variations added in Righteous and Bad Energy, the way he rolls each line into the next with a slur never feels lazy, its always clear and seems to emphasise the meaning behind it. If this song is listened to straight after a lot of other Juice WRLD songs, it wouldn’t have the same charm however, as once again, it doesn’t do much to separate itself from many other Juice WRLD songs.
Tell Me U Luv Me (Ft. Trippie Redd)
In my personal opinion, this is what we wanted from Juice WRLD and this is what we needed from Juice WRLD. This is something very different and original and its impossible to fault this song, the upbeat feeling as the song immediately opens pulls you in with a looping guitar track. Then the beat comes in and turns up the tempo. People can say what they want about Trippie Redd, but I think he’s great on this track, whether you think he has a good voice or not, on this song he fits perfectly and makes the chorus as good as it it. This song also showcases some of the topics Juice WRLD said he wanted to cover in the album opener “Anxiety”, namely substance abuse (“so can you hide my drugs from me”) and anxiety (“Pray everyday that I’m far from a nuisance”). Juice WRLD’s vocals are shown off well here too, from his signing, to rapping, to slurring as I mentioned earlier, which all fits within the song. This kind of song is what this album should be full of. It should be showing the originality and dextrality of his music, not repetition of the same sounds and formulas, and given they apparently have over 2000 song, I think they must have a few more like this laying around. I hate to say it, but at times I think his estate are thinking more about the money than the music.
Hate The Other Side (Ft. Marshmello, Polo G & The Kid Laroi)
Okay… I don’t want to talk about this song for long. I hate the features, both have annoying voices and too much noticeable auto tune (How do these people even get this famous?). The beat is repetitive and the loop is repetitive. Juice only does the chorus, which is boring. The other Two have verses which are short and boring, which isn’t good considering they have annoying voices. Honestly, I just think this was released because of the features. Another money grab with nothing special. I don’t like this song.
Get Through it (Interlude)
A short and sweet interlude, which would be great… if this album actually had some more deep and powerful, meaningful songs on it. But unfortunately, his estate are greedy.
Life’s a Mess (Ft. Halsey)
Opens nicely, soft looping guitar, soft looping vocals and Juice over the top. I like it. The guitar starts to pick up as well as the vocals until the beat comes in. I like this song, the vibe and the vocals, the lyrical content, is another example of what this album should be. Even as simple as “Sometimes life’s a mess”, a message Juice WRLD fans could need in general, but especially after his death. This song achieves what it set out to, and does it times 10. It sums up live for Juice WRLD and many others around the world. “I get high when I’m upset”, “looking for something real, then I found it”. And Halsey on the backup vocals is beautiful. As someone who has never been too keen on Halsey, her part in this is short, sweet and beautiful, and helps emphasise the feeling of this song.
Come & Go (Ft Marshmello)
It seems as if this album is starting to be consistently good. By which I mean, this song makes two in a row. Lyrical content “I try to be everything that I can, but sometimes I come out as being nothing”, as an opening line sets up this usual relatable tone. This song deals with Juice WRLD’s anxiety about his relationship with Ally Lottie due to problems in the past, something many people could relate to. And this song is hard, a hybrid of hip-hop, punk rock and techno, and it is hard. The fast tempo, the hard beat, the guitar looping with the bass pumping in the back. Hard, that’s all there is to say about it.
I Want It
Feels to me like a call back to early Juice WRLD, like ‘Paranoid’ or ‘Let Her Leave’ and I'm not complaining. Once again lyrically it keeps similar themes about love and drugs, how they can interject and interfere with each other, nothing unexpected but the vocal delivery shines on this, apart from that it’s a beat and a loop for most of it, with some nice vocals playing in the back. Nothing special again. But Juice’s higher vocals and the echo effects are beautiful. Its just a nice, mellow song, I like this one a lot.
Fighting Demons
The Keyboards, the subtle synths, the soft, remorseful, singing
and rapping from one of the best of the modern era. I love this song, Yes, it
falls into the same trap as others on the album, that it doesn’t do much
different, but there is something so beautifully melancholic about this song
that pulls me in, the bass and the beat is nice, the lyrics are usual down-hearted
Juice WRLD lyrics. The pre-chorus, which stops the beat and leaves only his
voices and some gentle synth in the background, is hauntingly good, “Take my
hand, don’t give up”. This is another perfect example of the lyrical content
that was expected to run throughout this album, but unfortunately falters at
certain points.
Wishing Well
First of all, the music video makes me uncomfortable for
some strange reason. I don’t know why either, leave me alone.
Anyway, this is another good song. Another classic Juice WRLD song. Rap singing about drugs, love and feelings, the voice of a generation doing what made him so loved. Not too much to say however, another soft instrumental with seemingly synth bass and guitar bass that back the song up throughout and genuinely conveys the feeling and tone of the song.
Screw Juice
Once again, nothing against this song, but on a 21-song album, you cant include this many songs that are so similar and expect people to be invested for a whole sitting. As a bunch of Juice Singles, this album is exactly what people want and expect, but listening to it one after the other just gets tedious. Barely ever anything new, the same format again and again, nothing particularly notable breaking it up. So I had to take a break to appreciate it. Once again, classic Juice WRLD. Nothing wrong with it, its pretty good. But its nothing special.
Up, Up and Away
This sounded a lot more upbeat than I was expecting, but don’t
let it fool you. I like this song, however a few things bug me, something about
the beat gets on my nerves at certain points, and the way the guitar loop
changes so suddenly for the chorus doesn’t work in my opinion. But as a
positive, lyrically and vocally this song is another good one, foreground is
strong with haunting background.
If this review sounds repetitive, its not my fault.
The Man, The Myth, The Legends (interlude)
Another interlude. People talking about his freestyle talent, which is fair, he was talented. One of the best freestylers.
Stay High
This song hits different to any other on this album. Right
from the beginning, the vibe is different, its chill, feel good. Despite lyrics
that are maybe the opposite. Something that would be very relatable however, especially
for anyone who’s…. “Experimented” with substances. “Gotta stay high”, but its
not sad, its describing the euphoric and calming feel people experience. This
song is a vibe. Plain and simple.
Can’t Die
Another Classic Juice sounding song. Its about death, but
not his own, its about other people who are dying, friends and the like,
something that Juice WRLD fans will b able to relate to his death, through his
words. “Hope the news is a lie”, “Too many people missing from the picture”.
The beat and the bass is nice, but once again, for the thousandth time, its
nothing new or special. Doesn’t mean its not good, because it is. One of my favourites.
Man Of The Year
I like this song, but it annoys the hell out of me. It’s good, it’s almost nostalgic with the punk-pop Blink 182-esque vibes. And that’s why it annoys me, its almost cringe-worthy, but who cares? It feels good. The drums, the guitars, the vocals, its like an annoying 2000’s song that everyone seemingly loves (I’m looking at you ‘Teenage Dirtbag’). And it closes the last song with the lyrics “I know my lyrics saved you, I know I helped you breakthrough”. In my opinion a little narcissistic (Although the song is called ‘Man Of The Year’, so that may sound stupid), but I can see how that would feel good for those who never got to tell Juice WRLD how his music helped them
Juice WRLD speaks from Heaven
An uncannily beautiful closing to an album that had so much potential to give that feeling throughout.
Overview
A Great Album filled with Classic Juice WRLD songs that add
to his already extensive discography, however it falls flat when the song are
put next to each other. For a 21 song album, too many of them stick to the same
formula, too many of them sound similar, and too many of them don’t feel like
they belong in an Album titled “Legends Never Die”. However, the high points of
this album are indeed some of Juice WRLD’s best Songs, and do well to keep his
deserved legacy alive, after all he was the voice of a generation, taken way
too soon, with too much potential.
8/10. I feel like the point of the album was missed, and as I've said countless times, It's simply too repetitive sounding. However, listening to each song (Apart from 'Hate The Other Side') individually was a Joy to me.
R.I.P Juice ❤
Listen to the Album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/1R6vbGGXSEZZmTGn7ewwRL?autoplay=true
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLau9bkm0iK9t470JP18A4a_mI6G_5ffDt
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| 'Legends Never Die' Cover Art |
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