Dark themes and mash-up of rock, rap, and club sounds are revisited in ‘The Legend of Mr. Rager’

The first time we landed a man on the moon, it was a big deal. The second time, not so much. After releasing “Man on the Moon: The End of Day” in 2009, Scott Mescudi, known as Kid Cudi, has followed up a year later with the second album in his series “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager.”
This album continues the spacey, out-of-this-world sounds from his last album release with down-to-Earth lyrics that deal with the realities of his past in tracks such as “Mojo So Dope” and “Don’t Play This Song“ featuring Mary J. Blige.

From the first track, Kid Cudi establishes that this album takes listeners on a journey through his dark past. The album is divided into a five-part story that represents the path that he has walked, including his fight with a cocaine addiction and recognizing the need to stop his self-destructive behavior after being thrust into the spotlight. Sound familiar?

As much as the image of the lonely, enigmatic stoner appeals to many of Kid Cudi’s listeners, they will be disappointed to find that Kid Cudi doesn’t take a risk. The songs try to capitalize on the qualities that worked so well with the first “Man on the Moon” album. Nice idea, but really, it’s time to try something new. The same dark themes, the same types of beats.

Boring.

A few notable tracks do stand out from the album, including the widely popular single,“Erase Me” featuring Kanye West, released last August, and “Mr. Rager.” “Erase Me” combines an uptempo beat with a rock music background courtesy of the electric guitar and drum set to create a catchy tune. The lyrics are typical Kid Cudi—talking about losing his identity and his love as his fame increased. “Mr. Rager” uses space-like, electronic beats, and a submarine-esque ping to create an air of mystery as the lyrics deliver a powerful image of a man ready to embark on a new journey.

Overall, this album is rather underwhelming, with Kid Cudi not showing any signs of growth or adding a new aspect to his discography. A few songs have potential to succeed as singles, such as “Erase Me” which reached 22 in the Billboard Hot 100 music chart and 58 in the United Kingdom’s “Singles Chart.”

While this latest release may be one big step for Kid Cudi’s bank account, it’s only a small, insignificant step in his development as a musician.

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