Kid Cudi and Dot Da Genius (the mastermind behind "Day N Nite") release a full blown alt-rock cd. Cudi doesn't rap a single verse here. These are my thoughts on my favorite modern rapper's venture into rock and roll.

1) The Arrival: Nice eerie opening. This will appear on a lot of trailers I'm predicting. Really solid opening instrumental. Sets the stage nicely.

2) High Off Life: The Cudi sobriety song. I really appreciate what he is trying to do here. Reminds me of "Perfect is the Word." Very catchy chorus. I love this slow drawn out 90s esque guitar he is playing too. Love the lyrics. Really solid song all around.

3) The Dream Time Machine: Love the intro to this song. Almost sound like MotM 1. Very much atmospheric. Closing your eyes while listening to this song is a trip. This song evidences (as does the whole cd) that WZRD is not about formulaicly desiging a verse chorus verse chorus $tyle of music. This cd has to be listened to as a whole. Only Teleport 2 Me, Jamie has single potential and can stand on its own well. This sounds like "In My Dreams" but with more of an alternative edge. I'm liking it.

4) Love Hard: Almost funny intro. This song also has single potential. Really good chorus hook. And I love the lyrical message. I really love the structure of the song. This is definitely an early favorite. Could listen to this song on repeat for awhile. The halfway mark was jaw-dropping. I love how it transitions perfectly into the chorus. Awesome.

5) Live and Learn: It's incredibly to think he has only been playing for a year. Crazy. Really like the intro here. Yet again, really digging the lyrics. Positivity for once. Thank you Cudi. Everything he does just feels so real. You don't find this with most contemporary mainstream music. The chorus reminds a small bit of the Beastie Boys. It's cool. Overall, not a favorite but I still enjoy it. Love the three quarter mark where it sounds deeper and trailer-esque and ALMOST dubsteppy. Very unique.

6) Brake: Released awhile ago as his first song off of WZRD, I initially didn't like this song all that much. Within the context of this CD it's a much stronger song. I like the lyrics, but I like the lyrics of every song on this cd. Still not a favorite by any means, but it's a much better album song than stand alone song. The ending is pretty cool too.

7) Teleport 2 Me, Jamie: My favorite (I don't care that it's the most popular song right now). Very sentimental for me, and I love the simplicity in its approach. The na na na portion is nice too. I love the lyrics too. Really great chorus with a catchy hook. It's really easy to see this as a top 10 single on iTunes.

8) Where Did You Sleep Last Night?: Almost sounds 70s esque at the beginning. Lyrics are about approaching a cheater. Not a favorite by any means, but it's still intriguing. It seems that anywhere between the halfway and three quarters mark in the song they change something up. I always enjoy whatever they do.

9) Efflictim: Yet again sounds older. Like a B side from Smashing Pumpkins or Nirvana in the opening. Really love this song. It's very bleak, but Cudi always thrives when his songs are bleak. I love the somber tone in his voice. Not enough I can say about this gem of a song. This may contend with "Teleport 2 Me, Jamie" and "Love Hard" for me as my favorites. The piano at the halfway mark... So damn good.

10) Dr. Pill: Sounds older. (Noticing a pattern yet?) He goes to what's old to reinvent what is new. It's so brilliant. He's an excellent guitar player for only playing for a year. Very eerie and dark sounding. Eating it up. Not a favorite or my least favorite either. Definitely the creepiest song on the cd.

11) Upper Room: Excellent closing note. Really inspirational. Talking about fate, destiny, and God. Can definitely relate. It's a pessimist attempting to be optimistic, and that's why I relate so well to it. It's the perfect way to culminate the entire cd in one song lyrically. And the instrumentals are spiritually high as well. Freaking love this song.

Overall, I love this cd. That's not to say it doesn't miss because it definitely does. But to consider that a rapper can make a better alt record than most alt bands who spend years perfecting their craft? Hats off to Cudi and Dot Da Genius. This will definitely be something I listen to often now. It's fresh, retro, and still bodes well for cl@ssoc Cudi fans like myself.

9.5/10