Album Review: “Goodbye and Good Riddance”

Heartbreak, depression and drug use are the focuses of 19-year-old rapper Juice WRLD’s new album “Goodbye and Good Riddance,” which after two weeks of being released on May 22, 2018 rose to number eight on the billboard 200’s rap album chart. An up and coming star, Juice WRLD recently inked a record deal worth $3 million, and his fantastic album is no doubt a huge reason why.

From start to finish, this album speaks to a situation everyone has been in. Juice WRLD speaks on his heartbreak, how his ex messed him up and what he is doing to get over her. He goes through some songs reminiscing and wanting the old times back, and some other songs he tries to move on, only to realize he can’t.

While many of the songs are centered around depressing feelings and have a sad mood to them, they all are good. I have personal favorites, but when ranking these songs I cannot say I genuinely dislike any one of them. The singles that were released before the entire album, “All Girls Are the Same,” “Lucid Dreams” and “Hurt Me” (previously named “Sticks and Stones”) generated hype for the album for good reason.

“Lucid Dreams” is a phenomenal song, it has rose up the Billboard 100 to number six, and number one on streaming surveys. This is perhaps his best work on the album, as he shows off his vocal skills while also displaying talent at rapping. “All Girls Are the Same” is great too, but the robotic filter is a little unnecessary. Still, it is a great song that provides a message I’m sure many can relate to, sometimes we all have needed a break from love.

My personal favorites on this album are “Candles,” “Lucid Dreams” and “Black and White.” All three of these songs are fantastic, and are all a little different in their own special way. While none of the songs on this album are bad, these to me rise above the others as the cream of the crop.

The artistry on these songs are fantastic as well. The beat on one song will have you vibing and getting hyped up, and then on the next song it will have you sitting back thinking about someone who hurt you. This album has a fantastic flow and balance to it that makes it something you can turn on in the car and just loop for a solid hour, not even touching your phone to skip a song once. In just over a month since Juice WRLD released it, I have not stopped listening to “Goodbye and Good Riddance.” It is a fantastic project, especially considering the fact this is Juice’s first big project to hit streaming sites outside of SoundCloud.

The immediate success of “Goodbye and Good Riddance” suggests that Juice WRLD will be a star for many years to come, and is a real name to watch as he continues to grow his brand. In my opinion, he has the potential to reach a Lil Uzi Vert level of fame, with far more vocal talent than Uzi possesses. The sky’s the limit for Juice WRLD, and you better hop on the bandwagon, before it is too late.