Goblin [Explicit]

Tyler, The Creator | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: May 9, 2011
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: XL
• Copyright: 2011 Tyler, The Creator under exclusive license to XL Recordings Ltd.
• Total Length: 1:22:06
• Genres:
  • Rap & Hip-Hop
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• ASIN: B004YMS732
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,543 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 83 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Golden Goblin May 10, 2011

By M. Kleine

Format:Audio CD

Tyler raps about hurting women. He loves paradoxes and spends a lot of his time with the mysterious Dr. TC. For the uninitiated, Tyler is the defacto leader of OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) and spends the majority of his time (especially nowadays) in the media's spotlight. This may be because he is only twenty years old, raps about raping and killing women and somehow, seems more charismatic than those twice his age. If anything, Tyler has finally created the album he's always wanted to hear.

Much like Eminem's public-service-announcement skits, Tyler opens with the aptly titled "Goblin," which on paper, could only be described as an extended skit that is backed by the progressive clinks of piano keys and the every-now-and then filmic-sounding strings of a digital/sampled orchestra. Put simply, it is all very cinematic-sounding. A nice start to the album. "Yonkers" features several odd samples and really, should be titled "Yonkers feat. Dr. TC" since he can be heard assisting Tyler throughout the entire track with his vocals (especially on the chorus.) This is a great example of what can be done with very little instrumentation and is probably the most popular track on the album. Frank Ocean makes an appearance on the track "She" which is heavily reminiscent of 90's R&B, though everything on the album sounds like it was infused with a dose of found-sounds. The hats and snare sound borderline tinny and stray from that surgical/clinical sound many high-production R&B tracks usually flaunt. "She" takes a nice break from the over-the-top energy of tracks like "Radicals" and "Yonkers" and sends us down to Mellow-ville for some much needed relaxation. This would be the slow dance song at an OFWGKTA concert.

"Transylvania" and "Nightmare" act like companion tracks.... On "Transylvania," Tyler raps in a heavily-tuned down voice. Oddly enough, it sounds different from Dr. TC's voice so on the album, Tyler effectively has: his normal voice, the voice he uses on "Transylvania," and then the voice he uses for Dr. TC. It's an interesting experiment and certain verses really stand out on the track but in the end, it will be interesting to see/hear a live rendition of the track. Again, the beat sounds heavily muffled, almost like it was recorded on a laptop mic, transferred to tape, lightly mastered and then transferred back to digital. "Nightmare" reintroduces Dr. TC and replaces the classic snare drum sound with what sounds like tightly-bound chopsticks hitting a wall (with medium reverb). The beat doesn't try too hard to impress and begins with synthetic vocal samples but then brings in glockenspiels and various synth hits. "Tron Cat," begins with singing but then goes straight to the rapping featuring, Dr. TC, again! Tyler creates an interesting transition as the track begins with a string + piano combination but then slips into industrial-sounding synth work, paired with cowbell and dirtied drums. What an odd coupling! With "Her," Tyler seems to peel away at the layers of polish and post-production most studios would spend thousands of dollars to include. He includes the sound of a digital metronome (which ultimately functions as the beat) and the light-sounding, almost chime-like synth playing throughout the entire track sounds more like credit-music than a track on a rap album. But then again, Tyler's goal is not to create memorable beats or sample dope instrumentals, everything is supposed to sound raw and unedited. This is brave and like most of his other beats, it features several changeups and expands on the simple-sound of the chime synth. This is why the beats, all by themselves, are ultimately compositions instead of simple loops.

"Sandwitches" is expanded with a previously unheard minute-long intro. This is that Jimmy Fallon ish! Tyler raps about his father, his rebellion, privileged kids and school shootings. Hodgy Beats, on the other hand, raps about his lost love for his mother, religion, mental issues and reproduction. A pinnacle of the OFWGKTA genius, especially when it comes to lyrical prowess. This is probably the second most popular tracks. "Fish" contains the aptly titled hidden track "Boppin' B*tch," which makes absolutely no sense. Though it is much more interesting that "Fish," traditional rap albums usually reserve the hidden tracks for the end of the album. Tyler just does whatever he wants it seems. In any case, "Boppin B*tch" is basically about meeting a girl at the club. Nothing more to it, really! And it's better than "Fish!" No it's not. "Analog" is like a good horror movie. Hodgy raps about going on a date and the chorus explains that the date is taking place next to a lake. Again, Tyler is using a pitched-down version of his voice. The beat is very R&B and far from scary-sounding. Both Tyler and Hodgy do an excellent job fooling the listener into believing that the date is going to end with either rape or a drowning but the bridge "watch the sunset, we can watch the sunset" proves that nothing bad happens. In the end, it's nothing more than a song about love. And lakes.

"B*tch Suck D*ck" is probably the most crude track on the entire album. It should also be mentioned that the beat (at first) sounds like those cheap Fruity Loops beats polluting Google search but eventually, transforms into a semi-complex-sounding beat. On the whole though, the lyrics really show that OFWGKTA is really just a bunch of teenagers. But the beat shines, in the "composition" sense. It also sounds like an extremely crude and unpolished rendition of early Ludacris songs. Dr. TC shows up again in "Window." This time, Tyler invites Domo Genesis, Frank Ocean, Hodgy Beats and Mike G for a private therapy session. The scenario for this track is that each member reflects on their newfound fame and current state of mind. The whole time, Dr. TC listens and offers valuable advice. Everything ends though, of course, with Tyler shooting up the entire room. He guns down Domo, Frank and Hodgy. After the incident, Tyler, sounding extremely remorseful, begins to cry. Very Slim Shady. "AU79" is an oddity (and I have used variations of this word several times already but hear me out.) It is purely instrumental. To be quick, Tyler makes no effort to hide that the beat was probably composed using synthetic/sampled drums and instruments. The bass drum follows a robotic syncopation paired with fake-sounding claps and squelchy synths resonating all throughout the track. Interlude? Nah, it works fine as a track. Again, very forward-thinking stuff.

"Golden" is the closing track on the non-deluxe edition of GOBLIN and on this one, Dr. TC plays a rather important role. As the track progresses, you can definitely hear Dr. TC reciting some of the lines with Tyler and this is when it slowly becomes apparent that Dr. TC is, in fact, Tyler himself. (Fight Club anyone? Tyler Durden?) DR. TC is also all of his other alter egos: Tron Cat, Ace, Wolf Haley and Tyler himself. (Again, very Marshall Mathers.) In the end, Tyler threatens to commit suicide and we are left with a cliffhanger. "Burger" sounds like a recent track since Tyler makes direct references to the Jimmy Fallon performance and even takes a stab at Zach de la Rocha (lead singer for Rage Against the Machine.) Tyler and Hodgy both spend time reciting some fundamental OFWGKTA signature phrases, making reference to freeing Earl, Tyler's iconic ski mask and their disdain for 2DOPE BOYZ. "Untitled 63" is all jazz and synths. Very R&B but with a taste of 2011. Ending with "Steak Sauce," Tyler raps Weezy-style with no chorus for three straight minutes. Though this all sounds like a freestyle, it seems more like an extended reflection on everything Tyler and OFWGKTA have accomplished up to this point.

Overall, the album feels like a quasi-cinematic experience as we follow Tyler into what gradually becomes an introspective (and ultimately inconclusive) journey into his own mind. If there ever is/was a time to act like a nineteen-year old, it would be now. Tyler is, after all, only twenty-years old. I'd say he has a couple more albums in him, which gives him enough time to re-invent himself two, maybe three more times. Read more ›

17 of 23 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars The sound is cool but that's about it... May 20, 2011

By Byoba

Format:Audio CD

I like the sound of this album and even the arrangement of the ad libs... But the subject matter is mostly immature babble... When I was around this dudes age I felt a certain way about phony females only being out for a man's money but I wasn't this harsh about it. I only exposed women for being on some gold diggin nonsense and yet wanting love... Goblin material reminds me of horrorcore rap of the 90's but not as vulgar as it use to be... So I have heard worst and better beats to such a negative perspective... check out gangsta nipp if you don't know... Anyhow I hope this artist grows in his subject matter and finds a more polish and less negative way to get his creative expression out... As far as his creative musical arrangement it is very unique... I see he rockin a upside down cross thats too funny, I am not a christian so that doesn't bother me but I'm sure if that is for publicity then he will surely get a lot of christian ppl's attention with that... controversy sells as they say...

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars RANDOM DISCLAIMER!! July 11, 2011

By B. D. Miller

Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was exposed to Oddfuture by the boyfriend of a work colleague who was listening to a lot of the Earl Sweatshirt underground stuff that was distributed for free via the OF website. After visiting the site, browsing around and listening to music samples and seeing Tyler's video for "She", I knew I had to own the album. It's profane and explicit and all of the things that most critics of originality absolutely despise...but honestly, if you care about true originality in a time where rap and hip-hop is defined by whatever 50 Cent song breaks through to the top 40, this album will be a true gem in your collection. Tyler the Creator is completely unapologetic in his lyrics and his angst and I think he really set the bar high with his first major studio release. Although it's undoubtedly tough for many to tolerate, it is a fantastic representation of what OFWGKTA is all about. Most anti-Tyler/anti-OF folks would listen to this and never get past the vulgarity, never stopping to appreciate the intricacy and creativity in the beats, rhyme schemes and colorful imagery that the lyricists of OF use in creating their songs. The cd (like many) has its filler tracks, but 70% of the album is worth listening to over and over and over again. "She" is an instant classic with the suave touch of Frank Ocean's hook, and the brutal honesty of life through Tyler's eyes is conveyed in the track "Nightmare" (my personal favorite on the cd). In short...this cd isn't for everybody. If you don't like the clips, don't buy it. Simple as that. If you want to challenge conventional wisdom and throw support behind a fresh perspective on hip-hop, drink up the kool-aid and download this album. You won't be disappointed.

13 of 19 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Odd that Tyler has such a following May 12, 2011

By Ralph Rotten

Format:Audio CD

I am not sure why Tyler & Odd Future are so hyped right now. I liked Yonkers and was excited to listen to this project. I was very disappointed. The production is weak on all but 4 tracks. Tyler has some interesting lines and definitely has potential.Subject matter is repetitive and is overtly negative and violent. There is too much of that in the world already. He needs to grow as a songwriter and should use his new $ to learn music theory and take some piano lessons.

39 of 58 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars ehhhh May 12, 2011

By edcerc

Format:Audio CD

I wanted to like this cd but his schtick is getting old fast. The beats can be cool but the songs and lyrics are corny. People are so caught up in the hype that they might love this, but unless your a 15 year old kid shock value for shock's sake is boring. Just cause you talk about raping a girl in every song doesn't make you scary or edgy. He just complains about not having a dad every time he trys to keep it real but he keeps it real redundant. This kid has a lot of talent but his big major label debut is pretty mediocre. Maybe he will grow up and evolve into a true artist but for now he has really boxed himself in. This whole rebel without a cause thing is just lame. Not to mention its way too long for what it is, sometimes he really takes the fun out of what he's trying to do. He claims he's not horrorcore but i wish he was more horrorcore because at least that would be imaginative.