Mac Miller, American rapper and record producer started out his career mostly being known for his “frat rap” music. But after he released “watching movies with the sound off” Miller began to employ a more expressive and experimental approach to his subsequent releases. Leading to his third debut album ¨faces¨.

Faces by Mac Miller was originally a mixtape released in 2014. Available only by listening on youtube, soundcloud, or other alternative listening platforms. Only recently was it released on spotify and apple music. The album is a follow up to Mac Miller’s second album ¨watching movies with the sound off ¨.

Faces is critically acclaimed as one of Mac’s greatest albums due to its personal exploration of his struggle with drug abuse and mental illness throughout his career. Miller produced the majority of this album independently with features like Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples, Schoolboy Q, and Rick Ross.

One of my favorite tracks off this album is ¨Polo Jeans (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)¨. Polo Jeans takes you through Miller’s struggle with drug abuse. Earl and Miller have such good chemistry throughout this whole track, creating brilliant rhythm and genius flow. You can tell that the two genuinely enjoy working with each other.

This track is unique to other songs that talk about drug use. Miller is upfront saying that he has a drug problem. Even saying at one point in the song ¨Don’t tell my mom I got a drug problem.¨

What I gathered from polo jeans is that he is sort of using these luxury items as a coping mechanism. One moment he’s talking about some serious heavy things that he’s doing, and then the song quickly changes to the chorus; Miller singing ¨but don’t I look so handsome in these polo jeans¨.

Faces has hints of jazz throughout the entirety of the project. The album focuses on samples of instrumental jazz and the incorporation of psychedelic sounds. This project does a phenomenal job of taking you on a funky jazz psychedelic experience and at the same time providing genius flow and word play throughout the entirety of the album. You will thoroughly enjoy this album if you enjoy any type of jazz music, or rap.

Overall if this album sounds interesting to you at all, I would most definitely recommend taking an hour or two out of your day to really sit down, listen and enjoy this critically acclaimed masterpiece.