by Kid Cudi
Released December 4, 2015 via Republic Records / Wicked Awesome Records
Reviewed December 4, 2020
Top tracks (based on community voting)
CONFUSED! (68%), Judgmental C**t (48%), Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven (43%)
While not quite Kid Cudi’s first attempt to crossover into rock (see: WZRD), Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven is considerably bolder than previous attempts, both in content and in the fact it’s self-produced. A lo-fi fusion of alternative rock, grunge, and post-punk, Cudder’s usual sound is scrapped almost entirely. Already known for incorporating slightly off-key singing into his music, this becomes the sole means of transportation for his typically introspective, emotional, and often depressive lyrical content. Is the songwriting a little sloppy at times? Yes. Are there moments that just sound like demos of Nirvana’s demos? A few. But amidst the messiness, there is plenty of work that makes this an emotionally and artistically raw take on lo-fi rock/grunge that is truly admirable. – Dominick (7.2/10)
If you were a Kid Cudi fan on the release day of Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven, you are likely aware of the bumpy road that led to this infamous grunge crossover. In the six years since the release of Man on the Moon, Cudi released a captivating sequel the following year, followed by the controversially-received Indicud, as well as the WZRD rock EP, and SATELLITE FLIGHT, which people rarely talk about. Through this period, many maintained support for Cudi with the hopes that a return to the Man on the Moon era was possible. Tragically, SB2H served as a fatal blow to those expectations. From the album’s druggy haze to its suicidal lyrics, the mental anguish that Cudi was experiencing in this time of relative silence became clear. To say that Kid Cudi displayed a true grasp of, taste for, or restraint on his infusion of grunge is impossible. But that doesn’t mean SB2H is completely devoid of creative bright spots. Though much of the conversation that surrounds this album is overwhelmingly negative, it still has several groovy moments, and sheds an intriguing light on Kid Cudi’s better albums that came both before and after. – DeVán (5/10)
Kid Cudi had always motioned towards interests that superseded hip-hop and this release verifies those passions, if nothing else. Applying drab low register stylings and emotionally isolating lyrics, Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven admirably takes on the ‘90s grunge rock aesthetic in totality. Though genuine in its attempts to emulate that sound, the album often misses its mark via heavy-handing the genre’s more rudimentary elements and under-developing its greatest strengths. Occasional bright spots arise, usually driven by the grim honesty spun out of Cudi’s fragile headspace, but they are not frequent enough to outweigh the project's grating underbelly. This was a risk well spent for one of the more adventurous mainstream artists of his time, but it will not be remembered the way Cudi necessarily intended. – Enth (5/10)
Dominick: 7.2/10 | Alan: 6.8/10 | Cam: 5/10 | DeVán: 5/10 | Enth: 5/10
Hadley: 4.5/10 | Pax: 4.5/10 | Daniel: 2/10
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