WZRD - WZRD

Borderline Bad

Kid Cudi had an idea to make a rock album ... could have fooled me. In his new outfit with producer Dot da Genius, WZRD was inspired by Kudi's love of Electric Light Orchestra, Jimi Hendrix and the Pixies. In fact, the group's name is taken from the early Black Sabbath song "The Wizard" ... not to be confused with the drinking game involving who has the biggest staff made out of beer cans and duct tape. Though Cudi's extensive musical knowledge outside his own genre is nothing short of impressive and reverential, there is little to show for it here other than distorted rhythm guitar. In fact, one could argue that the Man in the Moon is better off returning to the droll, raspy rhymes that made him a notable rapper — or at he should have peppered some rap into the mix.

Whatever potential WZRD has, it is squandered by Cudi's limited vocal range. While this works for the rapper in his other outlets, it is a unpleasant detriment in this work. When the album launches into "High Off Life," WZRD could be just as easily be a high-school reggae band that got lost in James Hetfield's mansion, playing with the amplifiers on full blast along the way. The lack of instrumental skill is also a problem. Cudi, who started playing guitar in 2010, noticeably struggles with his fret proficiency. As is the case on songs like "Brake" and "Dr. Pill, " he uses his knowledge of the studio to shroud his novicehood and create effects that let him nearly pull off a professional-caliber song progression (for those playing at home: the operative word is nearly).

The lukewarm spots on the album come in a block of three. First is what Cudi is billing as the album's breakout track, "Teleport 2 Me, Jamie," which almost mimics the score from Blade Runner with a pop beat. Although Cudi's singing in the chorus does its best to divert, the creative vision alone pardons the artist from his cacophonous wrong-doings.

Next, there is a cover version of Nirvana's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night," an actual nod to Nirvana, who used this title instead of the song's traditional label: "In the Pines." Cudi is as on key as he is going to get, and choosing this Nirvana song demonstrates he is not kidding when he says he's a fan and not a total n00b move by going for the easy move and playing "About a Girl."

Finally, the acoustic "Efflicitim" shows a more clear-cut Cudi who is more in step with his previous albums. For some reason, the fast-paced strumming seems to bring out the soul within, although it distances WZRD from its original goal in creating a true rock presence. If the song is anything, it is a lost track from The End of Day remixed with a C. F. Martin acoustic.

Even so, WZRD was put forth as an experiment in engineering. To paraphrase Edison, this is not a failure in making a rock album — it's only discovering one way it doesn't work. Although I approve of Kid Cudi and Dot da Genius's collective gumption in taking on a project that everyone advised against, it is successes that are least expected that reap the largest rewards. Unfortunately, most of the work does not possess the qualities of a good listen. Hopefully Kid Cudi will not take this effort to heart, concede it as a footnote to his career and start again with this new knowledge and a little bit of practice under his belt.

For Your Consideration: "Teleport 2 Me, Jamie," "Where Did You Sleep Last Night," "Efflictim."

For Next Time: Trying to find a copy of the new Springsteen album Wrecking Ball. Even though it has been a couple weeks since release, I still would like to review it. I will also keep an eye out for any rap albums on the horizon.