1. For Whom The Bell Tolls:
First thought: Hemingway, Metallica?
Thoughts after first listen: Not your usually Cole intro. Short, singsongy, and not much deep thought into the concept. However, the instrumental is great. Classically wonderful, using live-sounding instrumentation. The horns are the highlight of this track.
2. Immortal
First thought: Beat continuation from the intro?
Makes me think of a response to A$AP Rocky’s Multiply. The opening flow is one we've heard from Cole before, smart to be consistent for your old fans and newcomers. I really dig the semi-acapella flow at the end of the song where the beat drops and returns as well as the word play on “Virginia-ay.”
3. Deja Vu
First thought: EXCHANGE BEAT??? THAT YOUNG TILLER
Cole using some well known samples here. I like the idea though, the clear Pac shoutout as well as the Bryson Tiller exchange sample sets an interesting well… exchange of thoughts. This song is going to connect with a lot of Cole fans who are ambitious yet loyal. We all wanna do great things and move on from our old lives, but what happens to those we leave behind?
4.Ville Mentality
First thought: Sounds like more of an interlude than a full thought of a song.
Nonetheless, it's a great insight into the mind and feelings of someone from the area that Cole is from. The hard-headed, my way or the highway attitude - as well as the strife of those affected by this attitude. The song is truly a vehicle to transport someone to that headspace.
5. She's mine part 1
First thought: Andre 3000
An open book type vulnerability shown here by Cole. A true love story feel is given to this song in every aspect. The harmonizing, piano and violin led instumental, the low voice. All signs point to a love song, not something you hear often in hip hop. The sonic feelings of this song reveal that something is beginning to change within Cole, a new feeling never felt before.
6. Change
First thought: Classic 90s feel.
The girl on this reminds me of Lauryn Hill and Cole plays the role of the Fugees here. But, his flow feels more Nas-like with the speed and rhyme scheme. The skit at the end ties the entire song together, putting the effects of the Narrative right in our faces… the piano outro allows the listener time to reflect on the fury of storytelling punches we all just received
7. Neighbors
First thought: This is gonna be a hit
Cole makes a bit of a joke here aimed at himself that also has some further reaching thought provoking themes. Cole talks about his lack of money spending and his recent move towards dressing and acting like the “average man”. So much to where his neighbors think he must be selling drugs to maintain his residence. But, it’s also a look at the stereotypical thought of “well he has money, he must be selling drugs”
8 Foldin Clothes
First thought: Cole in love?
Cole once again gives us a love song feel. This time it feels much more Motown in nature, He produces a beat with a catchy guitar riff and background keyboard and a heavy bass riff as well. The lyrical setup is repetitive in nature, like the 5 man bands we would see in the soulful MoTOWN era. The background singers with soft underlying “oooo’s” just add to this auditory aesthetic. Each and every song on this album seems to lend itself to a particular era, this song is clearly the 50s and 60s. The end of this song brings us sonically, back to modern day, where Cole relays that the man in this song is the same from the others, but he is more carefree and open to being himself around this woman he wants to fold clothes for.
9. She’s Mine Pt. 2
First thought: Cole got a baby?!!!!
We see here that Cole is feeling a different kind of love. The love of a child, his own. He questions his own ability to be able to take care of this child. He speaks humbly and openly on this track. The vulnerability from the first part of this song returns, but with all new meaning. The unfounded feelings for new life are felt in the aura of this song.
10. 4 Your Eyez Only
First thought: This is classic Cole.
The horns before the beat drop, the repeating chorus allows the concept to sink in. We now understand the full concept of the album. It’s for his newborn daughter. The your in “4 Your Eyez Only” is her. We’ve seen this through many artists over the years, wanting to create an album for their children. Cole speaks as though he may not be there for his daughter to listen to this song with him. The song comes to sound like it's coming from a man scared for his own life, a last will and testament of sorts. He wants his daughter to know him, even if he may not be there physically. The outro verses paint a new picture of Cole’s feelings on fatherhood and wrap up all of the themes of the album- Fatherhood, Love, and what “being real” means.
