Kid Cudi Is Truly 'Free' on New Album
Arriving after a year of confrontations with his own vulnerability comes a cathartic thirteenth album from the Man on the Moon.
Summary
- Kid Cudi has shared his latest project, Free, which marks his thirteenth studio album
- Spanning 13 tracks, the LP is a fully solo offering
- The tracklist includes singles “Neverland” and “Grave”
Kid Cudi has returned with his thirteenth (!!) studio album, his long-awaited Free.
Let’s set the scene. Cudi has had quite the year, filled with a plethora of personal milestones, artistic accomplishments, and other happenings. Not only did Cudder just get married over the summer, but he also recently released his soul-baring Cudi: The Memoir (complete with his own hand-painted cover art) as well as his directorial debut with Tribeca Film Festival short film Neverland. The musician also got subpoenaed to testify in the Diddy trial, something he’s vocally expressed was a difficult thing to have to face head-on once again, so many years later.
The past 7 months have been riddled with confrontation with vulnerability, and this is exactly what Cudi is tapping into on the new album.
A fully solo, 13-track endeavor, Free feels like a cathartic release coming from the musician, unleashing everything that’s been weighing on him – both the good and the bad – so he can be truly free.
1. Echoes of the Present
2. Neverland
3. Mr Miracle
4. Opiate
5. Deep Diving
6. Truman Show
7. Submarine
8. Ashes
9. Grave
10. Past Life
11. Picnic In Paris
12. Stargazing
13. Salt Water
Singles “Neverland” and “Grave” both land on the tracklist, which ultimately culminates into a more pop-leaning sound than we’re used to hearing from Cudder – sort of Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven-esque, but more focused.
“For the past three years, I wasn’t really challenging myself,” Cudi explained in a press statement. “Free is me being fearless again and doing something different.” This sentiment shines throughout the record, which also reels with the musician’s cohesive narrative approach across both visually and lyrically.
As he croons on the chorus of “Grave:” “I stopped running to the grave.” It’s clear that, despite the emotional hurdles he’s faced in recent months, Cudder is at peace where he’s at right now.
Stream Free, out on all major streaming platforms now.
