Sick!

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Sick!
Studio album by
Earl Sweatshirt
ReleasedJanuary 14, 2022 (2022-01-14)
Recorded2020-2021
GenreHip hop
Length24:00
Label
Producer
Earl Sweatshirt chronology
Feet of Clay
(2019) 		Sick!
(2022) 		Voir Dire
(2023)
Singles from Sick!
  1. "2010"
    Released: November 19, 2021
  2. "Tabula Rasa"
    Released: December 10, 2021
  3. "Titanic"
    Released: January 7, 2022

Sick! (stylized in all caps) is the fourth studio album by American rapper Earl Sweatshirt. It was released on January 14, 2022, through Tan Cressida and Warner Records.[1] The album features collaborations with Armand Hammer and Zelooperz, along with additional vocals by Na-Kel Smith. Production was handled by the Alchemist, Black Noi$e, Navy Blue (under the alias Ancestors), Samiyam, Alexander Spit, Theravada, Rob Chambers, and some co-production by Earl himself.[2] It was preceded by the singles "2010", "Tabula Rasa" featuring Armand Hammer, and "Titanic".[3]

Background[edit]

Earl Sweatshirt called the album his "humble offering of 10 songs recorded in the wake of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns",[4] as he "leaned into the chaos" of the world's growing "anger and restlessness".[5] The album was announced on December 10, 2021.[1]

Cover art[edit]

The album cover depicts a framed mold of Earl Sweatshirt wearing a mask surrounded by two pills, African photos, a clove of garlic, and some sage.[5]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10[6]
Metacritic85/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
The Arts Desk[9]
Beats Per Minute86%[10]
Clash9/10[11]
No Ripcord8/10[12]
The Observer[13]
Paste8.2/10[14]
Pitchfork8.1/10[15]
Rolling Stone[16]
Slant Magazine[17]

Sick was met with widespread critical acclaim from critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 85, based on 17 reviews.[7] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.9 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[6]

Tom Breihan of Stereogum named Sick! "Album of the Week", stating, "SICK! is the first Earl Sweatshirt album that doesn't sound more freaked-out and withdrawn than the one that came before. It's a dense, rich, contemplative piece of work... [it's] a strange and insular rap record, but it's a rap record nonetheless, and it's a great one".[18] Concluding the review for AllMusic, Fred Thomas felt that while " Sick! is brief, with just ten songs clocking in at around 24 minutes, but every move is placed with intention and forethought. Sharp, direct, and fluid in a way that's almost supernatural, Sick! perfectly conveys the duality of frustration and drive to persevere that arises from living through exceptionally difficult times."[8] Reviewing the album for Pitchfork, Dylan Green compared the album to its predecessor; "Sick! doesn't recontextualize the genre in the same way Some Rap Songs did, but it's an act of self-revolution. It magnifies a newly assured Earl Sweatshirt, skin shed and free to ascend."[15]

Track listing[edit]

Sick! track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Old Friend"
The Alchemist1:19
2."2010"
Black Noi$e2:28
3."Sick!"
1:51
4."Vision" (featuring Zelooperz)
  • Black Noi$e
  • The Alchemist[a]
4:14
5."Tabula Rasa" (featuring Armand Hammer)
  • Theravada
  • Rob Chambers
  • Kgositsile[a]
4:11
6."Lye"
  • Kgositsile
  • Maman
The Alchemist1:52
7."Lobby" (interlude)
Samiyam1:12
8."God Laughs"
1:24
9."Titanic"
  • Kgositsile
  • Mansel
Black Noi$e1:52
10."Fire in the Hole"
  • Kgositsile
  • Mansel
Black Noi$e3:37
Total length:24:00

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a recording engineer.
  • "Titanic" features additional vocals by Na-Kel Smith.

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for Sick!
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] 56
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[20] 133
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[21] 82
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[22] 86
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[23] 38
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[24] 23
US Billboard 200[25] 80
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[26] 45

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Zemler, Emily (December 10, 2021). "Earl Sweatshirt Previews New Album With Single 'Tabula Rasa'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  2. ^ Kaufman, Gil (January 7, 2022). "Earl Sweatshirt Reveals Full Track List for 'Sick!' Album". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  3. ^ Strauss, Matthew (December 10, 2021). "Earl Sweatshirt Announces Sick Project, Shares New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  4. ^ Murray, Robin (December 10, 2021). "Earl Sweatshirt Announces New 'Sick' Project". Clash. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Bustard, Andy (December 10, 2021). "Earl Sweatshirt Announces New Album 'Sick!'". HipHopDX. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Sick! by Earl Sweatshirt reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Sick! by Earl Sweatshirt Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Thomas, Fred. "Sick! – Earl Sweatshirt". AllMusic. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  9. ^ Thorfinn-George, Harry. "Album: Earl Sweatshirt - Sick!". The Arts Desk. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  10. ^ Sentz, Tim (January 21, 2022). "Album Review: Earl Sweatshirt - SICK!". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  11. ^ Murray, Robin (January 14, 2022). "Earl Sweatshirt - SICK!". Clash. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  12. ^ Glassey, Jackson (January 26, 2022). "Earl Swearshirt: SICK! - Music Review - No Ripcord". No Ripcord. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  13. ^ Empire, Kitty (January 16, 2022). "Earl Sweatshirt: Sick! review - a musically rich reset". The Observer. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  14. ^ Buford, Jayson (January 21, 2022). "Earl Sweatshirt: 'SICK!' Album Review - Paste". Paste. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Green, Dylan (January 13, 2022). "Earl Sweatshirt: Sick! Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  16. ^ Kearse, Stephen (January 14, 2022). "Review: Earl Sweatshirt's 'Sick!'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  17. ^ Bedenbaugh, Thomas (January 20, 2022). "Earl Sweatshirt 'Sick!' Review: A Direct, In-Your-Face Account of Isolation". Slant Magazine. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  18. ^ Breihan, Tom (January 11, 2022). "Album Of The Week: Earl Sweatshirt's 'SICK!'". Stereogum. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  19. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 24 January 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1664. Australian Recording Industry Association. January 24, 2022. p. 6.
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – Earl Sweatshirt – Sick!" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  21. ^ "Earl Sweatshirt Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  22. ^ "2022 3-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  23. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  24. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  25. ^ "Earl Sweatshirt Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  26. ^ "Earl Sweatshirt Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
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