I don't understand why anyone wouldn't love 'Padded Room'

[Lord Funk]

Most of the blogs and opinions I read about the album over the weeks since it dropped focused on how poor the beats were, how bad the production values were and what a disappointment the album was. When you read something often enough, you kind of just accept it as a fact.

Then, this morning, I actually listened to the album after buying it yesterday.

Fuck, this is one of the most ambitious, focused and daring displays of emceeing I've heard in a long time. How busy do you want to hear an MC get? From the concepts to the flow to the lyrics - Jesus, the lyrics - this is just incredible. Each song kind of reminded me of the way I feel after watching an episode of The Wire - I'm left wondering how the artists managed to fit so much into the standard 'four minute song' or 'one hour show' format.

As for the beats, well I could listen to this acapella and be happy. But that's not the point - I liked every beat on this album. There wasn't one song - not one - that made me want to skip ahead. For the people complaining about the beats, what would you rather be listening to? Presumably the fucking awful Dr Dre tracks that have been coming out recently? This is on some underground hip-hop shit, plus it's headphone music, not something you're meant to be blasting from your car.

Seriously impressed. Best album of 2009 so far by a loooooooong shot.

[Meho]

The album is definetly a grower. I do think that production wise it was a lot better than what we are used to from Budden but the 2 main problems for me were poor mastering and his off beat, monotone flow. But as far as concepts and creativitiy goes he get's a 5/5.

[J.E.]

I understand if someone thinks that this is a near-classic album but I personally don't really like it that much. It's nice but the production isn't that good imo. And lyrics/creativity are good but not great. 3.5/5 album for me.

[MediumL]

from what ive heard and i still havent heard the whole thing the mixing is horrible. Plus Joey can be a bit boring imo

[MakaveliThaDon1996]

The mixing and mastering of the songs are horrible. He needs to start using real producers with hot beats, instead of using internet producers with cheap beats.

[Conan]

It's a great album, undoubtedly. People hate on the production, but to me a lot of it really fits with Joe. For example, the restrained production on "I Couldn't Help It" almost serves to accentuate that all-important second verse. "Blood On The Wall's" somewhat 'grimy' production, shall we say, also works because Joey's lyricism is downright savage, particularly when addressing P.

The albums Achillies Heel, as Meho suggested, is the poor mastering. In the words of one of my friends, it's as if Joey has had one of his talentless boys handle it. This really detracts from my enjoyment of the CD.

[Sofa_King_Awesome]

LMAO @ Joe Burden

[S P I C E]

LMAO @ Joe Burden

great contribution to this thread

I agree about the mixing but other then that this album is perfect to me, a 5/5 classic

[DTG Entertainment]

LMAO @ Joe Burden

great contribution to this thread

I agree about the mixing but other then that this album is perfect to me, a 5/5 classic

Same.

[The-Leak (aka) kingwell (bka) JULES]

The albums Achillies Heel, as Meho suggested, is the poor mastering. In the words of one of my friends, it's as if Joey has had one of his talentless boys handle it. This really detracts from my enjoyment of the CD.

Joe has an in-house engineer.  He really shout outsource for the mixing and mastering.  Or the mastering at least..  The biggest example of how an average song can be turned 10 x greater by great mixing/mastering is Dr. Dre and what his team can do to a joint..  I guess Joe wants to develop his own brand and keep everything coming from his own team, which does save money, although limits your resources..  Every song has it's downs, and when there's nothing to mask the downs, you lose interest quicker..

I don't know if they listen to the final mixdown on headphones, but it sure doesn't sound like it...

[D1G1T4L]

wtf is with people saying cheap beats? These beats are the hot as hell and creative

[R1ZE]

to each his own... i dont see anything special about the lyrics and i hate the beats - then again i havent listened to it in weeks (or whenever it leaked). I dont really see a point in going back to it since I already know I don't feel it

edit: im sure the songs are deep/amazing lyrically, whatever whatever. i dont feel like reading into something that i cant just throw on and feel before all that

[pootypooty]

Joe Budden posted a new thread at his forum with the subject heading:

so the results are in on my taste in beats....

and apparently, i have none....

whether i agree with this statement is something totally different.... the beats i choose are not exactly 4 the beat itself, more so 4 the full vision of the song, and also go along with my whole motto of having an extremely low overhead.... however, majority of people, (not just this site), say i have a major problem in that area....

i think if i attached a big name to some of those same exact beats, the sentiments would be different, but this isn't about how i feel.... if enough people say your head is shaped funny, u should maybe consider the idea.....

with that said, i do want u guys to know that 4 my next project, i am going in a different direction, i'll be dealing with more skilled professional producers, not beat makers...

the names aren't important, just felt i should u guys know that words do not go unnoticed around here...

thx 4 the advise

[KURUPTION-81]

can someone break down the true meanings of in my sleep, exxxes and angel in my life ?

[Lord Funk]

Wow, I'm so clearly in the minority. I love the beats, I just don't get the problem. I don't even think the mastering or mixing is that off. Sure, it doesn't have the polish of Dre or Quik, but it sounds good enough in my headphones (Bose, for the record). I guess maybe there could be a bit more bass and punch to some of the tracks, but other than that...