Album Review - Man on the Moon: The End of Day by Kid Cudi

    "I've got some issues that nobody can see / and all of these emotions are pouring out of me / I'll bring them to the light for you, it's only right / This is the soundtrack 2 my life."
     By this point, I properly understood what Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon: The End of Day was really about. See, at first I thought the album had gotten its name because it's about being on the moon - higher than the sky, king of the world, etc. - and in some ways, it is. Kid Cudi is on the moon in the best and worst of ways. The only problem is, he's the only one up there.
    Not that this is a "lonely at the top" sob album reminiscent of Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak (although there is some of that, too). Cudi has as many presents under the Christmas tree as he does skeletons in his closet, and he does an admirable job of taking the good with the bad - cherishing his family upbringing while at the same time lamenting his insecurities, sometimes in the same song.
    Songs like "My World" and "Solo Dolo" are about the loneliness and personal issues that many people can relate to, while others like "Heart of a Lion" and "Up, Up, And Away" offer a refreshing dose of optimism. The early-leaked "Sky Might Fall" sounds even better than before, and even "Day N Nite" sounds fresh despite being over a year old (although I can't quite figure out why). Having Common provide narration segments is a stroke of genius that made me feel like I was experiencing a story, and I may consider him over Morgan Freeman if I'm ever hiring for a similar job (although I wish the narrations were on separate tracks - sometimes I just want the song!).
    There is one glaring flaw that is worth mentioning, although it should not deter buyers: "Make Her Say" does not fit the theme of the album at all (the fact that it used to be called "Poke Her Face" should tell you all you need to know about the song's contents). It is a decent song in its own right, but it seems that in his attempt to add more power players to his album (the song features Kanye West and Common), Cudi ended up including a track that is out of place.
    At the end of the day, not only is Kid Cudi walking with the heart of a lion, but he succeeds in creating "dat new new" he keeps going on about. He could have used more star power as a newcomer, but this moon shines bright enough on its own.