The album's been out for over a month and a half, so I was wondering what are your final thoughts.
I've been listening to it almost daily. At first, I was unsure as to where it belongs in the ranking of Nas' albums, but now I have clear that Life is Good is his 3rd best album, behind God's Son and Illmatic.
I think is really a fantastic album. Unlike Untitled, which I thought was pretty mediocre, Life is Good shines because it has stronger concepts and themes. All of the songs that touch on the subject of his failed marriage are great, with Stay and Roses being clear examples of fantastic, heart-touching stories.
The album has an excellent balance; it combines the best elements from albums like God's Son (very personal content ), Illmatic (hardcore, old-school hip-hop as present in "Loco-Motive" and "A Queen's Story") and Hip Hop is Dead (a more "modern" sound).
I also think this is, easily, his album with the best production. I'd go as far as saying that, only behind K.R.I.T., Salaam Remi and NO I.D. are the 2 best producers of the year. The beats are so fucking good; they are a mix of old and new and have a cinematic feel to them. The best examples of outstanding production are "A Queen's Story" (sounds like something from a super-hero movie soundtrack), Nasty and The Don (amazing, bang your head against the doors type of shit), World's an Addiction (haunting) and Stay (instantly memorable).
Even the weakest songs in the album grew on me like Reach Out and Summer on Smash. And even if you don't like those 2, there are another 16 tracks that are great.
What I like the most about the album is that, from beginning to end, it has that complete, cohesive feel. Overall, I think Life is Good is the second best album of the year (the first being Live from the Underground).
Assuming that this would be Nas' last album (which it won't be, but still), he went out on a high note.
