XXXTentacion’s ? Is Messy, Emotional and Still Hard to Ignore.

An album can be all over the place and still be good. That's pretty much where I landed with XXXTentacion's ?. I gave it a 7.7 out of 10, and the number probably looks a little strange until you see how I rated individual songs. “SAD!” is a 9. “the remedy for a broken heart” is a 9. “Moonlight” is an 8. Then “Floor 555” comes in at a 5. That ain't me being inconsistent. That's the experience of listening to this record: one minute I'm completely locked in and the next I'm waiting for him to move on.

What made X interesting was how quickly he could change what kind of artist he sounded like. He could make something catchy enough to play around anybody, then turn around and make a song that feels like you accidentally heard somebody's most private thoughts. ? only runs about 37 minutes across 18 tracks, but it moves through more sounds than albums twice its length. Sometimes that's impressive. Sometimes it feels like every idea got to make the final cut.

The best songs don't need an explanation

“SAD!” is a 9/10 for me because the hook sticks immediately, but there's discomfort underneath how easy the song is to sing along to. That's the talent: putting ugly feelings inside a record with almost effortless replay value. The song doesn't have to be this complicated lyrical exercise to work. It gets you with the sound, and then the emotion sits there.

“the remedy for a broken heart (why am I so in love)” is another 9. I like the way it can sound quiet and restless at the same time. You hear somebody turning the same feelings over in his head and not really getting anywhere with them. There's something human about that loop. “Moonlight” is an 8 for a different reason. It's simple and instantly recognizable. Everything doesn't need to be some deep confession, and a song like that proves X understood how far atmosphere could carry a record.

Then there's the other side. “Floor 555” is a 5/10 for me. I get why the screaming delivery and abrasive energy appeal to people. It's supposed to be aggressive and uncomfortable. But knowing what an artist is going for doesn't mean it connects with me. I don't replay that record the way I replay the melodic songs. I don't have to pretend the noise is genius just because the switch-up is dramatic.

Versatility and cohesion ain't the same thing

I still appreciate him trying things. “infinity (888)” with Joey Bada$ lets him show he can actually rap in a more traditional pocket, which matters when people reduce his whole sound to emotional hooks and screaming. “changes” gives you something softer. “Hope,” “ALONE, PART 3” and “before I close my eyes” push the album back toward the emotional center. You can hear a range of impulses in a short amount of time, and I think that explains both the strengths and the problems.

It's tempting to call every sharp mood swing artistic depth, but I'm not giving it that easy pass. Some transitions are exciting because he commits to changing the whole sound. Others make the project feel less like one complete statement and more like a stack of ideas that happened to come from the same person. I can respect the range without saying the sequencing is perfect.

And I don't think you have to turn this album into a conversation about his entire life every time you judge the music. His story is part of how people hear him now, but a review still has to answer whether the records work. I don't like “Floor 555” more because of his legacy, and I don't like “SAD!” less because it's his biggest record. The music has to stand up when you actually press play.

So yeah, 7.7/10. I hear moments of real brilliance on ?, especially when X finds the right melody for feelings he can't quite settle. I also hear unfinished edges and experiments that don't deserve the same praise. That's what makes the rating make sense to me. I don't need to call the whole album a masterpiece to say some of these songs are special.