The Weekly Coos

Back in December, I got my first glimpse (via movie trailer) at Jeymes Samuel’s follow-up to 2021’s The Harder They Fall–an all-black lead western that came with a killer soundtrack co-orchestrated and co-produced by Jay-Z alongside Samuels–The Book of Clarence, and there was no hiding my internalized hype–much of it coming from its concept and the music attached being a known: a killer soundtrack (thanks to the lead single “Hallelujah Heaven” used in the trailer). It’s safe to say that consistency remains. The soundtrack shines as it becomes more of a detachment from the hip-hop-heavy work of Samuel’s first film-album combo and debut. From it, we get more work that focuses on R&B/Soul/Gospel textures heard on a few occasions on They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories…,(his debut). Because of it, I found myself loving much of the music, and it’s a benefit that the music has no correlation to the film’s plot progression, but I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend the movie too; it’s messy but aspirational and hilarious, the opposite of the album that has momentous highs and some disappointing lows.

THE BOOK OF CLARENCE (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) starts on a significant, memorable streak thanks to the lead single on track 2, which elevates tracks around it through its uproarious contrast. That lead single, “Hallelujah Heaven,” features Lil Wayne, Buju Banton, and Shabba Ranks in this luscious hybrid of Hip-Hop and Reggae that exemplifies each artist’s skills, doubled down by their coming with a game level higher than A. Lil Wayne’s multifaceted skills to twist words into a coherent progression of metaphorical poignancy shine as he brings forth reasons why he deems himself a god, with some subtle humbling nuances to the trials and tribulations to allow such braggadocio about cultural impact and himself, all while acting as a contrast to both Buju and Shabba, who bring a sense of unity through their words even if it treads toward some preachiness—it’s the flow of the music and how it functions within what the title means to the artists, and they deliver on it significantly. The following track does similarly, through fantastic and audacious verses from Kodak Black and Doja Cat, who retort at critics who don’t see the demons within they encounter daily.

That consistency reigns high as the music maneuvers through the strengths of its vocalists before hitting a gap stop within the middle with a track that was relatively keen for the music community to hear. “I Want Your Father” is a 9-minute behemoth that features D’Angelo and Jay-Z, and what could be deemed as two legends uniting for a powerhouse number seems to fall off the cliff swiftly as only one of them took the assignment more literally. Jay-Z raps about the one he loves, Beyonce, and there is little creativity on both ends in how he describes the courtship and his wealth/ego. His flows become glaring because of it and dilute his result as he fluctuates between whatever Last Poet music listening habit he’s been through recently, and some potential fun flows get thrown aside for an ambitious delivery that barely moves the needle. Considering what one expects of his verse becomes a black hole in a predominately fantastic array of production and vocals from Jeymes Samuel and D’Angelo, respectively. Additionally, what comes after makes what becomes of “I Want Your Father” a disappointment. It’s interesting how much weight Jay-Z’s verse has in the matter, but he’s placed at a point that feels center-stage and the highlight, and he isn’t.

Following “I Want Your Father,” you get more fluid Gospel-Soul blends that amplify the music momentously, especially when it doesn’t tread into new territory. However, Jeymes Samuel at least has some fun with the music, delivering nuanced performances and some other fun ones that make its weaknesses flutter into the back despite being something that can still hinder how you feel about the music, especially after a fantastic start. Some that immediately hit were “Magdalene,” a track about Mary Magdalene, and “Nazarene,” a more stripped-down but lavish ballad driven by powerful piano layers in the instrumentation. It’s one cohesive run that makes you think modestly about the themes getting presented and the music’s overall approach to it, especially with the slight twists Samuel does to the production by switching between genre complexions.

Fortunately, the film is equally as great, delivering a fantastic score to keep you entrenched within the story, even if it starts to wane on its presence near the end. It’s similar to this album, which feels like it’s treading familiar territory. It’s a great companion piece that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the highs are exponentially high, and I won’t deny I’ve replayed those first five tracks greatly. It’s something I’d wholly recommend to you, even if it isn’t much your steelo, as the music does offer enough to keep much in rotation. I know I’ll be bumping “Hallelujah Heaven” and “JEEZU” hella consistently.