If Odd Future are the notorious bad boys of the young rap collective world, then Kids These Days are their ambitious, just slightly better behaved younger siblings. Based in Chicago, the group is comprised of seven vocalists and multi-instrumentalists that embody a high-energy, jazzy, rap-rock style. Traphouse Rock is the band’s debut, and if you find yourself questioning these kids’ talent, know that it was produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. Already with just one release, Kids These Days have not only a reputation, but the backing of some of the biggest and brightest. 
And it’s for good reason, or at least potentially so. Traphouse Rock has an undeniably cool, dynamic vibe that is pure jazz sophistication at one moment, hardcore rap at the next. There’s an eclectic mix of sampling on the album, ranging from iconic to kitschy. Sounds of big brass, percussion, and piano punctuate each track, along with a variety of vocalists. At first, I wasn’t sure if I would like Traphouse Rock, but I would imagine it’s pretty hard not to.
Opener “(Intro)mentation” is short, gentle, and elegant, which makes what comes next all that more unexpected. “Freakwhensees” is a quick, ADD cluster of sound bites, radio waves, song clips, and much more from the soundtrack of our modern lives. “Ghetto” represents what Traphouse Rock is all about: a variety of influences, and a variety of unexpected surprises. Samples include both “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up,” which was also sampled by Kanye West in “Touch the Sky.” It’s kind of kooky, but any one song that samples both Nirvana and Kanye is pretty cool in my book.
“Doo-Wah” takes a decidedly cultivated turn with a smooth, jazzy sample of Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind.” The track proclaims wisely, “I thought we’d be famous but I learned my lesson/I thought there was changes but I learned my lesson.” It’s pretty much what every kid is thinking around the age of twenty.
You know what else kids think about at that age? Weed. Kids These Days fill the necessary marijuana song quota with “Bud Billiken,” a weed-themed love song sure to please the coveted 18-29 demographic. The bouncy, hardcore style of “Don’t Harsh My Mellow” is pretty groovy, but on the other hand, the “Shut the FUCK up!” declaration that closes the track feels pretty silly when compared to its successor, “Talk 2 You,” a dreamy, romantic R&B duet.
The concept behind Traphouse Rock is definitely ambitious, which means that while it’s a really good album, it’s also a lot to take on for seven college-aged musicians. Kids These Days’ wide range of influence makes their album feel refreshingly modern and honest. However, if they’ve tapped into every possible genre, time period, and style you could possibly imagine, it makes me wonder: where do they go from here?
3 / 5 bars
