Watching Movies with the Sound Off

Watching Movies with the Sound Off is Mac Miller's second studio album which was released on June 18, 2013 by Rostrum Records.
==Album Background==
On October 14, 2012, Mac Miller announced that his second album, "Watching Movies with the Sound Off" would be released in early 2013. The album title is derived from Miller's habit of making music in the studio while watching films on mute.
When speaking of the album, he said that it is "very introspective and very personal so it's kind of throwing it all out there and seeing what happens."
The album's cover artwork was released via Miller's website on May 8, 2013. The cover art features Miller sitting nude at a table, his convenient placement of the "Parental Advisory" avoiding any indecent exposure.
The minimalistic cover has an apple sitting on the table, a flower-bearing ornament, and a golden cherub hanging from the ceiling. The cover art was designed by Miller McCormick. Complex ranked the cover at number 21 on their list of best album covers of 2013.
===Recording & Production===
Miller estimated that he recorded over 400 songs during the process of making the album. The majority were recorded in his home studio at his house in Los Angeles, California.
On September 1, 2012, Miller released another free song called "PlaneCarBoat" which features West Coast rapper Schoolboy Q and was produced by himself. He originally confirmed features on the album to include Schoolboy Q, Earl Sweatshirt, Ab-Soul, Cam'ron, Tyler, the Creator, Action Bronson, Casey Veggies, Kid Cudi, Gucci Mane and Loaded Lux.
Miller and Schoolboy Q recorded nine songs during the album's recording process, of which only one made the album. He told MTV that Thundercat and Snoop Dogg would perform the outro on the album.
The track listing was released on May 25, 2013, and revealed guest appearances on the album to include Earl Sweatshirt, Ab-Soul, Action Bronson, Schoolboy Q, Jay Electronica, Tyler, the Creator, Loaded Lux, Vinny Radio and Niki Randa.
Miller said Jay Electronica's verse would be the last addition to the album, as he had received the verse only two hours before he was set to master the album.
This is the first album where Miller self-produced a large chunk of it under his alias Larry Fisherman. He said he was very self-conscious of his production on the album.
The album's production was also handled by Pharrell Williams, Chuck Inglish, The Alchemist, Clams Casino, Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler, the Creator, Flying Lotus, J. Hill and Diplo among others.
==Tracklisting==
#The Star Room 4:35
#Avian 3:16
#I'm Not Real (featuring Earl Sweatshirt) 3:23
#S.D.S. 3:04
#Bird Call 2:08
#Matches (featuring Ab-Soul) 2:58
#I Am Who Am (Killin' Time) (featuring Niki Randa) 5:00
#Objects In The Mirror 4:18
#Red Dot Music (featuring Action Bronson) 6:07
#Gees (featuring Schoolboy Q) 2:55
#Watching Movies 3:40
#Suplexes Inside Of Complexes And Duplexes 2:47
#REMember 4:27
#Someone Like You 4:16
#Aquarium 4:38
#Youforia 4:00
#Goosebumpz 3:21
#O.K. (featuring Tyler, the Creator) 2:39
#Claymation (featuring Vinny Radio) 3:52
==Chart Performance==
In its first week of release, "Watching Movies with the Sound Off" sold 102,000 copies in the United States, debuting at number three on the US Billboard 200. During its second week, the album dropped to number 14 on the chart, selling 23,000 more copies, bringing its two-week total album sales to 125,000 copies.
In its third week, the album dropped to number 23 on the chart, selling an additional 13,000 copies. In its fourth week, it dropped to number 24 on the chart, selling 10,000 more copies.
As of September 2015, "Watching Movies With the Sound Off" has sold 250,000 copies in the United States. It earned 11,000 album-equivalent units in the week following Miller's death on September 7, 2018, allowing the album to re-enter the Billboard 200 at number 59.
On April 26, 2019, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales and streams in excess of 500,000 units in the United States.
==Critical Reception==
"Watching Movies with the Sound Off" was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 73, based on 17 reviews.
Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 6.9 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. Album of the Year assessed the critical consensus as 72 out of 100, based on 13 reviews.
David Renshaw of NME said: "It's hard not to notice that the production outshines the delivery, with Pharrell and Diplo beats topped only by the slick 'SDS' courtesy of Brainfeeder boss Flying Lotus. At least it all diverts attention from that naked album cover, mind."
David Jeffries of AllMusic stated, "Without the hooks or the lofty lyrics, the album seems made exclusively for Miller's fans or those who right-click indie rap mixtape links on the daily. Those audiences should find it an interesting trip, admirable artistic growth, and an attractive, entertaining step in the right direction. Others will likely be flummoxed."
Sean Ryon of XXL commented saying, "Despite the disparity of styles, the album's sequencing affords it a greater sense of cohesion. Listeners will have little trouble transition between the booming "Watching Movies" and more subdued affairs like "Suplexes Inside of Complexes And Duplexes". This is due to Mac's excellent production throughout as Larry Fisherman."
Nick Catucci of Rolling Stone stated, "On Watching Movies, he tosses in a chain saw: punch-drunk slow-and-arty beats he produced with Diplo, Flying Lotus and his pal Earl Sweatshirt. The often mesmerizing production may be a crafty way of distancing himself from Cheesy Mac, the party rapper responsible for the irresistible bro-down "Donald Trump"."
Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly said: "Objects in the Mirror" and "Aquarium" are surprisingly self-reflective, but the dumb-fun party jams are half as infectious as before, and twice as misogynistic."
Chayne Japal of Exclaim! stated, "Mac Miller emphatically joins a higher tier of rap artists with Watching Movies, an effort that at once silences his detractors and rewards his faithful following."
Mike Madden of Consequence of Sound stated that: "Watching Movies is Miller's most enduring, and endearing, project yet. I won't be worried if he decides to overhaul his sound again someday – I trust his artistic acumen now – but it would be nice to see him run with the aesthetic he found here."
Craig Jenkins of Pitchfork said, "Watching Movies with the Sound Off is a quantum leap in artistry, but it's not without faults; the album's about three songs too long, and a couple of the tracks in the back end just plain run together."
Category:2010s albums
Category:Hip Hop