Feet of Clay
EP by
Earl Sweatshirt
ReleasedNovember 1, 2019 (2019-11-01)
Genre
Length15:22 (standard)
20:38 (deluxe)
Label
Producer
Earl Sweatshirt chronology
Some Rap Songs
(2018)		 Feet of Clay
(2019)		 Sick!
(2022)
Singles from Feet of Clay
  1. "East"
    Released: November 1, 2019
  2. "Whole World"
    Released: April 24, 2020

Feet of Clay (stylized in all caps) is the second extended play by American rapper Earl Sweatshirt. It was released on November 1, 2019, through Tan Cressida and Warner Records.[5] A deluxe edition, also included on the vinyl and CD copies, was released digitally July 24, 2020, including two bonus tracks.[6]

Background

The extended play was as a surprise release, announced the day before its release.[7] A music video for "East" was released alongside the EP.[8] On April 24, 2020 "Whole World" was released as a single for the deluxe version of the EP.[9] The deluxe version of the EP released on July 24, 2020.[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.3/10[11]
Metacritic79/100[12]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Clash7/10[2]
Consequence of SoundB[13]
HipHopDX3.8/5[14]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[1]
NME[3]
Pitchfork8.4/10[15]
Rolling Stone[16]
Sputnikmusic3.8/5[17]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Feet of Clay received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 from 12 critic scores.[12] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave Feet of Clay 7.3 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[11]

The EP received praise for its lyricism. Udit Mahalingam of The Line of Best Fit writes that the EP "retains the low-fi stream-of-consciousness sensibilities established in Sweatshirt’s past work whilst trading introspection with a much more tender sense of retrospection" and "is a pocket-sized self-portrait that depicts the way things are, just as they are."[1] Writing for Rolling Stone, Danny Schwartz states: "His dense words-per-second ratio, as well as the fluid, associative logic that guides Feet of Clay, makes each song appear as a bottled capsule of unfiltered stream-of-consciousness that spills out of him like water from an Artesian well. It's more likely that Earl takes great pains to arrange the syntax of every line, given the way his digressions can culminate in sudden moments of clarity."[16] AllMusic's Fred Thomas praised its themes, stating "The seven tracks represent different, curious branches extending out from the seeds planted by Some Rap Songs, each reaching for new ideas and switching gears when another thought arrives. It continues Sweatshirt's streak as an innovator and as one of the more compelling artists of his time."[4]

The album's production received more mixed reception. Dan Weiss of Consequence states: "Feet of Clay is such a maze of compellingly crudded-up soundwork that it's hard to focus on the words without keeping Genius open in one tab, and it doesn’t help that Earl’s double-encrypted flow is as impenetrable as it's ever been."[13] Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Randall Roberts praised the album's experimentation, writing that the EP shows Sweatshirt "experimenting with structure and meter while pouring forth streams of consequential ideas", and compared it to free jazz, stating: "As with the free-jazz innovators of the 1960s, Sweatshirt continually pushes against the notion that rap music requires any formulas at all."[18] Dhruva Balram of NME praised the production, writing "The production on the project, mainly overseen by Earl – with support from Cali producer The Alchemist – ranges from dark, haunted tunes to lo-fi production that's rough around the edges. Agile blends of cassette and vinyl hiss warps around Earl’s own slurred lyrics and vocals. Samples are opaque, chopped beyond recognition" and concludes that "The project forces you to stop and listen to each line to decipher the meaning. The brevity and density of the album, coupled with the unique production, makes it seem like an epilogue to Some Rap Songs. Earl Sweatshirt has made another project that listeners will scrutinise and dissect repeatedly." HipHopDX's Kevin Cortez concludes that "the EP is yet another polarizing entry in Earl's canon, directly challenging listeners with grating production without ever begging anyone to listen. As abrasive as it feels, it's a lyrically rewarding payoff for listeners who choose to sift through the muddle and explore a high-brow exercise into poetry. Otherwise, old Odd Future fans and casual Hip-Hop listeners will be turned off by its off-putting and annoyingly grating aesthetics."[14]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."74"Thebe KgositsileKgositsile1:41
2."East"KgositsileKgositsile1:58
3."Mtomb" (featuring Liv.e)
The Alchemist1:10
4."OD"KgositsileKgositsile1:35
5."El Toro Combo Meal" (featuring Mavi)
ovrkast.2:31
6."Tisk Tisk / Cookies"KgositsileKgositsile1:40
7."4N" (featuring Mach-Hommy)
4:47
Total length:15:22
Deluxe edition bonus tracks[10]
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
8."Ghost" (featuring Navy Blue)
Black Noise1:49
9."Whole World" (featuring Maxo)
The Alchemist3:27
Total length:20:38

Notes

  • All track titles are stylized in all caps.

Sample credits

Personnel

  • Earl Sweatshirt – vocals, programming (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7), engineering, mixing
  • Liv.e – featured background vocals (track 3)
  • Mavi – featured vocals (track 5)
  • Mach-Hommy – featured vocals (track 7), programming (track 7)
  • Maxo – featured vocals (track 9)
  • Navy Blue – featured vocals (track 8)
  • The Alchemist – programming (track 3, 9)
  • ovrkast. – programming (track 5)
  • Black Noise – programming (track 8)
  • Swarvy – additional programming (track 3)
  • Joe Visciano – mixing
  • Chris Athens – mastering

Charts

Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[19] 102

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mahalingam, Udit (November 4, 2019). "Feet of Clay is testament to Earl Sweatshirt's pioneering talent". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Fell, Sul (November 5, 2019). "Earl Sweatshirt – FEET OF CLAY". Clash. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Balram, Dhruva (November 1, 2019). "Earl Sweatshirt – 'Feet Of Clay' review: an emotional stream-of-conscious epilogue to 'Some Rap Songs'". NME. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Thomas, Fred. "Feet of Clay – Earl Sweatshirt". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  5. ↑ Minsker, Evan (October 31, 2019). "Listen to Earl Sweatshirt's New Album Feet of Clay". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  6. ↑ Cowen, Trace William. "Listen to the Deluxe Version of Earl Sweatshirt's 'Feet of Clay'". Complex. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  7. ↑ Blistein, Jon (October 31, 2019). "Earl Sweatshirt Plots Surprise New EP 'Feet of Clay'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  8. ↑ Darville, Jordan (November 1, 2019). "Earl Sweatshirt shares "EAST" video". The Fader. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  9. ↑ Blistein, Jon (April 24, 2020). "Earl Sweatshirt Gets Existential With Alchemist, Maxo on New Song 'Whole World'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  10. 1 2 Powell, Jon (July 28, 2020). "Listen to the deluxe version of Earl Sweatshirt's 'FEET OF CLAY'". REVOLT. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Feet Of Clay by Earl Sweatshirt reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  12. 1 2 "FEET OF CLAY by Earl Sweatshirt Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  13. 1 2 Weiss, Dan (November 2, 2019). "Earl Sweatshirt Watches an Empire Crumble on the Gritty Feet of Clay". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  14. 1 2 Cortez, Kevin (November 15, 2019). "Review: Earl Sweatshirt's 'Feet Of Clay' Is High-Brow & Abstract Art Rap". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  15. ↑ Pearce, Sheldon (November 5, 2019). "Earl Sweatshirt: Feet of Clay Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  16. 1 2 Schwartz, Danny (November 4, 2019). "Earl Sweatshirt is a Guide Who Gets You Lost on the Excellent 'Feet of Clay'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Earl Sweatshirt - Feet of Clay (album review)". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  18. ↑ Roberts, Randall (November 13, 2019). "Hip-hop on the creative fringes, from Earl Sweatshirt and Vince Staples". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (2/3)". Billboard on Twitter. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
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