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Undun: A Concept Deconstruction
If you’ve never listened to Undun, it tells the story of the short life of Redford Stevens in reverse chronological order. The album illustrates the junction of free will and predetermination through internal dialogue, describing his life out “on the corner.”
The first track is purely instrumental, so let’s hop into track 2
Track 2: Sleep
This track finds Redford Stevens disoriented post-mortem. He is looking back on his life, finding it hard to admit that he led himself to his own undoing. He’s struggling to find the true image of himself. (½)
This track finds Redford Stevens disoriented post-mortem. He is looking back on his life, finding it hard to admit that he led himself to his own undoing. He’s struggling to find the true image of himself. (½)
The spiral of crime he went down caused him to cross the point of no return. It turned him into a different person: someone he did not recognize. The track ends with Stevens wondering if his family will remember him, which is a frightening thought. (2/2)
Track 3: Make My
This track shows Stevens seemingly right after he died. He reflects, saying he did what he did for the money, and that hunger for money led him to his demise. Stevens dreamed of doing exactly what so many of his peers could not: rise to the top. (½)
This track shows Stevens seemingly right after he died. He reflects, saying he did what he did for the money, and that hunger for money led him to his demise. Stevens dreamed of doing exactly what so many of his peers could not: rise to the top. (½)
Stevens then acknowledges the fact that his life will be largely unrecognized, unlike that of the rich and famous. Redford recognizes his death as inevitable, and begins to look for a ‘stairway to heaven.’ (2/2)
Track 4: One Time
This track finds Stevens reflecting on the brutality of street life. He describes the cold spiritual emptiness and the immense pressure he was always under. He seems to reach a sort of enlightenment, realizing that a life of crime is often pointless in the end.
This track finds Stevens reflecting on the brutality of street life. He describes the cold spiritual emptiness and the immense pressure he was always under. He seems to reach a sort of enlightenment, realizing that a life of crime is often pointless in the end.
Track 5: Kool On
This is the first track where Stevens is alive. Still, he recognizes the inevitability of his death so he decided to relax and celebrate. His good fortune was lasting too long, so he knew he needed to celebrate it before he didn’t have the chance anymore.
This is the first track where Stevens is alive. Still, he recognizes the inevitability of his death so he decided to relax and celebrate. His good fortune was lasting too long, so he knew he needed to celebrate it before he didn’t have the chance anymore.
Track 6: The OtherSide
This track shows Stevens feeling the need to escape his origins. His unfortunate upbringing haunts him, and he feels that material success is a way to move past that. He is wrong though. He gets the money he wants but still does not feel satisfied. (½)
This track shows Stevens feeling the need to escape his origins. His unfortunate upbringing haunts him, and he feels that material success is a way to move past that. He is wrong though. He gets the money he wants but still does not feel satisfied. (½)
The track ends with the message that we should all be grateful for what we have and not dwell on the past too much, for it can cause one to forget what they have going for them. (2/2)
Track 7: Stomp
This track shows Stevens at the peak of his criminal activity. It describes his first murder, and conveys a “eat or be eaten” attitude. Redford knows that he is going down a bad path, but is too deep now to do anything to change it. (½)
This track shows Stevens at the peak of his criminal activity. It describes his first murder, and conveys a “eat or be eaten” attitude. Redford knows that he is going down a bad path, but is too deep now to do anything to change it. (½)
This is a testament to how difficult it can be to remove yourself from a bad situation. Even though Stevens is aware of how bad it is, he cannot do anything to change it because it is the only way he knows to prosper. (2/2)
Track 8: Lighthouse
This track finds Redford feeling alone and isolated. Either metaphorically or physically at sea, Stevens reflects on his life. Nobody is looking out for him as he begins to “drown.” He is the only man who can take care of himself.
This track finds Redford feeling alone and isolated. Either metaphorically or physically at sea, Stevens reflects on his life. Nobody is looking out for him as he begins to “drown.” He is the only man who can take care of himself.
Track 9: I Remember
This track catches Stevens reflecting on his life choices and the cost they will likely have. He knows he can’t change his path, and that it will cause his life to end. He tries to convince himself that his acts are necessary, but they still haunt him.
This track catches Stevens reflecting on his life choices and the cost they will likely have. He knows he can’t change his path, and that it will cause his life to end. He tries to convince himself that his acts are necessary, but they still haunt him.
Track 10: Tip The Scale
This track shows Stevens near the point of suicide. He is tasked with killing a friend of his and the only way out would be suicide. He compares the decision to a coin-flip, showing that his own life does not mean much to him anymore. (½)
This track shows Stevens near the point of suicide. He is tasked with killing a friend of his and the only way out would be suicide. He compares the decision to a coin-flip, showing that his own life does not mean much to him anymore. (½)
He reflects on how he was forced into this lifestyle and how the only way out is to keep doing it until he is rich or he dies. There are only two outcomes, and one is much more likely than the other. (2/2)
Undun is the story of a kid who becomes a criminal but was not born into it. He is actually thoughtful of his actions and is not really a victim or a hero. He is a kid who makes a decision that made the most sense to him at the time.
It is interesting to look at the juxtaposition of free will and predetermination in this album. Stevens was not predetermined to be a criminal, but it was also not entirely free-will either.
It was pretty much the only reasonable chance at prosperity in a world where the odds are stacked against people like him. In his world, his peers did not get rich by living the “American Dream,” they had to steal and kill their way there.
So while Stevens did not HAVE to partake in the criminal lifestyle, it was the most reasonable decision he saw at the time. Redford Stevens not only tells his own story, but the story of so many other people.
Thank you all for reading. Undun is one of my favorite albums of all time, and I loved breaking this beautiful concept down. I hope I did this album justice.
