|
 SCOTT BURNS – DAY 1
(Look Up/Creative Vibes)
Who: Sydney rapper who worked his way up the tried and tested way, from rap battles to support slots and being featured on JJJ’s Hip Hop Show.
What: Between DJ Regal’s popping, bubbling zaps (as well as his more traditional scratches and horn samples) and Burns rapping about how he spits flame like Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, The Frequency is far and away the highlight of Day 1. Different Things is an amusing twist on the old Opposites Attract formula, but few of the other songs live up to the potential of The Frequency. Between some tired chipmunk soul and hood-representing there’s not a lot to enjoy.
Well: Get that one song, skip the album and hope that Day 2 makes better use of his talent.
**½
 MADLIB – WLIB AM: King Of The Wigflip
(BBE/Rapster)
Who: The acclaimed beatsmith responsible for the production on classics like Madvillainy and half the Stones Throw label’s catalogue.
What: The sound of an imaginary radio station where every song is produced by Madlib. That seems like a good thing and when Georgia Ann Muldrow is singing like she’s on a guitar-shaped spaceship fuelled by funk that’s exploring the furthest edges of the galaxy, it is. Unfortunately, Madlib likes to waste his beats on hit-and-miss rappers like Guilty Simpson, Murs and Frank N Dank and the tribal sounds and experimental instrumentals he dabbles in sit uncomfortably between the ultrathug selections. WLIB AM sounds less like a good radio station and more like Madlib chucking together a bunch of leftovers from his recent projects
Well: Disappointing and only for the fans.
**½
 THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE – Leave It All Behind
(HBD/Shogun)
Who: Vocalist and songwriter Phonte is American and producer Nicolay is Dutch, hence The Foreign Exchange. They both live in North Carolina nowadays, but that’s beside the point.
What: Minimising the rapping that dominated their first album, Phonte uses a throaty R&B croon for most of the followup. All the songs are about a relationship and its ups and downs give Phonte plenty to sing about. The downs are the most interesting, especially the honest pettiness. Being exiled to sleep on the couch, he whines, “I wanted to play X-Box on the big TV anyway.” Nicolay underpins it with music that veers from trip hop to something like Radiohead circa Kid A.
Well: The similarity of subject matter gets a little repetitive, but overall it’s solid and worthwhile.
***½
 VARIOUS ARTISTS – N.W.A. And Their Family Tree
(Priority/EMI)
Who: You’re kidding me, right? The definitive gangsta rap crew, consisting of Ice Cube, Eazy-E and those other guys.
What: An N.W.A. greatest hits package is easy to assemble – it’s their album Straight Outta Compton from beginning to end. Unfortunately, that leaves a gap in somebody’s bottom line somewhere so we get N.W.A. And Their Family Tree, which repackages songs like – surprise – Straight Outta Compton alongside various solo outings from the members and other gangstas influenced by them. Just like the recent N.W.A. re-release, the influenced rarely compare well to the influencers. Above The Law’s cognac commercial V.S.O.P. and tracks by Snoop Dogg seem twice as shallow when put next to Ice Cube doing a certified classic like It Was A Good Day.
Well: There is still some powerful street knowledge on here even if it is a blatant cash-in.
***
JODY MACGREGOR
|
| Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Poster's IP addresses are logged. |
|
Be first to comment on this article
