Album Reviews

Buck 65 - Situation

Troy Neilson — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:20:00 +0000

www.Buck65.com
Location: Canada

The latest release from the legendary Buck 65 sees him reunite with his originating hip-hop roots. On 'Situation', he calls on upcoming producer, Skratch Bastid, a 2-time Scribble Jam Champ, for beats. The result has landed Bastid nominated alongside legendary Metallica producer, Bob Rock, for a Juno award for Producer of the Year.

'Situation' centers on a 1957 theme, and immediately delivers strong with the first five tracks. "Dang" is a hip-hop meets house meets jive theme for all those b-boys now taking swing dance classes (and I know you're out there). "Shutter Buggin" is another favourite playing on the sexual strife that was emerging in the late 50s.

Unfortunately the tracks following the first five don't deliver as strong a punch. Nonetheless, Buck's strong lyricism and Bastid's keen musical ear still deliver refined songs. "Cop Shades" is a favourite, which could double as the tv theme for any Miami Vice wannabe show. "Benz" is aptly titled for its high-speed energy and catchy "goin down" chorus.

'Situation' is another solid release from Buck 65, building on his youthful years as a rapper. And it's nice to see Buck reuniting with the person who took over his infamous hip-hop radio show at CKCU after his departure, that person would be Skratch Bastid.

Loc Dog presents Don't Be a Menace Compilation

Troy Neilson — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:01:00 +0000

www.myspace.com/40sand9s
Location: New Brunswick

During his 5 year tenure at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, Loc Dog has established himself as the centerpiece of a vibrant rap scene. His latest compilation "Don't be a Menace" features the usual rap suspects from Fredericton, Digby and Saint John.

One of Fredericton's finest young veteran emcees, Monark, opens the compilation with his usual articulate flow over an energized horn-laced beat. Soon enough, "Nuff Said" displays the nicest beat on the album, while Digby's Miracle complements it with his usual fierce punch. "You'll See" is the gem, while a synth-driven beat is backed by Knowledge's R&B chorus and strong verses from Al Boogie & Mick D. Other standouts from this 26 track compilation include DNA's classic "North Side" and "Light a Dutch (remix)" by Napz Meka and Nostic.

Having started out in Fredericton beside many of these emcees, I can't help but be biased. For those outside of the scene, this compilation is yet another eye opener provided by Loc Dog.
PS. Peep Loc Dog & Mick D on CHSR 97.9 FM every Wednesday from 9:30 - 11 pm

Various Artists - Can Con Compilation

Troy Neilson — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:15:00 +0000

Location: Canada

Many years ago, a show called 'Maple Mothership' surfaced on CKDU in Halifax. Their aim was to spread Canadian hip-hop goodness to the masses. Eventually host Ewan Mill moved to Calgary where he now runs the infamous Ghetto Blaster hip-hop spot. Then longtime host, Parker Lewis, made the mode to Vancouver, leaving DJ Beef to run the Saturday radio show.

Parker Lewis keeps true to the heart of the Maple Mothership by compiling the 18 track 'Can Con' compilation. Mood Ruff uplifs with the feel good "Rocketship." Thesis Sahib brings a nice chorus over the heavy bass retro feel of "Same ol Thesis Sahib." I've been on an instrumental kick of late (Beastie Boys, The Flaps), so the contribution of Uncle Fester & Dexter Doolittle on "Insert Raps Here" pleases. The beat on John Smith & Parker Lewis' "Leaving a Mark" left a taste of Biggie's "Hypnotize". The compilation even branches out to the upbeat funk jam sound fusion of Presswon's "Funk Express."

The songs are safe selections and all play nice, but none really jump out and grab me, which makes for a smooth listen but somewhat lacking in long term appeal. That being said, the compilation is an impressive snapshot of heavyweights from the underground Canadian hip-hop scene. It's great to see folks still giving back to community!

Atherton & Sire - A Different Way of Doing the Same Old Thing

Troy Neilson — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 02:33:00 +0000

www.myspace.com/athertonsire
Location: Ottawa, ON / Toronto, ON

The sonic landscapes painted by Atherton & Sire's debut album exceed those of even some seasoned beatmakers drawing on diverse percussion and well-placed samples. Atherton brings a nice energy to his lyrics, with sing-songy choruses. Most refreshing is how he represents the true underground Ottawa scene by featuring verses from Ottawa heavyweights the likes of Addaboe, Flip Kuma, Bender and Patience.

Standouts include the horn laced 'Fans & Friends,' 'Mean Miss Treater' is a soulful melancholy flash back to the blues days of the past. 'Hall Pass Policy' is a rapid-fire ode to paying your dues in the scene.

Overall, the beats provide a solid underground sound, while Atherton brings an thoughtful artsy side to his lyricism. All the while guest verses prove he's in touch with the scene giving the album an authentic feel often lacking in hip-hop today.

Various Artists - Heads Connect Vol. 1

Troy Neilson — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 18:05:00 +0000

www.myspace.com/headsconnect
Location: Toronto, ON

An interviewer recently asked me, "do you think rap is killing hip-hop?". This caught me off guard, and then I thought of projects like Heads Connect that are spreading from its Toronto roots to cities like Ottawa & Montreal. This monthly event is a grassroots hip-hop show that brings together underground hip-hop heads from all over. Clearly my answer was 'no.'

Heads Connect vol. 1 brings niceness from many indie like-minded emcees. It provides a mix of new tracks and previously released albums tracks. In some cases, the re-issue of older tracks seemingly breathes new life into them like Wordburglar's "Cream of Wheat," but not so much in cases like Shad K's "I Get Down" & More Or Les's "Everybody Outside".

Cale Sampson's "Never Had a Choice" stands out as one of my favourite tracks, as he unfolds the story of the struggle often faced by emcees trying to establish themselves. David Hodges's "Online Radio Star" is another favourite, as he pokes fun at those emcees who rise to online fame without ever hitting the stage.

The always political Dope Poet Society stick with their strong views and provide a catchy chorus on "Devils in your Government." The organic beat on Vandal's "Mongolia" also impresses. The lounge vibe of Lameck Williams' "In the form of Hip-Hop" goes to show the diversity of Heads Connect artists.

Heads Connect Vol. 1 is what hip-hop should really be all about. Real messages combined with respect for diverse views, sounds and approaches to rap. It's about community and bringing like minded folks together.

Martin Finch - The Garnet LP

Troy Neilson — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:21:00 +0000

www.martinfinch.ca
Location: Sackville, NS

Out of Sackville, NS comes Martin Finch with his debut solo album produced and recorded almost entirely by Classified. As former manager for Classified's late 90s group Ground Squad, I've definitely heard Finch's name around Atlantic Canada, but never until now as a rapper.

The album is what I'd call a typical debut album these days: Rough around the edges and at times fleeting in lyrical cohesion. The biggest rough spot is that Martin Finch's sometimes off beat flow could use some practice.

'The Garnet LP' weighs in a bit long with 23 tracks. The four artsy shorts, e.g. Deception, were my least favourite parts of the album. Included are 5 skits featuring the ecentric but lovable characters Beef & Broc Lee. I had a good laugh at 'Con Artist Skit' featuring Classified's usual skit master, Hai Hung.

The strength of this album lies in the beats and featured artists. The back-and-forth rhyme exchanges with Classified, along with the unique vocal sample on 'These Eyes' proved potent. 'Friday Night' starts off the album on a positive point with a catchy verse.

Several featured artists elevate the tracks by providing catchy choruses including Jordan Croucher on 'If This Is It?', Mic Boyd on 'Dreams' and Boy-ill on 'Dear Hip Hop.'

Now that Martin Finch has the 'Garnet LP' album out, I expect he'll get more mic time at live show. Ultimately this will give him the practice needed to shine up his flow to match that of his established collaborators.

Shadez - Every Dollar Counts

Troy Neilson — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:30:00 +0000

www.urbnet.com/shadez
Location: Winnipeg, MB

When I was at the ECMAs in Halifax back in February, Classified's manager handed me off a copy of Shadez latest album. Since then I've popped it in and out of my cd player, but have struggled to really get into it. It's a solid album, but seems to be lacking real standout tracks.

The overall vibe is laid-back introspective and focused on struggles. For the most part they flip the struggles into uplifting messages such as on "It's Alright," but in the case the beat lacks an uplifting element.

The Shadez trio of Mr Bowen, Biggs and Bad Mannaz make solid concept tracks like the impressive "Dry Tears," but I found myself really having to focus to decipher their individual messages. I'll blame it on my ADD.

I think my favourite track is "Got Money," as the simplicity of K-Rupson's beat complemented with a nice vocal sample works well. The last bonus track "Stream," also impresses with a Three Six Mafia type of vibe. "Slip Away" was also included on Mood Ruff's album, and brings that same niceness I heard last year!

The beats are a bit slower and simplistic, but with a solid underground sounds with unique elements. The emcees' flow shows years of experience, but still I just struggled to get really into this album.

Sean One - Full of It

Troy Neilson — Tue, 29 May 2007 22:36:00 +0000

www.myspace.com/shiggyseanone
Location: Fredericton, NB
Label: Dead Beats

Admittedly I have a track of my own, 'Invisible,' included on this Sean One album, but I tried to approach the album as unbiased as possible.

Sean is a veteran in the New Brunswick rap scene, first emerging as part of the Vet Cru in the late nineties. 'Full of It' showcases the progression of his beatmaking skills, placing him near the top of the crab bucket. It also shows the strong ties he's created with elite underground rap artists on both coasts.

Beatwise, standouts include Vancouver's The Dirty Crew on 'Big Grizlee'; the collabo with slick-tongued Digby/Fredericton emcee Mick D on 'Cut Us Loose,' and the upbeat funktified energy of the two pure instrumental tracks: 'Play Part III' and 'Gangstah Boogie Outro.'

My favourites are two of the more serious tracks, featuring slower and equally well pieced beats. Saint John's Above discusses the materialism that can pollute the mind of an insecure adolescent on 'Christie'. While Fredericton's Monark strikes strong with a tale of a young woman turning tricks on 'Anything for the Dollar,' who Monark encourages to get right so her seeds have a chance.

Sean's collaboration with Bonshah on 'Sign of the Times' remains one of my favourite tracks from DJ Loc Dog's infamous 40s & 9s Mixtapes. And on 'College Radio,' one can't help but wonder if Josh Martinez is lamenting over the lack of mainstream funding support (e.g. VideoFACT) for campus chart topping artists like himself as he sings "College radio killed the video star."

Unfortunately I found the drawl from Cee!!!!! on 'Tittie Balls' hard to stick through for nearly 5 minutes, and often skipped the track.

Overall, this is the most solid release to date from Sean One and a nice package of emcee talent from NB, Halifax and Vancouver.

D.O. - Northstarr

Troy Neilson — Tue, 15 May 2007 03:51:00 +0000

www.doyall.com
Location: Toronto, ON

'Northstarr' is a real nice debut album from the son of a preacher man, D.O. You might know him for his Stay Driven motivation speaking, and this uplifting mindset creeps into many of his tracks particulary the hits 'Defy the Odds' & 'Young Brother.'

The real strength of this album lies in the well crafty choruses of featured artists. Most impressive is his Art of Fresh beatmaking partner, Slakah the Beatchild on 'No Matter What,' 'End of the Day' and the posse cut 'Just Forfeit', which features Arabesque & G Stokes.

While tracks like 'Art of Fresh' & 'Bring It' are upbeat, funky, fresh and in your face party starters. While 'By My Side (Signs)' shows D.O.'s spiritual side.

Admittedly it took me a minute to adapt to D.O.'s vocal drawl, which my friend Nicole compared to sounding like "Snoop Dogg," but in the end it works. Overall this is a diverse album, where D.O. shows his ability to find the right beat to craft each song's message.

Chadio & Aalo Guha - Underestimated Raindrops

Troy Neilson — Thu, 03 May 2007 03:36:00 +0000

www.myspace.com/imaginationstreetrunkmus
Location: Vancouver, BC

This CD appeared unexpectedly in my mailbox. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the beats, catering to the underground with a nice organic sound highlighed by the intro 'Gone Fishing.'

The flow of Chadio & Aalo is well refined, quick and impressive, especially on tracks like 'Pancakes,' but unfortunately that often comes at the expensive of the message. The content seems more artsy than my liking, as I often found myself struggling to figure out what it was they were trying to say with their raps, but that could due to their rapid-fire style of delivery.

'Solitude Song' is probably my favorite track as it incorporates a nice sample into the chorus. And the final track 'End of the Beginning' is a seemingly nice ode to The Doors.

BrassMunk - Fewturistic

Troy Neilson — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 04:58:00 +0000

www.myspace.com/brassmusic
Location: Toronto, ON

I remember back in 2001 when DJ Mastermind mentioned Brassmunk to me as the next big thing out of Toronto. I said "oh, I think I heard his track on Rap Essentials." He said "Actually, they're a group."

It wouldn't be long before everyone knew their name with huge singles spilling onto MuchMusic. Since the release of their hit-filled debut album "Dark Sunrise", Broadway has left the group, and change was inevitable.

The big box, upbeat hits are gone on 'Fewturistic', seemingly replaced by an attempt to ressurect the introspective and uplifting Slum Village sound. This transition is somewhat successful, but I'm not the best to judge as my favourite Slum Village track was the upbeat anthem 'Raize Up.'

I lost interest on tracks like 'Game Day', with a beat that sounds eerily similar to their hit 'Black Superman.' While 'Gumbo (Electric Revolution)' will be popular with the b-boys, this blend of Eddie Grant's 'Electric Avenue' meets King Reign's 'Guilty Party' doesn't match up to either of its predecessors.

'Who'd of Thought' is a real success as Dwele smooths out a nice chorus, although Reign's verse had me feeling a bit awkward: "The first time she had dick there was more than one man present / The second time she had dick there was more than one man present." 'Total Recall' is another smoothed out feel good track that's probably
my favorite on the album. And 'Brassography' was bangin.

Oddly, the biography that accompanied this album was from their previous album, "Dark Sunrise," almost as if to say "we miss those good old days."

Red 1 - Beg For Nothing

Troy Neilson — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:54:00 +0000

www.red1music.com
Location: Vancouver, BC

As an hip-hop icon in the late nineties, I can't help but envision the transition to 2000 to be a struggle. Red 1, as a member of Rascalz, quickly came to rise as one of the premiere Canadian hip-hop groups by 1999. Back then, I remember chilling with their breakers, Zebroc and Dedos, talking Canadian hip-hop. As downloading has taken prominence and major labels continue to drop acts, the Rascalz are the latest victims. Now, their members are on the solo tip as DJ/beatmaker, Kemo, is steady on the grind and emcees Fit & Red 1 continue to keep busy.

'Beg for Nothing' unfortunately encompases the three main hip-hop stereotypes of drugs, guns and girls. I struggled to get beyond these played out themes, but knowing Red 1 is a veteran in the game, I gave it a chance. On 'Fantasy', he rescinded those previous played out themes, while exploring the illusions he's faced in this industry. 'Giving Up' is my favorite track, as Concise joins Red 1 in stating why they won't be "giving up" anytime soon! 'Shanty' also brings strength to Red 1's years of experience with a chorus that sticks in the mind. Kemo shows his muscle on the beats with one of my favorite party tracks of last summer, 'Dem No Worry We.' Overall, Red 1 has crafted numerous catchy hooks, especially on 'Red Lite' and 'She Rude.' Unfortunately his years of experience don't yield the well defined messages in his songs that I'd expect from a 15-year veteran.

Assen K aka Addaboe - Self Driven

Troy Neilson — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 21:25:00 +0000

www.myspace.com/selfdrivenmusic
Location: Ottawa, ON

Assen K's 'Self Driven' album has a scattered feel, as few of the 23 tracks eclipse the 3 minute mark. This appears to be a calculated move as Assen K's voice and message seem to fall to the background with tracks that are much longer. Or maybe I'm just too distracted and the lack of focus is on my end. I'm gonna go with the belief that it's up to the emcee to grab my attention.

That being said, this is a nice little album. His voice and flow on "No Life" had me scanning my brain of Atlantic Canada emcees. Finally a day later, I figured it out. His sound is eerily similar to Halifax's Jay Bizzy on this track. I was thrown off by the fact that on the following track, "See You Right There," Assen K had me seeing visions of Winnipeg's John Smith. "3 Strikes" is probably my favourite track, as the ridiculous beat had me reminiscing on Jay's "Sunshine," although the theme is flipped. The collaboration with Ottawa mainstay emcees S.T.A.Y and Bender on "Dyno Killas" also rang solid.

Side-FX - Creative Control

Troy Neilson — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 09:54:00 +0000

www.projectsidefx.com
Location: Ottawa, ON

Two tracks stand out immediately: 'Close Your Eyes' and 'May 2008'. I really dig the story and concept on 'May 2008'. Nice plot twist. Any inspiration from Common's "Testify"? Overall, the album shows more wisdom, honesty and maturity than I would expect from a debut album. And there's some bangin beats on there.

********************************************
Side-FX Response:
Yeah "Testify" is a sick track, but I only heard it after writing the album. It was somewhat inspired by Jay-z's track "Dope Man" and also "Coming Of Age". Another good one from Common is "Payback is a Grandmother"

Trobiz - The Beginning

Troy Neilson — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 10:52:00 +0000

www.myspace.com/trobiz
Location: Halifax, NS

Trobiz brings a solid sounding album, and after seeing him perform in Halifax with a full band including horn section, I get him. He's on that taking it back to the 70s soulful positive vibe tip. He's working toward perfection, but still has some steps to take. The choruses on this album stand out as the most solid part, always catchy, non-cliche and well supported. Trobiz has honed his beatmaking craft, and this album definitely displays that despite the occasional mainstream recycled sound. The only problem with this album lies in Trobiz's rhymes. So much effort has gone into each song, but the supportive lyrical mesh is not up to the caliber of which Trobiz is capable.

Politic Live - Adaptation

Troy Neilson — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 10:51:00 +0000

www.politiclive.com
Location: Edmonton, AB

A solid sophomore album from Edmonton's Politic Live. It's a diverse album fusing urban genres of reggae, hip-hop, r&b and soul, the latter two are in large part due to many female guest vocals. It manages to run the divide between mainstream and underground with solid production from the Mavericks team. A few songs are hurt by a lack of cohesion among the verses of multiple emcees, but solid choruses and beats usually make for a good cover.

MicLordz - Family Tree

Troy Neilson — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 10:49:00 +0000

www.miclordz.com
Location: Windsor, ON

Initially it reminds me a lot of early Classified stuff, probably like 1999-2001 era back before he truly came into his own. That being said each song is solid, with catchy choruses and a live crowd-moving style. The beats at the hands of Boots are quite nice. The only disappointment was the regular stereotyped themes of mainstream hip-hop, but tracks like "Miscommunication" break away and had me seeing visions of Swollen Members' "Ventilate". My favourite track was the anthem-esque "Pause".

No Luck Club - Properity

Troy Neilson — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 10:47:00 +0000

www.noluckclub.com
Location: Vancouver, BC

Amazing instrumental album. Definitely great to hear material from Matt Chan of CJSF's legendary radio show 'Straight No Chaser'. "Dosa Hut" Chase is that shit!! "Our Story" is another nice track too...

Ghettosocks - Get Some Friends

Troy Neilson — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:22:00 +0000

www.myspace.com/ghettosocks
Location: Halifax, NS

There were songs where I loved the beat, but couldn't really get into the message... Tracks like "Steal from Walmart" was real nice, except I'm against stealing... although if I had to pick any place to steal from, i would agree that walmart is most deserving. "I invented everything" is probably my favorite track, although the message is fantasy, so it's hard for me to fully accept... "Lapping the Sun" would be my favorite beat/track by far, if it weren't for the switch up to a different nintendo-esque beat halfway through, which I didn't really enjoy. The "City Life" posse cut also turned out nice. The chorus on "Read-A-Book" I found annoying, so much so, that I skip to the next track, but the chorus got stuck in my head for days... I talked to J-Bru and he will co-sign on the "stuck in your head" factor. Finally, "Out to you" is probably my 2nd favorite track as both Ghettosocks & Apt come with nice verses. and it's a nice chorus. Oh and of course, the intro is a bit more than "okay". :)

Track Dirtyaz - The Son House

Troy Neilson — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 10:43:00 +0000

www.trackdirtyaz.ca
Location: Toronto, ON

It's diverse... reminds me a bit of Project Wyze, but tracks like my favorite, 'Lookin at me Bluez' had me seeing visions of U2 for some reason... I look forward to the followup album coming soon.

Frenchi Blanco - Haute Surveillance

Troy Neilson — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:16:00 +0000

www.frenchiblanco.com
Location: Montreal, QC

I took 12 years of french immersion, but unfortunately it's been 9 years since my last french course and my focus isn't enough to try to figure out the lyrics, so I kind of missed out a lot in that regard... however, the beats and the vibe are real nice. His flow sounds nice. My main complaint would be that the beats, for their consistent length of around 4 minutes, are pretty repetitive and could have benefitted from some switch ups or dropping elements from the beat periodically... as an emcee, I know it can be challenging to (a) get the beatmaker to take the time to do this or (b) get them to give you the beat so you can do it...

My favorite tracks are:
Dans L'Grind
Stylo
Hey Love.

Wordburglar - Burglaritis

Troy Neilson — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 09:12:00 +0000

www.wordburglar.com
Location: Halifax/Toronto

It's a solid CD. My favorite tracks are 'Breeze' and 'Lets Get Romantical'... I found it to be a bit long though, after a while the similes/punchlines got a little bit tiring, as if he were trying a bit to hard in some spots. That being said, some of the beats are killer. and of course most of his punchlines are amazing too :)