We start off with Hammerlock. Two songs of the garage rock, proto punk they play from the Bay Area
Then it’s time for the rap. We start with seven songs from Lloyd Banks of the G-Unit crew. I’ve soured on 50 Cent and most of the people associated with him but I still find Banks to be interesting. These songs show a slightly more emotional, introspective side of him at times. Guests include Eminem, Jadakiss & Ludacris.
Now it’s time for a half hour from southern gangsta Killer Mike. These songs are as political as they are gangsta and they don’t let up. Animal with Gucci Mane is not necessarily the best song but if nothing else it is funny. The rest of the album is a drug dealer kinda talking about jesus and knowing enough about politics to name Palin and Pelosi. The beats are of the boom bap variety.
Then we head to the Bay Area for some hyphy courtesy of E-40. In the past two year’s he’s put out four albums, all iterations in his Revenue Retrievin series. These songs come from the second album released in 2010, Revenue Retrievin - Night Shift. Lots of club songs and songs about drugs. A couple of shit talking songs and songs with weird hooks.
Listen to things get intelligent and cinematically produced with Talib Kweli. I’m not sure which is more impressive here, Talib’s rhyming abilities and intelligence or the lush, layered beats that still manage to to force you to nod your head. Talib is probably one of the best conscious rappers out there today and this album is a clear testament that. Sean Price kills his guest spot on Palookas and Jeane Grae kills it on Uh Uh.
We stay in New York for some more underground rap this time courtesy of Saigon. After literally years of label trouble The Greatest Story Never Told has finally been released and it is pretty awesome. These are great songs though they might slide by a little at first. the only criticism i can make of this album is that it is a sleeper. If you’re not paying attention you’ll miss some awesome gold.
Now things get random. We head to Germany for some emo violence from Katyn. The first song is a raging punk song that transitions quickly from ear splitting ragee to relative calm and melodious quiet while the second is completely acoustic with soft clean vocals.
So now it’s back across the sea up to Canada for a pair of songs from Barn Burner. They play stoner metal with awesome dirty vocals and a lack of sludge. The riffs are always awesome and I lack the words to describe how happy I am to find stoner rock that sounds like this. It’s heavy and stonery but doesn’t verge into extreme metal territory or try and envelop too many different styles.
One track from a nu metal band that put an album this year called CrowneVict. I didn’t think nu metal bands still exist but I do have a sweet spot for bands that sound like Dreadnaught and this song is kinda cool I guess.
The last song is a track from the solo album from the guitar player from Mastodon Brent Hinds. Bank Robbin Bandits is a southern, bluesy song that rambles on and on. The whole album is really good.
So yeah.
