VIDEO REVIEW - ICEJJFISH: MIRACLE

Guys, look.

I gave him a chance. I thought maybe things could be different.

I was wrong.

Watch below.

THROWBACK THURSDAY REESHMIX: JAGGED EDGE x NELLY - WHERE THE PARTY AT

This week's Throwback Thursday selection and song that gets the first REESHMIX is Jagged Edge and Nelly's 2001 single Where The Party At. NOTE: Not all parties are made the same. Check the video below:

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VIDEO REVIEW: IGGY AZALEA: THE NEW CLASSIC

I return to making reviews dripping with swagu, and review the misguided "New Classic".

Don't forget to subscribe for future content!

RFT's First Birthday

So I've been having some significant issues with my internet these past few weeks of all weeks, which is extremely annoying as a couple of weeks back was the week that this website, RAWFUNNYTRUE (which some of my friends still refer to as “ RAWFUNNYbutTRUE”, "FUNNYTRUEBUTT" or even "YOUSTILLDOTHATSHIT" you know who you are) has turned the tender age of one year old.

I just wanted to make a quick post to thank all you readers who started reading from the site's launch on the 30^th of October last year with my ugly website design and unreasonably long reviews, to now where the site is (if I say so myself) rather sexalicious. I'd also like to thank all those who contributed, whether it was writing, giving me some feedback or simply retweeting an RFT tweet, it's all appreciated more than you know and even though RFT isn't taking on NME or Rolling Stone as one of the Top 10 music review sites as I hoped, it'd pretty much just be an idea in the back of my mind without y'all.

Moving forward one focus I'll have is getting more “staffing” or guest bloggers on board, just as being a guy working full time, designing part time, scriptwriting other parts of the time, and being a Pokemon master on the sly means that stuff comes out late, which isn't cool. So if you or someone else is interested in contributing, feel free to send a quick email to contact@rawfunnytrue.com or tweet me (@MrReesh). Other than that, I've got a few new ideas for stuff, such as a new Monday segment which will start this Monday as well as gig reviews and features just to keep things fresh. In addition, the next #MixtapeMonday may be done through the wonderful medium of full colour motion video, so stay tuned.

Again thank you guys for your continued support, and if this is the first time you've been on the site and you're reading this, I'm thankful but confused, as you should be reading great reviews such as this, THIS or even THIS.

Much love.

- MrReesh

#ThrowbackThursday - Big Pun: It's So Hard

I don't know about you guys, but damn, I had one hard week! You know them ones where you're all like “yup this will be the most productive life changing week” but then life is just like “nah bro, I think you're mistaken”. Which is why I picked It's So Hard (no innuendo intended, if you know what I mean) by Big Pun as this week's #ThrowbackThursday selection. Dropping two months after his death in February 2000, the song only managed to reach an average #75 in the Billboard Hot 100 despite it reaching at least 8 in the Young MrReesh With His First Stereo Charts. It's just one of those songs that are... nice. You listen to it and just feel relaxed, relaxed in the agreement that yes life is hard, but at least we've got some good music to keep us going.

And with that I'll leave you to enjoy the greatness that is It's So Hard (no innuendo intended), this week's throwback.

It's So Hard

Big Pun ft. Donnell Jones

Yeeeah Baby

2000

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Post by MrReesh - Money, not you again, go THAT way - @MrReesh

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#MixtapeMonday - Richard Rich: Hallways

Lyrics & Delivery: 2.5/5.0

Production: 3.4/5.0

Overall Score: 2.9/5.0

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Review by MrReesh - Pioneer of the revolutionary thermal powered ice - @MrReesh

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As I sit here on the bus pondering whether this attractive lady in front of me has issues or whether she simply forgot to shower, my mind drifts to the concept of potential, more specifically squandered potential. See she would standardly receive a swift testimony on the benefits of giving me her number, but she squandered that potential on smelling... offensive. It's frustrating, and that in an odd smelling nutshell is exactly what I think of Richard Rich's mixtape, Hallways.

See you can hear the unrefined talent in Richard Rich; he's not a bad rapper, it's just for the most part he tends to make some poor choices. For example he comes up with the interesting concept of hallways representing the different hallways life takes you down, but what do you get when you listen to the titular track Hallways? An empty three minutes which borders on disjointed rambling with an ending so awkward sometimes I fake a phone call just to get out of listening to it. But then, when you listen to Brooklyn, a chilled nostalgic head-bopper, which flows into a similarly chilled and nostalgic second half you're like “Oh my (relevant religious figure), there's hope yet!”. It's this constant up and down that lets you know Rich has something, but neither you nor him knows exactly what that is.

Google search result when I searched what Richard
was talking about

One of the main negatives I have about Hallways is that sometimes you don't know what the hell Richard is talking about either because you can't actually understand him, or because you just don't care. For example in Wear My Hat, he goes into a long verse thing where he mentions strawberries, but despite him mentioning one of the world's most delicious non-tropical fruits, you just don't care. It's a similar feeling to when your mum tells you something like “Son, your hair is on fire” and “you're just like “YEAH MUM, I'LL PUT IT OUT LATER OKAY, GOSH.” Additionally Richard's needless use of off singing and missed rhymes can get distracting, as seen in several songs including the totally avoidable Wear My Hat or Glorious. There are times when it works however, as seen in the highly decent Queens, but the times where he uses it badly stand out more as they're more frequent and more severe.

One of Richard Rich's best points however is his ability to create genuine music. Take Brooklyn or Staying/Leaving for example, where Rich is relaxed, comfortable, not forcing anything and simply allowing the words to cascade from brain to pen. Brilliant. Now I'm not saying the rest of the mixtape is a pale-faced lie, but these songs feel especially truthful, with a similar performance coming from Queens and Philadelphia. It's just a shame that you have to go through the whole roller-coaster of goodness in order to get to them.

THE STAFF OF MEDIOCRITY

Overall Hallways is average, but very-nearly-if-you-stretch-your-ears good, it just frustrates me that he comes up with this Hallways concept, but then goes nowhere with it. Sure I suppose each song could be a seen as a different hallway of life but there's nothing to bring it all together, so it just feels like a bunch of different papers in a folder marked Hallways, rather than something you can look to and think “yup, this is Hallways”. And for those reasons I must sadly smite it to the land of lowly averagedom, with the staff of mediocrity.


My Top 3:
1) Brooklyn
2) Staying/Leaving
3) Queens

Listen below, but don't listen to We In Here. Trust me.

#ThrowbackThursday - Chipmunk: Who Are You?

So without choosing Thriller, probably the most obvious Halloween throwback this is the best I could come up with – don't give me that face. It's got a sample from Scream (the one that was good at the time), it's produced by a guy named “Skeamz” which you can choose to read as “Skreamz” and it's scares you how much Chipmunk has changed since the League of My Own mixtape was released – AND THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE A GHOST! Points for trying please, thank you, thank you.

Released in close but not so close year of 2007, Who Are You? went on to be one of Chip(munk)'s most erm, hauntingly memorable songs, with a rhythm so infectious it's... terrifying. The mixtape and the song was such a spine-chilling success that it went on to be re-released for purchase in ghostly shops of the time such as Woolworths and the horrifying spectre that was ZAVVI. And now, on this horrible Halloween Thursday (though it may be Friday morning, given my internet is currently on drugs) it returns from the dead to be this week's throwback. Enjoy... IN A SPOOKY WAY!

MWAHAHAHAHA HAHAHA HAHA!

But seriously, enjoy guys :)

Who Are You?

Chipmunk

League of My Own

2007

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Post by The Evil Reesh Von Dander Ruff - BRAAAAAINS - @MrReesh

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TiAMT - Favored Nations: The Set Up

Being a human with a still relevant games console I have of course put in the hours in GTA V, and am now on the way to 100%-ing it. So you gotta believe me when I say that this tune right here yeah, The Setup, otherwise known GTA V ending credits song is a MAAAUD TING. The song, specially commissioned by Rockstar for GTA V features a very simple drumline and lyrical content, but the way the lyrics fuse with the beat and the bass guitar, alongside some simply spectacular synths is just... it's amazeballs. Listen below:

Minor Spoiler alert: this song only plays at the end of GTA V, and on radio stations after the final mission. There are no story/plot details in it, but just in case you're hurt by that kind of thing, here's your warning.

The Set Up

Favored Nations

The Music of Grand Theft Auto V

2013

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Post by MrReesh - Yes it did hurt me to spell "Favored" without the U - @MrReesh

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#ThrowbackThursday - Donny Osmond: I'll Make a Man Out of You

I don't know about you guys, but Disney taught me a lot of things throughout my life. It taught me to never trust your brother if he has green eyes, that lions are cool but tigers are evil, how to tell if you have a friend in someone, that robots have feelings too, and to have an aggressive business strategy that utilises the sheer force of money to dominate the market in every single possible area. One of the things it also taught me at the tender age of 7 was how to be a MAN – but not just any man – a hun defeating, typhoon creating, fire blazing specimen of male perfection, no homo. To this day I wish I could climb a pole with a couple ribbon and a weight, or my teeth, but hey my journey is still going on. 

Descending on to the planet with the release of Mulan in 1998, Be a Man easily became one of the movie's most notable songs, and one of Disney's best to me. The soundtrack itself did decently as well, reaching 24 on Billboard and being nominated for an Academy Award. It's also this week's #ThrowbackThursday selection, so sit back, reminisce and enjoy.

I'll Make a Man Out of You

Donny Osmond (singing voice of Li Shang)

Disney's Mulan Soundtrack

1998

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Post by MrReesh - This post was posted almost as swift as a coursing river - @MrReesh

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#MixtapeMonday - JMSN x Various Artists: Love & Pain EP

Lyrics & Delivery: 4.0/5.0
Production: 4.0/5.0
Overall Score: 4.0/5.0

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Review by MrReesh - @ MrReesh - Follow the river baby, follow it.

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You know what they say, nothing goes together quite like love and pain! So much so that on a non-physical, philosophical level, one could argue that without love there is no pain. But this is RAWFUNNYTRUE, the website dedicated to bringing you down to earth, utterly hilarious and accurate reviews of music, not some overpriced textbook on the proposed origin of man, so - would you want The Love & Pain EP as your partner in the upcoming zombie apocalypse? Yes, but I wouldn't trust him with all your antibiotics.

I swear it actually doesn't get boring guys

The EP itself isn't actually an EP in the strictest sense but a collection of remixes of JMSN's Love & Pain, an awesome song in its own right. And I know what you're thinking: SEVEN remixes of the SAME song? Surely that becomes more boring than watching paint dry on an overcast Monday while the ninth season of Scrubs plays in the background? Surprisingly, no. As each remix adds something to the song, it's interesting to hear the original artist's intention for the song (who also produced the track) compared to other producer's impressions using the exact same material, and each track feels different.

The Kaytranada remix, one of the best, has a sort of soulful garage vibe to it, painting the Love & Pain opus as more of a fun head-bopper, really making you feel the fun of the track rather than bogging you down in deeper meanings. Compare that to Ta-Ku's remix, which actually emphasises that dark feeling, with wonderfully strange sounds going on such as an "oo-ah-uh-oua-oh" riff and mysterious shuffling noise in the background which fits well, despite you having no Earthly idea what that sound could be. Meanwhile Mndsgn's remix uses Love & Pain to create a kind of ethereal, floaty instrumental, juxtaposed against luscious hard hitting hip hop elements, making a song which though sparse at times is very easily enjoyable. Tulpa's remix however is a masterpiece of composition, softly cut with Love & Pain riffs and and subtle instrumentation, clearly focusing on the love side of Love & Pain as by the end of it, you just really want a hug.

Awkward conversations
#1

The remaining remixes are alright too, though to me they feel more like the awkward friends of a friend who don't really socialise, and just start looking around the room after you say hi and they say hi and then they realise they have nothing else to say. They're not bad by any means, just not notable when surrounded by notable tracks. For example the JELANI remix feels as though it was moving into a good place, but never quite gets there, choosing to sit its sonic arse in the seat of mediocrity. DPat's also squeezes a cheek onto that seat with it's strange rhythm that didn't sit well with me personally, and Sango's is decent, though it gets repetitive.

This EP is cool. It's one of those ideas that on paper sounds quite lame, but works well in practice. What it does is something few albums or mixtapes manage to do with such limited content: makes the music feel alive, changing - real. It's more of an experience EP than one you might listen to religiously, but that just makes it even more cool. Sure not all the remixes are as good as each other, but it is definitely worth a download, especially considering its non existent price tag.

My Top 3:

1) Kaytranada Remix

2) Tulpa Remix

3) Ta-Ku Remix

Download it here (direct link) though you can also download it from JMSN's official website www.iamjmsn.com, which is currently just a countdown clock.
Or, you can show some love by purchasing it on iTunes here.

Or just listen below!

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Photo Credits:
Original photo from Burgers picture "Me Looking Super Smart!!" by rileyroxx
Original photo from sleeping guy "Sleeping Chinese Garbage Collector" by kongharald

#ThrowbackThursday - Joe: All The Things

What you know about old-school Joe though? I swear man this takes me back to them late after-school afternoons, back when I'd get a ting to come to the yard and well, you know. *WINK FACE*

I joke of course, young MrReesh was the type of n*gga who invites a girl over to watch a DVD and actually watch the DVD. Oh the wasted opportunities.

Dropping way back in January 1996, a year and 8 months before the release of the album the song was actually on, All The Things went on to be a Billboard Top 5 hit, and contributed to All That I Am (his second album) going platinum – a nice way to beat the so called “sophmore slump”. However what the song seems to be most famous for is its appearance in Don't Be A Menace, where it was used a somewhat funny if not slightly disgusting scene, which considering the song itself is somewhat funny in that we're all taking joy in the fact that Joe is destroying a couple's relationship for his own gain, is rather fitting. Anyway it's this week's #ThrowbackThursday selection, so you go ahead and enjoy it like a bag of baby puppies you wonderful people you!

And yes I know you can't really get baby puppies, don't be so literal.

All The Things

Joe

All That I Am

1996

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Post by MrReesh - If I had dollar for every eye I had I'd have £1.25

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#MixtapeMonday - Elli Ingram: Sober

Lyrics & Delivery: 3.8/5.0

Production: 4.1/5.0

Overall Score: 3.9/5.0

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Review by MrReesh - Everyday puffin' pon di ganja - @MrReesh

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TASTE DAT RAINBOW

Drugs! You gotta love em. They're little bitesized pieces of concentrated joy and relaxation, and now most of them come in colours! Like skittles!

Drugs and it's grey area half sister alcohol have been responsible (or at least inspired) some great pieces of music (I'm not endorsing drugs) including the surprisingly good Sober EP by 19 year old Elli Ingram.

Some of you may know her soulful soully vocal from her Poetic Justice cover, which I hated due to my near absolute hatred for covers (but not interpolations, which are different) though I could most definitely appreciate the voice. Here she maintains this smooth vocal alongside lyrics which are for the most part good, and delivery which is for the most part, good. I especially liked her all encompassing vocal in High Love, a little tune which touches on how her drug like love can take (or make) you high unlike any other. Her voice supports the song well and the production is rapid enough to carry it forward without any feeling of monotony.

The EPs titular track Sober is another banger, mashed with a delicious beat and smooth as gravy chorus to complete a glorious and adequately representative metaphor. She keeps things simple here like in the majority of the EP, choosing to stay safe and do things well rather than taking any obvious risks. The result is, much like bangers and mash, a great dish, even if a little boring at times.

This feeling of a lack of daring or risk taking is perhaps most clear on Elliot, which is essentially the EPs first and only fast forward point for me. Here her voice feels a touch contrived, and repetitive delivery as well as an alriiiiight chorus ultimately leaves it feeling pleasant, but dull.

You were tricked

The remainder of the EP makes up for Elliot's misgivings however. Mad Love, a jazz infused bouncy melody brings back some of the charm that makes the EP such a pleasure to hear, even if the lyrics can induce a bit of a “lol wut?” response. And Fun? Fun is just the bee's knees. It's sweet and is an excellent track to end the EP on (still excluding the PJ cover, as that is kind of a bonus track) as it focuses on awakening to sobriety and reminiscing on the greatness of the night before in a way that makes you reminisce on your own nights of olde. Ah how foolish it was for me to use wine as a chaser for vodka that night, good night though, a very good night.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is the Sober EP is ironically, good while sober. While I can't vouch for it's quality while drunk, judging from the fact it's easy to find Rebecca Black's Friday good while drunk this must be freaking amazing on “a wave”. Though it has it's shaky parts Sober is a solid EP, and a great start for the young Island Records signee. Though it's not blow-your-brain-out-your-ears amazing it does do certain things really well, and is worth a listen because of that. I rate this one 3.9 out of 5 ganjas.

My Top 3:
1) High Love
2) Fun
3) Sober

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NOTE: As I've mentioned, I have a default position AGAINST covers, so in my rating of the Sober EP I did not consider the PJ cover. Add or subtract points as you will, I won't sue you.

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Photo credits:
Skittles image "ياله يا شباب و يا بنات واحد واحد و بالدور الكل بياخذ نصيبه !" by HISHAM BINSUWAIF

#ThrowbackThursday - Jennifer Lopez Ft Ja Rule x Cadillac Tah: Aint It Funny

Best first line of a song EVER. Funny thing about this video though – it's not all that funny. Sure Headphone Sisqo made me drop a little “heh” as did J Lo's insane Kung Fu style, but ultimately it just wasn't that funny.

Headband Sisqo connects to girls like Cisco

However, what the song lacks in hilarity it makes up for in sheer awesomeness. I mean just listen to that beat – what is that? Sounds like the sound your bed makes when you try to move it somewhere. There's actually two versions of the song, one which was dropped from the soundtrack of 2001's The Wedding Planner for sounding too Latin (no racial), and the alternate Murder remix version which is featured here (and much better). These throwbacks where we look at songs by artists who now are shells of their former selves always make me a little emotional as I'm just like “ah damn... you suck now”. Amyway enjoy this week's throwbackThursday selection, Aint It Funny by Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule and Cadillac Tah.

Aint It Funny

Jennifer Lopez ft Ja Rule x Cadillac Tah

J to Tha L-O! The Remixes

2002

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Post by MrReesh - When you say it like that, it must be the ass - @MrReesh

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#MixtapeMonday - Joey Bada$$: Summer Knights

Lyrics & Delivery: 3.1
Production: 3.7
Overall Score: 3.4/5.0

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Review by MrReesh - We're all aliens, really - @MrReesh

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He's on a horse

So JB is back - not that JB - Joey Bada$$, creator of one of the highest scored mixtapes on thisblog to date, and even now I question whether that score was too low. But alas your eyes meander upwards to the Summer Knights score, then back to what I just said, then back to the score like some type of impromptu Old Spice advert. Truth is Summer Knights is very sadly, just good.

And this just goodness is apparent from the start of Summer Knights, as you can tell something here so RIGHT but is a little off. You can tell everything has that signature Joey Bad touch to it, but it's weird, as though he touched it wearing a funky smelling glove.

One of the main issues I had with the mixtape are the lyrics and lyrical content. I mean he has some moments of brilliance that only Joey Bad could do "I don't drink too much, I know to bud wiser" but these feel like things that make your ears perk up amidst a see of mediocrity, and fails to command attention solidly. This is compounded with similarly dull flows in places, or needlessly excessive flow in others. For example Satellite ends up being one of the most boring tracks on the mixtape thanks to a flow dryer than a house in the desert with no cocoa butter despite decent wordplay, whereas Joey's need to fit a thousand rhyming words into four lines in the second half of My Youth leaves you just wondering why, as there was no need, and just feels like overkill in a bad way.

Even subject matters feel standard here; there are very few particularly interesting perspectives here and some of them are just strange. Maybe it's because I'm English, but “swank” the main contender (apparently) to the word “swag”, sounds far too much like wank, and as wank is English for a knuckleshuffle the song is just a lol-factory for me. This is especially true where Joey says "Swanking swanking swanking - I see you Jigga!". But even that aside, if you were to listen to songs like Right On Time, a good song by any means,and compare it with the perspective Joey had on Pennyroyal, the difference is frightening. And thus a majority of the songs here lack the ability to impact your memory - it feels like basic, archetype rap about how 'the team is untouchable', how places are dangerous, and other topics covered under 'etcetera'.

Saying that, it's not all average. Towards the end of the mixtape things start to get consistently better, with the Saul Williams inspired Amethyst Rockstars leading the way with great production and fiery flows delivered by both Joey and Pro Era rapper/producer Kirk Knight. LongLiveSteelo is as heartfelt as it should be, with enjoyable storytelling and quoteables. Word Is Bond another song which lifts the quality of the mixtape alongside Sorry Bonita, and the DJ Premier produced Unorthodox which was released a while back now, forms a great track to end the mixtape on with undeniably solid flows and similarly as solid wordplay.

But what's the final verdict? It's good as far as mixtapes go but honestly poor as far as you'd expect a fresh Joey Bada$$ mixtape to be. Jay-Z said it the best “n*ggas want my old shit, buy my old album” and you may just be right to download 1999 instead of this if you're looking for a truly great and near perfect mixtape experience (mixperience?). However it's decent, and songs like LongLiveSteelo and Amethyst Rockstars as well as a few others do make it worth the free download.

Unless you're actually lobster who steals internet and has to be very selective about what he downloads. Then maybe give it a miss. Maybe.

My Top 3:
1) Amethyst Rockstars
2) LongLiveSteelo
3) Unorthodox

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

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Photo credits:
Original Lobster picture "Lobster" by John Stracke

#ThrowbackThursday - Chamillionaire ft. Krayzie Bone: Ridin'

MAD RAP HANDS

Doo rags are stupid, lets face it.
No one could ever be taken seriously in doo rag in 2005, no one can be taken seriously in a doo rag in 2013, and in the future it's likely we'll look back at doo rags like some post-modern cranial loincloth where future people will think “haha, people used to put that on their heads.” But Chamillionaire didn't care – why should he, he's a millionaire with chameleon powers and mad rap hands, I wouldn't care either. Dropping in good old 2006 (the year Mozart enjoyed his 250^th birthday) Ridin', often called Ridin' Dirty, hit the planet and shot to the top of many charts around the world, as well making Chamillionaire the first platinum ringtone selling artist ever. The song actually depicts quite serious afrocentric issues, but due to obvious stylistic choices as well as the guy saying “Playstation controller” when the video has an Xbox controller, it's so far from topical it's practically bottomical (geddit). That, and Weird Al Yankovic's parody of it became more popular than the original song, so yeah it's unserious.

Anyway enjoy this week's #ThrowbackThursday selection, Ridin' by Chamillionaire and Krayzie Bone.

And out of interest, does anyone know just how loud you have to play your music to “swang”?

Ridin'

Chamillionaire ft. Krayzie Bone

The Sound of Revenge

2006

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Post by MrReesh - They see me writing, MAH BLOG POST - @MrReesh

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#ThrowbackThursday - Kristine Blond: Love Shy

There's something especially genuine about garage songs, especially the love ones. Sure the lyrics aren't always particularly inspiring or creative, but the feeling a good voice + a good bit of snare drums can produce is just so beautiful I want to take a picture of it and take it out on a first date that would not be at Nando's, because apparently once you get to a certain age that's not cool anymore.

Love Shy, the nothing short of classic single by Kristine Blond dropped in 1997 and probably did well I guess but as I can't find much information on the original (it was covered by bassline group Platnum in 2008, which was decent) I'm just going to make up some facts based on how much I love the song. It reached number 5 on the Intergalactic Soundwave Charts across the galaxy, and was also sampled by 2Chainz in his 1957 debut single “Chainz In Mah Cocainez”. It was also the first song to feature a music video filmed with a working camera, the pioneering method then being emulated by other music video directors as well as Hollywood then on. This video was destroyed by an actually love-shy person who did not take kindly to a intergalactic chart topping single being made about his pain.

And most importantly it's this week's #ThrowbackThursday selection, so sit back and enjoy Love Shy, by Kristine Blond.

Love Shy

Kristine Blond

Probably On Some Body Of Music

1997

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Post by MrReesh - Love is the most profitable emotion - @MrReesh

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Photo Credits: Garage image "Garage" by Ben Babcock

#ThrowbackThursday - Luther Vandross: Never Too Much

DON'T BE THAT GUY

Mmm. This isn't just a song you listen to, this is a song you feel. It's one of those songs that they play in the club for nostalgia, and one that people actually dance face-to-face to. FACE TO FACE. Don't be that awkward guy who tries to whine on a girl during this song.


Hitting the world slap bang in the face in 1981, Luther Vandross's debut (solo) single on his debut album shot to number one on most R&B/Soul charts, as well as reaching number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. Personally for me this song is just decadent bliss. DAT bass guitar. DAT piano stab. DAT normal guitar riff. It's all too perfect. And towards the end when Luther's all like "neee-eeeh neee-eeeh neee-eeeeh-ver" My God. Just play it okay, and marvel at the awesomeness of this week's #ThrowbackThursday selection, Never Too Much, by Luther Vandross.

Never Too Much

Luther Vandross

Never Too Much

1981

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Post by MrReesh - I wear my watch on the right hand so the time's correct - @MrReesh

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Photo Credits:
Awkward whine picture "embarassing couple" by panayotis

RFT Album Reviews: Kanye West: Yeezus

Lyrics & Delivery: 3.5/5.0
Production: 4.4/5.0
Overall Score: 4.0/5.0

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Review by MrReesh - Multitudinous, never platitudinous - @MrReesh

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Are you a God?

Now I know that’s quite a deep philosophical question to start off an album review with, but for the most part I choose to believe that most people lack that certain level of narcissistic corruption to warrant a positive response – not Kanye. Stand (or sit, I can’t tell what you're doing because I’m not a God) in awe of Yeezus, Mr West’s latest solo album. Taking three years to rise it is a good album, albeit plagued by egotistical and self gratifying lyrics and production which sometimes surpasses the line between unique and bizarre. Other times his lyrics can come across generic, though a slight seasoning of Kanye wordplay does spice things up from time to time.

Don't make that face, you know you'd try it

It’s clear that the album is more of a raw emotional release for Kanye, as even from the first few tracks the album lacks that sense of ordered cohesion that Dark Fantasy had in place of attacking melodies and instrumentals. Kicking off with On Sight, a song which nearly made me drop my Supermalt when it started on my iPod on max volume, the beat is distorted and aggressive against a rapid Kanye flow with drops into a classic Ye sample before shifting back to the previous beat. This annoyed me slightly, as if it was saying “Yo Reesh I know you love old Kanye no homo so listen to this, AND NOW MODERN KANYE LMAO”. However the contrast in styles makes for an interesting experience, kind of like bacon and ice cream, with a similar effect occurring at the end of New Slaves which features a Frank Ocean feature which features Frank Ocean because it says so on the album cover, not because you hear it and instantly think Frank Ocean.  

Other songs contain similarly wonderfully raw and aggressive samples such as the soul shaking tuba thingamajig in Blood on The Leaves, which plays alongside an autotune assisted Kanye to produce one of the most exciting tracks on the album, though I’m in It (the tune where he says he speaks “swaghili” and so is the cause of the now popular Instagram caption), Send It Up and Guilt Trip have similar features which take it to a similar level. The tribal Lost In The World echoing Black Skinhead also does this too. Aside from Guilt Trip and Send It Up feeling a bit dragged at some points this simple volatile production works well, as it does enough to get you vybzing to the track and convey the feeling Ye was very obviously going for, without getting you so aggressive that you’d do something like this. Bound comes as a pink suede elephant wearing a top hat though; a more retro Kanye sample beat where he raps about a genuine love? Dafuq? It too is decent, though it seems to be an afterthought that doesn’t feel as polished as the rest of the pieces.

There's too much food in this review

Now it’s when you listen to the lyrics on the album that points start to be lost. Starting with the obviously I Am A God (featuring God), it’s pretty much what you expect: Kanye raps about being a God, hollas at Jesus, speaks some Spanish and some screams play for some reason. It’s a pointless statement song, which is barely fun to listen to, apart from “In a French ass restaurant, hurry up with my DAMN CROISSANTS”. Other songs are better with deeper meanings, such as New Slaves and Blood On The Leaves, though you have to get through a thick layer of narcissism and egotistical lyrical presentations to get to them. Lyrically Bound definitely stands out as the most humanising song on an album named Yeezus, as Ye whips out decent one-liners to drop some ice cold awws on yo b!tch asses. The remainder seem to be the standard; models, drinking, the sex, and a track where Kanye raps like he’s fighting the urge to pee but chooses not to because Gods don’t pee (I assume), and it mostly fails to live up to the quality of production already on the album.
controversial

Yeezus is a good album. Its originality of production and feeling of it being something you haven’t heard before makes it something you want to listen to, but whether that feeling lasts as you listen throughout the album is debatable. The problem is its unique sound is like a shell around what is mostly a forgettable album, and much like the poorly applied foundation of a Kardashian sister, cracks do show eventually. Still it’s worth a listen, even if just to contribute to the debate whether it is in fact “good”, but don’t expect the second coming – GEDDIT?

My Top 3:

1) New Slaves

2) Blood On The Leaves

3) I’m In It

Note that the stream below may take you to the Spotify website, though you can still listen without an account.

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Photo Credits: 
Bacon ice cream "ZED Bacon n' Egg ice cream cone 2 - ZED451 - Baconfest 2013.jpg" by opacity
Croissants "Croissant - Breadtop" by Alpha

#ThrowbackThursday - Craig David: Fill Me In

“Yeah man one time he came round and had toast, I didn’t give him toast directly though I gave it to his
friend. I didn’t know man like that to offer him toast.” My friend tells me, rewinding a time when he met CRAAAAAIG DAVID before he was famous. It never really dawned on me how good Craig was until later on in my musical career, as his hair really disturbed me. It always looked odd, like either it was too nappy or shiny or in some weird style and I just couldn’t support someone with such ridiculous hair. I had standards.

WTF IS THIS

Dropping in early 2000 Fill Me In was Craig David’s wildly successful debut single, which launched his mildly successful music career. There’s just something about old-school Craig David that no-one else could recreate, and while I could’ve chosen so many other David throwbacks this one is just mah ting. I mean it’s essentially a song about deception, deceit and wine. That rings well with me.

Anywho, it’s this week’s throwback, so enjoy.

Fill Me In

Craig David

Born To Do It

2000

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Post by MrReesh - Multitudinous, never platitudinous. - @MrReesh

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#MixtapeMonday - Klevah: The W8

Lyrics & Delivery: 3.5/5.0
Production: 3.7/5.0
Overall Score: 3.6/5.0

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Review by MrReesh - Because words are pretty, and I'm a gyalist like that - @MrReesh

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I know what you’re thinking – KLEVAH - CLEVER? PFFT. HOW DARE A RAPPER NAME THEMSELVES A FREEGIN’ ADJECTIVE (I’m assuming you think in capitals), WE USE ADJECTIVES TO DESCRIBE THEM! Well hold on guys she’s cool, and Klevah may actually be a fitting name.

The W8, by Gr8 ThinkaZ collective rap heroine Klevah is a 13 song mixtape with some impressive flows layered against equally as impressive beats, with lyrical content that’s top notch in some places, though admittedly meh in others.

It starts off well enough with a quick opening including a medly of rap songs I admit I had never heard of, alongside a masterful monologue where Klevah gives us an introduction to her life as well as the events that led to The W8’s inception. I always like these types of things as they ease you in to the mixtape instead of being like “HERE’S RAP MUSIC. BLERGHHHH.” This one was no exception, with great wordplay and an interesting narrative that feels relatable.

"It's 9pm fam hop in the whip."

The mixtape then however starts to swerve (no Big Sean) between good and lukewarm pasta starting with 84s which though it sounds okay initially, fails to leave an impression in the long run. I mean, a good bit of escapist bravado is a good thing and I can appreciate it, but the lyrics here aren’t particularly fun to escape with, and would probably be the type of lyrics that would try take you home by 9pm. Additionally I really didn’t see the point in the end of song breakdown here. It just felt like filler especially when compared with the breakdown at the end of Koexist Breathe which actually adds a new dimension to the song. Pretty Ninja also suffers from similar issues, though being the mixtape’s principal hype tune (it even has a sprinkle of dubstep in it, yay) it also suffers from the fact that not much is really being said, plus that it’s not all that catchy.

However one of the major issues with the mixtape in general is that it all feels like something you’ve heard before. Little feels very unique about The W8, as though Klevah is good at what she does but what she does it what other people already do. So if you’re looking for fresh brand new stand out music The W8 is not for you, though if you’re looking for good music in general, then listen on.

First time anyone made me like this song without
the video playing in front of it

Despite those songfarts, there are some truly epic moments within The W8, where Klevah really does make good on her namesake. For example in the aforementioned Koexist Breathe where she talks about a love which seems to be in all senses some Disney sh!t despite its foundation in the sexy time. This is represented in the chorus and instrumental itself, which is a soft melodic harmony of voices, juxtaposed with a sample of Khia’s My Neck, My Back. Genius. On top of that throughout the entire mixtape Klevah’s flow is nothing short of Nileworthy, and while it doesn’t always happen, when lyric quality fully matches flow quality something truly beautiful is created, example being the Bars skit-songs which are monologues which magnetise your eardrum and guess what: it’s set to ATTRACT. Other songs like Scars, Lovely and Already Been Told also expose Klevah’s true talent to create and depict emotional stories with a flow that makes it difficult to hear much else.

So w8 – should your mp3 player gain weight in the form of The W8? Well let’s be honest; there are rappers with more original flows and a higher quality of lyric than Klevah & The W8, but don’t let that discourage you. The mixtape is decent and has sheer moments of brilliance even if it’s a little shaky at times. It’s at least worth a listen (as it’s free and free is good) even if it’s only to hear the top 3, which are definitely worth hearing.

My Top 3:
1) Bars & Bars II (as they're both kind of short skit like songs)
2) Koexist Breathe
3) Scars

You can download The W8 via her bandcamp here.

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Photo credits:
9PM Whip "Super Soccer Mom Mobile" by Brett L
Girl in water spray is a still from the "My Neck My Back (explicit)" music video