Link to read my collaborative event review of Injury Reserve, Armand Hammer & AKAI SOLO at RadioUTD.com! (ca. 5/30/22)
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A bit of a step down from 2020’s Angelic Hoodrat, this “supercut” version loses some of the voracity and vitality that appealed to me in its predecessor. Nonetheless, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut delivers on its promise of painting a picture of the struggles of coming up in the trenches; this record provides several Kenny Mason moments that have me excited for the next steps in his career.
Hailing from Atlanta, Kenny has made sure to never pull punches when it comes to discussing his origins and representing his hometown. This is seen in a highlight cut from the record “Pup,” where the hook sees Kenny proclaim “Shawty wanna rock with a n**** from the three, three,” meaning Atlanta’s zone 3. With the way Kenny rides the almost 8-bit crunch sounding beat, the grit in this track is substantial. The rapper’s love for dogs is perhaps no more apparent than on this track as well, with the title along with many of the lyrics referencing canines. I especially love the entrance of the guitar in this track, with the way it kicks in the door over the chorus. My favorite moment on the project comes in the form of “Play Ball,” where compact drum sections clash with hard guitar chords. This cut is both an allusion to playing fetch with dogs and questioning whether an opp is up to Kenny’s standards of living, as he asks “Do you really want to play ball?” The track reminds me of “PTSD,” a cut from his previous record, in that “Play Ball” demonstrates the confidence (and perhaps even cockiness) delivered on this prior song. More hometown shoutouts come with “43,” the starter for the record. The chorus here demonstrates that Kenny doesn’t need to yell to create hype on a track; the winding cadence and perfect timing of the drum kick complete the assignment before Kenny actually begins to yell halfway into his verse, a welcome delivery. Some of the best bars and rhyme schemes on the project are seen on “Rih” (“Thinking we ain’t eating, gotta say, even for KD / That’s a stretch, making it seem like it’s eight feet, but this shit really ain’t deep”). Also, the spine-chilling chorus chant of “Ain’t scared of hell no more, we already here” simultaneously frightens and provokes me. The production here is somewhat bland in consideration with the rest of Kenny’s beat selections, but still does the job. A more fun tone comes with the Denzel Curry-featuring “A+,” a bouncy-rhythm song that is likely the most accessible on the album. Kenny flexes his strength in writing once again with the chorus here, where he reflects on the normalization of quick lifespans in the hood. Denzel Curry’s appearance here is amazing, as is the standard for his features; dipping into several pockets and flows in his verse, Curry references the passing of his close friend XXXTENTACION in building off of Kenny’s lyrical themes. A soulful approach is taken on “Much Money,” where Freddie Gibbs battles Kenny for the best verse on the track. The slightly menacing vocal sample comes from The Mystics’ “I Really Do,” which, when I listen back to the moment that is sampled, has me questioning “Damn, how does a human ear pick up on things like that?” “Titan” and “Breathe Again” bring back some of the more slow-paced, introspective cuts that we received a taste of with tracks like “Handles” and “Pretty Thoughts” on Angelic Hoodrat. Though “Titan” is a good track given Kenny’s lyrics detailing his desire to succeed, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table that these previous tracks hadn’t. The record takes a bit of a turn downhill after this track, as “Breathe Again” comes off messy and demo-ish. In the following “Partments,” Kenny describes his love and support for his friends. Another slower contemplative cut, this is the most I’ve seen that Kenny has dedicated to this sound. Perhaps this has more to do with tracklist sequencing, since the album is already coming off of two more down-tempo songs, but this track never clicked or stuck with me in any way. Similarly, “Fasho” failed to make an impression on me due to lazy songwriting and uneventful production. A saving grace comes with the penultimate song, “4ever.” Oddly, this one reminds me of King Krule’s “Theme for the Cross” due to the ethereal vanishing synths to open up the track and included throughout. Kenny’s drowned out but emotional vocals and the stuttering drum pattern here play well with this, making for what could have been a great emotional closer for the record. The lyrics here describe exactly how much Kenny Mason desires to strive and triumph in rap, singing “I want this shit forever and now.” The awkward “Storm” sadly ends the record on a sour note; some of the more annoying cadences crop up here, especially in the end of Kenny’s verse. The production leaves quite a bit to be desired from this finisher as well, as it’s not a tone that represents or summarizes the sound of the record at all. Despite these shortcomings, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut does occasionally manage to invigorate me in the same way the previous project did. If this album is to be taken as more of a mixtape or B-sides to Angelic Hoodrat, I would understand some of the odd decisions made on this record. All in all, this record contains nearly as many misses as hits. SUMMARY: With slightly worse production and songwriting than his 2020 record, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut only sporadically provides moments that can stand in comparison to his prior album. This project makes the most sense as a group of tracks that were cut from the original work. RiYL: Paris Texas, redveil, Injury Reserve Recommended tracks: “Play Ball,” “Much Money,” “Pup”
Peggy’s proclivity for guns and autotune raps deepens on this sequel to 2020’s EP!
Teased with the single “LAST DANCE!,” I expected a much more hardcore rap project than what we received in either EP! or All My Heroes Are Cornballs. However, what we received was a pleasantly surprising sound much more closely resembling the autotune ballads and melodies of Cornballs. The distant, low-down rattles of the wind chimes in the beginning of the song resemble some sort of hollow chamber in which this project lurks. JPEGMAFIA unleashes bars in an infectious flow throughout his verse, setting the tone for the horns, fit for a video game boss battle, to thunder in. Heavy bass is also introduced at this point in the song, making the track just that much more wicked-sounding. The second single from the project “FIX URSELF!” is split into two parts on the EP, with “INTRO!” bearing the mumbling introduction (who would have guessed?) of the original track. The horn sections here sound far more prideful and delighted in sharp contrast to the previous song.This one undoubtedly has the best chorus and song structure on the entire project, with the crooning autotuned melodies making for a very catchy track. A message to a relationship partner, the track also serves as a reminder to himself that JPEG has his fans, affectionately labeled “refugees,” to rely on when he has no one else. “KELTEC!” is a flat-out diss to much of the music business, particularly rappers that sell out or make themselves slaves to the industry. Proud of having made a name for himself by being 100% himself, Peggy flexes the fact that he owns all of his music and has carefully crafted every aspect of it, whereas most other artists can’t relate. In the first reference I’ve ever seen to the origin of his stage name, Peggy also makes a clever comparison to other rappers merely being “PNG” files that need to get their quality up. Although I believe this to be the weakest track production-wise here, it’s still great lyrically. This is followed up with the delightful “THIS ONE’S FOR US!,” which includes the best rapping on the record, with the grimy flow throughout the second verse as well as the ending in the third verse. With help from James Blake on the production end of “PANIC ROOM!,” we receive another dark and murky track with aggressive lyrics. The sonar melody throughout the song fits in well with the “emergency” theme provided by the title, which is likely a reference to how terrified he makes other rappers feel due to his artillery. This track has the most beautiful and unexpected ending on the EP, where we hear a lone acoustic guitar to combat the abrasiveness of JPEGMAFIA’s rap lines. The project closes out with “FEED HER!,” a cut that greatly appeals to me through its slow but sure build up to a climax. This is one that I continue to return to, as it seems like Peggy taking the best from most of the previous tracks and combining them into one: sticky bars, potent flows, and great melody through production. Overall, this is an incredibly solid end to a likewise amazingly consistent project. With the recent release of LP!, I'm glad to see that JPEGMAFIA is still using similar ideas from this project to branch off of. Tracks to listen to from here are “FEED HER!” and “FIX URSELF!”
Even though I was disappointed to see that the new Paris Texas project was an EP rather than a full length project, the few new songs that come with Red Hand Akimbo are good at worst and spectacular at best. The duo’s follow up to BOY ANONYMOUS, a short record which I loved at first and have only become more enamored with since, Red Hand Akimbo delves even deeper into the rock/hip-hop crossover the group has become known for.
The lead single for the project, “girls like drugs,” threw me for a loop upon release; although the track makes sense sonically in Paris Texas’s catalog, it seemed a bit lacking in song progression, save for an instrumental changeup in the last 30 seconds. The track has grown on me a bit since then however, due to the earworm-inciting chorus and palpably solid guitar lines. Only recently did I realize through the lyrics that the title of the song is actually a comparison (girls are like drugs) rather than a statement of what women want. Project opener “Dr. Aco’s Miracle Bullets” sees Louie Pastel addressing comments on the group’s genre classification, as well as a line about how people think he sounds like Baby Keem, the latter of which had me dying laughing as I recall thinking the exact same thing after hearing “FORCE OF HABIT” for the first time. The banger production returns to the hardcore guitar chords and punching drums of “HEAVY METAL,” which, when paired with the scream-worthy chorus of “Woah, bitch I’m geeked,” makes for a track that would go crazy in a live show. Felix’s verse is quite sticky, as per usual, but nothing absolutely mindblowing. “RHM” takes a more emotional turn, with Louie expressing the desire to trade money for friends instead. This indicates that the title of the track stands for “right hand man,” although it could still have to do with Red Hand Akimbo. The shoegaze-like production makes for an especially dreamy and intimate soundscape, quickly making it one of my favorite songs the group has released so far. The following “BULLSEYE” commits fully to a garage/emo-rock sound, given the especially whiny and filtered vocals delivered by Louie and Felix. Admittedly, this song initially stuck out like a sore thumb, giving me the impression that I’d never want to listen to it again. I’ve since come around to it however, and recognize it as a very important step in Paris Texas’s artistic progression, should they choose to further pursue this sound. At just 5 tracks long, one of which is a postlude (“Epilogue”) and another of which was released before the project came out, Red Hand Akimbo was destined to fail to live up to my hype and expectations of a concentrated full-length effort. That’s not to say that the project is greatly flawed, however; each song offers something that no Paris Texas song has offered before. With that being said, I’m still highly anticipating the group’s next strides as they (hopefully) work towards releasing a full body of work. Songs to check out from Red Hand Akimbo are “Dr. Aco’s Miracle Bullets” and “RHM.”
The duo of Louie Pastel and Felix caught my attention this summer when they released “FORCE OF HABIT,” an aggressive rap track hailed by some as being the hip-hop equivalent of shoegaze. This track, along with singles “SITUATIONS” and “HEAVY METAL” did an excellent job at previewing the experience of their forthcoming record, BOY ANONYMOUS.
For fans of rap and experimental music, Paris Texas does not disappoint. With incredibly sticky verses, hooks, and bars in general featured all over the project, the duo maintain the attention and energy level of the listener from the front of the record to the back. In terms of lyrics, Louie and Felix manage to shine both individually and as a unit, making their mark using their unique personalities. Proclaimed “hook-man” Louie Pastel includes unconventional lines certain to make the listener do a double take (case in point, “I used to cum in a sock,” from “CASINO”). In addition to this, Louie takes on the bulk of the production for the group. Felix, the main lyricist of the two, also includes his fair share of ear-catching bars throughout. Rapping about topics such as the groups imminent ascent in the rap game, future aspirations as a result of success, and more, Felix shows incredible promise in becoming an elite lyricist of the new school. In terms of production, BOY ANONYMOUS covers ground largely in experimental rap. Calling back to the production of artists such as JPEGMAFIA, songs like “PACK 4 DA LOW,” “HEAVY METAL” and more clearly deliver on the promise of great production, utilizing buzzing guitar riffs, droning synths, and crisp drums. No other song brings more satisfaction in a sonic sense than “FORCE OF HABIT,” however; kicking off the track with a distorted punch-in-the-face of a guitar riff and heavy hitting drums, the song proceeds to take a more reflective turn with the ambitious verse delivered by Felix in the latter half. Straying away from the more aggressive side of things, bouncy, catchy drum rhythms are also provided in the form of “SITUATIONS” and “AREA CODE.” The production all over the record provides a breath of fresh air, making it so that the tracks do not take very long to create their identity and catch on with the listener. Paris Texas shows an incredible amount of promise for their future with this project. Although BOY ANONYMOUS keeps it short and sweet at just 8 tracks and 22 minutes, it’s quite enough to deliver the message: Paris Texas is here, and they’re only on the way up from here. Hopefully, a rise in popularity and exposure will come from their upcoming tour with BROCKHAMPTON in spring of 2022. Highlight tracks from this record for me are “FORCE OF HABIT,” “PACK 4 DA LOW,” and “AREA CODE.” |
AuthorEnrique Cardenas III Archives
November 2021
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