Welcome to my first post in this blog about music. I'll review music I love but also albums that make me want to stab myself in the ears. Some of it will be old music and some of it new. I'll use a simple 10 point rating system: a 1 means "I can't get past the first song because I was too busy trying to find a sharp enough piece of cutlery that can penetrate my ear drum" to a 10, meaning "I could listen to this album all day long and never grow sick of it." I am going to try to keep the rating as conservative as possible, so keep in mind that anything above a 6 or 7 is pretty damn good. I regard an album as good if I can sit down, crack open a book and never get past the first sentence because I'm too occupied by the music. As always, music is subjective and what sounds good to you may sound like Justin Bieber to me so take these reviews as more of suggestions of what I think sounds cool. After that long introduction, let's move onto the first album I'll review, “E&A” by Eyedea & Abilities
Rating: 8.5
Genre: Hip-Hop (I'd consider it a mastery of "lyricism and turntablism")
Year: 2004
Label: Rhymesayers Entertainment
Tracklist:
1. Reintroducing
2. Now
3. Kept
4. Exhausted Love
5. Star Destroyer
6. Paradise
7. One Twenty
8. Man vs Ape
9. Get Along
10. Two Men and a Lady
11. E&A Day
12. Act Right
13. Glass
Eyedea & Abilities consists of Eyedea, the M.C., and Abilities, the D.J. In their sophomore album, Eyedea goes back to his battle rapper, freestyle roots. The album starts with a simple drum and keys beat and then it jumps right into a fierce bass, scratching and rapping intro. Abilities showcases his astounding abilities (pun not intended), mastery of turntablism and DJ skills right from the beginning, interacting with Eyedea’s lyrics seamlessly.
In the next song, “Now,” Eyedea shows off his speedy, tongue twisting lyrical flow. I’ve heard only a handful of other rappers that can rap this fast and still maintain good meaningful lyrics. Sure Twista can spit fast but his lyrical content doesn’t even compare to the wit of Eyedea
Abilities never ceases to amaze me, he is one of the best out there. He inspired me to want to go out, buy a pair of turntables and start scratching. Throughout this album, Eyedea shows incredible ingenuity, lyrical ability, and musical talent. In Eyedea & Abilities first album, “First Born,” Eyedea provides an introspective on his thoughts about philosophy and life. “E&A” does not have as many philosophical quandaries but the lyrical content is still very intricate
There are a few tracks that don’t get me excited. Surprisingly, Abilities solo interlude track does not really live up to what I expect. The 1:10 of time consists of a very, for lack of a better term, odd intro. It just doesn’t float my boat.
This album is definitely one of the best showcases of MC/DJ duos. The interaction between Eyedea and Abilities astounds me every time I listen to E&A. Eyedea said it right when he proclaims that “This is a big ‘F*ck You’ to anyone out there that hates us/It ain't my fault you fail to recognize what great is” in the song “E&A Day.” Eyedea may showcase arrogance at times, but it is rightfully so.
This album can be purchased:
http://www.amazon.com/E-Eyedea-Abilities/dp/B0001CNQBC
http://www.myspace.com/eyedeaandabilities
I’d also like to recommend that when you sit down to listen to an album, listen to the whole thing in order and its entirety (unless of course you just bought the new Jo-bros CD in which case you should be sent to the fiery depths of hell where they blast Celine Dion, crappy, autotuned Lil’ Wayne songs, and Alvin the Chipmunk remixes. If you think that that eternal soundtrack of hell sounds like heaven, you are either: a. deaf, b. born with a defect to the part of the brain that senses sounds like nails on a chalk board, or c. a middle aged woman that is torn between torturing her boyfriend at a concert consisting of similar minded people, trying to stay “hip” with the latest “bombdiggity” tracks, and is just experimenting with masochism)
