Mr. D-Sane and Crytical it took me a while but I wanted to soak it all very thoroughly and I was busy with school ending and all that shit. Anyway I know you hear lots and lots of people's opinions of your music but the reason I want to write this is not because you care but because after annoying the shit out of you with my impatient ass for much of the duration of the project, I feel obligated to provide detailed, well-thought-out feedback now that the day I never thought I'd see has come and gone.
01) Intro 5/5
D-Sane "Master of the Intro" I was really really curious to see what you'd come up with. After outstanding intros on Syko and Byrdie's albums and intros I wasn't impressed with as much on the 3 June 2003 albums, and really no Intro on the Lac album, I was glad to see that you and Skunt did one on this album. The beat is really really smooth-chill, someone said they thought Techno at first, I definitely didn't. Skunt did a great great job on the beat, shows his production skills are really evolving nicely. I like the effect that the chill beat, Crytical ripping the chorus and Crytical talking about what the album is about all at the same time creates. Great job on this Intro.
02) Open Fire 5/5
Newer beat, definitely has a different feel than the old one (which I really hope you post up on the SLR page b/c that banged too!), the baseline seems like it goes from low-pitched to high-pitched when the old one went from high-pitched to low-pitched (but I could be wrong, I'm not really a musically trained person). The chorus on this song is its strength, I think the gunshots work really really well with this song when gunshots often kind of musically fuck up the song (i.e. 2Pac & Bone - Thug Luv, they overdo it). I also love the "city where it rizains" part of the chorus, that sounds tight.
03) My Troubled Life 5/5
I'd obviously heard the full-version on the RDR Compilation, I had my doubts about the new beat but after soaking it for 2 weeks, I like this version better than the older one. The bass-line has kind of a buzz-electric vibe to it. The lyrical content of this song is very very impressive, how Crytical can mold his life story into great music. This song just kind of rolls along like a Hummer or Escalade on the freeway, I can't wait to bump it on a dark day in the 6 rollin up I-5.
04) Desperate 5/5
The first Crytical track I ever LOVED, I bumped this snippet from the 2003 Summer Sampler so many times. Back then it was Wanz's singing that really made me love it. That's still true but Crytical really raps with a perfect pace on this song, he just rides the beat along beautifully. It's a mob track but the lyrics are still intelligent. Wanz's singing was outstanding, I was surprised that the first Wanz verse was a little different from the 2nd and 3rd, that surprised me a little but I liked it. I also like the intro to this song, the guy walking along MLK but rather than creating a boring 10 or 15 seconds that I would've used mp3trim to cut (as I do a lot of other intros like this), you make that scene musical with the humming in the background and bassline coming in. It just makes the listener able to visualize the scene you're trying to create even more. Great fuckin track.
05) I Can't Take It No More 5/5
This snippet from the 2003 Summer Sampler evolved to be my favorite (probably from playing out Desperate) because the beat is hard, dark, grimy, rugged and Crytical raps so fast with the beat that his voice literally sounds like a machine gun (especially in the first verse). Dread does a good job on the chorus but unfortunately I was a little disappointed with his verse. Still this track bangs hard, this is the pre-game track right here, get you pumped up.
06) The Sun Doesn't Shine 5/5
This beat stands out from much of the rest of the album because it is a little 'happier' a little more upbeat. It reminds me of the beat you posted a while ago you called "Drop Top II." I heard a song out of Minneapolis a couple weeks ago that uses this Brothers Johnson "Strawberry Letter 23" sample that I loved, it's a good sample. I also absolutely love the Seattle street anthem style to this, hearing music with pride in the city gives you pride in the city. The best verse was C.O.L.A.'s that starts at 1:24 and ends at 2:10. C.O.L.A.'s got lots of city pride lines in there and his voice sounds really unique, complements Crytical really well. I also liked the use of the Twin-G ("From") line that was used on Twin's album. Overall this is just a great track reppin the 206, it's good to hear that Crytical has a lot of pride in that and isn't some fuckin pussy ass no-pride-having wannabe Cali or NY or wherever cat. I hate people like that.
07) Halfway Sane 5/5
This track right here really separates Crytical from other really fast hard hitting rappers because he showcases his singing ability. He's not as smooth as Nate Dogg obviously but he really is pretty damn good at it, much better than Byrdie who's really the only other SLR rapper I can remember that had the ability to sing-rap. The beat sounds like some 70s funk sped up with a bassline, like some Vandross or Pendergrass shit. This is definitely a sunny day type of track, it's happy, optimistic and smooth.
08) Matter of Time *6/5
OH MY GOD. That's all I can say, this track blew me away right off the bat. I had heard a few people (like Evilwayz) who had the album before me tell me this was there favorite track so I was definitely curious/anxious/excited to hear this track. This was also the first track after the Intro that I'd never heard a snippet of before, so I really had no idea what was coming I just knew that it might well be hotter than lava. Man right off the bat this track hits you hard with the beat thumping right off the bat and Crytical's line "First off I represent Street Level, the record label known for bringing heat to the table" he inflectuates his voice really really well on the word "heat" in that verse. So I was loving this song in Crytical's first verse then oh my god here comes the chorus. Crytical again inflectuates his voice pitch creating just an amazing effect, you wonder how a human being can even make that sound so fast like that. "Hotter than lava" is really the perfect description, that is what it sounds like how he makes his voice high like that then follows it with the lower "I'm from SEATTLE when Atlanta looking way too hot but stay ridin, stay grindin its just a matter of time." I wasn't believing my ears at that point, then Skunt comes in with his voice sounding gritty and grimy compared to the smooth Crytical. His voice is great on this track. This beat is so deep, I actually have trouble listening to it on my iPod and portable CD player. Too much bass, too much power. But on a decent system this track sounds so amazing. With the few people I've introduced to Crytical since the CD arrived, this has been the track I've played first. Now these people didn't necessarily love it for various reasons (mostly excuses like 'too much just yelling out Seattle'), they cannot deny that that track GOT THEIR ATTENTION because that is exactly what it does. Thinking back to the BBQ at Sand Point when I met D-Sane and Crytical and saw the brief little performance, I vaguely remember a song that Crytical performed that I'd never heard before and was just straight fuckin fire, and I think it might have been "Matter of Time." Now a year later, I've got the real version and it is simply amazing.
09) I Can't Stop 4/5
A track that would definitely be the standout track on most NW rap albums, actually my least favorite track thus far. That's how much depth the album has. The little guitar thing sounds Asian, makes me think of some Kung Fu movies or something. Not one of my favorite tracks but like I said, it would stand out on the vast majority of rap albums out there nationally and in the 206.
01) Intro 5/5
D-Sane "Master of the Intro" I was really really curious to see what you'd come up with. After outstanding intros on Syko and Byrdie's albums and intros I wasn't impressed with as much on the 3 June 2003 albums, and really no Intro on the Lac album, I was glad to see that you and Skunt did one on this album. The beat is really really smooth-chill, someone said they thought Techno at first, I definitely didn't. Skunt did a great great job on the beat, shows his production skills are really evolving nicely. I like the effect that the chill beat, Crytical ripping the chorus and Crytical talking about what the album is about all at the same time creates. Great job on this Intro.
02) Open Fire 5/5
Newer beat, definitely has a different feel than the old one (which I really hope you post up on the SLR page b/c that banged too!), the baseline seems like it goes from low-pitched to high-pitched when the old one went from high-pitched to low-pitched (but I could be wrong, I'm not really a musically trained person). The chorus on this song is its strength, I think the gunshots work really really well with this song when gunshots often kind of musically fuck up the song (i.e. 2Pac & Bone - Thug Luv, they overdo it). I also love the "city where it rizains" part of the chorus, that sounds tight.
03) My Troubled Life 5/5
I'd obviously heard the full-version on the RDR Compilation, I had my doubts about the new beat but after soaking it for 2 weeks, I like this version better than the older one. The bass-line has kind of a buzz-electric vibe to it. The lyrical content of this song is very very impressive, how Crytical can mold his life story into great music. This song just kind of rolls along like a Hummer or Escalade on the freeway, I can't wait to bump it on a dark day in the 6 rollin up I-5.
04) Desperate 5/5
The first Crytical track I ever LOVED, I bumped this snippet from the 2003 Summer Sampler so many times. Back then it was Wanz's singing that really made me love it. That's still true but Crytical really raps with a perfect pace on this song, he just rides the beat along beautifully. It's a mob track but the lyrics are still intelligent. Wanz's singing was outstanding, I was surprised that the first Wanz verse was a little different from the 2nd and 3rd, that surprised me a little but I liked it. I also like the intro to this song, the guy walking along MLK but rather than creating a boring 10 or 15 seconds that I would've used mp3trim to cut (as I do a lot of other intros like this), you make that scene musical with the humming in the background and bassline coming in. It just makes the listener able to visualize the scene you're trying to create even more. Great fuckin track.
05) I Can't Take It No More 5/5
This snippet from the 2003 Summer Sampler evolved to be my favorite (probably from playing out Desperate) because the beat is hard, dark, grimy, rugged and Crytical raps so fast with the beat that his voice literally sounds like a machine gun (especially in the first verse). Dread does a good job on the chorus but unfortunately I was a little disappointed with his verse. Still this track bangs hard, this is the pre-game track right here, get you pumped up.
06) The Sun Doesn't Shine 5/5
This beat stands out from much of the rest of the album because it is a little 'happier' a little more upbeat. It reminds me of the beat you posted a while ago you called "Drop Top II." I heard a song out of Minneapolis a couple weeks ago that uses this Brothers Johnson "Strawberry Letter 23" sample that I loved, it's a good sample. I also absolutely love the Seattle street anthem style to this, hearing music with pride in the city gives you pride in the city. The best verse was C.O.L.A.'s that starts at 1:24 and ends at 2:10. C.O.L.A.'s got lots of city pride lines in there and his voice sounds really unique, complements Crytical really well. I also liked the use of the Twin-G ("From") line that was used on Twin's album. Overall this is just a great track reppin the 206, it's good to hear that Crytical has a lot of pride in that and isn't some fuckin pussy ass no-pride-having wannabe Cali or NY or wherever cat. I hate people like that.
07) Halfway Sane 5/5
This track right here really separates Crytical from other really fast hard hitting rappers because he showcases his singing ability. He's not as smooth as Nate Dogg obviously but he really is pretty damn good at it, much better than Byrdie who's really the only other SLR rapper I can remember that had the ability to sing-rap. The beat sounds like some 70s funk sped up with a bassline, like some Vandross or Pendergrass shit. This is definitely a sunny day type of track, it's happy, optimistic and smooth.
08) Matter of Time *6/5
OH MY GOD. That's all I can say, this track blew me away right off the bat. I had heard a few people (like Evilwayz) who had the album before me tell me this was there favorite track so I was definitely curious/anxious/excited to hear this track. This was also the first track after the Intro that I'd never heard a snippet of before, so I really had no idea what was coming I just knew that it might well be hotter than lava. Man right off the bat this track hits you hard with the beat thumping right off the bat and Crytical's line "First off I represent Street Level, the record label known for bringing heat to the table" he inflectuates his voice really really well on the word "heat" in that verse. So I was loving this song in Crytical's first verse then oh my god here comes the chorus. Crytical again inflectuates his voice pitch creating just an amazing effect, you wonder how a human being can even make that sound so fast like that. "Hotter than lava" is really the perfect description, that is what it sounds like how he makes his voice high like that then follows it with the lower "I'm from SEATTLE when Atlanta looking way too hot but stay ridin, stay grindin its just a matter of time." I wasn't believing my ears at that point, then Skunt comes in with his voice sounding gritty and grimy compared to the smooth Crytical. His voice is great on this track. This beat is so deep, I actually have trouble listening to it on my iPod and portable CD player. Too much bass, too much power. But on a decent system this track sounds so amazing. With the few people I've introduced to Crytical since the CD arrived, this has been the track I've played first. Now these people didn't necessarily love it for various reasons (mostly excuses like 'too much just yelling out Seattle'), they cannot deny that that track GOT THEIR ATTENTION because that is exactly what it does. Thinking back to the BBQ at Sand Point when I met D-Sane and Crytical and saw the brief little performance, I vaguely remember a song that Crytical performed that I'd never heard before and was just straight fuckin fire, and I think it might have been "Matter of Time." Now a year later, I've got the real version and it is simply amazing.
09) I Can't Stop 4/5
A track that would definitely be the standout track on most NW rap albums, actually my least favorite track thus far. That's how much depth the album has. The little guitar thing sounds Asian, makes me think of some Kung Fu movies or something. Not one of my favorite tracks but like I said, it would stand out on the vast majority of rap albums out there nationally and in the 206.
