L.A.X. (Track-By-Track) -- [V]

ThA ViiRu5 · 08-20-2008, 10:38 PM

A solid album overall, Raw Footage is easily way better than this. Please note while reading that this is purely from the mainstream part of my taste and I realise that Game is no Jedi Mind Tricks or even a Lupe Fiasco. I just rated it based on what the mainstream sound is like these days and what a cohesive album of its type should sound like. Hope you enjoy, took me a long ass time to do.

Please ignore any typos. You can see why I wouldn't want to go back through all this shit and proof-read. Post a reply or something. 1.

1. Intro ft. DMX

Lots of people have been very negative about DMX's additions to this album. To these people, I have one thing to say. That, my friends, is "shut the fuck up". Personally, I find it a nice, mellow addition to the cd, starting it off ok. Even if you don't enjoy it, take it for what it is..a very small intro. It's not trying to be anything else..

2. L.A.X. Files

JR Rotem on the beat. He's haunting on the keys, almost enough to give you chills. Listen a little closer throughout the beat and you'll hear interesting intricacies in the amount of subtle instruments and sound effects he u ses to enhance the sound. Game weaves in and out of a slow-and-fast flow and while the actual skill in the lyricism is nothing to boast about, he utilises good imagery.

3. State of Emergency ft. Ice Cube.

Real old-school on the beat. it's laid back, a nice track, a track you might expect on an old Cube album. Perhaps it's this that transforms a simple chorus with an interpolation of Ghetto Bird into just the right thing to frame the song nicely. Game did his thing on the chorus, if the idea was his, solid. I find Game spits with a Cube-esque type of flow on this one. Whether its Cube's or not, it's surprisingly good, particularly on this part: "So he bought a black smith n wesson, strapped on his vest and thats his protectttttion" In case you were wondering, yes I was also dissapointed by no Cube verse. He pulled a Banks-on-Rotten-Apple-Rakim thing on us.

4. Bulletproof Diaries ft. Raekwon

Interesting beat, weird effects on it. Don't know if I'm feeling it. Instrumentally is solid, but it's one of those beats that'd be hard for any emcee to flow on. The bass knocks hard if you pump it at high volume. Rae does some serious hurt on this track, particularly when he does a back-and-forth with Game reminiscent of that of Jadakiss & Styles P. Game's best part of the song lyrically is also during this portion.

5. My Life ft. Lil Wayne

How relieved was I that Wayne is only on the chorus and not a verse *waits for Weezy stans to piss themselves*. Game performs a little skit on the intro and personalyl I found it ridiculous and not needed at all. Just plain corny. For all of you pissed at Wayne recyclng hooks...have you ever heard of sampling? It's not a sample, but it's the same concept. he's not trying to pass it off as something new. One of the better uses of the vocoder in recent times. Game steps up a little lyrically here and you can feel his emotions when he rhymes, similar to the feeling you get when listening to any Eminem track. (In no way, express or implied, am I comparing Game to Em

) Beat is a nice backdrop as opposed to overwhelming the lyrics, which is something you need on a track like this.

6. Money

Widely touted as the best song the album, I am not in agreeance. It is still a very listenable track tough. The "Money" bit is well done and interpolated. Game's lyrics were a little corny, but it was still a song for the hustlers- it'll get you inspired if that's the kind of person you are. "My phantom stand out like Frank Lucas mink" somewhat clever. Got a chuckle out of me anyway. Verse 2 was my favourite on this one. Flow was pretty dope.

7. Cali Sunshine ft. Bilal

Some people are a little heated over the usage of the sample, but I think it was done well. Very nice production. Bilal didn't add anything notable to the track, but Game accomplished what he was going for- a nice mellow track where he reps Cali without becoming menotonous. Flow was choppy in some areas but other than that it was pretty thorough.

8. Ya Heard ft. Ludacris

One of the most underrated tracks on the album imo. Lots of people didn't like the beat but..I don't know if they just didn't get it or what, because it is probably my favourite beat on the album. The strings in particular are very well used. The Game did his thang, he didnt slack on this one but Luda was just a beast. He tore it up every second he spat. His flow was a monster, (one of my favourite in the industry these days) and there were so many metaphors coming at me in top speed i almost didnt have time to process them be4 i heard the next one. Best guest appearece on the album. Sick. Sick. Sick.

9. Hard Liquor (Interlude)

Weird. Un-needed. Only two words that need to be said about it.

10. House of Pain

One of the most overrated tracks on the album in my opinion. Expected more out of Toomp on the beat, but it was solid nonetheless. This song seemed (to me at least) to be LaAX's version of Scream On 'Em from the DA. Game spits simple, yet effective metaphors, particularly in the beginning of the first verse. His flow is a real meacing, growly one of this track. very decent, but overrated.

11. Gentlemen's Affair ft. Ne-Yo

Dope song, with the exception of the first verse. It wasn't jut bad, it was terrible. I was like...da fuck? Ne-Yo did his usual thing- bodying the guest appearence. He added a real mature thing to the track, and the Thug & Gentlemen theme was carried well by boththroughout. As much as I liked this track, something abotu it didn't feel right. Something wasn't cohesive. Still, i enjoyed this one and will listen to it again.

12. Let Us Live ft. Chrisette Michelle

If you didn't know he was flowing like Nas on this, then you're retarded. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album, also masdsively underrated. He actually really sounded like Nas on this one. Sometiems I almost forgot it was him. Don't say he's biting Nas's "swagger". Fuck a swagger, he's paying homage and doing it well, i'd kick it to this song anyday, Game kicks a little knowledge a little bit, reminisces abotu the past. well down.

13. Touchdown ft. Raheem Devaughn

Invariably found as the worst song on the album, I took it for what it is and I can appreciate it. A grown and sexy song for the ladies. I could fuck to it. Call me what you wanna. Pssy's pussy and it's not a bad backdrop.

14. Angel ft. Common

When I saw this I got real excited...but was kind of let down.Big ups to Kanye on the production, it's pretty sick. Common spits a sick flow, but the whole first half of his verse was on some kiddy shit. Having said that, it picked the fuck up and became stellar as usual. Game was mediocre on this track, kind of brought it down.

15. Never Can Say Goodbye ft. Latoya Williams

One of my favourite beats on the album. Dope as fuck. Ok, verse 1, Game raps like Pac..it was very hard for me to glean any Pac-ness (that a word?) from this verse, it didnt sound anything like him just to listen to it, but if yu pause the song and actually imagine Pac flowing it, it allllllmost works- not a good representation of Pac's skill at all though. It's a damn shame. Verse 2, Game raps like Biggie- the highlight of the track imo, the flow matches uncanny..nowhere near the lyrical skill of Biggie but the flow was ridiculous (good). 3rd verse he raps like Eazy..this was just garbage in every respect. Nothing like Eazy at all. I couldnt see it at all. BIG let down.

16. Dope Boys ft. Travis Barker

Everybody's heard this by now. I really enjoyed it. Beat was ferocious, I'll bang this in my car, walknig to school, anywhere basically. It's a good single, better than One Blood by about ten million percent. Travis Barker insane on the drums.

17. Game's Pain ft. Keyshia Cole

Heard this one too obviously. Keyshia's part is fucking stupid. Almost unlistenable, but I like the content in Game's verses, kickin old school shit on a modern-day flow. nice shout to Will Smith on the first verse too.

18. Letter To The King ft. Nas

Wonderful tribute to MLK Jr. They both spit hard, but Nas's verse seemed almost as though it was cut short. at least to me, wish it could have been longer. Not much else to say on this (im getting tried of writing lmao)

19. Outro ft. DMX

See intro basically.

pDASH · 08-20-2008, 11:13 PM

i agree with a lot this. i was impressed by the album
the hard liquor skit was pointless and touchdown was the worst track (not necessary wih the neyo song on there)

i give game more credit for Never Can Say Goodbye considered mainstream artists seemed to be terrified to try an actual concept song

Bailey · 08-21-2008, 06:22 AM

Good review here maine!

J~Souljah · 08-23-2008, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThA ViiRu5

15. Never Can Say Goodbye ft. Latoya Williams

One of my favourite beats on the album. Dope as fuck. Ok, verse 1, Game raps like Pac..it was very hard for me to glean any Pac-ness (that a word?) from this verse, it didnt sound anything like him just to listen to it, but if yu pause the song and actually imagine Pac flowing it, it allllllmost works- not a good representation of Pac's skill at all though. It's a damn shame. Verse 2, Game raps like Biggie- the highlight of the track imo, the flow matches uncanny..nowhere near the lyrical skill of Biggie but the flow was ridiculous (good). 3rd verse he raps like Eazy..this was just garbage in every respect. Nothing like Eazy at all. I couldnt see it at all. BIG let down.

biggie wasnt lyrical at all...it was just his flow/rhyme scheme = /

M. Daddy Dollars · 08-23-2008, 05:27 AM

How was Travis Barker insane on the drums on 'Dope Boys'? That was like the most simple drum pattern I've ever heard. Anyone with 5 minutes of teaching could do exactly what he did.

LadyValentine · 08-28-2008, 08:14 AM

This seems like a review I would have wrote within an hour of first listening to it...I've have time to mellow on it I guess...I can find a lot more general faults.

2 For Da Money · 09-03-2008, 04:29 AM

good review, i agree with alot i didnt mind the Intro and thought the outro was sick
personally its my favorite album from The Game, followed by The Doc then DA

08-20-2008, 10:38 PM	#1
ThA ViiRu5 ``Enlightened Emcee::.. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ................ Posts: 2,606 Repped: 521 Repped 179 Times in 104 Posts Neg Reps: 78 Neg Repped at 16 Times in 15 Posts	L.A.X. (Track-By-Track) -- [V] L.A.X. (Track-By-Track) -- [V] A solid album overall, Raw Footage is easily way better than this. Please note while reading that this is purely from the mainstream part of my taste and I realise that Game is no Jedi Mind Tricks or even a Lupe Fiasco. I just rated it based on what the mainstream sound is like these days and what a cohesive album of its type should sound like. Hope you enjoy, took me a long ass time to do. Please ignore any typos. You can see why I wouldn't want to go back through all this shit and proof-read. Post a reply or something. 1. 1. Intro ft. DMX Lots of people have been very negative about DMX's additions to this album. To these people, I have one thing to say. That, my friends, is "shut the fuck up". Personally, I find it a nice, mellow addition to the cd, starting it off ok. Even if you don't enjoy it, take it for what it is..a very small intro. It's not trying to be anything else.. 2. L.A.X. Files JR Rotem on the beat. He's haunting on the keys, almost enough to give you chills. Listen a little closer throughout the beat and you'll hear interesting intricacies in the amount of subtle instruments and sound effects he u ses to enhance the sound. Game weaves in and out of a slow-and-fast flow and while the actual skill in the lyricism is nothing to boast about, he utilises good imagery. 3. State of Emergency ft. Ice Cube. Real old-school on the beat. it's laid back, a nice track, a track you might expect on an old Cube album. Perhaps it's this that transforms a simple chorus with an interpolation of Ghetto Bird into just the right thing to frame the song nicely. Game did his thing on the chorus, if the idea was his, solid. I find Game spits with a Cube-esque type of flow on this one. Whether its Cube's or not, it's surprisingly good, particularly on this part: "So he bought a black smith n wesson, strapped on his vest and thats his protectttttion" In case you were wondering, yes I was also dissapointed by no Cube verse. He pulled a Banks-on-Rotten-Apple-Rakim thing on us. 4. Bulletproof Diaries ft. Raekwon Interesting beat, weird effects on it. Don't know if I'm feeling it. Instrumentally is solid, but it's one of those beats that'd be hard for any emcee to flow on. The bass knocks hard if you pump it at high volume. Rae does some serious hurt on this track, particularly when he does a back-and-forth with Game reminiscent of that of Jadakiss & Styles P. Game's best part of the song lyrically is also during this portion. 5. My Life ft. Lil Wayne How relieved was I that Wayne is only on the chorus and not a verse waits for Weezy stans to piss themselves. Game performs a little skit on the intro and personalyl I found it ridiculous and not needed at all. Just plain corny. For all of you pissed at Wayne recyclng hooks...have you ever heard of sampling? It's not a sample, but it's the same concept. he's not trying to pass it off as something new. One of the better uses of the vocoder in recent times. Game steps up a little lyrically here and you can feel his emotions when he rhymes, similar to the feeling you get when listening to any Eminem track. (In no way, express or implied, am I comparing Game to Em ) Beat is a nice backdrop as opposed to overwhelming the lyrics, which is something you need on a track like this. 6. Money Widely touted as the best song the album, I am not in agreeance. It is still a very listenable track tough. The "Money" bit is well done and interpolated. Game's lyrics were a little corny, but it was still a song for the hustlers- it'll get you inspired if that's the kind of person you are. "My phantom stand out like Frank Lucas mink" somewhat clever. Got a chuckle out of me anyway. Verse 2 was my favourite on this one. Flow was pretty dope. 7. Cali Sunshine ft. Bilal Some people are a little heated over the usage of the sample, but I think it was done well. Very nice production. Bilal didn't add anything notable to the track, but Game accomplished what he was going for- a nice mellow track where he reps Cali without becoming menotonous. Flow was choppy in some areas but other than that it was pretty thorough. 8. Ya Heard ft. Ludacris One of the most underrated tracks on the album imo. Lots of people didn't like the beat but..I don't know if they just didn't get it or what, because it is probably my favourite beat on the album. The strings in particular are very well used. The Game did his thang, he didnt slack on this one but Luda was just a beast. He tore it up every second he spat. His flow was a monster, (one of my favourite in the industry these days) and there were so many metaphors coming at me in top speed i almost didnt have time to process them be4 i heard the next one. Best guest appearece on the album. Sick. Sick. Sick. 9. Hard Liquor (Interlude) Weird. Un-needed. Only two words that need to be said about it. 10. House of Pain One of the most overrated tracks on the album in my opinion. Expected more out of Toomp on the beat, but it was solid nonetheless. This song seemed (to me at least) to be LaAX's version of Scream On 'Em from the DA. Game spits simple, yet effective metaphors, particularly in the beginning of the first verse. His flow is a real meacing, growly one of this track. very decent, but overrated. 11. Gentlemen's Affair ft. Ne-Yo Dope song, with the exception of the first verse. It wasn't jut bad, it was terrible. I was like...da fuck? Ne-Yo did his usual thing- bodying the guest appearence. He added a real mature thing to the track, and the Thug & Gentlemen theme was carried well by boththroughout. As much as I liked this track, something abotu it didn't feel right. Something wasn't cohesive. Still, i enjoyed this one and will listen to it again. 12. Let Us Live ft. Chrisette Michelle If you didn't know he was flowing like Nas on this, then you're retarded. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album, also masdsively underrated. He actually really sounded like Nas on this one. Sometiems I almost forgot it was him. Don't say he's biting Nas's "swagger". Fuck a swagger, he's paying homage and doing it well, i'd kick it to this song anyday, Game kicks a little knowledge a little bit, reminisces abotu the past. well down. 13. Touchdown ft. Raheem Devaughn Invariably found as the worst song on the album, I took it for what it is and I can appreciate it. A grown and sexy song for the ladies. I could fuck to it. Call me what you wanna. Pssy's pussy and it's not a bad backdrop. 14. Angel ft. Common When I saw this I got real excited...but was kind of let down.Big ups to Kanye on the production, it's pretty sick. Common spits a sick flow, but the whole first half of his verse was on some kiddy shit. Having said that, it picked the fuck up and became stellar as usual. Game was mediocre on this track, kind of brought it down. 15. Never Can Say Goodbye ft. Latoya Williams One of my favourite beats on the album. Dope as fuck. Ok, verse 1, Game raps like Pac..it was very hard for me to glean any Pac-ness (that a word?) from this verse, it didnt sound anything like him just to listen to it, but if yu pause the song and actually imagine Pac flowing it, it allllllmost works- not a good representation of Pac's skill at all though. It's a damn shame. Verse 2, Game raps like Biggie- the highlight of the track imo, the flow matches uncanny..nowhere near the lyrical skill of Biggie but the flow was ridiculous (good). 3rd verse he raps like Eazy..this was just garbage in every respect. Nothing like Eazy at all. I couldnt see it at all. BIG let down. 16. Dope Boys ft. Travis Barker Everybody's heard this by now. I really enjoyed it. Beat was ferocious, I'll bang this in my car, walknig to school, anywhere basically. It's a good single, better than One Blood by about ten million percent. Travis Barker insane on the drums. 17. Game's Pain ft. Keyshia Cole Heard this one too obviously. Keyshia's part is fucking stupid. Almost unlistenable, but I like the content in Game's verses, kickin old school shit on a modern-day flow. nice shout to Will Smith on the first verse too. 18. Letter To The King ft. Nas Wonderful tribute to MLK Jr. They both spit hard, but Nas's verse seemed almost as though it was cut short. at least to me, wish it could have been longer. Not much else to say on this (im getting tried of writing lmao) 19. Outro ft. DMX See intro basically. __________________ "The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is dreams" ReCkoRd - [Victoriez]: 27 [Slipp Uppz]: 8 [KO]: 13 [TKO]: 1 ~~``!!...::Forever Undefeated::...!!``~~ HeAvYwEiGhT

08-20-2008, 11:13 PM	#2
pDASH Answers 2 Questions Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: New York, NY Posts: 2,265 Repped: 279 Repped 316 Times in 43 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 2 Times in 2 Posts	i agree with a lot this. i was impressed by the album the hard liquor skit was pointless and touchdown was the worst track (not necessary wih the neyo song on there) i give game more credit for Never Can Say Goodbye considered mainstream artists seemed to be terrified to try an actual concept song __________________ BIG EX! www.thisisBIGEX.coom

08-21-2008, 06:22 AM	#3
Bailey The Game & G-Unit Fan Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Alton, Staffordshire, UK Posts: 4,873 Repped: 603 Repped 209 Times in 36 Posts Neg Reps: 1 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Good review here maine! __________________

08-23-2008, 05:27 AM	#5
M. Daddy Dollars ***** I'm Me Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Washington Posts: 1,807 Repped: 295 Repped 198 Times in 90 Posts Neg Reps: 237 Neg Repped at 114 Times in 63 Posts	How was Travis Barker insane on the drums on 'Dope Boys'? That was like the most simple drum pattern I've ever heard. Anyone with 5 minutes of teaching could do exactly what he did. __________________ "i want 50 cents penis in my chinese-malaysian butthol" -Lil Brizzle

08-28-2008, 08:14 AM	#6
LadyValentine Veteran Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Throw A TV At You Crazy Posts: 3,945 Repped: 82 Repped 1,916 Times in 380 Posts Neg Reps: 1 Neg Repped at 36 Times in 31 Posts	This seems like a review I would have wrote within an hour of first listening to it...I've have time to mellow on it I guess...I can find a lot more general faults. __________________ Why In The Hell Would You Let Your Fingers Type Such Absurdity? - Me

09-03-2008, 04:29 AM	#7
2 For Da Money Miracle Child Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: GreenWood B.C Posts: 4,401 Repped: 2,289 Repped 563 Times in 134 Posts Neg Reps: 2 Neg Repped at 2 Times in 1 Post	good review, i agree with alot i didnt mind the Intro and thought the outro was sick personally its my favorite album from The Game, followed by The Doc then DA

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