Asher Roth-Asleep In The Bread Isle (def sounds review)

BornIntoThis · 04-14-2009, 04:04 AM

8.3/10
Late last month I attended a listening session for Roth's debut LP, Alseep In The Bread Isle. After listening to the album, I was asked for my thoughts by his product manager. From first listen, I thought the LP wasn't as diverse as I'd like an album to be. It seemed as if Roth's freshman effort is targeted at a very specific niche market--Hippie college kids and potheads (Cannibus Culture).

I only formulated that assessment because of the material and the fact that it's being released on the notorious 4.20 instead of the usual Tuesday release of...every other album released..ever.

After giving an in-depth listen, I've definitely changed my mind.

Lyrics: --9

From what we've heard prior to this LP, Roth's lyrics are usually playful and laid back--never really sending a message. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him diversify topics packed with creative wordplay and a few punch-lines here and there.

We are treated to a certain amount of lyrical substance that we normally don't hear in his freestyles and mixtapes.

With the numerous pop culture references and weed talk in Roth's lyrics you may at times feel like you're listening to an episode of Family Guy. It's an unusual treat in the bland state that Hip Hop has been in.

Roth doesn't just spit out names of random tv show characters however, he covers a range of topics, and even delivers the obligatory "for the ladies" track ("She' Don't Wanna Man") that will undoubtedly end up on millions of teenyboppers myspaces simply because of the message.

Production-- 7

The general production of the album is average. Most of the tracks are mellow with a good vibe, however, there isn't one that absolutely blows you away production wise.

You'll hear a good amount of influences in the production. In Lion's Roar feat. Busta Rhymes, you can note a certain essence of Outkast and Bad Day feat. Jazze Pha is reminiscent of an Eminem/D12 production.

The mellow production contributes to the high-quality story telling constant throughout the album, however, at times it is a deterring factor causing the listener to miss out on some great lyrics.

Those seeking amazing beats may look elsewhere.

Songs---9

I mentioned before the amount of substance packed into Asleep In The Bread Isle. Roth runs through a range of topics using clever story telling, wordplay, and rhyme schemes reminiscent of Eminem's The Eminem Show.

The songs are generally solid, however, production is a bit lack luster.

There are a few standout tracks, in La Di Da, Roth delivers a strong message of encouragement over a soulful beat by Don Cannon.

"The aggression when you're finding your direction and headin' non stop, it's defined that the road is blocked. You wanna pop, flip your lid and stomp, but settle down and work it out, it's really all you got."

Roth's Sour Patch Kids is the equivalent of Lupe Fiasco's Little Weapon/ American Terrorist. Roth brings attention to the world's troubles over a production by Oren Yoel.

"Donate your dollars, raise your time up. Help a mother, save a father, cause poverty's probably our biggest problem. And it ain't gonna stop with Obama, to save the world we must start at the bottom"

Finally, the exceptional As I Em, is Roth's retort to the comparisons between him and Eminem. Produced by Oren Yoel and David Appleton, As I Em, is carried by Chester French's hook and Roth's story telling. It is undoubtedly one of the best tracks on this album.

"Fuck it, that's all I got, there's nothing else for me to say. If i don't confront the problem it'll never go away. Unless it is addressed, there's nothing left for me to do. It's impossible rejecting an elephant in the room. Say goodbye to all the bullshit, notions preconceived, so long to all the blogs that coulda sworn they knew me. If you have no further questions and can't think of other thoughts, then I'd like to introduce you to Asher Paul Roth."

Some other stand outs are His Dream, Fallin', and Bad Day.

Conclusion- 8.3

Roth's debut effort is incredibly solid. It delivers a wide range of lyrical substance that at times may go unnoticed because of the lack luster production.

I've alluded to the inevitable comparison between Roth & Eminem throughout the majority of the review.

The similarities between the two are obvious, however, after listening to Asleep In The Bread Isle, its clear that Roth is no Eminem clone. In fact, he offers a fresh alternative--he is the Saints Row To Eminem's Grand Theft Auto. While similar, they're both extremely enjoyable.

The album has it's short comings, the production is entirely too mellow, which may cause the listener to zone out and completely miss out on the great lyrics.

It's also a mere 12 tracks, which is justified by having no skits. However, given Roth's playful nature--some creative and witty skits might've made it a tad more entertaining.

The retail itunes version comes with 3 bonus tracks which would bring the total count up to 15. However, this isn't a review of bonus tracks.

Da Real Deal · 04-14-2009, 09:16 AM

"In fact, he offers a fresh alternative--he is the Saints Row To Eminem's Grand Theft Auto. While similar, they're both extremely enjoyable."

I agree......

Precinct Phantom · 04-14-2009, 09:29 AM

am defo gonna cop this.
Sounds as if its gonna b pretty gd!

EZ Early · 04-17-2009, 08:56 PM

"In fact, he offers a fresh alternative--he is the Saints Row To Eminem's Grand Theft Auto. While similar, they're both extremely enjoyable."

totally pure bullshit SMFH

DannyBoy316 · 04-18-2009, 06:32 PM

not to much into his sound....but im diggin a couple joints on the cd...keep doin ya thang Asher

KING BHOB · 04-19-2009, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZ Early

"In fact, he offers a fresh alternative--he is the Saints Row To Eminem's Grand Theft Auto. While similar, they're both extremely enjoyable."

totally pure bullshit SMFH

no........thats EXACTLY right..........

you just might be fucking stupid

or a wheelman addict

jusmyopinion · 04-20-2009, 06:47 PM

The mix tape is whhey better because its loose as shit... Real rap not that album base shit.

s2 Odie · 04-22-2009, 07:41 PM

i dont think its too mellow, its kinda like the perfect summer cd if your white and like rap cuz the production is weird enough too keep the guys who dont like rap happy and the songs are just perfect for like....having on while you drink and get high, and he sounds less and less like eminem the more you listen to him, i like the albumn alot, might even buy it

{C} Bnx Gfx · 04-22-2009, 11:28 PM

real talk i'm white and i think this album is sick haha. you're right though i don't think he sounds like em at all.
best tracks are "fallin" "as i em" and "la di da"

Dimebag Darrell · 04-26-2009, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jusmyopinion

The mix tape is whhey better because its loose as shit... Real rap not that album base shit.

his mixtape seemed like wack freestyles to me...

his album had content inside it and he tried to construct stories/concepts to the songs...

needless to say, i thought the album was pretty dope.. not like lyrically amazing or even top 10 of the year but it is entertaining...

supragtx · 05-01-2009, 12:17 AM

a sold album
5/5!!!!!!!!!!!!

The_Year_of_Detox · 05-01-2009, 05:24 PM

Partial Mather's album is deifinately different

Just_Blaze · 05-04-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KING BHOB

no........thats EXACTLY right..........

you just might be fucking stupid

or a wheelman addict

lmao. I think bhob is the only one on this forum that could make me lol

04-14-2009, 04:04 AM	#1
BornIntoThis Veteran Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Originally From Brooklyn Posts: 3,020 Repped: 366 Repped 962 Times in 320 Posts Neg Reps: 81 Neg Repped at 117 Times in 79 Posts	Asher Roth-Asleep In The Bread Isle (def sounds review) Asher Roth-Asleep In The Bread Isle (def sounds review) 8.3/10 Late last month I attended a listening session for Roth's debut LP, Alseep In The Bread Isle. After listening to the album, I was asked for my thoughts by his product manager. From first listen, I thought the LP wasn't as diverse as I'd like an album to be. It seemed as if Roth's freshman effort is targeted at a very specific niche market--Hippie college kids and potheads (Cannibus Culture). I only formulated that assessment because of the material and the fact that it's being released on the notorious 4.20 instead of the usual Tuesday release of...every other album released..ever. After giving an in-depth listen, I've definitely changed my mind. Lyrics: --9 From what we've heard prior to this LP, Roth's lyrics are usually playful and laid back--never really sending a message. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him diversify topics packed with creative wordplay and a few punch-lines here and there. We are treated to a certain amount of lyrical substance that we normally don't hear in his freestyles and mixtapes. With the numerous pop culture references and weed talk in Roth's lyrics you may at times feel like you're listening to an episode of Family Guy. It's an unusual treat in the bland state that Hip Hop has been in. Roth doesn't just spit out names of random tv show characters however, he covers a range of topics, and even delivers the obligatory "for the ladies" track ("She' Don't Wanna Man") that will undoubtedly end up on millions of teenyboppers myspaces simply because of the message. Production-- 7 The general production of the album is average. Most of the tracks are mellow with a good vibe, however, there isn't one that absolutely blows you away production wise. You'll hear a good amount of influences in the production. In Lion's Roar feat. Busta Rhymes, you can note a certain essence of Outkast and Bad Day feat. Jazze Pha is reminiscent of an Eminem/D12 production. The mellow production contributes to the high-quality story telling constant throughout the album, however, at times it is a deterring factor causing the listener to miss out on some great lyrics. Those seeking amazing beats may look elsewhere. Songs---9 I mentioned before the amount of substance packed into Asleep In The Bread Isle. Roth runs through a range of topics using clever story telling, wordplay, and rhyme schemes reminiscent of Eminem's The Eminem Show. The songs are generally solid, however, production is a bit lack luster. There are a few standout tracks, in La Di Da, Roth delivers a strong message of encouragement over a soulful beat by Don Cannon. "The aggression when you're finding your direction and headin' non stop, it's defined that the road is blocked. You wanna pop, flip your lid and stomp, but settle down and work it out, it's really all you got." Roth's Sour Patch Kids is the equivalent of Lupe Fiasco's Little Weapon/ American Terrorist. Roth brings attention to the world's troubles over a production by Oren Yoel. "Donate your dollars, raise your time up. Help a mother, save a father, cause poverty's probably our biggest problem. And it ain't gonna stop with Obama, to save the world we must start at the bottom" Finally, the exceptional As I Em, is Roth's retort to the comparisons between him and Eminem. Produced by Oren Yoel and David Appleton, As I Em, is carried by Chester French's hook and Roth's story telling. It is undoubtedly one of the best tracks on this album. "Fuck it, that's all I got, there's nothing else for me to say. If i don't confront the problem it'll never go away. Unless it is addressed, there's nothing left for me to do. It's impossible rejecting an elephant in the room. Say goodbye to all the bullshit, notions preconceived, so long to all the blogs that coulda sworn they knew me. If you have no further questions and can't think of other thoughts, then I'd like to introduce you to Asher Paul Roth." Some other stand outs are His Dream, Fallin', and Bad Day. Conclusion- 8.3 Roth's debut effort is incredibly solid. It delivers a wide range of lyrical substance that at times may go unnoticed because of the lack luster production. I've alluded to the inevitable comparison between Roth & Eminem throughout the majority of the review. The similarities between the two are obvious, however, after listening to Asleep In The Bread Isle, its clear that Roth is no Eminem clone. In fact, he offers a fresh alternative--he is the Saints Row To Eminem's Grand Theft Auto. While similar, they're both extremely enjoyable. The album has it's short comings, the production is entirely too mellow, which may cause the listener to zone out and completely miss out on the great lyrics. It's also a mere 12 tracks, which is justified by having no skits. However, given Roth's playful nature--some creative and witty skits might've made it a tad more entertaining. The retail itunes version comes with 3 bonus tracks which would bring the total count up to 15. However, this isn't a review of bonus tracks. __________________

04-14-2009, 09:16 AM	#2
Da Real Deal Most Likely To Succeed Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chicago Illinois/Jackson,MS Posts: 4,982 Repped: 889 Repped 2,798 Times in 610 Posts Neg Reps: 178 Neg Repped at 150 Times in 102 Posts	"In fact, he offers a fresh alternative--he is the Saints Row To Eminem's Grand Theft Auto. While similar, they're both extremely enjoyable." I agree...... __________________

04-14-2009, 09:29 AM	#3
Precinct Phantom Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Lincoln Posts: 1,229 Repped: 282 Repped 125 Times in 95 Posts Neg Reps: 2 Neg Repped at 22 Times in 20 Posts	am defo gonna cop this. Sounds as if its gonna b pretty gd! __________________ Links you need to checkout: myspace.com/precinctphantom myspace.com/grandangel510 myspace.com/macwasey

04-18-2009, 06:32 PM	#5
DannyBoy316 Tha Best N Tha Midwest! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Wichita, Ks (Dub-K) Posts: 544 Repped: 80 Repped 213 Times in 56 Posts Neg Reps: 10 Neg Repped at 12 Times in 8 Posts	not to much into his sound....but im diggin a couple joints on the cd...keep doin ya thang Asher __________________ ~~$$$COMING SOON 2 A HOOD NEAR U!$$$~~

04-22-2009, 11:28 PM	#9
{C} Bnx Gfx Notorious B.N.X. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bay Area 650 Posts: 4,464 Repped: 96 Repped 245 Times in 92 Posts Neg Reps: 28 Neg Repped at 17 Times in 16 Posts	real talk i'm white and i think this album is sick haha. you're right though i don't think he sounds like em at all. best tracks are "fallin" "as i em" and "la di da" __________________ "Does sb stand for soulja boy?I'm really lost you guys." -99problemsNkicksR1

04-17-2009, 08:56 PM	#4
EZ Early Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Atlanta Ga Posts: 138 Repped: 5 Repped 62 Times in 28 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 16 Times in 10 Posts	"In fact, he offers a fresh alternative--he is the Saints Row To Eminem's Grand Theft Auto. While similar, they're both extremely enjoyable." totally pure bullshit SMFH

04-20-2009, 06:47 PM	#7
jusmyopinion so FUCK yours. Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Gunchester/ England/ u.k. Posts: 1,198 Repped: 178 Repped 629 Times in 98 Posts Neg Reps: 4 Neg Repped at 3 Times in 3 Posts	The mix tape is whhey better because its loose as shit... Real rap not that album base shit.

04-22-2009, 07:41 PM	#8
s2 Odie my Balls smell like onion Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: i dont do text so dont ask Posts: 532 Repped: 3 Repped 39 Times in 15 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 8 Times in 2 Posts	i dont think its too mellow, its kinda like the perfect summer cd if your white and like rap cuz the production is weird enough too keep the guys who dont like rap happy and the songs are just perfect for like....having on while you drink and get high, and he sounds less and less like eminem the more you listen to him, i like the albumn alot, might even buy it

05-01-2009, 12:17 AM	#11
supragtx Im a wªlkin ßitch magnet Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: eAsT hARlEm Nu YaAAWwWwK Posts: 5,887 Repped: 505 Repped 1,428 Times in 668 Posts Neg Reps: 31 Neg Repped at 159 Times in 144 Posts	a sold album 5/5!!!!!!!!!!!! __________________ [12:55AM] sbrecords: ziz is there an ignore button for a member in the chatbox? [12:56AM] Mixtape Assassin: if there wuz one i wouldnt even have read your message just now lol

05-01-2009, 05:24 PM	#12
The_Year_of_Detox Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 469 Repped: 41 Repped 67 Times in 48 Posts Neg Reps: 50 Neg Repped at 21 Times in 16 Posts	Partial Mather's album is deifinately different

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