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[ATI's Reviews] J Dilla- The Shining & Cage- Hell's Winter
J Dilla
The Shining
BBE Records
2006's The Shining served as a going away gift from the hard-working producer James Yancey to his peers and loyal fans alike, and although this compilation-type album was unsurprisingly given excessive critical praise at times, J Dilla deserves better. A subjective look at Dilla's fourth solo project seems in order- after all, The Shining isn't perfect, but it does include some great high points which display the signature sound of the late producer. After the annoyingly Busta Rhymes-featured opening, Dilla's heavy drum-patterns and funky horns kick in on the Common-assited "E=MC2" as well as the instrumental cut "Love Jones". The latter, along with the ingeniously bouncy "Body Movin'" are The Shining's two finest cuts, both coincidently void of excessive vocals. "Love", featuring the normally solid P Monch, and "Baby" are both brought down by overly repetitive samples and forced lyrics that attempt to fit the "feel-good" mood, but Dilla picks things up with the sci-fi bass lines and drums on the eerie "Over The Break". Black Thought and J Dilla display strong chemistry on the unplugged-sounding "Love Movin," but then again, when does Mr. Trotter ever sound out-of-place. Overall, The Shining's vocals sometimes feel unnecessary and excessive, but when Dilla's crafty work is matched with the right artist, say on the piano-looping "So Far So Good" featuring Common & D'Angelo, his soulful soundscapes are entrancing to say the least. The Shining isn't a daring effort, but Dilla's production isn't meant to be, but rather musical pieces which entice imagination and creativity. Let's just say it won't be long before J Dilla pops up in the credits of your favourite rapper's next album.
Cage
Hell's Winter
Definitive Jux Records
Fans unfamiliar with New York underground emcee Cage are sure to be equally dazzled and confused when and if they get their hands on a copy of Cage's out of the box, Def Jux-debut Hell's Winter. But then again, this bounce-off-the-wall recording effectively sums up the true character of Cage, who turned to rap after going through family abuse, as well as horrific medical treatments during his stay at a New York psychiatric hospital in his youth. Hell's Winter is an eclectic mix of hard rock and hip-hop production, mixed with Cage's vivid, concept-based songs. Erratic indeed, but here, it's a good thing.
Some have referred to Hell's Winter as a comparatively focused album for Cage, and while hard to believe, his yearning to reach far beyond hip-hop through his recording is apparent throughout. The rock-sampled "Good Morning" is a witty intro to an album which at times, can sound similar to the 2005 LP from Fort Minor, both in soundtrack and vocal flow. Fascinating wordplay is displayed on Grand Ol' Party Crash, "I wake up to a caffeine, cigarette vaccine, and bathe in water i wouldn't drink before gasoline/Feel like a loser cause I'm not in Falluja, paintin’ a red cruiser with an Iraqi, then taking his roofer," all complimented by a comical George Bush sound-alike. "Stripes" is a more personal narrative, as Cage sobers down to detail the emotional struggles of going through life with a dead-beat husband/father, before entering into the overly emo-rock influenced "Shoot Frank". "Perfect World" is one few major missteps, as Cage's mono-toned flow mixed with laughably-fake lyrics equals disaster, but the NY native more than makes up for it with the electric-guitar laced "Public Property," where Cage's lyrics bring about razor-sharp imagery through lines like, "And the only therapy is what's read on paper, funny, how the same applies to seeing blood on money". The album's title cut is about as radio-friendly as this deep album gets, and only in sonic form, as Cage's lyrics are as detailed as ever, "Prozac, any pig, I don't feel bi-polar/But i got a folder that claims I am in a stack that reaches my shoulder/Music, my only saviour in every instance/Makes each one of you a profit of my existence."
Instrumentally, Hell's Winter is a genre-crossing experience that, while sometimes over the top and straight out odd, usually captures the imaginative song-writing of the LP's main attraction. Let's make something clear though- Cage isn't about to hit the masses any time soon, but in an industry where few value creative and bold thinking, Hell's Winter feels like an avant-guard album stuck in the stone age.
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