stefanoneder Album, Album Reviews

Benjamin Miles & Eddie Logix – Play It Forward (2011)

Artist: Eddie Logix x Benjamin Miles

Album: Play It Forward

Source: Artist

Tracklisting:

1. Begin The World
2. Meaningful Work
3. In Sickness And Health
4. My Mind
5. Stay
6. Tree House
7. Good Right Now
8. Pay That Tab
9. BTW
10. Play It Forward

Note:

This is one of those albums that somehow found it’s way to me and I eventually listened to…and subsequently loved.  The note that came with the album was that the producer, Eddie Logix, found beats that perfectly fit the emcee, Benjamin Miles.  And you know what?  You can tell.   Each track relates to a different part of Benjamin Miles personality to the point the album has an autobiographical feel to it.

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stefanoneder Album Reviews

The Regiment – The Panic Button (2011)

Artist: The Regiment

Album: The Panic Button

Source: Kevin Nottingham

Tracklisting:

  1. The R [prod by Soulution]
  2. Detroit Hip Hop [prod by Newstalgia]
  3. Battle Cry [prod by Apollo Brown]
  4. Beauty of a Day [prod by Soulution]
  5. Guns and Butter [prod by Kev Brown]
  6. Let Her Go (feat. Vincent J. Kelley) [prod by Beat Butcha]
  7. Just Shine [prod by BEATNICK DEE]
  8. The Reason [prod by Apollo Brown]
  9. Everything (feat. Vincent J. Kelley) [prod by Soulution]
  10. Believe [prod by Newstalgia]
  11. Make Do [prod by Newstalgia]
  12. That’s Why (feat. Substantial) [prod by Soulution]
  13. Get Away (feat. Vincent J. Kelley) [prod by Soulgate]
  14. 100 (feat. Kev Brown, Finale) [prod by Soulution]
  15. Clarity [prod by Soulution]
  16. Battle Cry Remix (feat. Boog Brown) [prod by Apollo Brown]
  17. Old School Vibe Remix [prod by Apollo Brown]
Note:

First off, let it be said that these guys and their team did an excellent job of promoting this release. They were constantly putting out music (First Mondays) and the word was buzzing (at least on my end).  There have been a ton of good releases this year, and a handful of great ones.  The Panic Button just might be cracking that latter category as soon as you get a chance to listen to it.

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stefanoneder Album Reviews

Cymarshall Law x Mr. Joeker – Hip Hop In The Soul 2 (2011)

Artist: Cymarhsall Law x Mr. Joeker

Album: Hip Hop In The Soul 2

Source: Cymarshall Law

Tracklisting:

1. How I Feel
2. Murderous
3. Every Day
4. Freedom Of Speech
5. I’m Gonna Win
6. Juggling
7. 911
8. Ring Of Fire (ft. John Robinson and Skit Slam)
9. Bump In The Night
10. Sing This Picture
11. Rebound Girl
12. The Color
13. The Broken Hearted
14. Life Is A Mistery
15. The War
16. My Time
17. Great Ones
18. No Sleep

Note:

I’ve been following Cymarshall Law’s career for a while.  I own a few of his albums and I always thought he was a talented emcee.  I actually own this album’s predecessor (Hip Hop In The Soul) and thought it had quite a few bangers on it.  This album is the natural progression of the emcee/producer relationship in that this is their second complete effort.  The more you work together, the better you become, and that’s where I think you find Cy and Mr. Joeker.  They are in familiar territory and building off of the foundation from the last album and I do think that makes this album even better.

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stefanoneder Album Reviews

PremRock & Willie Green – Self-Titled (2011)

Artist: PremRock & Willie Green

Album: Self-Titled

Source: Artist

Tracklisting:

1. You Love My Intro (ft. DJ Addikt)
2. Diary Of A Dreamer
3. How’d You Get So Fresh (ft. DJ Addikt)
4. Had To Be Me (ft. C-Rayz Walz, Soul Khan, DJ Addikt)
5. The Sound
6. Move
7. Kill Your Idols
8. Jogger (ft. Open Mike Eagle)
9. Johnny Rotten (ft. DJ Addikt)
10. Radio Dial (ft. Has-Lo)
11. You Can’t Go Home Again

Note:

Yeah, I am feeling this album from PremRock and Willie Green.  My first impression from the album was how well produced it was.  There is such diversity in rhythm, sound, and tempo that the album always had my attention which was of course helped by the fact there was only eleven tracks on the effort (which I like).  The album also flowed very well for being so diverse.

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stefanoneder Album Reviews, EP

Muggsy Malone – TPK EP (2011)

Artist: Muggsy Malone

Album: TPK EP

Source: Artist

Tracklisting:

1. Cant Let Yall Catch Me (Produced by Tight Mike)
2. Make You A Believer (Produced By Djay Cas)
3. M.U.Double.G.S.Y (Produced By Grussle)
4. And I’m Out (Produced By Hec Dolo)
5. Be Alright (Produced By Timeless Beats)
6. Live Life featuring Novel (Produced By Timeless Beats)
7. Guardian Angel featuring Mary Brown (Produced By Bigg Vicc)
8. Otis Freestyle
9. Somewhere To Be At (Produced By Infamous)

Note:

This is a precursor to a bigger project but it serves to tide over fans until Mr. Malone drops his album.  This EP  is really dope and showcases yet another talented emcee from the DMV, which really has come to the forefront of hip hop in the last couple of years.  Every track on here is noteworthy.   There’s no reason to hit the <FF> button on this joint, you can enjoy it all the way through.

As always, I have a few favorites on the EP.  Can’t Let You All Catch Me is a legit banger as Tight Mike laces some DMV boom bap while Muggsy Malone is intent on staying ahead of his contemporaries and competition in this game.  The flow that Muggsy Malone takes with him on this track is phenomenal.  He speaks on all the ills, pitfalls, and snakes in the grass.  Every bar on this joint could be a quotable.  He is relentless.

Guardian Angel is a song that anyone who has lost a parental figure can feel.  Bigg Vicc cooks up a soulful, yet uptempo backdrop, but Muggsy Malone continues to drop his thoughts at intense pace.  He reflects on how his mother’s passing effected him in his childhood and in his adulthood.  This song just gave me chills as I hear the man tell his story.    This is an opportunity for us, as fan’s, to walk in the shoes of our favorite artists, if only for a few minutes.  It is a very powerful joint.

At the end of the EP we have the track, Somewhere To Be At.  The producer, Infamous, does an interesting rendition of Coolio’s, Gangsta Paradise.   It’s a cool joint.  The work done to alter the vocal sample as Muggy spits his bars brings a smile to my face.  Speaking of those bars…damn…the man’s flow just doesn’t quit.  He brings it on every verse regardless of tempo, sample, or beat.  Don’t waste his time, because this artist is going places.

I love what I hear in this EP and so will you.  Download it by clicking the link above.

stefanoneder Album Reviews

Sketch – Virginia Tec-9 (2011)

Artist: Sketch

Album: Virginia Tec-9

Source: So Much Promo Hard To Tell

Tracklisting:
1. Lil Bad Mfer
2. IDK
3. Tommy Gunz (Ft. K-Beta)
4. Believer (ft. Midian)
5. Chain Smoking
6. St. Ides (Skit)
7. D.R.E.A.M.
8. VT-9 (ft. DJ IDEE)
9. Nuclear Alcoholic Beverage (Skit)
10. Nuclear (ft. Bloodsport)
11. Nightmarez (ft. Nipsey Hustle)
12. Porno
13. The Connect (ft. K-Beta, Uptown XO, Nickelus F)
14. Call It A Gift (ft. K-Beta)
15. Pain Killer
16. My Life, My Love, My Blood (ft. Akshun)
17. Chain Smoking Remix (ft. Roc Marciano, Reef The Lost Cause)

Note:

Here is another album where I thought that the release date would never come. The lead single and title track dropped all the way back in May, but just last week we got ourselves the full length.  The album is seventeen tracks in length with a couple of skits thrown in .  In those fifteen actual songs there is a lot of dope rhymes and beats provided by Sketch and J-$crilla respectively.

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stefanoneder Album Reviews

Silent Knight – Busy Is My Best Friend (2011)

Artist: Slient Night

Album: Busy Is My Best Friend

Source:  Been Knowing About This One

Tracklisting:

1. Proof of Life
2. Grind Mode (ft. Braille)
3.  Stayin’ Busy
4. Fortify (ft. Gift Of Gab and Iam)
5. What Would I Do (ft. Neenah and Kam Moye)
6. Salute (ft. KON)
7. Back In The Trenches
8. SK All Day
9. Build Truths
10. The Noid (ft. MeLa Machinko)
11. Forca
12. Tomorrow Remix (featuring Soul Qloc of The Band Called FUSE)
13. Must Begin

Note:

This is easily one of my most anticipated releases of the year.  Ever since I heard The Audible Doctor produced cut, Stayin’ Busy, I have wanted to hear the entire album from Silent Knight.  And now that I finally have it in my hands (after waiting  months upon months), I am not disappointed in the least.  SK has a commanding presence on the mic and that becomes more and more apparent with each track on Busy Is My Best Friend.

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stefanoneder Album Reviews

PH – Know The Ledge (2011)

Artist: PH 

Album: Know The Ledge

Source: Bandcamp

Tracklisting:

01. You Know (Intro)
02. Awww Shux
03. County Of Kings feat. Sha Stimuli, Skyzoo & Ruste Juxx & LR Blitzkrieg
04. Starman
05. Cool World
06. Pretty In Ink
07. Champagne And Kush
08. Never Have feat. LR Blitzkrieg, GMS & Substantial
09. King Latifah
10. This Aint What You Want feat. Kid Vishis & Marvwon
11. How To Battle
12. Dodgerville feat. Nems & Poison Pen
13. Wage War
14. Hollywood (Bonus Track)

Note:

PH  (formerly known as Pumpkinhead) has been making music for a minute.  I think I have upwards of around eight releases from PH in my Itunes right now, so the man has shown a great deal of longevity when it comes to being able to work on his music through out the years.   He has also been apart of the Grind Time battle circuit.  He has used his experience as a polished emcee to reak havoc on competition.  You need only to check your favorite search engine for “PH + Grind Time” to check out countless YouTube videos of his battles.

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stefanoneder Album Reviews

Cold Heat – Raising The Bar (2011)

Artist: Cold Heat

Album: Raising The Bar

Source: ITunes

Tracklisting:

01. Nobodies Leaving Alive
02. Hard To Chill
03. Raising The Bar (feat. Blacastan & Craig G)
04. Thinking Out Loud
05. Flashing
06. Spanish Guitars (feat. Nico The Beast, SR, Neta, Meyhem Lauren)
07. Looking For You
08. Rolling Through (feat. Keith Spitz)
09. When You Coming Home
10. Given This World
11. Place Near You
12. Man On The Mic
13. Taking It All (feat. Sadat X & J-Love)
14. Smoke That Drink (feat. Blaq Poet)

Note:

You know what upsets me? People telling me that Cold Heat is an up and coming hip hop group. Damn! These guys have been around for a while and working with some of the most storied artists in the NYC. Quit acting like Jak Daniels and Johnny Walker are a couple of new jacks. There album from 2006, Bar Hoppin’ is one of the most slept on albums in the last five years.

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