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 Amad-Jamal
Barely Hangin On
ABB Records | 2010
'Long-awaited', 'finally' and 'at last'; the words that appear when you Google this album, couldn’t define the record’s release much better. From the city of LA, Amad-Jamal –but not on the piano- finally releases his debut album on ABB Records. A long-time affiliate of Dilated Peoples and Defari, and considered the next best thing from the LA underground scene, Amad got our attention with the excellent 12”s 'LA City' and 'The Renaissance' in 2001.
So when the Renaissance Man raps in 2010 'a new voice from the LA that’s sayin something', like he does on 'Rodney King', it’s not really a 'new' voice, but a voice that’s been too long unheard. Despite the fact that he’s a new voice, he sounds like a veteran sometimes. On 'Regardless' where he overviews his rap career with long-time affiliate Defari for instance. But now that he finally got himself a forum, he has indeed something to say. On 'Goin Postal' he bluntly raps about a dead-end nine-to-five job ('You push me in a corner, I’m pushing back'). 'Stop F*cking Around', a dedication to his mother’s parental advice, deals with the mistakes he made as a youth. While on 'Boy Meets Girl', he thoroughly analyzes a broken relationship, all backed by a reminiscent feel and soulful vocal in the beat. Mostly produced by DJ Brisk One, with whom he started the band Solution, the beats hold adds of live bass, drums and sound, giving the album a nice organic feel.
Introspective and honest, this album is a warm but critical dedication to the LA –also referred to by Amad-Jamal as 'Los Scandelous'- with a home-grown underground –live- West Coast sound to it. Although they feature on just two tracks, influences of Dilated Peoples and Defari Herut are never far away throughout the whole, but the album has enough input (live instrumentation and lyrical complexity) to keep its own character. The debut record is out, the ice is broken, the future looks bright like a Cali sky, so don’t let us wait too long for a sophomore release.
Useful links:
'Beautiful Hardcore video'
posted by: cpf | 06-25-2010 | rated: mighty phat |
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| RATES |
| Classic: |
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10 |
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| Topnotch: |
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9-9.5 |
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| Mighty
Phat: |
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8.5-9 |
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| Phat: |
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7.5-8.5 |
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| Nice: |
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6.5-7.5 |
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| Aight: |
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5.5-6.5 |
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& So: |
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4-5.5
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| Rubbish: |
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0-4
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