Saw the tracklist… first thought “Oh no not fu**ing U-God”.  But I like Blu.  I W A S E V E N T H I N K I N G A B O U T W R I T I N G T H I S R E V I E W I N T H E A N N O Y I N G S P A C E D A L L C A P S T H I N G H E L O V E S T O D O but it gave me a headache.

Blu is a mix of late 90’s ultra-emcee-syllable-drastic-fuck-a-beat mixed with the “I don’t care about lyrics but I flow with a strong hook and a nice beat” Slum Village style that most yank emcees have adopted since Dilla got Stans.  He threw caution to the wind and also his album to the fans (for free at rock the bells) in a move I’m sure is out of frustration from waiting on fingers out of ass’s from the bigwigs at Warner Brothers.

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Blu

PLEASE NOTE, ALL TRACKS ARE STREAMING ONLY

[wpaudio url=”http://wordisbond.data.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/01-doin_nothin_feat._u-god.mp3″ text=”Blu ft. U-God – Doin’ Nothin'” dl=”0″]

The movement of this album is correct, the transitions from electronic blip to soulful chops is seamless.  Doin’ Nothin made me make happy screwface and the limited drivel of U-God was kept to a good hook, the tone of golden arms is perfect for the frequencies.

I’m not a big fan of cocaine and Everything OK sounds like a hoofer with some drunk coked up white chick at a manor house warehouse party who is jawing on about her fashion dissertation but you still would f**k her and so would I.

I find reminiscing tunes extremely boring and a chore to hear because everyone pretty much experiences a lot of the same things being a teenager and it’s always the same cultural references in these kinda tracks, Blu is no different so he loses a stripe for doing the obvious on some reminiscent shit with Never Be The Same but the funk saves him on this one.

[wpaudio url=”http://wordisbond.data.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/15-ronal_morgan_feat._edan.mp3″ text=”Blu ft. Edan – Ronal Morgan” dl=”0″]

Face distortions of glorious anger from Doin’ Nothin’ reappeared on tracks S L N G B N G R S!, T A G’S, R O N A L D M O R G A N  & the posse cut at the outro which is a feast of flows and lyrical ambidexterity, I prefer Blu in this mode, spitting ridiculous.  Best example of this is the entire 2nd verse on S P R I N G W I N T E R S U M M E R F A L L.  A line from Sean Price “these rappers rap about nothing / I rap about nothing make it sound like something” to me sums up the lyrical content on the majority of this album; not too much bars slap you but there is still some jewels if you excavate hard enough.

[wpaudio url=”http://wordisbond.data.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/07-hours.mp3″ text=”Blu – Hours” dl=”0″]

Another strong point for the boy Blu is his ear to know when to go in and when just to chant or talk or get someone else to spit and what style they are spitting in, like the way it switches from modern chanting to bars, then back to chanting, and then some singing, then some more rapping all over H O U R S face.

Blu ft. Nia Andrews – My SunshineCLICK IMAGE FOR VIDEO

I guess some people will put this album down due to the amount of guest appearances but I think it adds momentum and makes Blu’s role of executive producer/visionary a highlight showing a cohesive album and not just a bunch of songs.  The selection of beats is on point but sometimes I do feel this sounds like an instrumental album from any of the producers that Blu decided to jump on for this album, but his dexterity in flows and ideas makes it more than this, a lesser rhymer would’ve been swallowed.

I think Warner Brothers saw a light skinned dude in sunglasses who writes a whole heap of love songs and thought they had a new Arrested Development, but they got a sci-fi funk soul extravaganza, so god bless GODlee Barnes for not doing the easy sale for the masses and instead crafting a piece of dopeness.

ZeusManuva

[easyreview title=”Word Is Bond Rating” cat1title=”Lyrics” cat1detail=”Many flows fitting for each track nothing mind blowing though” cat1rating=”3.5″ cat2title=”Production” cat2detail=”Blips and chops, the harder the track the better” cat2rating=”4″ cat3title=”Originality” cat3detail=”Most emcees would be scared to tackle this production, but Blu is Blu” cat3rating=”4″ cat4title=”Replayability” cat4detail=”Been bumping this for over 3 weeks on the regs, something you can clean your house to. But if other choices available you may over look this” cat4rating=”3.5″ summary=”Good strong release, original and provoking”]