Thursday, June 11, 2009

Hip-Hop Linguistics Yes! Review

Rating: Album Rating - 5 of 5
Review Date: June 10, 2009
Website: K-os Website
Label: Crown Loyalist Recordings

K-os “Yes!” Album Review
K-os is an artist who is just constantly evolving. His first three albums, each a classic in my mind, showed K-os on a different musical journey. And after where he took his last effort, “Atlantis: Hymns for Disco,” I couldn’t really imagine what he had left in him. Where could K-os possibly go next? Well, with “Yes!” K-os has proven that his evolution is not yet complete, and that he is incapable of making a less than spectacular album. And even better for HHL followers, “Yes!” seems to be more hip-hop based than his past couple of albums.

Why I Like This Album?

1. It’s electro – I’m a hip-hop fan who doesn’t want to hear the same thing over and over again. Maybe that’s why I’m such a big fan of K-os. To me, K-os’ production - which despite his array of past sounds has always been very instrumental and perhaps even folk-ish – is much more futuristically electronic this time around. Tracks like Zambony, Astronaut, Eye Know Something, The Aviator and Mr. Telephone Man demonstrate this electronic feel and will have you bumping your head. This sound works out well for K-os, who rhymes more than he sings on these tracks. And while I can dig both, there’s nothing like listening to emcees spit over tight beats.

2. It reps Vancouver – Right before I picked up this album, I read an article about how K-os moved to Vancouver to record most of the tracks for “Yes!” Some of my favorite albums were recorded and clearly influenced by being created in a place away from home (the best example that comes to mind is the Living Legends’ “Classic” which was created in Maui). So when I hear a lot of the songs, I envision dude in the city living the fast life and shit. Or maybe that’s because I’m in the city living the fast life and shit. Either way, I like the influence Vancouver has apparently had on K-os’ music.

3. It makes me dance – Yeah I’m gay. But a couple times recently, I’ve jumped the train home from work, smoked one (I’m quitting tomorrow), and thrown on this album. I cook dinner and dance around the house like Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club (like you never have), because there are definitely some cranks on this album. Tracks like Burning Bridges, Uptown Girl, I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman, 4321, FUN!, WhipC.R.E.A.M and The Avenue might have you busting a move for real.

4. Rhymes are dope – I gotta relate at least one of my reasons to the music itself. And as usual, K-os’ lyrics and flow are on point. There are dope rhymes, sing along choruses and quotable lyrics all over this album. One good example is the following verse from Burning Bridges:

Turn on the light/
‘Cause the left hand knows what you’re doing with your right/
When the right hand glows, left is jealous of the light/
So you put ‘em both together and you clap for your life/
Time – that’s why I’m back in the building/
To burn through flame the thing that I was building/
Get off the bridge all the women and children/
Fire pros/
Sheep’s in wolves clothes/

The Aviator is a self-reflective track in which K-os drops two dope verses off inner dialogue and questioning. The following verse from that song is a good example of this:

Who am I using?/
Who is abusing?/
Who isn’t choosing?/
Who am I sleeping on that I’m confusing?/
Who is my muse? She probably plays the guitar/
Probably 4th dimensional, probably living bars/
So many scars young black boy in my room/
Made my style animated, call my style cartoon/
That you bump when you’re driving up the coastline/
The closed mind exposed by the sunshine/
Designed by the most high/

One of my favorite songs lyrically was former HHL track of the week Mr. Telephone Man. In that song, K-os drops the following verse that seems to point to how human relationships are being affected by improving technology.

We went from pagers, beepers, phones, to creepers/
Ringtones, text messages, not reaching/
Speaking close all up in my receiver/
Afraid to meet in person the dial tone deceiver/
Pick up, hang up, break up, banger/
Man I wanna press every button Atlanta/
Area code South Beach number I forgot it/
We cross bionic style exotic forget about it/
Now here’s what I’m thinking/
Is this ship sinking?/
While we’re dancing and drinking/
Could we be at the brink and?/

Overall: Probably my favorite album of 2009 – and that’s saying a lot. I like every song on this album, and I have a different favorite daily. If you haven’t already, pick up a copy of this album. Favorite tracks include I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman, Mr. Telephone Man, Uptown Girl, Eye Know Something, The Aviator. Really all of them. Peace.

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