REVIEW: Propaganda - "Crimson Cord"

8.25/10

Los Angeles emcee Propaganda has released his fourth retail release, two years after his last album "Excellent".  He loosely follows a religious theme throughout his new album, "Crimson Cord", accomplished by means of relating his personal experiences and narratives interspersed with political and social commentary.

Propaganda begins the album with a spoken word introduction, "You Mock Me", in which he openly addresses the temptation and mockery of Satan. He sounds almost disgusted with what he is saying, speaking with a strong, unwavering voice. The raw emotion felt in his voice makes the track very powerful: "I tried to upgrade the way I speak and raise my daughter / But every time I open my mouth all I hear is my father / And that same foolish pride and pitfalls that he installed leak through my pores like poor me"

He uses the album's title track to speak on the suffering that children who have a parent in jail typically go through, and the effect it has on their mental health: "What it do to a boy's brain to see his father through glass walls / While Algebra homework less important than last calls / Collect calls come from up state / You eventually grow numb, it's a sad state". The track's instrumental is somber and eerie, with haunting background vocals heard during the chorus. On the uptempo "Daywalkers", guest artist Lecrae drops a great, energetic verse. The chemistry Crae and Propaganda showcase on this track make the listener hopeful for another collaboration between the two in the future.

Propaganda unleashes a spoken word critique of the public school system on "Bored of Education", speaking in a disdainful, almost snarling tone, he says: "Dear board of education, there's not a Scantron on the planet that can measure inspiration / This is what our teachers pass on that matters / But you'd rather them do a jig to the tune of an AYP score".  He admits almost having given up on Hip-Hop, his race, his country, and his city on the touching "I Ain't Give Up On You Yet", a solemn track with delicate keys in which he opens up on his past and relationships.  Prop reminisces about his life before the fame, and, seemingly in disbelief, he ponders how exactly he achieved this level of success over the synth-laden beat of "How Did We Get Here",  which also features JGivens and Andy Mineo, the latter of whom sings the song's hook. Prop concludes the album with an appreciative song that serves as a dedication to the people who helped him become the artist he is today with "Tell Me Yours". Near the end of the track, he asks the listener to share with him their own "crimson cords"—people that inspired them and pushed them to achieve success. 

With "Crimson Cord", Propaganda manages to deliver his religiously-backed message without becoming overly preachy. It's worth noting he also does not utter a single profanity on the entire record, making the album more accessible to a wider audience.  His conscious, positive lyrics, and genuine concern make "Crimson Cord" a refreshing, ultimately inspiring listen for people of any religious affiliation (or lack thereof).

REVIEW: Asher Roth - "RetroHash" Review

7.5/10

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Asher Roth has had a tumultuous experience in the Hip-Hop industry since he rose to mainstream prominence five years ago. Issues with major labels presented problems of their own, but perhaps even more detrimental to his career has been his reputation as a "frat-rapper", a label he earned after releasing his debut single "I Love College" in 2009. While the song remains his biggest commercial hit that helped him land a spot on the XXL Freshman cover that summer, it also turned away some listeners who were left with the misconception that his entire catalog consisted of similar juvenile, stereotypical "white rapper" songs. However, Roth's talent is not limited to boasting of his beer pong skills and chanting "Chug Freshman!" at frat parties. No, the truth remains that Asher Roth is actually capable of making music about more diverse and introspective subjects that most listeners can relate to, and his new record "RetroHash" is proof.

Although the core elements of Asher's style remains, "RetroHash" establishes a new sound in his music. Simply classifying the album as "Hip-Hop" doesn't really suffice; at the very least, it's some unique brand of Alternative Hip-Hop. The influence of California is very evident in the smooth, laid-back, sometimes hippy production, which is entirely handled by Blended Babies, and bears influences of several other genres, including blues, alternative rock and pop, among others. Singing plays a heavier role on "RetroHash" than it has on Roth's previous projects, an impressive skill he possesses in addition to his rhyming proficiency.

"RetroHash" begins with the reflective "Parties at the Disco", which also features vocals from songstress ZZ Ward. Asher opens his verse with a Wu-Tang reference, explaining how he copes when he feels disconnected with the world: "Cause the cash rules everything around / So, every now and then / Feeling like I'm out of town / Got a chill, sit down, remember how to be a child". Asher briefly switches back to a classic Hip-Hop sound up with the boom-bap sound of "Dude", a track in which he offers the listener a humorously candid glimpse of his life with full disclosure ("TED talks on my iPad / Old search says Bang Bros, my bad"). Fellow emcee Curren$y also drops a slick verse over the bouncy instrumental.

Asher's experimentation with other genres is best exemplified with "Tangerine Girl", a dreamy, upbeat disco-esque ode dedicated to a female Asher likes. The entire song is sung in hypnotic echoes until the final verse which Asher quickly raps. Syrupy guitar chords and horns adorn the mellow instrumental of "Fast Life"—perhaps the album's best track— which touches on the chaos and suffering people subject themselves in their daily lives by trying to live their lives too fast. Guest rapper Vic Mensa lends the track an excellent verse while Asher sings a beautiful hook and tells the story of a young girl whose lack of guidance and shoddy home life cause her to grow up at an accelerated pace--she sleeps with guys much older and eventually turns to using drugs and alcohol as her vices.

The somber mood lightens and becomes more hopeful with two Major Myjah collaborations. The first, "Last of the Flohicans", features an inspirational hook from Major Myjah and outstanding rapped verses from a very self-aware Asher:"Need a new beginning, let me start again / Let me start again this time without an awkward ending /I walk pretending my thoughts are never in this planet / But I abandoned them not long ago and left them stranded".

There aren't many missteps with "RetroHash". The only real grievance is the short length of the album, which clocks in at just over forty minutes across the span of ten tracks. And for some listeners, the multitude of different genres and alternative sound may be intimidating at first, but the level of originality Asher exhibits with this album outweighs any negative aspects of his decision to dabble further into other genres. 

Asher Roth certainly covers new ground with the album, from a musical standpoint as well as furthering the progression of his career. He's endured several years of delays and label issues, but Asher Roth has finally broken free from the shackles of the majors to release this album on his own terms, which must feel like a huge accomplishment, and deservedly so. "RetroHash" is an impeccable demonstration of Roth's creativity and ability to create self-described "fun music" that simultaneously reaches a deeper, more insightful level. While he may never reach the commercial success he once enjoyed, Roth's music is continuing to develop, and regardless of Billboard charts and record sales, it's a safe bet that Asher Roth will be around for a while as he continues to improve. His "College" days are over.