It's hardly extraordinary that Donwill should cry a disc inspired by the Nick Hornby book and subsequent John Cusack film. More than any other rap outfit reporting, the Cincinnati MC's group Tanya Morgan regularly contemplate such questions as whether hipsters indulge pop music because we're miserable or whether we're miserable because we listen to pop music.
Furthermore, it's safe in a good way for a crew artist to break solo with a concept album: High Fidelity's series of romantic wrestling matches makes it easy to grasp where this brainy lovesick fool is coming from and going. Beatwise, a few cuts ring hollower than Donwill's shit relationships — "Top 5 Breakups" in particular could use a thicker spine to stiffen the sharp lyric tribulations.
But offsetting the downright irritating production on "Ian's Song" and "Love Junkie," there's "Breathe" to certify that Donwill dutifully rocked an assignment that every devout rap nerd has dreamt about since his first visit to Championship Vinyl — he showed that High Fidelity and heartbreak are universal. Even for hip-hop cats.
