But there’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of on Blooddrive. Most of it is really superior, with Brzowski’s well known cutting barbs and social insight. You truly stop what you’re doing when you hear a line like: “Here’s the part of the song where I relate female anatomy to processed food products,” from “Spine.” He’s got spine to spare, willing to say anything and challenge anyone, a comforting bravado, but only appropriately bombastic. Later in the song, he admits, “you buffed my little notch off your bedpost.”
Much of the Portland area (and beyond — Brzowski’s a big “New England” guy) hip-hop talent populates the disc: Oneperson, Ill Sun, Labseven and Autonomous, DJ shAde, Mike Clouds, K-the-I???, moshe, Nomar Slevik. Sometimes, they’re admitting that they’re drunk and just voicing in a promo (the slurred delivery helps the flow). Other times, as with Monsieur Sai’s French raps in “My Pen Weighs a Kilo” and “Sunglasses at Night,” they’re totally stealing the show.
I’d never really listened closely to aggressive French rap. It’s very sibilant, and gurgly at times, but gets your heart racing.
Some experiments work better than others. The opening to “Invisible” is ironic R&B, moving beats around the channels, and with falsetto crooning that’s soon stomped on by quick rapping, causing a cacophonous riot. I had to pull the headphones off for a second or two.
But those moments are rare and more than forgivable. If this is just the crumbs on the floor, I’m more than ready for the main course.
Sam Pfeifle can be reached at sam_pfeifle@yahoo.com.
On the Web
Blooddrive Vol. 2: The Wreckage Between: www.myspace.com/brzowski
