CD Reviews

Awol One + Factor | Owl Hours

Fake Four/Shape Shifters (2009)

By CHRIS FARAONE | June 23, 2009

3.5 Stars

Depending on your taste, Awol One is either the world's worst rapper or hip-hop's most inventive artist. He sounds like a stoned lacrosse player sweet-talking a cheerleader into performing her first blow job; if you're looking for spiritual, lyrical miracles, don't look here.

However, Awol's latest collaboration with producer Factor is a gorgeous synthesis on par with the Deltron 3030 of Del the Funky Homosapien and Dan the Automator, only without any single driving theme. From lead single "Celebrate," which would be a ripe soundtrack cut for a 1984 cocaine-relapse scene, to the driving anthem "Stand Up," with Aesop Rock and Myka 9, the beats and topics span the gamut. "Waste the Wine" with Tash and E-Swift is a deliberate party jam; "Sunset Sandwich" finds Awol waxing halfway philosophical: "I'm the class bully and the class nerd."

One surprising side note: Owl Hours was executive-produced by Xzibit, who's better known as the leather-throated ride-pimping West Coast MC from MTV. It's hard to believe that X flexed creative control over a one-of-of-a-kind project this catchy. But hey, I wouldn't mind broadcasting Owl Hours over one of his obnoxious truck stereos.

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