First and foremost I would like to begin this review by admitting to you readers that I am absolutely an Atmosphere fan. I will like just about anything this group puts out to a fault. That makes it very difficult for me to give an objective review on any of their work, but at the same time, I am usually realistic. Not all of the music they put out is for everyone. If you are a fan of gritty rhymes and traditional hip hop instrumentals, then it's time to either leave, or start broadening your horizons immediately. I'm not going to ever tell you that Slug and Ant have pumped out classics, I'm not an idiot. However, Atmosphere has consistently put out music that I find relatable, and that I flat out enjoy listening to. Just don't get that confused with a complete bias. If the album sounds like shit, I won't like it. I'm a reasonable person, but the odds of me thinking this album sounds like complete shit are slim to none. Now with that established I guess we can move on to the actual review.
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Today I am talking about a group in hip-hop that has gone way too long without the appropriate praise, Atmosphere. This Minnesota based group was founded in the mid 90s and has been putting out music at a consistent rate since. The group at one point was composed of five people, but by the time this project came out the numbers had dwindled to the two main artists, Slug, the rapper, and Ant, the DJ/producer. They have garnered a fan base from the alternative style of music they put out, as well as the more relate-able themes in their music . A notable thing that sticks out about Atmosphere is obviously that both members are white. Slug is mixed, but is very fair skinned so they are portrayed as a white duo which in the mid 90s was a rarity in hip-hop.
Most of the success this group had has been from the ridiculous amount of touring they do. They are a group that truly loves to perform. In fact, one time they drove from Minnesota to Dallas to perform at a show that only got them $250. Compare that to a rapper like Jay Z. He only goes to shows for huge amounts of money, and obviously doesn't drive himself around in a car. They are dedicated to pleasing the fans they have, even if that number isn't as large as it should be. They also have released six full length LPs, and seventeen EPs since their '97 debut. Compare that to other artists who have been out for longer periods of time, and released less work. I'm not saying you have to put stuff out every year to be a hard working artist, but Atmosphere always manages to put out good music, which is very pleasing to the fans. The album that I am discussing today is technically an EP despite being twelve tracks long. It is actually two EPs put together, hence the two titles. However, it was presented as a cohesive album upon its release, and you can't really tell a difference between one half or the other; so for all purposes, this serves as a full album. I have listened to this thing probably ten times, and it is short enough that I can vibe to it, without planning my entire day around listening to music, which I end up doing all the time anyways(I know, aren't I all sorts of fun), but the point is, the casual listener can give this a try and not have just wasted seventy minutes on a project that they hated. At this point in my life, I have listened to a lot of this group, but this set of EPs was the first time I had ever heard them, so I felt it was only appropriate to start here in their discography. You know from the opening paragraphs that I enjoy this group, but how can a non-cohesive project stand the test of time? Well, we'll see. 1. Until The Nipples Gone You immediately hear glimpses of the alternative production of Ant, and this song opens with Slug sounding like he's rapping through a megaphone. The tone of the song is fairly dark, and the lyrical content is fairly political and intense.There really isn't a hook to this song aside from a short period where all slug says is, clap. It's really straight rhyming and brings somewhat of a panic feeling. I am not sure I understand what's going on. I enjoy the song, but it is really just straight rapping over really nice beat rather than a composition. 2. The Major Leagues Another string heavy, alternative beat, that sounds really good. This time we just get Slugs straight voice and he is telling a story about a guy. This guy is coming up in the hood and is really just stuck in the cycle. Little money turns into an attempt to get dough in illegal ways. The hook here is really good and the Pacman metaphor on the first verse is really dope. On the second verse he tells a story of his childhood friend who became a drug dealer and ultimately failed to live out the Scarface fantasy. This is just an example of how good Slug can tell a story and it is very captivating. Makes for an interesting listen. 3. Scalp Once again we have a very original Ant production that sounds great with Slug's voice over it. This is another well told vivid story where a man runs into his dealer at a bar and is offered a job to run drugs. He has an internal battle with himself after accepting the job. The introspect of the second verse is cool, because it is basically a classic good verse evil, devil verse angel argument, when all of the sudden, the vehicle he was driving gets hit by a truck. The abrupt ending leaves you speechless in a sense, and the next song immediately kicks off. Guess he should have been more focused on the road than the deal. 4. The Best Day This instrumental is very piano and string heavy, and is cheesy as hell. I mean it sounds like it could be in a third grade musical, but that's what makes it so good. The subject matter is also very cheesy, but Slug really pulls it off, and I love this song. It is such a generic, every day can't be the best day, hook accompanied by three very down to earth verses. The first verse is about a dude who hates his job, the second about a kid who hates school, and the third is basically about life sucking. This song could not be more simple, but it fucking works, and this is the type of shit you want to start your day with. My favorite part of this song is that Slug acknowledges that he doesn't have these problems, but rather that he makes music for people who experience these issues. Honestly what's better for a teenager than a group who raps about how much school sucks? Everyone will find at least one of the verses relatable which is why this is so good. 5. Americareful This is basically a darker version of the last song. The beat is weird as hell, but it is just dark enough to go with the theme. The hook on this song is really dope, and I think the "interest of conflict" line is really cool. This time we follow a kid who can't afford medical bills, but he was shot so medical attention is a must, and the second follows a girl who must get an abortion because she can't afford a child. The title of the song is what it is because he is addressing the lack free healthcare and child support, that makes lying and doing immoral things necessary. This is a very interesting listen and I highly recommend you check this track out. 6. Hope Fix the fucking amp! What a way to start a song. Basically Slug is being sarcastic about people bitching about wanting everything to be ideal. It is really funny, but also true in many ways. I don't know if the condescending tone that I get from this song is intentional, but that is what I hear, and it really makes the song. This track is under two minutes so it's really just a nice little listen. 7. The Loser Wins I really like the strings in the instrumental to this song. They sound really epic and add a really cool effect to the song and make the beat completely. The hook is catchy and really adds to the point of the song, which is cutting a homie out of his life. He really doesn't address what this guy did, but he must have really fucked Slug over. I'm not talking he ran over his foot, or he spilled Big Red on his carpet, but the tone is like he stole $50,000 from him, and then cut his grandmothers leg off to sell it on Ebay. The whole not addressing the conflict adds a fun aspect if, but also makes it much harder to connect with, unlike the other songs that so blatantly state the conflicts at hand. 8. Shotgun Opening the song with that Big Daddy Kane reference made me extremely happy. This song unlike the others is mainly just spitting. It is a very nice change of pace in comparison to the social issues being talked about in the other songs. While I wasn't bored with the other tracks, this was a good way to keep everything fresh. Slug is flexing on this beat and is just lyrically dope, ad spits the type of lyrics that you have to listen to multiple times to understand. The complexity of the rhymes make this one of my favorite songs on the ep, but if you aren't a fan of good lyrics (get the fuck off my blog) then this won't be for you. 9. Commodities The beat to this song is a very bob your head type of beat, and the vocals sound like they did on the first track. The track is about really how everyone wants to be famous or someone who is worth something. What Slug is saying is that not everyone is going to be big, so stop trying so damn hard. Not an inspirational track, but one verse of making fun of people who try hard to fake that they are important. That coming from a rapper really doesn't make sense, but whatever. 10. The Number None This song rivals just how cheesy, "The Best Day" was. Who the hell am I kidding? This song is twice as cheesy, but once again they pull it of. More strings and piano with a basic drum line. It tells a story of how he was in love with a girl as a teen, and in laments terms she wouldn't put out for him, and then she fucked his friend when they broke up. That is a straight bitch move, and if that has happened to any of you readers you will love this shit. 11. Freefallin' Maybe I'm just a bitch, but I love this song. The beat is all guitar, and the subject matter is extremely corny, so a rap traditionalist like myself should find this repulsive. However, Atmosphere just fucking rues, and they manage to really get me with this one. It is a song about is about doing you, and really appreciating the life you have. Like I said it is very corny, but I love the hook, and this this is a fucking terrific track. 12. To All My Friends The intro to this song is pretty cool, but at this point this track is maybe a little to corny for me even. I don't think it's bad, but I really don't feel it like every other track, because I feel like unlike the other tracks the originality isn't there. He talks about how he wanted to be an artist when he grew up, and he is living his dream, and I just don't really feel that. It is about finding yourself, and all sorts of stuff, but it is really basic and corny. A lot of people will love this song if they hear it, but not me. Rating: 3/5 Individually these tracks fucking knock, but that's what they are: tracks. This is not a cohesive project so rating it any higher than this would just be wrong. I like this collection quite a bit, but it is just as it was labeled, a dual EP. It introduced me to one of my favorite rap groups, and while I highly recommend it to people who are familiar with Atmosphere, I don't think new listeners should start here. Luckily the group has some great albums, but this is just a collection of very good tracks thrown together, and at the end of the day, that is simply not an album. |