Eyedea & Abilities - By the Throat
Rating
RIYL
P.O.S.Atmosphere
Cage
Aesop Rock
Release Date
07/21/2009
Label
RhymesayersTracklist
1. Hay Fever2. Spin Cycle
3. Time Flies When You Have A Gun
4. Burn Fetish
5. Sky Diver
6. Junk
7. Forgive Me For My Synapses
8. This Story
9. Factory
10. Smile
11. By The Throat
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The team of Eyedea (Mike Larsen) and Abilities (Gregory Keltgen) have successfully paired to release some of the more intriguing hip-hop of the past decade. Having his start in emcee battles, Eyedea was quickly able to solidify the rapid-fire wordplay which he has become known for. At the release of their album First Born, no one would dare accuse them of catering to mainstream audiences. Instead, they utilized layered beats and compelling storytelling to reach an impressive level of creativity. On E&A, they expanded the complexity of their respective verses and production. By the Throat, in contrast to their earlier material, finds the group refining their style quite a bit. This isn’t to say that they have settled on stale beats or gone mainstream, but they have honed their sound down to the basics and are missing the sprawling experimentation of their other material.
Of all the ‘indie rap’ artists out there, it is amazing that E&A have avoided as much recognition as some of the other players in the game. Songs such as “Junk” show that Eyedea is as sharp as ever and DJ Abilities can definitely churn out a beat to keep your head bobbing. The song features some verbose lyric spitting that would match up with the best of them. “Burn Fetish” is as brilliant as any other hip-hop song you will listen to this year. The problem is that standouts such as these aren’t surrounded by the best of company.
The album loses traction because many of the ideas presented here sound noticeably underdeveloped. The record itself clocks in at less than half an hour which definitely leaves the listener wanting more. Opening track “Hay Fever” is the perfect example of how frustrating their songwriting could be. The beat hits hard and the lyrics are witty while containing a skilled flow, but it has a continuous build that cuts out right before the release. It leaves my ears wondering how many fantastic things could have happened if this song was expanded beyond its two-and-a-half minute length. The issue that bothers me is that E&A have proven in the past that they can write epic and appealing tracks with songs like “Exhausted Love” yet they avoid lengthy songs on this album.
Some of the most memorable songs are under two minutes such as “Forgive Me for my Synapses”, a song that ingeniously interjects lines about neuroscience into an appetizing, lively track. This pattern, while maddening, won’t leave you completely unsatisfied because there are still plenty of enjoyable beats and lines to be heard. “By the Throat” is an extremely personal account of a lost loved one and an example of a song so intelligent it could only have come from E&A. A lot of the grooves on this album are draped by distorted guitar, the most successful of which is “Spin Cycle”. The song also features another reoccurring but unexpected dynamic: singing. While the chorus of that song is catchy, it doesn’t work as effectively elsewhere on the record. Eyedea is undoubtedly a talented wordsmith when it comes to rapping, however when it comes to singing, the same cannot be said and you can often hear him stretching to make it work.
By the Throat is neither traditional rap nor is it experimental. It lies in a gray area where mainstream crossover is possible but not expected. When Eyedea and Abilities mold together in the right way, the result is an unbeatable combination of captivating rhymes and beat production. The moments where it all goes wrong unfortunately take away from those bright moments leaving you listening to a schizophrenic record. Hopefully on their next round out, the group will indulge their more imaginative side resulting in a more consistent listen.
--Dave Spak
Comments
Minnesota
I agree completely that this album is a frustrating and under-developed effort. So many of the songs are brimming with potential, but they're ended before any of the potential can be realized. It really sucks.
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Atascadero, CA
yea i couldn't even make it through the whole thing.. felt super let down especially after how much i loved the last album.
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A bit harsh, in my opinion. I agree that several of the songs seem to end right before they climax (especially Hay Fever, I mean wtf), and it's way too short, but there's still not a track here that I disliked. Solid record.
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Green Brook, NJ
couldn't even get to track 4.