(Since
you're not allowed to have a website on the Interweb this week without mentioning
the upcoming Netflix-fueled return of cult favorite Arrested
Development, I figured I would dig out this not-at-all-related Reader
Review for your consumption and/or freebie page hits. Taylor, who just had a Z-Ro write-up
posted a couple of weeks ago, pops up again, but although I try not
to run too many submissions from the same author so close to one
another, I couldn't resist. Leave your comments for Taylor's
contribution, based on his thoughts on the Arrested Development
project Since The Last Time, below.)
Who
could ever forget about Arrested Development? Michael, GOB, Lindsay,
Tobias, you know, those crazy Bluths. So funny, yet so sadly
canceled too soon. Oh wait, we're not talking about the show?
We're talking about the musical group? I always get the two
confused. I apologize.
If
you're a avid follower of hip hop, then you've heard of Arrested
Development, and if you've heard of Arrested Development, then you're
probably aware of “People
Everyday” (the remixed version on the radio, anyway), “Mr.
Wendal”, and “Tennessee”.
Of course, those were the hit singles from their debut album,
but they're also the songs people tend to associate with the group.
Since The Last Time, their seventh full-length album, is the first of theirs I ever purchased. It was their most recent release at the time. (I've since acquired all of their earlier work, but today I want to focus on this project.) It serves as a sort-of flashback to earlier days, a reflection of the better times that were to be had back when there were less troubles and everybody was more easygoing. It's evident once you look at the album cover, which features two kids walking in what I assume to be a nondescript but beautiful mountainside; Since The Last Time was specifically designed to remind listeners of the first album and to invoke a feeling of nostalgia.
It's also their attempt to remind fans of who they are and what made them so popular in the first place. Many people go back to the well as a way to replicate past successes and get back on top, but the way Arrested Development does it here is like a dedication to their own past work, done in a way that showcases the past and reflects the present at the same time. It's as if they're making an album that takes listeners back, yet pushes the group forward as a whole.
Now, let's take a trip through memory lane and head towards the land of all things good and nostalgic.
1.
SINCE THE LAST TIME
On the very first
song, Speech wastes no time getting to reminiscing about old times,
how things have changed since the day they first recorded together,
and the day they recorded this album and how the artists are
struggling to deal with changes, and he does this in a way that's
both honest and blunt. You can't help but to relate to him every
step of the way. Even though his verses are short, he gets his point
across clear and concise. The beat may be a simplistic saloon piano
beat, but it gives major credence to Speech's rhymes, and the various
instruments work together to provide a form of harmony that evokes
nostalgia perfectly, setting up a small viewing venue where an old
45mm film projector shines your childhood memories onto a screen for
you to see. This song sets the mood of the album and provides a dope
song to start things off.
2.
MIRACLES
When I first
discovered the video for this song, I fell in love with it and would
just play it over and over again to death. The clip itself may have
been plain (live footage of
the group performing at an outdoor festival while people danced
around), but the track itself is addictive and entertaining as shit,
and it's still as entertaining and addictive as the day I first
discovered it. The easygoing vibe invites the listener to forget the
troubles of the world and just come up and dance, not in a way where
you're at the bar getting a few drinks, but in a way where you're in
a festival like Woodstock surrounded by everyone in the world. That
is evident in the high-energy beat that also doubles as a funky dance
track, and also in the rhymes from our hosts that seem like they were
spitting it from the top of their dome without a care in the world:
they're not trying to take the song seriously, they're just having
fun with it and inviting everybody to have fun at the same time and
if something is inviting you to have fun, wouldn't you do it?
3.
DOWN & DIRTY (CLAP YOUR HANDS)
Out of all of the
songs on the album, this is the one that feels most like an obvious
bid for radio airplay. It contains all of the ingredients: a peppy
guitar beat, a simple-yet-effective chorus, tons of singing, raps by
some guy and a strong song structure. What they didn't consider was
that no radio station would ever play them (unless if your radio
station was in Atlanta, I guess). How it fits onto Since The Last Time is questionable: if you consider this a throwback to pop songs
of then yeah, it slides in perfectly, but this is still the most
out-of-place song on the album. It's not terrible or anything: in
fact it's somewhat infectious and it sounds really good. But it's
obvious radio appeal cannot be denied.
4.
HEAVEN
Religion has been
a big part in hip hop for decades, as made evident by the number of
songs praising Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and even the Jewish
religion. I'm not exactly a religious person, but I do admire the
people who put out tracks which express their personal beliefs. I'm
not a big fan of this song, but it's not because of the fact that
it's religious: it's because of the fact that everything
feels like a step down. It has a reflective beat that fits the song
well, some decent rhymes that confirm their religious upbringing, and
a soulful singer, but this doesn't feel like them at their best.
5.
SAO PAULO
By far the worst
song on the album. I don't know what they were thinking when Speech
and his cohorts made this Latin-tinged song. Okay, he was obviously
thinking that he was coming up with a song that could be both a dance
track and a song with underlining meaning, but what he was thinking
does not match with what we're listening to. The beat itself sounds
cluttered, Speech sounds like he's muttering, and the song is
confused in what it wants to be. It's best
that you skip this track and forget this misfire ever existed.
6.
SUNSHINE
This song
continues the high-energy vibe, transporting you instantly to the
sunny days of old where the ladies were very luscious and a sense of
innocence was felt. Well, it may not have been that way for you
specifically, but the music makes it feel like it was that way. The
slick and smooth beat provides the perfect environment for Speech to
spin his tales about girls, and he does it in a way that makes you
feel like you're actually in his shoes, living his life, it's that
vivid. It provides a very immersive and entertaining
listening experience, one which will stay with you until the end of
your lifetime.
7.
STAND
Things slow down
a bit, but that's not a bad thing; it works to help the message
“Stand” delivers. Speech plays the observer and manages to
deliver three verses about childhood, religion, and everything in
between in a way that's classic Arrested Development. Everything
that he says contributes towards an overall underlining moral, one
which unites the three verses into one. It's a very pleasing song,
and even though it kind of falls apart during the third verse, he
still comes out ahead.
8.
IT'S TIME
In terms of what
Speech was trying to do (rhyming about poverty moving up in class),
it's admirable, but a lot of this track just doesn't work because of
Speech himself, who sounds uninspired and bored to the point where he
forces a sense of energy into his performance in order to deter those
very criticisms. Maybe this was recorded on one of his bad days? The
song isn't terrible, but everything about this song screams meh.
9.
INNER CITY
I understand that
the beat is trying to portray a jazzy inner-city feeling (and it
succeeds), but there's that feeling that I'm watching CNN while
listening to an Arrested Development song which I can't ignore.
Anyways, Speech and his friend-slash-bandmate from around the block
decide to spit off the top of their respective domes while a boombox
plays in the background, all while hoping that the money they earn
from rapping on the street will be enough for bus fare. Out of the
two, I would say Speech is the best, as it seems like he's into this,
and the other guy not so much, but it doesn't matter who's the best,
since when the two combine, they make the song what it is.
10.
I KNOW I'M BAD
This song tries
to evoke feelings of the 1930's, but the beat feels a bit too modern.
Doesn't matter, though: it still
knocks. Arrested Development continue on their quest to take you down
memory lane with this song, one that would definitely get spins in
the club if the deejays weren’t focused on just playing hits from
Rihanna and Future. Speech continues with the energy portrayed on the
previous song, ripping up the track as if it were made up of sheets
of paper. While he doesn't say anything of substance on here, his
performance is very enigmatic, and when with the beat, he creates an
irresistible, well, something that invites you to just come up and
dance. Come on, everybody's
doing it!11. I GOT THE FEELING
(No comment; maybe Taylor didn't have the feeling. Regardless, he didn't leave his thoughts for this track.)
12.
CAUGHT ME
If there's
anything that's true in life, it's that women can catch you at the
most unexpected times. On here, Speech spins a tale about a
relationship gone awry because of one unexpected situation, taking on
the role of the common man who's getting screwed romantically, all
while a soothing memory-inducing synth-y guitar plays as his
soundtrack. Sure, it may be a common idea in hip hop, but Speech
takes the idea and makes it his own. At the end of the day, this was
relaxing.
13.
NOBODY BELIEVES ME ANYWAY
As we close out
the album, we're reminded that the good times can't last forever:
everything has to end at some point. The pseudo-sequel to “Caught
Me”, “Nobody Believes Me Anyway” is much slower and
sentimental in nature, reflecting on a girl named Renee that Speech
was very much in love with. There's a large amount of heartbreaking
soul on this song, giving him the somberness needed to make it work.
All in all, a perfect way to
end the album.FINAL THOUGHTS: Arrested Development successfully accomplished what they set out to do with Since The Last Time, creating something that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking. Most of the songs maintain a soulful vibe that feels true to itself, making the songs feel more real then reality. Frontman Speech does really well for himself, and though there are times where he doesn't exactly live up to his own standards, he mostly manages to bring the sensibility and heart that a lot of these songs require. There are some questionable decisions, and not every song clicks, but for the most part, the group manages to provide a throwback experience that's both enjoyable and memorable. It's a entertaining listening experience as much as it is their own musical interpretation of a good old days.
BUY OR BURN?: By all means, buy this album. Arrested Development really put their heart and soul into this album, and it'd be a shame if you neglected to put down your cold hard cash for this. Besides, you could use a little bit of nostalgia, right?
BEST TRACKS: “Miracles”; “Stand”; “Since The Last Time”; “I Know I'm Bad”; “Sunshine”; “Inner City”; “Caught Me”; “Nobody Believes Me Anyway”
-Taylor
(Questions?
Comments? Concerns? Leave your thoughts below.)
good news, max: http://www.avclub.com/articles/tim-dog-probably-faked-his-death-to-avoid-paying-t,98098/
ReplyDeleteNot gonna lie, have not listened to Arrested Development (although the return of the show has me going ape shit) but you Taylor have influenced me to change that. (sidenote: i somehow got these guys mixed up with Above the Law before i read the review, so i was shocked that 1) there was an album in 2006, and 2) there was a significant drop off in gangsta content...mind was blown for a second, especially when i saw the first track dealt with going through changes
ReplyDeleteBefore reading this review, I couldn't name a single AD song. Always heard their name popping up here and there -- maybe I'll check them out. Also, that album art is endearing in a really sweet way.
ReplyDelete