Jan 11, 2016

#ICYMI Monday - Broad Shoulders @_TaylorBennett

Chicago. It's not all drill and trap. Chance the Rapper could attest for that. 

You might not know rap is in the family tree as his 19 year-old brother, Taylor Bennet is more than adept at it. It's safe to say the two of them are unique but share similar non hip-hop influences as their music styles are similar. The cadence of their flows and verses almost mirror each other sometimes. If you can get past the distraction of similarity you'll really love him. Lets get to the music, Broad Shoulders.

Happy Place featuring Brill

Happy Place kicks off the project as just that, happy. Brill lays down a bright bouncy hook and everything starts on a good note.

Wasting Time featuring Simone Bisous

Throughout the song it retains mono audio throughout the song. I like to call that the BBD - Poison effect where the sound goes back and forth between each headphone.

Smile fearing Logan Parks

It's here where we first hear Taylor spit. Thusfar in the music it has been a lot of vocals and singing. Taylor shows off his tongue twisting flows over a song you can dance too. Logan Parks sings her two cents in the background.

Fall Back Fools featuring MAX & Quechera Jowers

This is Donnie Trumpet's first production credit on the project. No trumpet solo but you see how well he plays the keys among other instruments. More on him later. MAX and Quechera Jowers set the mood on the hook and bridge for Tay to sing and spit about past love.

Favorite Drink featuring King Louie & Joey Purp

A gunshot to the head can't stop King Louie as he drops bars on this song. Every time he's on a Bennett brother's song

I swear they rap about one thing. The only thing that really matters, b*tches. Taylor appears in verse two and drops his best verse on the project. His flow and rap cadence change over and over before the hook, super versatile but if he's anything like his brother this is no surprise. Joey Purp comes and actually steals the show from both rappers.

Cake featuring Talia Steward

The aforementioned BBD effect begins the production of this track as well. The keys follow and Taylor and Talia Steward do what they do best. This kinda begins a new blues mood on the album.

H.Y.B.L.

This is actually the only song on the project that didn't have a feature. This is definitely a blues song. It's very melancholy. I mean the acronym is short for the question he pleads throughout the hook, "How you been lately?, I'm great." Who says 19 year-old's don't love too?

You featuring Jordan Bratton

Jordan Bratton has a very short part on this song but it made an impact to me. I really enjoy the uniqueness of his voice. New York meets Chicago on this song which begins a happier note. They trade bars and create verses together. I don't necessarily see this too often in vocal singing and it's dope.

Dancing in the Rain featuring Donnie Trumpet, Shay Lewis & Brandon Fox

The best song on here isn't even hip-hop. "Once you free your mind about a concept of harmony and music being correct, you can do whatever you want" Giorgio Moroder. The point is instead of trying to fit into a genre and focus on just making music your craft comes out the best way possible. I love the vocals by all parties involved. I love the trumpet solo by Donnie. He doesn't upstage the song, it's almost heard in the background but it's impactful.

Broad Shoulders featuring Chance the Rapper

This is the brother's duet everyone expected the second you heard Chance had a brother that rapped. The self titled track gets blessed by big bro. Both of these guys voices are so unique and different from anyone I've ever heard before. Different from each other too. Their styles are similar but you can still differenciate one from the other which is super important. That's the problem with artists now, they follow trends instead of trying to be themselves. Sounds familiar? That's kind the gem Chancellor is trying to explain to his brother on the song. Great way to wrap things up.

Taylor brings an quirky awkwardness about him that reminds you of the part of yourself that only comes out when you're dancing in your mirror. I think it says a lot about him to be able to express that outwardly. Hip-hop is really just story telling. Some by poets that get deep and intense and others not so much. I think with the emergence of the new sub-genres there's new outlets for every artist to shine especially multifaceted artists like Tay Bennett. Throughout this tape the mood goes back and forth with the music. Taylor really steps out and makes a statement as an artist. Instead of living in his brother's shadow we really see who he's going to be as a man himself. I really wouldn't want to put Taylor Bennett in a box as a rapper because he raps. Dude is flat out an artist because that's what every verse in every song is, Art. Bennett's debut gets 3.9 of 5 stars on the Ramsey Rating scale. Listen to Broad Shoulders below after the break.

Jonathan C. Ramsey
Jonathan C. Ramsey

Multimedia Journalist, Founder and Chief Editor of WTM Host of A-Side B-Side Podcast and more. I like to talk about stuff and write it down. Sometimes to a microphone. Either way, I need you to feel this.

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