Review: Piatto D'Oro - @MeyhemLauren; A Niles P. Joint

Meyhem Lauren is the reason why I invented #ICYMIMonday.  The story goes that I saw him perform in 2015 without being too familiar with his solo work, was enamored with what he had to offer musically, but also found out his most recent work at the time was released a year ago.  Instead of a premature Throwback Thursday, I created a new segment because his album was that dope.  I told myself I’d cover his next release in real time.  Well Piatto D’Oro just came out via Fool’s Gold Records so I’m sticking to my guns and taking this one to the rack.  This is one of my most anticipated releases of the year.  Since it came with producer credits, it’s only right I go track by track.

Sauce (feat. Hologram; prod. Seth Silenser) - This may be the first time I’ve heard violins and helicopters but it works on the intro on this song.  Meyhem leads off with a hit and hasn’t lost his quirky lyrical content, which is a relief.  His brother Hologram also makes an appearance.

Aggressive Metal (prod. Seth Silenser) - Ayo, the instrumental for this one reminds me of the background music in the final (Cradle) level of Goldeneye on N64.  Nostalgia will get you everywhere in this case.  It has a cinematic vibe and Meyhem proves to be a worthy leading man, as his flow is supremely confident.

Badmon Ting (feat. Big Body Bes; prod. Farhot) - The latest single from the album is a fun one.  Bes arrives early with the wisecracks and Meyhem makes a Jamaican themed joint that’s similar in vein to the mid 90s hip hop/dancehall fusion joints that got played in any NYC neighborhood that featured West Indian population.  It’s like updated nostalgia.

Vintage (prod. Seth Silenser) - In the age of the same corny ass trap hi hats polluting songs everywhere, it’s so refreshing to see Seth Silenser expertly make use of hi hats. This song is deliciously evil sounding and Laurenovich casually breezes through his bars, which is all he had to do.

Bonus Round (feat. Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, & Big Body Bes; prod. Harry Fraud) - Back in December, Mary covered this posse cut and had nothing but good things to say about it.  I concur, this is classy and understated and enjoyable.  All of these dudes play together better than the Warriors here.

Money In My Pocket (prod. Farhot) - This is the best example of a Queens rapper on a California flavored beat since Nas in 1996.  Some songs you hear and just know that the hook will play well live.  This is one of those songs.  I’m already planning to play this at the WTM staff BBQ as I serve the team mission style tacos.

Not Guilty (prod. Large Professor) - As soon as I heard the trademark sleigh bells, I knew Extra P had laced this track.  He’s clearly had good fortune with rappers from Q Boro and the streak continues.  Meyhem punches the beat right in the breadbasket.  This is a timeless song for the streets.

Live Ginger (prod. DJ Muggs) - Man, I hadn’t heard from Muggs in awhile.  I’m glad Meyhem tapped him here for the beat.  This is one of those situations where you combine two ingredients that don't seem like they would work and they do.  The instrumental is wavering and trippy and somehow complements what are the rawest vocals on the whole damn album.  No hook here, but the ad-libs in between verses are kinda hilarious.

Garlic and Oil (feat. Action Bronson; prod. A Villa) - Everything I said about this song in March still applies in May.  It’s always good when you can look back and say a song ages well like good merlot.  And this one does.

Fuckin The Whole Crew (prod. Big French) - While Laurenovich does the braggadocio raps as good as anybody, it’s always a real treat when he goes with a storytelling record.  This one in particular is all in the title; a chick is making her rounds around the entire squad trying to be slick.  But in the end, the dudes are all in on it.  This is the beat that you play during a late night diner excursion, real swanky without being too conspicuous.

Hate (prod. Super Dave) - Using vocal samples can be tricky because you want them to be relevant to your song’s theme but without being overpowering.  It happens here as the focus stays on the 1960s cop show beat instead of the dialogue.  Meyhem uses an uncomplicated flow to complete the mix.

Flexxin (prod. Icerocks) - This entire compositions is fuckin FILTHY and I love it.  You have the cascading strings on the chorus, a bullying baseline, the ripest percussion, and the occasional fluttering piano.  This is musical paella.  Lauren refuses to let the instrumental go to waste and runs full court lyrically, including the formation of a great hook.

Dragon V.S. Wolf (feat. Action Bronson; prod. Alchemist) - Bronsolino makes his third guest appearance on an Alchemist-produced track.  And somehow, it sounds nothing like you’d think.  Instead of being dark and brooding, it’s more airy.  To be clear I don’t hate this song, and it’s not badly done, it just isn't my favorite collaboration between any combination of these three dudes.  Kind of out of place on the album too, and short.

Sweet Chick (prod. Icerocks) - First off, these guitars are wicked and demand attention off the bat.  Meyhem casually slaps the beat around and still has a good time on the penultimate track.  I feel like listening to this in the car would cause a speeding ticket because it lowkey brings so much energy.  Queens looks out for Queens on this one because while listening, I paused and made plans to go to the Nas owned restaurant of the same name.  It all came full circle.

Elevation (prod. DJ Muggs) - Muggs returns behind the boards for the grand finale.  His drums sound like machine guns, but not in the modern, stereotypical, lame trap/drill sense.  Laurenovich speaks in celebratory tones but stresses the need to always strive for better.  It’s actually really inspirational and a great way to end the album.

On his last joint, the entire album was produced by Buckwild of DITC.  This time, he uses an array of producers, not just the same.  The album nonetheless maintains a sense of cohesiveness.  It’s a tapestry but with more standout singles than the last one, which can only help him commercially.  While some I never heard of before now, Meyhem Lauren makes it work.  He has one of the best ear for beats in the game.  His lyricism is still on point and he fills his bars with references to Polo, wheat grass and ginger, the finest cuisine, and having a good time while not taking shit.  At the same time, he shows his storytelling chops and even makes a motivational song at the end.  Beyond being slept on, Laurenovich is also one of the most well rounded rappers in the game.  

Rating: 4.75 out of 5.

Fool’s Gold Records and Meyhem Lauren have graciously put out this album for free (although I damn sure would've paid for it.  So click here for your free download of Piatto D’Oro.

Mr. Wonderful - @ActionBronson Album review by @Niles_C

Despite the growing popularity of independent releases and mixtapes that sound more like albums, having a solid major label debut is still seen as the crowning achievement in a rapper’s career by many observers.  If you've built a fan base independently, do you use the exact same formula that brought you there, or do you use your new found label-backing and try something new?  Action Bronson is the prime example of being at this juncture.  The chef-turned-emcee has garnered critical acclaim with independent albums, mixtapes, an an EP well before his major label debut Mr. Wonderful was even conceived.  He faced the challenge of simultaneously appeasing both his diehard fans and label suits/potential new fans.  Going too far in any direction could result in a whack debut.  Fortunately, Action Bronson made it work.  The Queens native managed to stay true to his roots and personality while trying some new things that resulted in good singles.

Bronsolino has always rapped over unorthodox samples and continues the trend on Brand New Car that sees Mark Ronson smartly flip Zanzibar by Billy Joel.  As usual, this perfectly suits Action Bronson’s stream of conscious flow.  He further goes back to his well of success when he links up with super producer and long time collaborator Statik Selektah for The Rising.  Everything about this track just sounds triumphant from the keys and vocal samples to the horns and bombastic flow, which are respective trademarks of Statik and Bronson. The latter’s cousin Big Body Bes makes an appearance on the end of the song to talk shit, which is another staple of Action Bronson’s work.  Keeping it all in the family always proves hilarious in this case.  

At this point in the album, Bronson veers off of the beaten path and experiments a little more with his sound.  Terry contains his usual wacky adventures in the lyrics but the real focus is the lush and luxurious beat crafted by The Alchemist. Actin Crazy took awhile for me to get into because I’m not a huge fan of 40’s beats and this one in particular doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the album. However Bronson’s witty lyrics and food references reeled me in eventually.  Falconry is straight NYC grime, feels like it could've came out in ’93. I’ve been quoting it for weeks and The Alchemist once again creates a musical playground for Bronsolino and guests Meyhem Lauren and Big Body Bes.  THUG LOVE STORY 2017 is a man-on-the-street interlude of sorts that sets up City Boy Blues which lives up to its name. This 88-Keys/Party Supplies produced joint is the biggest departure musically for Action Bronson, as he doesn't rap at all but instead sings the blues about a woman doing him wrong. Normally I’d be dismayed about a rapper singing about heartbreak but Bronson does it right on this track. Party Supplies shows up to produce “A Light in the Addict” which once again has humorous lyrics over stupendous instrumentation.  

Baby Blue has more lyrics that derive from a scorned relationship but this time combines Bronson’s rapping/singing with a Mark Ronson beat that is reminiscent of the singer/songwriter era of the 70’s.  Think Karen Carpenter almost.  Chance The Rapper comes and steals the show with a hilariously spiteful verse. Only In America has been my favorite song on the album since it came out.  Party Supplies samples some German guitar riffs that pair with Bronsolino’s (sometimes alliterative) lyrical acrobatics excellently.  His second verse serves as a call to arms of sorts for NY/East Coast hip hop. I love the conviction. It’s vintage Action Bronson mixed with his new commitment to the instrumental side of things.  

Galactic Love has Bronson spitting over a jazzy lounge inspired beat (by The Alchemist) with a slinky baseline. It’s intercut with a phone call between him and his mom. The Passage (Live in Prague) isn’t actually a live song but is just engineered to sound like it is. It does, however, serve as a passage to the the final song and album’s first single (which debuted last year.)  Easy Rider is inspired by the 1969 movie of the same name and feels like a motorcycle ride through the desert.  Party Supplies does it again, creating a flavorful musical backdrop for Action Bronson’s lyrical escapades (these are more storytelling than others.)  This one features another foreign song sampled and some of the most savory guitar licks you'll hear all year, along with an underrated bassline.  

Here’s the thing.  On one hand, Mr. Wonderful is a departure from Action Bronson’s previous projects. You knew he wasn’t going to be able to rhyme over 80’s pop hits from Phil Collins to Lisa Lisa & the Cult Jam like he did before. Not only would that cost a fortune in sample clearances, but it wouldn’t show any actual growth as an artist. Instead, Bronson chooses more extravagant and layered production than he did on his mixtapes and it pays off big time. He managed to do this and still not lose sight of who he is as an artist. He got to try new things while still maintaining his funny ass personality and lyrical stylings he cultivated on all previous projects. Big Body Bes, Meyhem Lauren, and Chance the Rapper make appearances like they’ve done before and he was laced with beats by previous collaborators in The Alchemist, Statik Selektah, and Party Supplies (Harry Fraud is surprisingly absent from this album.)  Adding Mark Ronson, 88-Keys, and even 40 only helped the proceedings.  It’s like moving into a more modern and bigger house, only you keep your personal style on the interior and manage to combine all of your old friends with a few of your new neighbors.  That’s what Action Bronson did on Mr. Wonderful.  On a more abstract note, this album’s essence is like an 80’s action movie mixed with the finest margherita pizza on the East Coast mixed with “Summer in the City” by The Lovin’ Spoonful.  At 13 tracks total (11 songs and 2 interludes) I just wish it was longer.  I’m used to the sprawling tracklists of his mixtapes like the Blue Chips series (this might not be possible on a major label debut, possibly because of the aforementioned sample clearances.)  But I can definitely appreciate Action Bronson’s musical ambition and ultimate growth that definitely resulted in a wonderful ass debut album and one of the best of the year.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5