‘Return Of The Product’ is one of those albums that has been on my hit list for a long time, and which I finally acquired a couple of months ago. Having read a bit of negative press regarding the album on the net, I wondered if my ‘this is going to be great’ hunch would be wrong, but I am glad to say that although this is by no means a sensational album, it is still a quality release that I would argue should be held in the same regard as his former bandmates’ joint venture ‘Dust To Dust’, which also seems to get largely ignored by even the more educated of hip hop fans (I’m no exception, having slept on these until only recently).

In some ways, you can see how ‘Return Of The Product’ was doomed to failure. With the success of 3rd Bass (both of their full length studio albums went gold) and the critics behind them, it is no surprise that the slightly more hardcore aesthetic on Serch’s first solo outing would be resented by those that had held the group in such high esteem. To be perfectly honest with you, I’m no expert on 3rd Bass and so don’t want to get too heavily into drawing comparisons between Serch’s earlier work as a member of that group and his own solo work: let’s get down to a discussion of the album.

The lead single here was of course the excellent ‘Back To The Grill’ featuring Nas, Chubb Rock and Red Hot Lover Tone which essentially acts as a sequel to the undisputed classic ‘Live at the BBQ’. I remember first hearing the former cut on a J Smoke mixtape around 2001 and was instantly taken by its bangin’ drum track and upbeat party vibe. I also love the album opener ‘Here It Comes’ which features some creative and interesting layers (check the African chants in the verse section and the bell during the chorus… quality) and the funky drum track means that this cut easily gets your head nodding. The remix that appears at the end of the album is also excellent, with an aggressive and seriously upbeat flava. ‘Can You Dig It’ is another favourite, with live drums and a multi-layered chorus hook that works very well. Serch handles co-production on the majority of the tracks, with T-Ray and Wolf & Epic chipping in, and the result is a pretty consistent album that successfully utilises live instrumentation whilst maintaining a relatively gritty vibe.

Match the beats with Serch’s unquestionable skills on the mic and you’ve got a winning formula. I have always liked his flow which feels relaxed and fluid, and his voice has a powerful quality that means he resonates over the music below. The content is also pleasingly varied with comments on society, bragging verses and I think he even kicks a little bit of 5% wisdom at one stage (!) although I can’t remember what track this appears on. Here’s the man himself talking about the upcoming album release at the beginning of 1992:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziF9cieWTbc]

If you’ve been sleepin’ on this album like me then I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Although it is by no means an exceptional album, it deserves far more props than it has ever garnered, slipping off the hip hop map for all but the most dedicated of fans. Right this wrong: hit the link.

Return Of The Product

The new look is now complete! Got to give a massive thanks to Depleted over at BLAR (now shutting down: what a loss to the blog scene) and Dale at work for all the help along the way: I really appreciate it. I may still tinker with the colours, but essentially what you see now is the finished product… hope you like it.

The banner picture comes from a shot I took the other day of our local dilapidated building that will soon receive the overhaul treatment. I spent a few nights/mornings going up there with friends after intoxicated evenings and it sent shivers down my spine when I revisited it as it is definitely not a safe place for those under the influence. Still, funny and memorable times. Once again, if you are experiencing any overspill problems or suchlike then get in touch. Onwards and upwards!

I’m a little disappointed as I tried to listen to my show last night but I seemed to have some technical issues that prevented me from doing so. Was this just me? Did anyone try and check it? If so, did you manage to listen to it? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated by myself and Chad at WGHH Radio as it is still very much in its early stages and we need to try to iron any of these sort of issues out. Anyway, for those that missed it for whatever reason, here’s the link to the FDB Radio Show Week 1. It seems a little pointless posting the playlist as isn’t part of the fun waiting to see what gets played? Let me know what you think…

FDB Radio Radio Show Week 1

My computer knowledge has increased tenfold since starting this blog. I’m no wiz yet, but I can handle a little HTML now, and more importantly, yesterday I worked out how to rip 12′’s to my computer. This can only be a good thing, and now allows me to get some of my rarer singles uploaded in addition to the CD albums… damn I’m good! I’m probably not going to make a regular habit of it as it did take me a while, but in response to a ‘conversation’ I had with Alley Al over at Biff Hop recently, I’m throwing up a couple of 12′’s that may tickle your fancy.

Ninety9 - Willow 12”

I remember copping this when it came out in 2000 after it received some pretty heavy rotation on MTV. I know very little about Ninety9, but judging by Alley’s comments, she was a feature on the New York hip hop/spoken word scene around the mid to late ’90s and this ultimately resulted in the release of this pleasing, summery single. The lead track is ‘Willow’, a beautiful string and piano laced beat with sung chorus hook that feels great when the sun is shining and has the effect of making the world around you seem sweet. With lyrical references to an SP1200, you can also be assured that Ninety9 is representing the real hip hop. The b-sides aren’t too shabby either, my favourite being ‘Last Minute’ which has a seriously chilled, late night vibe. All in all, this is a pretty decent 12” from an artist who I would have liked to see a lot more of but who has sadly disappeared from the scene.

DJ JS-1 - Beyond ft. O.C. b/w Arrogant ft. Substantial, Tonedeff, PackFM & Rise

I remember seeing Rahzel in my first year of university and being absolutely blown away by him and his DJ sidekick JS-1, so when this 12” dropped in 2002 I grabbed it without hesitation. ‘Beyond’ is an almost Premieresque (the man deserves his own adjective) beat with melodic piano loop and crispy drums that will get your head nodding, and O.C. comes correct on the vocal side of things. The two elements combined make for a quality, upbeat track that seems to have barely registered on the hip hop map. I’m not a great fan of the b-side, although there is no doubting that JS-1 can work his way around the boards. Ultimately, whenever I used to buy 12” singles, one side would always predominate and leave the other in the shade and in this case, ‘Arrogant’ takes the fall.

The 12” also includes a DJ track featuring DJ ODY-ROC, who I have never heard of before, but the pair perform some seriously tight scratching over a relatively aggressive beat that makes several transitions over its five and a half minute duration. Overall, a quality 12” that demands you hit the link.

From Da Bricks Radio Show

Don’t forget that tonight sees the world premier of the FDB Radio Show. It’s airing at 11pm GMT and will then be repeated at 4am GMT early Wednesday morning over at WGHH Radio, so check it out and let me know what you think. With tracks from Serch, Percee P and Red Hot Lover Tone amongst others, this should be right up your alley…

New Look Update

I went out on a little photo mission this afternoon as well, so hopefully it won’t be long until the new look is complete. Again, if there are any issues arising from the changes then please let me know and I will get it sorted: nice one.

I’ve been getting kind of sick of the look of the site of late, and have intended to do something about it for a while. Anyway, the time has come and I hope it looks, ummm… fresh. I’m going to be trying to sort a different header at some point once I get a little technical know-how/help behind me. I am slightly concerned that although the wider format looks great on my widescreen Mac, it may not look so great on a regular PC monitor. Let me know what you think or if there are any issues arising from the changes.