The little commercial success that the hip-hop group Atmosphere has had in the past can be attributed to songs like "You," "Sunshine," and "Yesterday"-- all of which are pleasing, upbeat, and accessible on an instrumental level. The songs on Atmosphere's latest release, however, depart from the tunefulness of the group's previous consumer hits. The album opens with "My Key," a song filled with heavy handed piano in a minor key, depressing lyrics ('half life gets spent behind a wheel, trying to claim innocent while I assemble my appeal'), and layers of synthesizers and guitars that fade in and out, almost overwhelmingly.
The most positive song on the album is "She's Enough." Throughout the course of the song, Atmosphere's front-man, Slug, spits a string of compliments from the perspective of a boyfriend who would do anything for his girl ('She's my lady, case closed. She wanna baby so I gave her one of those'). The song features the most up-tempo beat on the album, a distorted yet catchy blend of electric guitar and keyboards; however, "She's Enough" does little to lighten the mood of the album as a whole.
The remainder of the album is dark-- like the albums' opening track-- but the heavy themes and sounds do not detract from the quality of the album. The Family Sign has introspective and interesting lyrics. Slug, who has garnered well-deserved respect for his abilities to tell stories through his music, is on top of his game in this regard. Over the course of the album, he is able to construct different identities as a means of telling his stories. He raps from the perspective of a dad, a friend, a neighbor, a boyfriend, an ex, and a son. From each perspective, his lyrics seem genuine and mature. "Who I'll Never Be," for example, tells the story of someone who overhears a depressed girl living next door; she's locked herself away in her room to write songs as an escape from her problems. The lyrics are never overdone with sentiment, and, as a result, the track seems honest and touching, despite its bleak lyrical content.
Ant, the mastermind behind Atmosphere's beats, does a great job of providing music that reflects the dark lyrical tone of the majority of the songs on the album. Although the beats often heavy, they're never boring. The music remains a perfect complement to Slug's lyrics throughout the album as Ant blends drum-kits with live guitars, keyboards, and synthesizers.
The Family Sign might not be an immediately accessible album, but it's worth wading through the dark tones and themes to hear the stories told on Atmosphere's seventh official studio album. Whether Slug is rapping in earnest or tongue-in-cheek, his storytelling has never been better than it is on The Family Sign.
The most positive song on the album is "She's Enough." Throughout the course of the song, Atmosphere's front-man, Slug, spits a string of compliments from the perspective of a boyfriend who would do anything for his girl ('She's my lady, case closed. She wanna baby so I gave her one of those'). The song features the most up-tempo beat on the album, a distorted yet catchy blend of electric guitar and keyboards; however, "She's Enough" does little to lighten the mood of the album as a whole.
The remainder of the album is dark-- like the albums' opening track-- but the heavy themes and sounds do not detract from the quality of the album. The Family Sign has introspective and interesting lyrics. Slug, who has garnered well-deserved respect for his abilities to tell stories through his music, is on top of his game in this regard. Over the course of the album, he is able to construct different identities as a means of telling his stories. He raps from the perspective of a dad, a friend, a neighbor, a boyfriend, an ex, and a son. From each perspective, his lyrics seem genuine and mature. "Who I'll Never Be," for example, tells the story of someone who overhears a depressed girl living next door; she's locked herself away in her room to write songs as an escape from her problems. The lyrics are never overdone with sentiment, and, as a result, the track seems honest and touching, despite its bleak lyrical content.
Ant, the mastermind behind Atmosphere's beats, does a great job of providing music that reflects the dark lyrical tone of the majority of the songs on the album. Although the beats often heavy, they're never boring. The music remains a perfect complement to Slug's lyrics throughout the album as Ant blends drum-kits with live guitars, keyboards, and synthesizers.
The Family Sign might not be an immediately accessible album, but it's worth wading through the dark tones and themes to hear the stories told on Atmosphere's seventh official studio album. Whether Slug is rapping in earnest or tongue-in-cheek, his storytelling has never been better than it is on The Family Sign.
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