Artist: Elavi
Length: 70:48
Year: 2007
Tracklist:
- Intro
- Revolution
- Doves Still Cry
- Droppin Science
- Jacobs Ladder
- My Name On It
- Smoke & Mirrors
- The Dawn
- Out of Sight, Out of Mind
- It's Not About You
- The Show Must Go On
- You Must be Crazy
- Faith in the Valley
- Clockwork
- Bombs
- M.O.N.E.Y. (My Own Natural Energy Yield)
- Soul Science
This is interesting and there's a story here (that's also interesting?). I actually met Elavi a few years back in the UK. He was performing on the street and I liked it well enough. He was there rapping and playing bass guitar with a drum machine going too. I thought that it was fairly fresh- after running into him a few times and enjoying a conversation I picked up a CD to show some support.
Here's the thing. Elavi is actually fairly talented. I never heard him do anything too fancy on his bass, and he doesn't throw out any crazy solos on this album either, but it's still quite solid. Even more important, when he wants to his rapping is decent too. These are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of this album. Firstly, Elavi self-produces everything about this album. The rapping, the singing, the composition, arrangement, production, etc. is all handled completely by Elavi. Elavi is actually a decent arranger and producer, but the problems start with the mixing. The production is often rather compelling, and due to the live instrumentation stands out from a lot of hip hop, but instead of adding to the rapping it often takes away from it. This is for one main reason- Elavi has set himself up to be a messiah-type figure in line with his idols (name-dropped in the liner notes here as including Bob Marley, Tupac Shakur, Jimi Hendrix, KRS-One, John Lennon, etc.). He feels (also according to the liner notes) that these characters have "gone deeply into the soul of music" (whatever the hell that means). The album is also "dedicated to all the lovers of true musical expression, to all those who feel that music has become either driven by money or egos and by big corporations who force pointless irrelevant music on the masses." So... unlike the 1920s, right? Look, I'm going through this because this is all central to the music on the album. I get that Elavi thinks this is some kind of revolution he's starting here, but I don't see it. Revolution against what? A corporate music industry where artists have more freedom than they ever did? Evil governments? This is all well and good, but listening to the album (for the tenth time too) I still have yet to really figure it out. I don't mean that in a good way either.
All of this being said there are some positives. When Elavi decides to actually rap instead of just half-singing "deep" one-liners (ugh) or half-chanting "deep" one-liners (also ugh) he actually pulls it off quite well. I also don't have a problem with politically charged stuff, but it needs to be pulled off well. Clarity always has to be a key element for this sort of thing if you want it to have any kind of lasting impact. When Elavi is focused on just doing the music instead of placing himself at the centre of this musical revolution he has the greatest impact and sounds the best.
Also, what is "soul science?"
Recommendation
Meh. There are two main ways to procure this album. One is in person from Elavi himself. If you see him on the street in the UK (usually Manchester I am lead to believe) and like what he's doing on the street then pick up a copy of this to support him. I'd assume you can get this online some way or another but I don't know why you'd be all that compelled to without actually meeting him.
