Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Double Or Nothing? Tough Decision For Mr. Sermon (Rating 7 out of 10- -3.5 stars), January 5, 2008
In 1995 Erick Sermon was living the good life. Just had a high selling album No Pressure, his friends Keith Murray and Redman's albums were also successful, and he had a big crib here in the metro Atlanta area, and finished with his second solo LP Double Or Nothing. Like every Erick Sermon and EPMD album, you're always going to have top notch production. Erick Sermon never fails while he is behind the boards, and he still shows you why he is one of the greatest producers behind the boards. Just check out the lead single "Bomdigi" and the following song "Freak Out" how he uses those heavy drums. He guarantees the listener that he will make your head bob up and down when you hear his production.
The problem being with this album is that Erick isn't a good lyricist. Even on his previous album the lyrics weren't that great, but at that point his production overshadowed that problem. Here, you can hear the obvious decline in the lyrics. Just check out "Man Above". Aside from the mellow production, you'll realize the song makes no sense. Thankfully Erick called on his Def Squad buddies Redman and Keith Murray to elevate the lyrics on this album. Hearing the final track "Open Fire", you can see how Erick sounds when he is paired with his Def Squad buddies, the result is amazing. Hell, most of the guest appearances here are great. Redman's sister Rosalyn Noble and Keith Murray comes in for "Tell 'Em". Keith Murray and a chick named Kim kicks it "In The Studio".
Now wait, don't get me wrong for a second. There are some songs that Erick can kick some dope lyrics, the trick is to find out where on this album he does. "Everybody's Welcome" with Keith Murray doing the hook is dope. "In The Heat" is a solid track too. But outside of those tracks, you won't be able to find too much.
Double Or Nothing is a dope album. If you're expecting another No Pressure, you might be in for a little let down. Erick Sermon does stay on point with his production, but you can find similar beat coupled with much better lyrical gymnastics on Keith Murray's The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World. This album is not too hard to find, as it just went out of print like about a year and a half ago, so the prices shouldn't be too high for a consumer to pay for. Fans of Erick Sermon and EPMD will enjoy this one here. Peace.
Lyrics: B-
Production: A-
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: B+
Top 5 Tracks:
1. Open Fire (Featuring Redman and Keith Murray)
2. Bomdigi
3. Tell 'Em (Featuring Roslyn Noble and Keith Murray)
4. Freak Out (Featuring Redman)
5. Welcome (Featuring Keith Murray)
Honorable Mention:
1. In The Heat
|
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
exceptional..., July 10, 2005
"Double Or Nothing" has some of the deepest production sound of any hip hop album of the nineties. The beats are superb, "all killer no filler" as Sum 41 put it (a bad comparison).
I wonder why it never figures in any "Best Hip Hop Albums Of All Time" lists.
|
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Erick sermons best, March 13, 2005
I was chilling at home watching T.v. one day in '95 and saw the 'Bomdigi' video come on, I thought damn EPMD is over and I don't like this new style that Erick has come out with. After hearing it a few more times and seeing one of my uncles bought the album, I went out and bought it. I was listening to it on and on and on after that, there were a lot of lyrically better mc's that had came out then but this could hold its weight. The production was top class and all the beats were heavy and not one track was bad on the album. Its nice and chilled with good bass lines that bump nicely. Since then it's become like a part of my life and reminds me a lot of an era of my life where there was true skills and talent in hip hop that was gold. I got 3 copies thanks to my friend since It kept getting ruined in different ways. I also got a lot of my friends into this album late and they now know it as a true treasure like me and won't never let it go. Me and my friend even know the words on every track before E says them now which ain't the type of thing I normally do, thats how good this album is. If you are looking for the real hip hop, make sure you get this and don't forget it. It really is a classic album you will want for life. So I hope I helped you make the right decision in gettin it. for now, Peace!
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
Interact With Your Music: Discover, listen to, and buy new music, all from the pages of SPIN's digital edition, free to Amazon customers.
by Erick Sermon 
