Customer Reviews

No Need for Alarm

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I first heard this album at the age of 14, my mind wasn't quite expanded enough to appreciate it. I definitely thought the beat on "Catch A Bad One" was out of this world, but I really couldn't get into his crazy style, which was so different than the rap that I was into at the current time. Now, as a college freshman with an aspiration to be a signed hip-hop artist and a well trained ear for hip-hop, I rank Del as one of my favorite MC'z. This is an incredible album if you are looking for something new(7 years old actually) and thought-provoking. Some of the dopest stuff coming out West!

No Need for Alarm, Del's second album, remains his best to date (though I still haven't heard enough of his new disc, Both Sides of the Brain, to judge it...). Lyrically, he is unmatched, even today, and his flow is the most consistent of any MC out there. Though the beats on this album are certainly bumpin', it is Del's flow that takes center stage here. Released in '93, this album remains extremely relevant today, something that can be said of very few, if any, hip-hop albums. Del's style is unique and intelligent, Domino's production is tight and doesn't overpower the vocals, and the album's subject matter never drifts into gangsta posturing cliche: all Del's concerned with is rapping and showing off his skills. And I'm impressed. Check out Catch a Bad One, BooBoo Heads, Worldwide, No More Worries (feat. Hieroglyphics crew), Don't forget.... Whatever, they're all hip hop classics

I'd heard some Del before this album. I had the Deltron 3030 and I'd heard his Gorillaz stuff and I'd enjoyed it quite a bit but it didn't really leave me hungry for more. I had him pegged as one of those left-field rappers that sound like geniuses if you're in the right mood but are unappealing the rest of the time. What I should have taken into account was that Deltron and the Gorillaz were both concept projects, not representative of Del as whole. I finally picked up this album because I'd heard good things and was straying from hardcore stuff into more laid-back hip-hop. When I listened to it, I was feeling it in a way I hadn't felt an album in a long time.

Now Del is one of my favorite MCs. This album showcases everything he does well. He has a very distinctive flow, delivering all his rhymes in a catchy fun sort of way instead of straightforwardly. This would keep his raps interesting even if you ignored the lyrics...but if you did that you'd be missing out. His rhymes are always clever, largely consisting of battle raps but with some storytelling and other things mixed in. Again, it helps that he has a catchy and fun way of saying things. He also spices it up with a slightly more advanced vocabulary than the average rapper has. What makes him so appealing is just his general attitude. Del seems to look at the world in a very humorous light, taking even constant bullets flying and police brutality as just some of life's absurdities. With this style, he manages to be gritty and laid-back at the same time. His voice also deserves mention. Del is one MC who couldn't possibly be mixed up with anyone else, with his thick but smooth sound.

The beats match the rhymes perfectly. They consist mostly of funky jazz loops, with the old-school acoustic drums to match. Many of them center around a string bassline, but some include horns, piano, and funk guitar.

Many people complain that this album is nothing but battle raps. This isn't 100% true, but they do take up probably half the album or more. This doesn't bother me because I enjoy just rhyming for the sake of rhyming if it's over a dope beat and has a tight flow, but this bothers a lot of people so it's worth a mention.

As far as I'm concerned, this is a hip-hop classic. The beats are smooth but still banging and musically impressive and the rhyming is clever and unique. It doesn't get too deep or too hardcore, but to me it doesn't need to. I would recommend it to any fan of Del, Hiero, jazzy hip-hop, or dope music, period.

This isn't Del's debut, but its the album that put him on the map across the coasts. He's in my opinion the most versatile emcee on the planet. He's got a different flow for us almost everytime he grabs the mic. 11 years later and its still in my rotation, need I say more??

I've listened to all of Del's cds and this one is the best (except for deltron 3030 but i dont consider that Del). The beats are full of deep bass and Dels flow is unbeatable. Definatly 5 star. If you liked this one also check out Hieroglyphics and all of their solo stuff.

I got this album back when it was first released, I was in high school at the time. Back then, most people had only heard Del's first full length release "I wish my brother George was here" popular for songs like "Mr Dobalina" and "Dr Bombay". What most people missed were the hidden gems included as B-sides to these songs when they were released as singles. Songs like "Burnt" and "Eye Examination" revealed a side of Del that strayed from the clowning funk style on the full length. Jazz samples took the place of funk and a much more advanced side of Del was breaking from his "I wish my brother..." mold. These B-sides paved the way for Del's "No Need for Alarm" Souls "93 til Infinity, and Casuals "Fear Itself". While all 3 of these albums are an important part of the Hieroglyphics collection, Del's "No Need for Alarm" is my favorite and still stands the test of time to this day.

Del's still going strong, Hieroglyphics rock on...

Okay, one-this album is mad tight, who cares what Del writes about, he could flow better about fresh cottage cheese than 50 cent could on any subject. You need to face facts, Del is one of the illest emcees when it comes to flow. Every song is saturated with crazy rhymes and you just wonder how he got so awesome.

Two-The beats are ill! People tell me all the time that this album would be a lot better if the beats suited the songs. Those people are idiots, all the beats fit the songs well, and are constantly incorporating new elements. Catch A Bad One features a cello for god sakes!

Three-This album doesn't show it's age!!! Some CDs that I listen to from this era *cough*nativetoungues*cough* do show their age. (Please don't click no just because of that last comment it's just my personal opinion...) It's easy to say that an album from 10 years ago shows its age, hell albums from 5 years ago show their age. Hip-hop is an ever-developing genre, however it's developing for the worse, and if it shows its age then good! That should be a breath of fresh air from the garbage on the radio now.

All I ask you to do is pick up this CD, and possibly ignore the people I nay-sayed on my comments above. I believe I bring valid arguments to each subject. Pick up this CD, it isn't dumb or aged. It's just a great example of how a flow-master does it.

"NO NEED FOR ALARM" is not only my favorite DEL album personally ,its also a historic landmark in the evolutionary line of hiphop. back when this album dropped DEL was the most original & gifted MC to date! he was simpley W!!!!!A!!!!!Y ahead of the times & still to this day the GODFATHER OF GAB is for absolute sure 1 of the top five sickest MC's in the game & (underrated or not) this album is one of the greatest rap albums eva! so enjoy!!! p.s. although some people might think that MIC FIGHTING is a weak subject to rap about, i will have to disagree!rap was built on battleing with the mic & listening to MC's try to out rap eachother & diss eachother, its the pureist form of the art & other then the legendary EAZY(muthaphu**en)E's "187/DRE IT's ON UM KILLA" album, DEL & this album is 1 of the best example's of that art form.

I'm a big fan of Del's work. I've heard a large portion of his material, and this stands as one of my favorite albums of its genre. The reason for this, as well as why I rate this a 5 of 5, is because a decade after its release it still pushes boundaries that many top artists today have a difficult time reaching. No Need for Alarm is a one of a kind album concieved by a one of a kind musician that no hip hop fan should miss.

Even if the subject is fairly constant, even if many of the tracks are battle-raps, there's no mistaking that the beats and flow of the lyrics are second to none.

I've been listening to this album since it was released and I still catch pieces of lyrics I didn't fully grasp before. Del and 3E-Vision belt em out with an ease and approach that makes you smile with delight.

No More Worries and Catch a Bad One are 2 of the most lyrically diverse, gifted and ecelctic HH tracks ever put together. Don't miss em.