Customer Reviews

Octave Above the Original

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

 

 

Naturally, more than a few people will automatically tune these guys out because they are white and not from the 'hood.' Those who do are missing out on something. This group is very good. There have been more than a few white rappers who have tried to make an entry into the hip-hop scene, and either failed miserably or else could not compete with what is already out there, but these guys are much better than most. 'Gringos' has to be my favorite track. :-) Go check it out...you might be surprised.

You don't expect white guys to make a lot of dope tracks, but Harmonics pulls it off with flying colours. The beats, lyrics, and rhyming were all masterul performances. Deserves mroe than 5 stars.

Ill Harmonics has to be the best hip-hop group out there. The members (Play Dough and Blake Knight) have been on numerous hip-hop projects in the past couple of years and now they have dropped their own contribution into the vast land of Rap. These cats have flows that would impress even the most cynical person. These guys represent Christ with no shame and perform their songs with that in mind...to represent Christ to the fullest and not come off wack. Even more impressive is the fact that most of the guitar is played by Play Dough and the keys and bass are played by Blake Knight. Ill Harmonics can hold their own with anyone on the radio today if they ever get a chance. Buy this album or miss out on some awesome cuts.

After waiting close to two years since first seeing these guys become finalists on MTV's "The Cut", I have finally been able to engulf my ears and mind in Ill Harmonics first full length LP (the seven song indie EP was a great appetizer). Well, I don't know who thinks An Octave Above The Original rocks better... my ears or my mind. Blake Knight and Playdough are making a mark on modern Hip-hop that is sure to lead the way for other underground hip-hoppers soon to have major market releases such as L.A. Symphony and 4th Ave. Jones. The cut that stands out the most on Octave is the well sung and hip-hop flavored take on Edie Brickell's "What I Am". This is a song everyone knows, but has never heard done so magnificently. I am reminded of PM Dawn's best work on this song. The rest of the album is straight-up mic rocking hip-hop. "Gringos" is a fine example of great production and mixing accompanied by original hip-hop lyrics and flow. "I'm An Emcee, Baby" is the most unique track on the album where Blake Knight and Playdough really show what they can do with a guitar, a couple of microphones, and a pair of turntables. Yes, these emcees even play their own guitars on this album. In fact, they question the very issue of whether real emcees play real guitars in the song "Will I?" which they showcased on MTV's "The Cut" two years ago. Well, after hearing this album, I know only of two real emcees that can rock a mic and can also rock a guitar. Those two are Wyclef Jean and Ill Harmonics. Lookout 'Clef! I'm not even going to touch on the topics of Ill Harmonics' race and faith. Get the album and look at their picture and you'll see what color these kids are. Listen to their smooth and intelligent lyrics and you'll hear what they're representing. Ill Harmonics proves that there is still plenty of good news for the hip-hop universe coming out of Texas.

Ill Harmonics have created something very unique with this album. First off, let me say that I am not a huge fan of hip-hop. Often, the riffs and loops and even the lyrics sound trite and simplistic to me. This is definitely not the case with this act's album.

The words Simple (not to be confused with simplistic) and Creative align well in describing the basics of what make this album stand out from the catalogue of discs in its genre. While the sparse amount of sounds in each song lend the tracks to a relaxing cafe or lounge feel, the few sounds that are employed are so unusual and well-mixed that you find yourself listening closer than you would to normal background melodies and rewinding the loops to hear the catchy subleties in both the lyrics and the music. Start with "Rock the Casbah", "What I Am", and especially, "Gringos", and you'll see what I mean.

I briefly listened to Take Two, but the sounds were no where near as catchy as they are on this album. Maybe just different strokes for different folks.

If you enjoy modern, eclectic rock, and just don't get this hip-hop thing, do what I did and BUY THIS ALBUM. It is definitely hip-hop, but with a style and originality I have not heard before. My rating's missing fifth-star is due to my dislike of the more generic follow-up to this album. Other than that factor, this album stands as a five-out-of-five, hands down. Check it out.

Playdough can straight flow, but unfortunately his partner Blake Knight sounds like he's rapping for the first time in his life. He sings much better though. This is a good album for fans of nice, smooth beats and a positive and/or Christian sensibility, but it will turn off hard-core hip-hop heads cuz of Blake's weak rapping. Playdough and Freddie Bruno definitely make a better duo, too bad they only dropped one album together (Phonetic Composition).

YO ILL IS OFF THE HOOK! KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE NEW CD MONKEY BUISNESS DUE OUT FEB '04!! CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE WWW.ILLHARMONICS.BIZ FOR MORE INFO!! PEACE OUT~