Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A spine-tingling follow-up ... 5 stars!, July 18, 2005
I was a fan of the first Felt CD (A Tribute to Christina Ricci). But I really didn't feel that it was up to par with Murs' and Slug's solo works. The first album was something I would give a 3-4 star rating, simply because it didn't shine like Murs' "The End Of The Beginning" or Atmosphere's "Seven's Travels". Murs and Slug are kings in underground hip-hop, and I wasn't about to dismiss an attempt at doing it better the second time (Felt: Vol. 2). I'm pleased to say that this time around, they did it much, much better. The beats brought forth by The Grouch on the first album were decent, but there was definitely a sense of unity that was missing. This time around, they opted for Ant to produce the album, which was a great call. It doesn't sound like two rappers and a producer throwing together some songs anymore. They actually sound like a complete group, composing a riveting and cohesive set of underground anthems. Ant's beats and rhythms really bring out the best in these two emcees, creating some truly infectious sets.
Bread and butter would be the best way to describe the attack by Murs and Slug. You'd be hard pressed to find a collaboration on the caliber of this album. As you know, Slug and Murs are longtime veterans in the underground. They have a history of working together dating back to the "Overcast" days, and this album is proof that their work has paid off. Best of all, this is a deeper look into the personas of Murs and Slug. You can feel the fun these two are having in the studio, which gives it a personal and infectious feel. These guys got the story rhymes down to an exact science. Like their solo efforts, the lyrics are fairly easy to follow (in comparison to artists like Aesop Rock), and they got a sweet old school flair that's intoxicatingly memorable. The first jam, "Employees of the Year" kicks it off right, with Slug spouting off lyrics like this one - "I'm not as young as I look girl, I'm old-school / Somewhere between Pro Tools and a gold tooth." "Your Mans and Them", the third cut, hits even harder. At this point, they are trading verses with boiling chemistry. Then comes a skit, "Lisa (Never Easty on My Nextel)" with Murs calling up his "L.A. pu**y", which is actually pretty entertaining for a skit. "Morris Day" has got to be one of my favorites on the album. Ant's production is chilling and beautiful here, with great lyrics to match. But my favorite track as of now is "Dirty Girl". This one has my favorite beat on the record, which is very reminiscent of the production on Atmosphere's "Modern Man's Hustle". They each share stories of how they fell in love at first sight with some "dirty" girls; one being an auto mechanic and the other being a short-order chef. "Early Mornin' Tony" is a fun tune, which features a sample from The Beastie Boys and an homage to Ice-T's "6 N' the Mornin'" (fitting for all the sex rhymes). "Breaker Down Like a Shotgun" features some ever-so-tight verses from both emcees. "Marvini Gaye" features one of Ant's most infectious beats. "Bonet (Cement Angels)" is very similar to the other interlude with Murs, which is also very humorous. The whole album solidly flies by without a single dud in the mix.
One could only complain about the lyrical content. For the most part, they rap about girls and sex. On paper, that might sound like some mainstream crap. But I assure you, it's not. You may not be that into the lyrics if your favorite hip-hop label is Anticon, or something else of the sort. But you know what to expect from Murs and Slug; no complicated metaphors, just hard-hitting lyrics about everyday life; the kind I have grown to love. Their style is simply impenetrable. I listen to a ton of underground hip-hop, and I've listened to this album about 15 times since it's release last Tuesday. Needless to say, it has completely exceeded my expectations.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Underground Classic, September 20, 2005
All hail the most slept-on producer in hip hop. Ant, a champion of the funk, is perhaps the most important element of this record. While Slug and Murs are perhaps the best underground duo since Dilated Peoples started doing mainstream numbers, and no doubt they spit some hot fire on this album, this is beatmaker Ant's show from the get-go. 15 tracks of solid, listenable beats - not a single dud. I cannot think of a single weak track on here. You could have William Shatner doing spoke word over these jams and you would be like "no seriously, this is nice". Stand-out track: Marvin Gaye. Although I'm losing faith in producers who rely on sped up soul hooks this is one exception to the rule. Ant lays down some lovely slow-rolling funk complimented by Gaye's crooning voice from "Trouble Man" or something like that. If you're a beat nut you need to give this a listen.
Murs and Slug are consistent rappers. I'm not crazy about them but I won't dent that they've got lyrics for days and their flow is tight. They make a dream pair because they're both extremely "underground" in their own right - Slug being the self-depreciating midwestern grumpy drawers and Murs being the antithesis to throwback jerseys and oversized fitted caps (read: "And This is For" from Murs 3:16). I enjoy their sense of humour and particularly enjoy the fact that they don't come of as underground softies rapping about how "negative" the industry is. They rap about real life - the kind of thing that is not too far detached from your own life - if that is possible, and I can dig that.
Cop this album because the beats are nuts and Ant needs some recognition. Stop riding 9th Wonder's jock and go listen to what a janitor from the midwest conjured up while on his day off from the night shift.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Felt 2 - twice as nice as the first, January 17, 2006
Felt 2 makes all of the possibilities of bringing Slug/Rhymesayers and Murs/Living Legends/Definitive Jux come to pass. The first Felt album was good - but it felt rushed. The lyrics weren't always what they could be nor was the production by The Grouch - who is one of the best, most prolific, and underated producers out there - but it didn't seem they all had enough time.
So with Felt 2 they changed the formula a bit. They obviously had more time to make everything tight and had a larger budget but the biggest change was ANT from Rhymesayers on production. ANT brought Felt's sound up to a level rarely heard but often imitated. ANT's done the same with the Atmosphere and Brother Ali records to name a few.
The entire Felt 2 album is great but the phone conversation 'tracks' could be left out. And if you are unfarmiliar with Slug or Mur's lyrics you may be offended by their frankness - especially females, but at their show there are a lot of women so maybe not - but their ability to tell it like it is without reservation makes them great.
If you haven't checked out any releases from Rhymesayers, Legendary Music, or Definitive Jux this is a great album to pick up and see if you like the sound. If you do, those 3 labels have many other great albums to pick up in the future.
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