Customer Reviews

True & Livin

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Unfortunately this is the type of album that will fly under most people's radar. But if you do happen to come across it, be sure to give it a listen.

Zion I is another great sound coming out of the Bay Area underground scene. This album easily falls into the rap sub-genre of "conscious/backpack hip-hop" but the beats are still catchy enough to grab the attention of the listener who is not that completely family with the sound coming from rap's underground movement.

The lyrics are thoughtful and expressive, but Zion I is not pushy about their message. While a group like Dead Prez call for revolution through over-throwing the current system with sometimes-flawed arguments, Zion I's message is a little more subtle. They seem to call for a positive change within yourself first before you can impose the change on others. In this sense, their message is somewhat similar to K-os. They are very much aware of the problems of society but are not brash enough to claim they know how to fix it themselves, the songs "LUV" and "Poems 4 Post Modern Decay" are the best examples of this.

The beats are an interesting mix of scratching and live intruments, resulting in a very expressive texture of sounds. Some of the instruments used are outright surprising, most notably a fiddle (I think) in "So Tall." A wide range of musical influences are apparent: from classic west-coast ("The Bay"), Jazz ("Doin' My Thang"), and the blues ("Oh Lawd Blues").

Finally, guest appearances by Talib Kweli (hopefully making up for the dissappointing "Beautiful Struggle"), Del, Gift of Gab, and Aesop Rock are very effective as they fit well within the framework of Zion I's sound.

Again, this album will most likely under most people's radar of mainstream hip-hop. Hopefully, it will somehow find its way to the ears of fans of creative and insightful hip-hop.

Although this is the first album I've heard from Zion I; the Oakland based hip-hop crew's 3rd release is a quality one. Their style is laced with jazzy hooks, soft acoustic melodies, elegant string arrangements, and some straight up head nodding beats. Of course, none of that would amount to anything if the emcee (Zion) didn't match the production (Amp Live). It's very apparent that these two have been working together for quite some time. The music comes out naturally and fluidly. Zion brings it full circle with his soulful and heartfelt lyrics and flow. They have achieved a rich, comfortable sound that nearly anyone could get down to.

Nearly every track has something to offer. Their style is reminiscent of Outkast, Blackalicious, and One Be Lo, which is laced heavily with elements of jazz. They do a fine job of making the album their own in an industry full of similar sounding albums. You get the occasional off-kilter beat on cuts like "Soo Tall" or the abstract "Poems 4 Post Modern Decay" featuring Aesop Rock. My favorites have got to be the slower more soulful joints, such as "Bird's Eye View". On the other hand, head nodders like "The Bay" are equally intriguing. The collaborations with Talib Kweli ("Temperature") and Gift of Gab of Blackalicious ("Stranger In My Home") are also quality cuts.

Honestly, I bought this album because of the aforementioned collaborations; but I really got so much more. The comfort of some of my favorite underground emcees endorsing the album turns out to be a strong point, because "they" aren't in the spotlight. They simply make the album stronger when it's formula starts to tire. The sequencing and track order also makes it a more comfortable listen. It's not the greatest album ever, but it's definitely one that I'd put above most underground hip-hop I hear.

This is already one of my favorite all-time hip hop albums and i just got it yesterday. Zion has reached an amazing lyrical level that most dream of and Amp Live, well, listen to Bird's Eye View and you'll know. Zion i has truly stepped up their level and raised the bar for underground cats to keep up with. I haven't found a weak part on this album, i truly have been searching for a bad thing about this and i can't do it. The song where Aesop Rock spits on is the best I've ever heard him, they got Kweli on an EPIC song, and if they ever come to a town near you CHECK THEM OUT, amazing energy. Zion i is what hip hop should be, done with the love for the art without forgetting where it and they came from, and building a positive future for it with CRACKIN BEATS and AMAZING LYRICS. PEACE

I have been a fan of Rhymesayers/Def Jux artists for a while now, but was only introduced to the likes of Zion I a week ago. I didn't know there was hip-hop like this. It definitely has a different sound than the Hip-Hop I have heard. The beats are funky, and the only way I can think of to explain them is that they have soul. Many instruments are used that I wish I would hear more of in hip-hop such as trumpet and saxophone. "The Bay" is a great song with deep acoustic sounding bass. "Soo Tall" has a nice guitar rhythm. Zion has a great flow and a very original sound, but I think the guests on this CD are what really make it great. "Temperature" features Talib Kweli, "Stranger in my Home" features Gift of Gab, . "Poems for Post-Modern Decay" features one of my favorites, Aesop Rock. This is definitely one of my favorites on this CD. Another GREAT song is "What U Hear" with Del the Funky Homosapien, who, like every other artist on this CD just works great with Zion and sound great over Amp Live's production. With Zion's well-crafted flows and the featured artists, the thing that impresses me the most of all is definitely the production. Amp Live may be the best producer I have heard. This CD fully deserves a 5/5. A true MUST BUY.

i'ma keep it short,this album just makes you feel good when you hear it.the beats,rhymes,& guest appearances by other artists all compliment each other.only vice is that there are like 3 songs i skip,otherwise it would be 5 stars.stand out track is "poems 4 post modern decay" with aesop rock.definitely check this one out,worth ya money.

This 3rd full lengh album is Zion I's best to date, not to say that their other albums aren't equally impressive. Zions smooth lyrics go hand and hand with the organic production of Amp Live which is comprived of quite an eclectic group of sounds and instruments. They do their best to keep true to the roots of hip-hop and this album exemplifies that. Their first single "birds eye view" sets the tone for the rest of the album, and it won't be a mistake to cop this along with their other works. As a live act they bring more energy and good vibes than any other live act i've seen, enjoy.

This album is simply amazing. The organic beats from Amplive, enlightening lyrics from Zion, and kickass guest appearances make True and Livin' bump from "True" to "Livin'". Just makes me feel happy to be alive. All the tracks are awesome, and the album flows well, so I'd just recommend buying it and supporting this fresh group out of Oakland.

Cop this, and anything else from Zion I. They're a hidden treasure. True and Livin' is a lot more musical than the others, but all their albums, especially Mind Over Matter, are easily worth the money and time.

The album is bangin. Once again, there is nothing to skip. What really surprised me was track #12, "Poems 4 post modern decay" with Aesop Rock. I've always heard all the hype surrounding dis cat, but he usually appears to a lighter hue. (I.E. E&A, Atmosphere, Necro, need I go on.) But that track delivers, especially with the poem at the end. My history didn't start on no boat!! Talib Kweli came through to deliver, which was a good thing. He hasn't since train of thought. Amp's production is always on point, and they are never afraid to make music out of the box that is actually tight. (I.E. Amerikka, and Ow Lawd.) Rock, blues, hip-hop and trip-hop on one cd, that clocks in just under 60mins and done right;? They really are true to their craft and livin out the dream.

Laced with spiritual narratives ("Livin") and jazzy, organic soundscapes ("One Chance"), it comes as no surprise that Zion I would name their breakthrough third LP after both God (The True And Living Church) and Guru of Gang Starr's familiar catchphrase "true and livin' with a youthful vengeance." After receiving praise from The Source for their debut album, Mind Over Matter, and going relatively unnoticed with Deep Water Slang V.2.0, MC Zion and producer Amp Live have finally come of age on True & Livin'. By combining early nineties production staples - horns, bass strings ("The Bay"), synthesizers ("Next To U"), and trumpets - with post-millennium handclaps, climatic flows, and conscious war cries, Zion I have crafted an underground classic that transcends the genre's usually limited scope. Versatility is the key to True & Livin's success, as the duo rock cynical yet militant ("America"), funky and laidback (the aforementioned "Bay"), rapid-fire anthems ("So Tall"); peaking in creativity with the Phil Collins-meets-Lynyrd Skynyrd "Oh Lawd." Other moments of pure genius include "Stranger In My Home," where Zion and Gift of Gab observe hip-hop from the outside looking in; metaphorically getting the boot from their "home" by today's more popular, gangster emcees; and "Poems 4 Post Modern Decay," where Aesop Rock pleads for middle class necessities quickly diminishing under the Bush Administration: "My centipedes agree that every pedigree's entitled to that food, clothes, medicine; recipe of the vital." Vocally and flow-wise, Zion falls somewhere in between Tone Loc and Andre 3000, while Amp Live's beats rival that of Just Blaze ("Temperature"), Kanye West ("I Need Mo"), and of course, Premo ("Luv"). Like their influential counterparts, Gang Starr and Blackalicious, it's taken Zion I a few swings at the plate to reach their moment of truth, and you can bet that if True & Livin' carried the name of another, more established group, it would instantly be heralded as a classic. Don't sleep on the Bay Area's finest any longer. Cop this album today.

A great album here that transcends the current minglings of Rap music. Zion I brings it back to the basics and shows everyone how to do this right. This album is even better than their last one ("Deep Water Slang," which I loved)! The only thing I wasn't liking at first was the brevity of the songs. A couple extra listens and it was no problem at all; the album moves along swiftly and never gets tripped up. Amp Live lays claim once again as a top-tier producer with his work on "True & Livin'." Zion is a talented rhymer (and performer!), but Amp is undoubtedly the motor that makes this group excel past many current artists (mainstream and underground).
Once again, they employ a variety of live instruments to accompany their sounds. Amp sets off many melodic tracks, as well as some hard-hitting ones for Zion to complete. They include a lot of jazzy stuff too, which is nice to see back in Hip Hop again. Not a single song is disappointing on the album! Not a single one...
Zion's not as overtly spiritual this time around, but he does make a suprising number of political statements. The four guests are some of the best names in the game (Talib, Gab, Aesop Rock, and Del), and only add to the experience of the album. "Doin' My Thing" kicks it off in a jazzy and upbeat way, leading into the single, "Bird's Eye View," which is my favorite and one of the best songs I've heard in a while. It's completely beautiful! Big up Amp! The Hiphop as a woman metaphor has been overdone since Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R.," but Zion and Amp breathe a whole new life into it. "What U Hear" is my second favorite track, as Amp shines once again and Del comes wise and correct (and even deviates from his usual flow). My other favorite, perhaps, is "Once Chance" which has heartfelt lyrics and a nice jazzy sound with melodic keys at the end.
Elsewhere, "The Bay" should get you singing, and "Soo Tall" is uplifting all the blue-collar workers out there while Zion is crafty with the wordplay. "Luv" is very nice too in the middle of the two tracks I just mentioned. "Temperature" w/Talib Kweli is short, but almost perfect lyrically even though the chorus is a tad annoying (at first at least). Zion rips it over the hard drums on "Heads Up," and he and Aesop Rock speak directly to the middle and lower classes on "Poems For Post Modern Decay." The only one I'm not feelin' is "I Need Mo," even though it's still solid, and one of the best moments of jazz on the cd. They even take a couple chances with "Oh Lawd" and the short, political "Amerika," but they pull it off while giving the album some nice variety. "Oh Lawd" could cross over into the Blues charts if it got the proper promotion, and it sounds ooh so good! The hidden track, "Livin'," is the most spiritual one. Oh crap, I forgot to mention "Stranger In My Home" w/Gift of Gab. That's definitely one of the top 5 tracks off the cd, and they both play on an abstract concept over a beautiful symphony courtesy of Amp.
One guy below mentioned that he's mad because they kept this album underground and aren't trying to branch out to the masses. Well...boo hoo! The mainstream still isn't ready and appreciative enough of true authenticity to accept these guys. I saw Zion I's show recently and met them both briefly; they're not selling out any time soon. They truly appreciate the fans they've got. By the way, this just might be their definitive work so far. I don't have "Mind Over Matter," but this album is even more complete and cohesive than "Deep Water Slang." Although "Deep Water" may have had a couple more memorable songs, this album stands above! Best album of the year so far?...quite possibly yes. I was thoroughly pleased and suprised at the excellence of "True and Livin'," and now I offer you to share in this experience, whether you've heard them yet or not. Look up their tour schedule, they've still many dates left, and support them if they come to a town near you!