Thursday, February 17, 2005
Label: Hoodlum Rock (Vol.1: The Bogard)
Atlanta has been the home to hip-hop legends such as Jermaine Dupri, Ludacris and Usher. But it was not until recently that a hip-hop inspired quintet by the name of El Pus (pronounced “el poose”) broke rank to produce a rock album.
El Pus is not your Kid Rock or Limp Bizkit, or whatever bands you may have conjured from the description of their style; they have talent. Their lyrics are well thought out and written with a driving force behind them. The first single, “Suburb Thuggin’,” is a somewhat humorous look at the suburban youth and the way they may dress and act. And with lyrics such as, “You ain’t really never seen no gangster shit cause if you did you’d be pissin’ yourself,” their outlook on much of suburbia becomes quite apparent. This track also stands apart more than any others because the music and vocal style on it is all rock, not an accurate representation of the entire album but a great track none the less.
The album has no set style being either hip-hop or rock nor is it an even divide. The songs vary from track to track and even within a single track the listener will experience a guitar riff quickly followed by the delivery of hip-hop lyrics. Their delivery though is not rough like one associates with rap, they have a style that is more reflective of The Roots.
The album is a refreshing take on hip-hop and rock, which on many occasions the strength of one is often the weakness of the other. With good hip-hop style lyrics and unique rock music El Pus offers a new take on both styles of music which should be welcomed with open arms.
Grade: A
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