Monks Too EP by Gone Wallace

     One of Philadelphia's finest rhymers, Gone Wallace may be the best when it comes to constructing an EP. He put that skill on full display back in September when he released the three-track EP titled Monks. Now, a little more than four months later, Gone is back with the second installment of the "Monks" series. Rightfully dubbed Monks Too, Wallace doubles the EP's length as he brings listeners six new songs to jam to, and this one brings another great dimension to the proficient young artist. 

     One of the notable differences in Monks Too and its predecessor is the tempo. Gone Wallace has frequently carried a smooth, smoky, and jazz infused sound, however, on this EP he decides to take things in a new direction and display his versatility. A few of the tracks on Too have a more upbeat, old-school era sound, but Gone still has his unique flow and voice, and in that aspect, the songs sound great.

     Not only does Gone Wallace have an extreme amount of charisma and coolness when he gets on the mic, but he also is a very clever and underrated lyricist. His wordplay is above-par and makes sure listeners knows just that. One of my favorite one-liners from this project can be found on the track "Morning" when Wallace states, "I rolled the bud inside my homework/ that's a blown assignment." It's little one liners such as that one that make this album, and not only that, but Gone Wallace has a very crafty flow that elevates his tracks to great heights.

     While the vocal work from Wallace is superb, the production on Monks Too was diverse yet cohesive. As stated earlier, this project does have a more upbeat sound in comparison to Wallace's previous work, and for the most part, it works. While he seems to be more "at home" while rapping over a slow-paced, jazzy beat, his best song to date may be on this EP, and it is by no means slow paced. The track is "From Belgium" which is a really cool and fun tune that comes jam-packed with great raps, and a great beat that samples Charles Bradley's "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)." The beat itself is produced by Rise From The Ashez, and that track alone, with its tempo, style, and sound, brings this EP from ok, to pretty freakin' good.

     Mentioned in the above paragraph is the fact that these beats are diverse yet cohesive. To elaborate a little more on that, I simply mean to say that the theme and mood from all the beats seems to fit fairly well, however, they are all produced by someone different, which gives them their unique and varied feel. That being said, Monks Too is still a smooth listening experience that has a lot to offer in both the instrumental, and vocal aspects.

     On that note, let it be said that Gone Wallace is one hell of an emcee and this EP only adds depth to his ever expanding catalog. The beats are solid, his rhymes are sharp, and there really is no down side to anything that this project has on it. Two thumbs up from The Under-Cover Album Review, so go snag Monks Too, and let us know what you think!

@GoneWallace