Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The Good Fight by Oddisee


     While it has only been a month since the last time any new material has been posted here on The Under-Cover Album Review, it has been just a notch under two years since the DMV rhymer Oddisee released a full-length project, and I'm sure the latter was much more of an anticipated return. That being said, Odd just recently dropped his latest project, The Good Fight, and this album is without question his strongest body of work to date.

     I want to stress the word "strongest" used in the previous sentence, for this does not mean it is his best work, rather, his most complete, and I feel that differentiating the two is key when listening to this album in regards to his previous work. With that in mind, I'd like to dive right into what makes The Good Fight such a prominent piece. 

     For starters, it's the little things. The perfectly placed instrumentation, the cadence in which Odd's words are delivered in, and the earworms that seem to come along with each and every track on the album. Though, in terms of the production this record is much more versatile and dynamic than past Oddisee albums, and that alone made a massive difference. Oddisee's beats seem very unique to him, though his sound is often too consistent and his product is easy to point out due to this regularity. However, the fact that it doesn't completely sound like an Oddisee record is one of the first and foremost things that differentiate this project from past efforts. He just infuses a lot more diversity into the beats on The Good Fight, while his unique touch still shines through the cracks, serving as the affirmation that yes, this is indeed the Oddisee I know and love.

     The best instrumental found on The Good Fight is a toss-up for me, as I love the instrumentation, specifically the horns reminiscent of Steely Dan on the lead single "That's Love" yet, the smooth and serene piano and drum kicks found on "Book Covers" is equally as magnificent. Honestly, there isn't a bad, or even below par beat on the entire album, and believe me, I tried to find something to nit-pick, but it was a moot point. The guy is as good as it gets on the boards.

     As if that weren't enough, the vocals on The Good Fight are just as, if not better than the beats. Oddisee is one of the most talented lyricists around, and his subject matter has much more depth than the everyday rapper. All throughout the project he displays his lyrical range as he speaks on personal items, as well as universal topics making him relatable and identifiable which isn't a common trait found in rappers. 

     One of the more frequent praises I, along with many others give to Oddisee is his delivery. He has a unique way of enunciating his words and stressing certain syllables to give him a unique and above average flow. It's guys such as Oddisee that make everyone think they can rap, because  they make it seem so easy and it's not...he's just that good.

     The best lyrical track on this outstanding record, in my opinion, is "Want Something Done" and the reason is because this track is the embodiment of everything stated in the paragraph above. Not only that, but his attitude and swagger on this track go hand in hand with the message of the song. Additionally, he works so well with the beat, and that's such an underrated quality in an artist, yet Oddisee is sure to cover every last detail in his art, which is the reason he is regarded as one of the best.

     Truthfully, I'd love to find something wrong with this album. I've been listening to Oddisee for years now and I'm at the point where I tend to look for flaws in his work to serve as justification to why he's not the biggest name in hip-hop, but it's not justifiable. The man is a beast, plain and simple. He could have very easily released an album that sounded identical to Tangible Dream, or People Hear What They See, and the only nag I could possibly have is that it sounds like previous work. He added new elements to his craft which only elevated the album's listening experience, making The Good Fight one hell of a record.


3 comments:

  1. Man, the vibe of this record is incredible. I'm familiar with Oddisee, but this was the first full length I've listened to and your right. There's no reason he shouldn't be one of the biggest artists in the genre.

    ReplyDelete
  2. He's a beast right? Thanks for checking out the review, good to hear from you T!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Most definitely. This is all I've been listening to since it dropped. I'm not as consistent as I'd like to be, but I always like to check in.

    ReplyDelete

About

Created in 2013, The Under-Cover Album Review strives to bring the world quality music, by quality artists. This motto will continue to be our foundation as we move forward in time.

-Vinny Sciascia, Creator & Operator