RJD2 – Since We Last Spoke — music review
Although I liked his more concise hip-hoppy debut Dead Ringer a lot more, Since We Last Spoke is still tops. Challenging the art of digital compositions, painting it on pudding-thick once again, I can best describe RJD2’s latest as: “throes of denomination, not domination”. Each layer, each instrument meshes and merry-go-rounds another. It’s not a homogenous medley, these are distinct elements clashing comfortably. It’s almost as if he doesn’t want them to play nice; there’s competition for which deflection you’ll want to latch onto.
Aside from the misplaced Postal-Service-cute Making Days Longer, there’s always a foundation of deep fun oldschool funky flavor, this time with more intensity with brash guitars and Brazilian flair. To All of You and Iced Lightning incorporate retro-soul and Latin acoustic twangy trills respectively. Certain tracks like the midi-fanatical Clean Living and the god-awful-rock/hair-band Ring Finger and the Rick Springfield-esque Through the Wall are where Since We Last Spoke falters when RJD2 (real name: Ramble Jon Krohn) allows experimentation to overshadow his personal talent, which ironically is experimentation. But the album retains that agitated hyperness and fusion lividity that I have grown to love. Since We Last Spoke informs its listeners that RJD2 isn’t an artist who cares to dwell on one style for very long, which proves his versatility and involvement in sound. It makes his songs seem much shorter than they really are (blessing or curse?) but that just encourages repeat listenings. Not bad for a kid from Ohio.
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