Former Caveman frontman MCM is back, journeying through his work from 1994 – 2011, some of which was due for release on the third Caveman album as well as his own. Given the fact that all music production was programmed using equipment from back when producers punched pads including an Atari STE 1024e, alongside vintage 4 track studio recording mechanisms, you could be forgiven for not knowing which tracks originate in 1994 or indeed 2011. To many though, it will be this back in the day ethos that will appeal, with very little influence from modern trends finding their way into here (by design no doubt).
Still, it’s all new material, so it couldn’t be accused of sounding old to fans of Caveman. Hell, beats like “The Game” with a simple off-key piano loop and deep punchy kick drums, will have you nodding like an agreeable MP in the commons. “Come Into My Life” has all the 90s hallmarks of a Pete Rock production, buoyant samples spanked with slap base and “Powermoves” even uses a snippet of the same Tom Scott sample made so famous on P Rock’s “T.R.O.Y.” Used to nice effect though, with heavy use of another sample used by Heltah Skeltah on “Letha Brainz Blo”. It’s like a 90s Hiphop orgy for your ears, straight up no Max Mosley weird business!
MCM lyrically isn’t bringing too many surprises either, it’s a rhyme style that’s stood him in good stead so he’s in no mood to change it now. That goes for the fairly unsubtle accent picked up from across the pond. Still, thankfully that debate has long passed and as such, it really doesn’t matter if MCM is repping now like he did for Caveman. The content isn’t going to blow away the lyrical tongue twisters and science rap heads, neither is it painting pictures of grim street fairytales, in the main it’s a Rakim-esque pattern that sits perfectly over the beats. Nowhere does this rhyming and production marry better than on “Hush”, that could quiet easily be a 90’s classic placed in a time capsule only to be unearthed and pressed up in 2011.
will have you nodding like an agreeable MP in the commons
It’s this unashamedly 90’s sound that will appeal to many of the older heads or even newer comers who still hunger for new material that keeps true to that era. No doubt though, some will feel that this album offers little in terms of progression and they’d be right in part, except in the fact that every now and again, to measure progress it’s nice to have a little reminder where you’ve been. This is no cheap student friendly imitation of how rap used to be, this is a guy with lots of experience and history repping on The Gospel as he did back on the Caveman classics from another time such as “I’m Ready”. Does this have a place on your shelf? Absolutely!