Album of the Day: Random Axe - Random Axe

A collaboration between Guilty Simpson, Sean Prince, and Black Milk, released by Stones Throw. This album is ridiculous. I love that the beats aren't overly complicated and convoluted (here's looking at you, Madlib over the last year or so). Beats don't have to be crazy and composed of a dozen different loops and layers to be good; if they get my head nodding and go well with the verses, mission accomplished. Case in point, listen to 'Jahphy Joe' without bobbing just a little. 

The same could be said about the lyrics here. They aren't overly complicated, and not frustratingly simple (“I remember trying to get a deal, shopping for a listen/feeling like it honestly wasn't no competition/and my momma was the only one that listened/I guess she seen my struggle and followed her intuition”). They're enjoyable, which should be the whole point of making music in the first place (sending a message, too, but you get my point). You'll catch the usual “my ability to murder/rhyme better than you is so ridiculous that I'm about to spit a dozen metaphors to prove my point,” but at least they're usually clever. If I had to make a comparison, I would go with Slaughterhouse, which, despite my own better judgment, is a compliment. For example, in 'Everybody Nobody Somebody,' Black Milk starts with “Everybody,” Sean Prince takes “Nobody,” and Guilty Simpson takes “Somebody,” and each flows off from there. I had a blast with this one.