EP REVIEW – Dookie Bros – Merry Shitmas

Now you’re probably watching the title of this EP and name of this group and asking yourself – to quote the recently-completed animated TV series “Archer” – “WHAT THE SHIT?!” But yes folks, this is an actual musical recording from an actual music group. Dookie Bros consists of Canadian rappers Franchise and Shy The Beatyoda, the latter of whom produced this record.

Prior to my deep-dive into the Dookie Bros discography, which consists of their debut album “When the Shit Hits the Fan”, maxi-single “The Slapper” featuring Keith Murray and EPs “Manure Music Vols. 1 & 2”, I wasn’t familiar with Franchise at all. But I did know of Shy’s work, thanks to his collaborative record with North Carolina singer/rapper E Smitty (as the Soul Powers) called “The Beginning Of” which was MY top favorite album of 2021. And I also took note of how undeniable his chemistry is with other artists, whether it’s Toronto rapper LeZeppo on the Guillotine Shark debut “Merky Waters” or E Smitty, LeZeppo and a handful of other rappers on the 2022 record “Shy The Beatyoda Presents: Rebel Embassy”.

On paper, “Merry Shitmas” is pretty self-explanatory: a rap duo doing a Christmas rap album which, in the world of hip hop, is nothing new. I’d make the argument that the reason why there aren’t any memorable examples of a major label rap album release dedicated to Christmas is the over-reliance on traditional and generic tropes associated with the holiday for creative inspiration. Yes, there’s a number of noteworthy hip hop singles about Christmas, but not an album unfortunately. There are, however, independent releases like Cookin Soul’s “XMAS” mash-up mixtapes and quite recently, Amerigo Gazaway’s “Another Christmas Album” and Funky DL’s “A Vintage Soulful Boom Bap Christmas”, all of which are solid projects in their own right! But occasionally, you’d get an ‘experiment’ like “Jim Jones Presents: 12 Days of Xmas” where…..I’ll put it this way….the last track off “Manure Music Vol. 2” pretty much sums up the way I felt when I listened to that record last year!

So as you can tell, YES, I know my shit when it comes to “Christmas rap”. And that’s why I can safely say that “Merry Shitmas” is one of, if not the best, Christmas rap projects I’ve ever heard! And no, I’m not saying this because I’m obligated to or whatever. It’s a really, REALLY solid record! If you’re not familiar with Dookie Bros’ output over the past couple years, you should know going into this record that their rap styles hearken back to the good ol’ days of mid 90s to early 2000s hardcore hip hop, with crass, over-the-top and downright hilarious bars that remind me so much of what Method Man and Redman were doing when they linked up on a record!

And you get that on the opening / title track “Merry Shitmas”, with these raunchy and wickedly clever rhymes from Franchise and Shy and a witty reworking of the “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” hymn on the hook over a delightful mix of head-nodding boom-bap drums and Christmas carol-based melodies. The production on this record is consistently top-notch, in the sense that it doesn’t simply borrow all-too familiar bits of instrumentation or vocal samples and loop them in a lazy, half-assed attempt to evoke nostalgia. There’s genuine effort put into crafting memorable boom bap beats here, to the point that you can take out the Yuletide samples and they still sound great!

Shy’s sample choices are on-point on this record, and like on “The Beginning Of”, you really get the sense of his DJ Premier-like, encyclopedic knowledge when it comes to recorded vocals. Take the following track “Do You Hear what I Hear” where, over a moody, string-assisted instrumental, he incorporates a vocal sample from a rendition of “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, a popular De La Soul sample and, much to my surprise, an ONYX sample! And somehow, the latter sample FITS within in the context of the song which, also to my surprise, is a heartfelt expression from both Shy and Franchise of the mood-changing and life-altering power of their music and lyrics.

On the subject of lyrics, I really appreciated the diverse subject matter Dookie Bros brought to the table….or should I say, toilet (HA!)… on “Merry Shitmas”! Like their previous records, a recurring theme on this EP is their underdog status. They’re better than the average rapper and producer, and yet they feel like they’re being shitted on by them, so obviously their best course of action is to throw that shit back at them! 

Even on the single “Charlie Brown”, they draw inspiration from one of my go-to Christmas TV specials “A Charlie Brown Christmas” to inform their haters of how incredibly dope they are on the mic and behind the boards. With a smartly selected sample from Vince Guaraldi’s TIMELESS piano-driven score from that special, Franchise and Shy craft this fun and delightfully jazzy dance song, whilst telling the audience that this is the DOPEST rap song centered on Charlie Brown and Christmas….EVER!

Like “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, Dookie Bros also touch on the disappointment one feels around the holiday season, particularly when you’re young and constantly told of all the wonder and magic to look forward to. On “Holy Shit”, which features the EP’s catchiest and FUNNIEST hook, Shy and Franchise each regale the listener with a story about that significant moment in their childhood when they realized that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. 

In both a cynical and non-cynical way, you can understand why Franchise and Shy approach the holiday season – and the album as a whole – the way they do. There’s a sly irony to “Merry Shitmas” as it shows Christmas from the perspective of two rappers who’re clearly annoyed by the regurgitated topics and themes of many Christmas songs and their many, MANY cover versions.

So it’s only right that they take one of the most beloved and meme-worthy Christmas songs of all time – Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” – and rework it into a sex jam WITH THE SAME TITLE and a modified version of the now-iconic chorus! The dreamy, doo-wop-inspired beat is an absolute mood-setter and lyrically, Franchise delivers these smooth, sensual bars to his sexual partner, while Shy does some salacious sexcapade storytelling akin to his song “Family Matters” off the “When The Shit Hits the Fan” album.

But it’s not all shit-talking and freaky shit on “Merry Shitmas”. There’s the penultimate track “There’s Always Tomorrow” which, the more I think about it, is my top favorite song on this EP! The production is so lavish and lovely, driven by a heartwarming vocal sample from the classic Christmas TV special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. Franchise and Shy are at their most sincere and thoughtful as they assure the listener not to be overwhelmed and stressed out over the time allotted to us to achieve our goals. 

Failures will occur and we won’t achieve everything we work towards in a short space of time, but we should learn to reassess, recharge and continue moving forward. The beauty of this song is how it relates to our everyday lives and not a specific holiday or season. And even with its Christmas-based instrumentation, the song itself is so relatable and meaningful, you can literally listen to it any time of the year, especially when you find yourself feeling depressed, disappointed and stuck in some stage in your life.

Dookie Bros keep their hearts on their sleeves on the final track “Misfits” which, if you’re familiar with the soundtrack to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, you’ll truly admire the placement of this track after “There’s Always Tomorrow”. Set to a rousing, big-band and boom-bap beat driven by a sample from the Lou Rawls song “Christmas Will Really Be Christmas”, Shy and Franchise re-affirm their misfit statuses, staying true to their styles and sounds without conforming to current, flash-in-the-pan musical trends. Both emcees are appropriately bold and unapologetic on their verses and shared hook, but it’s Shy’s verse that steals the show, particularly in the way he defends his production style and the self-aware bar he uses to close the song.

As a whole, I absolutely enjoyed the near-22 minutes of “Merry Shitmas”! It features some of Dookie Bros’ best performances and Shy’s best production to date, and it delivers on the Christmas / anti-Christmas vibes I expected from both its title and album cover. And like the great Christmas and anti-Christmas movies of yesteryear, I can see myself revisiting “Merry Shitmas” on an annual basis. If you’re looking for a Christmas rap album to vibe to for the holidays, definitely seek this one out!

OVERALL RATING: 9 out of 10

Now available on all streaming platforms

ALBUM REVIEW: C.W. Franz – A C.W. Franz Christmas

Ahh, the Christmas album. Amidst the overwhelming hustle-and-bustle leading up to December 25th, I always make time to seek out new and old albums dedicated to Christmas. Usually, I’m not picky when it comes to genres. I’d listen to a horrorcore album about Krampus scaring the bejesus out of kids who were naughty for a large majority of the year, provided that the beats slap and the lyrics are dope! But all jokes aside, Christmas albums are designed to help set the mood for… well… Christmas, and if done right, remind us of why this time of the year is so wonderful, as Andy Williams eloquently stated back in 1963. As we get older, we can find ourselves feeling jaded, depressed and cynical every time December hits. And sometimes the realities of life hit us so hard, it’s almost difficult to find some sort of joy during the Yuletide season. But that’s why we need the Christmas song – old, new, covered a billion times, untouched or even parody – to remind us that there is, to borrow an old phrase, a ‘reason for the season’.

C.W. Franz, a regular on this blog, decided to throw his Santa hat into the ring and produce a Christmas album of his own. Simply titled “A C.W. Franz Christmas”, this record plays out like a Christmas TV special headlined by a musical artiste. Like “Solo” and “The Cubensis Session”, C.W. adopts a one-man show approach to this album, so if you were expecting a “Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special”-type experience, you’ll be severely disappointed!

Similar to “The Cubensis Session”, you can tell C.W. is drawing inspiration from John Fahey, Robbie Basho and Sandy Bull’s TV performances, in terms of the album’s informal tone, hushed pre-song introductions and light vocal deliveries. But what surprised me the most about “A C.W. Franz Christmas” was the lack of instruments used in this production. Recorded over a two-day period in his basement dubbed the Orange Diamond Studios (where his “8/14/2021” and “06/04/2022” jam session records were recorded in), C.W. uses three instruments: a Casio SA-76 keyboard, a moose hide drum and sleigh bells. Funny enough, the sleigh bells are used briefly in the opening and closing tracks, the drum is used briefly in one track and the Casio is used entirely in another. But the only prominent instrument on this album is C.W’s own voice.

Yes folks, what we have here is a mostly acapella album. And while I don’t generally seek out acapellas – unless I randomly feel the need to do a mashup track – it is quite refreshing to hear a Christmas album in the acapella sub-genre. Again, this is a one-man show, so Pentatonix this is not. But C.W. uses his singular presence to his advantage by creating this quaint, homely, ‘unplugged’ session where he shares his favorite Christmas songs with the listener. His vocal performances consistently match the informal tone of the album, all delivered in an unpolished yet casual and ordinary tone of voice. It’s as if you, the listener who may or may not be a professional singer, were singing a song to yourself or to someone else. 

“A C.W. Franz Christmas” opens and closes with some words from its host and includes brief introductions for each of its eight songs. It’s these non-sung moments that help create a sentimental and, in the case of the longest song on the album, empathic vibe. Perhaps it’s because I never had the reason to learn these carols by heart, but I’m marginally familiar with all the lyrics in this selection of carols hand-picked by C.W.  However, “Silent Night”, “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, “The First Noel”, “The Little Drummer Boy”, “O Christmas Tree” and “Feliz Navidad” are so universally recognized, they’re already ingrained into our psyche and interwoven into the music we hear during the Christmas holidays.

On a large chunk of the album, C.W. makes a rather bold choice of performing bite-sized renditions of these songs, sticking to the first and most recognizable verse of each one. It’s as if we’re hearing a medley but one that’s focused on a verse for each song and punctuated by brief verbal intermissions. On “Silent Night”, he sings the first verse twice, which is interesting because I do remember hearing versions of this song performed by well-known singers in the same way, oftentimes excluding the second and third (YES, there’s a third) verse.

There are two exceptions to this ‘one-verse rule’ where C.W. performs full versions of “The Little Drummer Boy” and “O Christmas Tree”. The former is actually his ‘favorite Christmas song’ and even without instrumentation, save for the abovementioned moose hide drum, you can hear the passion he feels for this hymn from start to finish. C.W.’s rendition of “O Christmas Tree” is sure to be a takeaway for many listeners as, in reference to his upbringing in Greek Orthodox Christianity, it’s performed entirely in Greek. And yet the vocal melody itself is timeless to the point that even if the song is performed in a different language, it still sounds delightful.

The penultimate track “The Hope of Peace Suite” is undoubtedly the most ‘C.W. Franz’ moment on the album. Played entirely with his Casio SA-76, C.W. performs an improvisational, six-section, roughly 12 ½ minute ambient piece inspired by the currently-ongoing Israel-Hamas War. In the opening section “Introduction”, C.W. introduces the piece and wisely omits any mention of what it’s about, leaving the job to the listener to interpret its message. Afterwards, we hear this surrealistic simulation of helicopter blades which, given this instrumental’s theme, I interpreted as both a helicopter surveying the Gaza Strip and its occupants preparing to launch an attack (Think of the iconic intro to Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam War masterpiece “Apocalypse Now”).

The second to sixth sections are entirely music-based with a brief bit of silence acting as an act break between each one. On “Encircling Gaza”, which utilizes a droning sound effect throughout its duration, C.W.’s chord progressions sound haunting and disheartening with every passing second. Though we get a substantially calmer melody on the opening of the next section “Desert Humors”, the sonic respite doesn’t last long as the notes sound more dramatic and intense (in its climax, the melody sounds like it’s spiraling out of control) near the end.

The second half of “The Hope of Peace Suite” begins with “Forsaken Ones”, which opens with these light, airy notes that sound thematically like the calm after the storm of the previous two sections. The preset applied to the instrumental itself creates this strange, melancholy aura. And when you pair that with the title, it becomes clear that this section is dedicated to the innocent Israelis and Palestinians who died during the war and their families who’re forced to move forward from their losses. The unfortunate reality of the war’s ongoing nature is reflected in “In Remainder”, where C.W. performs this short, eerie composition that sounds like the theme to some old-time thriller or horror film (thanks largely to the piano-like preset he uses in this section).

The suite concludes with “How One Reacts” which takes the haunting and intense moments of “Encircling Gaza” and “Desert Humors” respectively and combines them into a grand, climactic and slightly hopeful denouement. The title is quite ambiguous as the listener is left to ask the obvious questions: “Who is reacting?” and “Is this reaction justifiable?” Does the title relate to the back-and-forth attacks between Israel and Palestine after the terrifying events of October 7^th ? Or does it relate to the United States’ current response to the war? No answers are given.

Now I can imagine some listeners feeling confused or put off by the inclusion of this track in what’s supposed to be a joyous, heartwarming Christmas album. Honestly, if you’re familiar with C.W.’s work over the years, this album would’ve felt incomplete without some sort of ambient piece anyway! And to be fair, the song itself is far from disturbing or nightmarish. But to me, “The Hope of Peace Suite” gives this album a much-needed sense of timeliness. It’s so easy to immerse yourself into the traditionality of Christmas that we forget there are people the world over whose Christmas Day will be spent in anguish, fear and sadness. And in the case of the innocent citizens caught between this senseless war in the Gaza Strip, they’d be fortunate to celebrate the holidays in some way or form, even if it’s by singing a Christmas carol.

The sequencing of the last three songs is quite splendid, as we start with the Greek version of “O Christmas Tree”, continue with the “The Hope of Peace Suite” and end with the album’s final song, Jose Feliciano’s well-beloved “Feliz Navidad”. Even if you don’t know a lick of Spanish, you do know what “Feliz Navidad. Próspero año y Felicidad” means, or at least can sing it in a rhythmic way with or without the Latin pop instrumental playing in the background. And as C.W. reminds us in his brief rendition, it’s basically one verse – and a remarkably memorable one at that!

As a whole, “A C.W. Franz Christmas” is a sweet, simple and straightforward Yuletide album that celebrates the lasting power of the Christmas carol and the general power of music in lifting our spirits through the good and truly discouraging times. The simplicity and homegrown nature of the record clicked with me personally, as I couldn’t help but think of my occasional podcast recordings at home, usually punctuated by occasional, unavoidable external noises like dog barks or heavy footsteps. C.W. Franz fans will definitely appreciate and enjoy this project and connoisseurs of Christmas albums should seek this one out, especially those looking for something a little less ordinary.  Will the release of a Christmas album become an annual tradition for C.W. going forward? I highly doubt it. But like the memorable TV specials and albums dedicated to that ‘wonderful time of year’, “A C.W. Franz Christmas” is certainly worth revisiting.

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

Now available on Bandcamp

BBB RADIO S03E41 – RIP Ryan O’Neal, Aporia, Anatomy of a Fall, A Disturbance in the Force, Leave No World Behind, Merry Little Batman, Wonka

As the Christmas weekend draws nearer, Matthew and Ricardo pay respect to the late, great actor Ryan O’Neal and share their thoughts on the sci-fi film “Aporia”, the Oscar-worthy drama “Anatomy of a Fall”, the Star Wars-themed documentary “A Disturbance in the Force”, the apocalyptic thriller “Leave No World Behind” and the Christmas holiday mood-setters “Merry Little Batman” and “Wonka”.

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

TRACK & MUSIC VIDEO REVIEWS: Echo Strike – Rabbit Hole, Not Going to Follow, Hit or Miss, Infection & Running on Empty

For the first time on my blog, I’ll be reviewing a literal handful of promotional singles and their accompanying visuals for an upcoming studio album. The album in question is “Wonderland” from international pop rock / alt indie pop band Echo Strike, a follow-up to their breakup-themed record – and one of my favorite albums of 2022 – “Can’t Do Anything Right”. As you may have guessed, “Wonderland” is inspired by the beloved children’s novel “Alice in Wonderland” and like its predecessor, a concept album of sorts.

Based off the tones and sounds presented on these five singles, in addition to the final moments of my album breakdown of “Can’t Do Anything Right” with Echo Strike’s lead vocalist Randy Van Gelder from last year, I can report that “Wonderland” will be a substantially upbeat record. And though it will undoubtedly explore similar themes of love, heartbreak and moving forward from said heartbreak, the vibe will be mostly, if not entirely, dancefloor oriented thanks to the electro-pop sounds utilized by Echo Strike on this album.

Expanding on the “visual album” approach of “Can’t Do Anything Right” where a majority of tracks were given distinct visual treatments, these five music videos play out like narrative short films. Two of them are practically experimental films, which is funny since they’re both animated. For me, the incorporation of animation into the promotion of this album proves that Echo Strike’s music video for “Never Too Late” off the “Can’t Do Anything Right” record wasn’t a one-and-done attempt at using animation to articulate their lyrics and themes. And with the exception of one video, the Echo Strike band members appear in some shape or form in this anthology / visual EP of sorts.

I’ll kick things off with “Rabbit Hole”, the first of the two animated videos and the beginning of this journey into Echo Strike’s Wonderland. Like Alice’s descent into the rabbit hole led by the White Rabbit, this song involves the protagonist (portrayed as a lonely young man in the video) exiting his humdrum reality through a literal leap of faith. The song’s piano-driven electronica beat and expressive lyrics (“Come now, heart is pumping / Blinding lights, get jumpin’ / This place, got to know / Call it the Rabbit Hole”) help convey the sense of excitement and euphoria the protagonist feels along the way and upon arrival at this mysterious, extraordinary world.

Given the cyberpunk aesthetic of the music video, you can picture Randy on the track as this Morpheus-like character – who just so happens to do gigs at this nightclub which serves as the centerpiece of the video – beckoning the protagonist and the listener to take that life-altering plunge. On the subject of Randy, the AI technology used to craft this genuinely stunning video is so impressive, I assumed upon first viewing that the shots of Echo Strike performing were REAL! And speaking of “The Matrix”, I couldn’t help but be reminded of, yes, the nightclub scene from that film but also the premise of “Kid’s Story”, a standout segment from the “Animatrix” animated anthology film. Of all these videos, “Rabbit Hole” exhibits the perfect blend of sound, tone and visual in the sense that the video looks exactly the way the song sounds and feels like! Already, this is one of my favorite tracks off the record and I imagine it’ll be the same for many people who hear this song and watch its video.

In addition to one’s escape from reality, another theme established on “Wonderland” is resilience against the harshness of one’s environment. The live-action music video “Not Going to Follow” delivers a delightfully colorful take on rebelling against the external forces meant to destroy one’s individuality. In a dull, sepia-colored town, one of its citizens, played by a flamboyantly-dressed Randy, leaves his home and magically spreads color to the lives of his fellow townspeople. The end result is a joyous outdoor celebration that perfectly matches the song’s vibrant, sunny instrumental. The lyrics to this song are appropriately self-empowering as they encourage us to follow our own life paths and reject the man-made ones that go against our values and beliefs.

During my first listen and viewing, I admittedly felt a sense of thematic dissonance hearing these lyrics and seeing Randy’s Pied Piper-like character working his magic. But if you dig deeper into the video and song, you realize that Randy ISN’T a Pied Piper at all. Like Neo in “The Matrix”, Randy’s character broke out of his mental and emotional prisons and influences the townspeople to do the same. Of course, not everyone will understand, let alone take that leap, and that’s where you get a climactic moment in the video involving a bearded man resisting Randy’s magical charms via a hilarious dance-off. In short, the video is irresistibly fun but the lyrics, which I suspect will relate to a particular moment or song earlier in the tracklist, demand a little extra focus.

Sticking with live-action a bit longer, we have “Hit or Miss” which, from a production standpoint, is a continuation of Echo Strike’s occasional dabbles into decade-defined genres and sounds, like the disco throwback “1978” off their “Dirty Clean Sexy Mean” record. In this case, we’re treated to a gleefully retro synth pop anthem that, if it was recorded in the 1980s, would’ve fit nicely over an energetic film montage like the “Scarface” sequence set to Paul Engemann’s timeless “Push it to the Limit” for example (the sonic influence of which I couldn’t help but notice – as a huge “Scarface” fan – on this track).

Funny enough, the song and video actually owe a lot to classic, pop-driven combat sports films of the 80s, the three most notable being “The Karate Kid”, “Rocky III” and “Rocky IV” (Sorry, “Raging Bull” doesn’t count! I said POP-DRIVEN!). The video, filmed entirely in Argentina, begins with a prizefighter bribed to take a dive in his upcoming match by a gangster played by a Marsellus Wallace-channeling (sans the bald head) Randy Van Gelder. And like Bruce Willis’ character in “Pulp Fiction”, our hero ignores the bribe and focuses on the match and the pride his loved ones will feel if he wins it.

Lyrically, Randy (not the gangster) is facing an opponent of his own: the insecurity he feels over losing his recent love interest. Driven by the song’s warbly synths and throbbing percussion, he gets into training montage mode on the pre-hook (“I gotta run, run, run / Gotta catch the sun / So I light the fire, to take it higher”) and, adopting the courage and focus exhibited by many a boxer in the squared circle, makes a valiant effort to reclaim this girl’s love on the RIDICULOUSLY CATCHY chorus! The second verse adds an extra layer of depth to what could’ve been a simple ‘give love a try again’ song. Randy recalls his first bout with regret at the age of 5 and how, over the years, he learned to cope with regret through confidence and determination to do and be better. And thanks to the message of the aforementioned “Not Going to Follow”, the hook on “Hit or Miss” takes on a more self-affirmative meaning.

Which leads to the BEST live-action video in this package, “Infection”. If “Hit or Miss” involves a second chance at love, “Infection” deals with the enamored feeling that, depending on how you deal with heartbreak (more on that in a bit), may spur someone to try again – or try at all – at the game of love. Using a zombie-creating virus as the driving theme of the video and song is PURE GENIUS! As the title states, Randy’s INFECTED by this woman, and not only is he incapable of shaking her off his mind, but he’s changing into someone completely different. In zombie terms, swap the word “brain” with “heart” and you’ll know exactly what this song is getting at!

Randy wisely keeps the intent of this lovesick man open-ended, as we’re left to ponder whether his attraction towards this potential love interest is healthy or not. This is reflected in the subtly salacious tone of Randy’s songwriting and vocal delivery, particularly in the song’s bridge where he sounds rather……hungry for this woman. But despite the ‘undead’ imagery woven into the lyrics, the song’s main theme of infatuation is universally relatable, which in turn adds to the magnetic appeal this song has and will continue to garner. As I stated, “Infection” boasts the best live-action music video in this collection, and that’s due to the loving homage to the zombie genre it delivers from start to finish. From the IMPRESSIVE zombie makeup and simplistic, post-apocalyptic setting (think of the events leading up to “The Walking Dead” or “The Last of Us”) to the references to memorable zombie moments in film, like the iconic “Thriller” dance to the zombie/human love story presented in the 2010 zom-rom-com “Warm Bodies” (take note of the final shot before the end credit / blooper reel sequence).  And you can tell that everybody, zombie and human, had a BLAST on-set and it shows in this delightful, witty and entertaining-as-hell video!

And last but not least, we have my top favorite song and music video of the five: “Running on Empty”. This is where this brief journey into and across Wonderland veers into the dark territory of heartbreak. Over an airy, immersive, vaporwave beat, Randy sings from the perspective of a man who unapologetically turns his back on his ex after a frustrating roadblock in their relationship. The verses are delivered in this low register, consisting of brief phrases meant to sound like indifferent responses during a heated argument (“Tough shit, you’re mad / It’s rough, I ain’t sad”, “Now you need to know / What it’s like to sleep on the floor”). The key to truly understanding this song comes in the form of the melancholic vibe hovering over the hook. Yes, he sings “You, you’re running on empty / You gotta be lonely without me”, but you can tell that through all the nose-turning and chest-puffing he does on the verses, he’s actually concerned for his ex’s emotional stability. And despite the ‘toxic’ nature of the lyrics, the song itself isn’t about who’s right or wrong but how we feel, post-breakup, about the other person even if we were wronged in some way.

The animated visuals for “Running on Empty”, presented in a side-scroller video game style, are masterful in their simplicity and effectiveness. Throughout the video’s runtime, we follow a white, cardboard cutout-looking character wearing red shoes running through a series of brightly-colored landscapes. During the second verse where Randy mentions “sleeping on the floor”, the character runs into one of its kind lying on the ground, ignorant at how tired our lead is feeling at this point. After a transitional wipe, it continues running – all alone with no endpoint in sight. And while I won’t spoil what happens to it during the video’s final moments, it’s one of the most emotional and unforgettable conclusions you’ll see to a music video all year!

And to think this collection of songs and videos is but a taste of what’s in store with “Wonderland”. Sonically and visually, these five chapters of Echo Strike’s fantastical journey into electro-pop left me highly entertained and genuinely excited for their upcoming album. Like “Can’t Do Anything Right”, I won’t be surprised if we get more versatile visuals for some, if not the rest, of the other tracks. But for now, these delightful and enjoyable singles and videos should keep us satisfied until the final product drops!

“Rabbit Hole”, “Infection” and “Running on Empty” are now available on Spotify and YouTube. “Not Going to Follow” and “Hit or Miss” are scheduled for release on both platforms.  

BBB RADIO S03E40 – Furiosa, The Boys (Season 4), Fallout, Halo (Season 2), Ted & Star Trek Discovery (Season 5) FIRST LOOKS, Scavengers Reign, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, May December, The Holdovers

In this week’s episode, Matthew and Ricardo share their thoughts on the first trailers for the upcoming movie “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”, TV shows “Fallout” and “Ted” and seasons for the TV shows “The Boys” and “Halo”. In addition, they review the animated sci-fi series “Scavengers Reign”, the epic concert film “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” and two Oscar hopefuls – Todd Haynes’ “May December” and Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers”.

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

ALBUM & EP REVIEWS: Shabriz – Vybz & Fall Into Vybz (EP)

For this review, I’ll be covering the 2021 album “Vybz” and 2023 EP “Fall Into Vybz” from Trinidad-born, Houston-raised rapper, singer and songwriter Shabriz. In distinguishing the genre these projects belong to, Shabriz himself stated that it’s “considered World Music, but I like to think of it as OutKast meets Vybz Kartel”. And with the more spins I gave these records, the more I understood and respected his creative, X-meets-Y high concept pitch.

Categorizing “Vybz” and “Fall into Vybz” as world music or afro-fusion (the latter of which the majority of beats presented on these records fall under) makes sense. But lyrically and vocally, it’s pretty difficult to fit these projects into those boxes. And that’s where we get to the undeniable talent Shabriz brings to the table. He’ll start a song off in one genre and then, at the drop of a dime, switch into another! The album and EP contain elements of hip hop, dancehall, reggae and R&B, all of which Shabriz adjusts to by selecting the right flow and cadence and performing them with American, Jamaican and Trinidadian accents. Of course, this isn’t entirely new in the world of urban music but very rarely have I heard an artist who can switch tones and flows so effortlessly on the same track (not in an overblown way, mind you), especially on beats where the vibe is so consistent, there’s no real need to do any vocal switch-ups.

But the idea behind these projects is not to overthink things like flows and accents. At 24 minutes and 5 minutes respectively, “Vybz” and “Fall into Vybz” are meant to….well…..vibe to. The production consists of smooth, mid-tempo instrumentals designed to make your head nod and, for the most part, get your hips moving. And it’s this production that drives Shabriz to tap into the right vibes each song brings and enhance them vocally to the listener.

I’ll start with the longer project first, which boasts a strong opener and closer. The title track “Vybz” sets the tone of the record brilliantly, with a hazy, irresistibly laid-back instrumental and a truly impressive performance from Shabriz. Off his first verse alone, I get the sense that this song and album are meant to act as both an introduction and re-introduction to his music (Think of Ludacris’ “Back for the First Time” as an example, which was both his second studio album and major label debut). Adopting his American accent in the first half, he sounds rejuvenated as he raps about how his life experiences at that point shaped him into the artist we’re hearing on this track. There’s a great moment where the beat stops and resumes a few seconds later, giving Shabriz the opportunity to show off his lyrical dexterity through a Trini-accented dancehall flow. I will LOVE to see this song performed on-stage, and I can picture the audience losing their collective shits during that second verse! The response would be even greater if it were a Trinbagonian audience, as Shabriz spends the entirety of that verse repping his country of birth.

On the closing track “Intro (Flowers for Lukhanoo)”, Shabriz selects the mellowest beat out of the album’s bag of instrumentals and uses that to drop the most introspective bars I’ve heard in this two-project lineup. Sticking with a rap vocal style, he pays tribute to his Trinidadian friend Lukhanoo who held him down through his ups and downs, and continues to support him even though he doesn’t permanently reside in Trinidad. There’s a genuinely heartfelt moment where after the first verse, Shabriz recalls a phone call where Lukhanoo encouraged him to push his music and Caribbean roots forward. A part of me wishes that we had more introspective moments like this on “Vybz”. They would’ve fleshed out Shabriz’s character and personality on this record even more.

With the exception of the opening, penultimate and closing tracks, the vibe of the other five songs is primarily party-oriented. And the songs themselves are all designed to get bodies moving on dimly-lit dancefloors and brightly-lit strip club stages (more on that in a bit) – which is actually a good thing!

The quintet of party jams begins with “Steel Drum” which you might assume is all about Trinidad and Tobago’s national instrument. But alas, no! For you conservatives reading this, it’s really about the title of rapper Foxy Brown’s debut album! Anyway, this song features a relaxed, afro-fusion beat driven by a spacey keyboard chord progression, a lyrical blend of hip hop and dancehall, a CATCHY-ASS hook and tons of braggadocio and sexuality oozing out of its lyrics! Shabriz sticks to his Trinbagonian roots on this track by centering it on the attraction he feels for a Trinidadian woman he spotted at a Carnival festivity.

Things get steamy on the following tracks “Bruk Out” and “Sugar Cane”, both of which are NOT based on the respective 1998 and 2010 dancehall riddims of the same name. The former is an undeniable mood-setter of a bedroom song, complete with a sensual, nocturnal instrumental, a deft lyrical mix of dancehall and R&B, and some of Shabriz’s most sexually-charged bars. “Fuck fi spite, don’t fuck fi war, fuck fi life” is one of those lines you’ll remember long after you’ve heard it on this track! On “Sugar Cane”, Shabriz moves the party out of the bedroom and back onto the dancefloor, where he proceeds to tell this girl he just hooked up with that she can get more of his “sweet sugar cane”. And if you know a thing or two about soca music and sugar (I mean, Patrice Roberts sung TWO songs about sugar in her career, one about a sugar boy and the other about a sugar cane!), then you should know exactly what he’s talking about. Though it would have benefited from a second verse instead of the one verse and two instances of chorus we get here, “Sugar Cane” is still a salaciously satisfying track!

Bringing some Southern flavor into the mix is the aptly-titled strip club anthem “Slide”. Over some R&B / hip hop production (the guitar solo in particular has this 90s-styled bedroom music vibe to it), Shabriz channels his inner T-Pain and expresses his love – oops, I meant to say sexual attraction – towards a certain stripper doing her thing right in front of him. The truly impressive thing about this track is how he plays with the listener’s expectations on this song, giving us rap on the first verse, R&B on the hook and out of the blue, dancehall on the second verse! You won’t associate the latter lyrical style with a beat like this and yet, somehow, it WORKS!

Shabriz changes the order of those three lyrical styles on the following, and dare I say, BEST track on the record: “Uno”. Here, we’re treated to this hypnotic, afro-fusion beat with a backing drum pattern that interestingly sounds very 90s dancehall-inspired. Shabriz drops his wittiest, eyebrow-raising double entendres, with standouts like “You have de coldest waist like Toronto / Leg and thigh, I want de 2-piece combo” and “Kinda wine turn meh sister into ah auntie / Fi de food, gyal, I willing to raid yuh pantry”. The hook, or should I say the execution of it after the first verse, is FANTASTIC as the line “You may be the one for me” is delivered in a slower fashion after the first instance. The third and final instance helps segue the song into a hi hat-driven beat that beautifully maintains the previous instrumental’s hazy and hypnotic tone. Of course, with a beat switch like this, Shabriz has no choice but to rap, and he uses his cocky bars and laid-back delivery to literally GLIDE his way to the end of the track! And speaking of ‘end’, is that a Sampha sample playing through the song’s final seconds? I would love to know!

Closing off the “Vybz” section of this review is the penultimate track “I Know”. The production on this track is the most textured on the album, with its downbeat R&B/hip hop grooves, shimmering keyboard chords, bluesy electric guitars and soulful organs. Shabriz capitalizes on this hip hop and R&B fusion with a brilliantly-sung hook and a first verse where he adds a little poetry to his sexual suggestiveness (“And I know your shrubbery’s sweeter than bowls of potpourri / I’m a Hardy boy, but baby, this ain’t no mystery / Had to save me from witches trying to kill the Cedric Digg (dick)-ory”). On the second verse, however, he starts off with dancehall for a bit (four lines to be exact), then reverts to rap. Thematically, while this song follows the same throughline as the previous four songs where Shabriz sees a girl and is determined to win her heart, I’d make the argument that it relates the most to the opening track, where it seems as if he had to ‘find himself’ first before making this life-changing commitment to stay with his current love interest. The song’s closing line “I bet you wonder where I’ve been” alludes to that as well.

The “Fall into Vybz” EP serves as a continuation of the “Vybz” album with only two tracks to keep the…well….vibes going. The first in this duo is “Anything” which features a seductive, head-nodding beat and a lyrical structure similar to the aforementioned track “Vybz” where Shabriz starts with rap and ends with dancehall. This song also shares tonal resemblances with “I Know” as it involves Shabriz assuring his partner that he’ll always be there for her, and includes a mix of poetry and sexual innuendo on the first verse and direct, unapologetic requests for intimacy on the second verse.

By comparison, “Pum Pum” is a fun, raunchy dancehall song clearly inspired by the many dancehall songs of the 90s and 2000s that got away with revealing their ‘findings’ on that particular topic over the airwaves. Over a groovy afro-fusion instrumental laced with harp-like strings, Shabriz spits a series of raw, sex-fueled dancehall bars sprinkled with witty one-liners (“Now yuh slide down de vine like Tarzan did to Jane”), the second verse of which is cut short by a brief rap segment set to some dramatic piano keys in the background.  

As a showcase of Shabriz’s songwriting and genre-specific vocal skills, “Vybz” and “Fall into Vybz” delivers the goods and more! His ear for mood-inducing beats and lyrical ability to make the absolute use of those beats are on full-display on both projects. And overall, they left me excited for the next “Vybz” session Shabriz will hopefully bless our ears with the near-future. But in the meantime, if you like your urban music with the genre-fusing bravery of a group like OutKast and the lyrical brashness and bravura of an artist like Vybz Karel, “Vybz” and “Fall into Vybz” are definitely worth checking out!

‘VYBZ’ RATING: 8 out of 10

‘FALL INTO VYBZ’ RATING: 6 out of 10

“Vybz” is now available on Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal.

“Fall into Vybz” is now available on Spotify.