By Odeisel

2009 has been a banner year for independent Hip-Hop, with declining sales in the mainstream lane opening a path for more music to enter the public arena.  Souls of Mischief have been a force in Hip-Hop since the classic 93 ‘Til Infinity and their journey through the Hip-Hop labyrinth has led them to their new work Montezuma’s Revenge.

Still present is their trademarked back and forth, seamlessly chiming in on each other’s verses with ad-libs and echoed commentary without tripping over each other.  There is amazingly always room for all four rappers as opposed to a group like Slaughterhouse that may be better suited breaking up the four on certain songs.  Souls has the agility necessary for balancing out four rappers on a track without sounding repetitious.

This time they are joined by Prince Paul on the boards. Paul breathes new musical life into Soul’s music with production that incorporates unorthodox samples and unusual beat construction that occasionally truncates the full measure leaving the loop off kilter.  These small but definitive methods keep the beats live and entertaining throughout the listening experience.  As is custom with Prince Paul projects, there is a funny skit “Mr. Freeman,” with a faux Morgan Freeman giving Tajai advice about his music. His advice “Stop doing that old school shit.” Hilarious.

As for the album itself it begins with an “Intro” with each group member reintroducing themselves to the masses and allowing you to get familiar with their group dynamic. From there they go straight to war with “Woni.” The song features a distorted guitar and some fast paced rhymes that immediately create urgency. They slow it up with the dysfunctional relationship track “Postal.” The murky strings suit the mood of the song as the guys talk about a woman that gets her rocks off getting them angry with public blow-ups.

The appropriately retro “Tour Stories” has the group reflecting on different road experiences.  While there are a couple weak lines like “get around like Christopher Columbus” and “I’ll be back like Arnold” which are beneath their vet status, the song is cool and doesn’t really hurt the album overall. It’s always good to hear the choruses scratched in for the nostalgic feel. After a fairly nebulous skit, we get the very dope “Proper Aim” which features a very dope dissection of “Impeach the President” that creates a rhythmic spasmodic feel that Souls ably navigate with solid rhymes and flows. The bassline itself is really ill for the cherry on top.

The LP slows down from there with the bongo driven “You Got It.” The song construction has been seen before when there is one phrase that is interspersed throughout the song occasionally replacing parts of verses. Not new stylistically but done capably here.  Not exciting but not ruinous. They pick it back up with “Hiero Hq” which brings us into the world of the Hiero. “We owners of the label, your ho do me fellatio.”  Indeed. Del tha Funky Homo Sapien appears on interludes between verses letting you know how it goes down.  Well placed song that restores the gusto to the album, and the group is taking a more offensive approach to dealing with sucker MCs.

The very aery “Poets” takes that energy and ups the ante. The sample used for the hook was brilliantly chosen and gives you a resting point between high energy verse. Lines like “Deep like an elevator shaft in Africa,” and “Egyptian and French, call her Cleopatra Joan Of Arc” restore honor lost from those previously weak lines mentioned above with mid-verse double entendre and connection. “Fourmation” is another retread in term of ideas, with the Twenty-Two 2’s style instead using the operative “Four.” (Shout to KRS for inventing that style with “Hole”) It’s a bit meh on this one.  A bit of gun/tough talk comes on the appropriately titled “Dead Man Talking.”  Not a bad song but not really checking for that kind of talk from the Souls. It is credibly delivered, however.

The album closes out with the very dope “For Real Ya’ll” which features the group going in on a very gully beat.  They go hard without the angry talk and in this instance it works well. One of the best beats on the album as well. From there we seemingly revisit the chick from “Postal” with “Lickity Split” as the boys have seemingly had enough of her shit, noting all the reasons why enough is enough. Song ends with a spanglish tirade from her kicked-to-the-curb ass that’s pretty funny. “Homegame puts the bow on top with a bbq celebratory vibe. Song is certainly fam ready and is just a very lite “Oaklandized” version of “California Love.” If the BBQ from “Nuthin’ But a G Thang” had a soundtrack minus the gangstas and with a couple more chicks like the one that lost her bra and there were more vegetables on the grill, it would sound like this. Bonus cut “Lalala is a nice freebie.

Montezuma’s Revenge is a solid album.  They don’t sound tired by any means but they don’t really break any new ground lyrically.  Like your family car, it’s not sparkling or kitted out, but it’s dependable, presentable, and road ready. Buy it, bump it for a couple weeks then break it out occasionally.
3.75 out of 5

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