By Odeisel

Action Bronson has been putting in a huge amount of work on these Hip-Hop streets, tightening his flow and getting his lyrical weight up to compensate for his vocal similarity to Ghostface Killah. On his latest EP, Saab Stories, he teams up with producer Harry Fraud to craft a masterpiece of crime rhyme that is pristine musically and crisp lyrically. Another project like this and I’m officially on the band wagon.

Harry Fraud crafts such rich sonic landscapes; you hear the beats and you feel the true grit like the South Bronx of the 70’s, Mayor Koch’s post-bankrupt NYC, Supreme Team Queens or any other drugged out landscape from when The Big Apple was still a myth. There are classic drum samples you recognize with a smile, hazed out electric guitar samples and rich basslines that color Frauds compositions with drama.

Bronson has upped the ante on his emcee arrogance with the ranting and raving that permeates opening salvo 2 Virgins.  Fraud slows it down on the smokey Triple Backflip as Bronson spits an ill narrative that sounds like Ghost in his prime complete with ridiculous assertions, sound effects and zany color commentary that doesn’t always make sense. No Time flips a poignant intro into a boom bap hard drum and an old school melodic chorus. Another track on a different mood wavelength, showcasing the versatility of both Bronson and Fraud.

Another path is taken on the double time The Rockers. Bronson injects Marty Janetti (wrestling fans nod if you know) on the refrain and flows slow to the mid tempo rhythm with a soft flute before the break and an entrancing chime running throughout. Wiz Khalifa blows the doors off on this, switching flows and rhyme schemes while flaunting his dough and putting his flavor on full display. Strictly 4 My Jeeps jacks EPMD’s Rampage for it’s swagger but adds enough elements and breaks to establish its own identity. Internal rhyme schemes and multis run throughout and I’m always down with an Uday and Qusay reference.

Alligator is the weakest track on this offering, drifting too close to the trap lane, which is musically not in Action Bronson’s wheelhouse. The snare drums and its surrounding beat elements don’t sound authentic enough to that genre and lacks that low bottomed bombast that makes it palatable. Bronson’s inflections and tone are too stiff. Closing note Seven Series Triplets more than makes up for this misstep. Prodigy and Raekwon go in over some next level Harry Fraud track that sounds like vintage RZA. Bronson’s vocal similarity to Ghost makes it even more 96 Wu-like. Prodigy is menacing even though for the first few bars he doesn’t really rhyme. Once that break comes in, he brutalizes the beat. Rae closes with his typical Raekwon verse, but it fits perfectly.

Saab Stories is flat out dope and it honestly removed Action Bronson from Ghostface imitator to legitimate entity in the way that Fabolous evolved from initial Ma$e clone status. If you are a lover of that hardcore raw shit, you need this in your life. Not classic, but veeery good.
Out of 5

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