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Joshua
Gabriel: Self-Titled
Joshua Gabriel casts his self-titled debut full-length as a work from and for your modern urban protester. Boldly certain of his premise, Gabriel proselytizes his politics-as-art-as-life seemingly without the fear of a slide toward caricature that arises when one dives head-first into a particular stereotype. He even pulls it off once or twice. The lyrics on most tracks strike the listener as distinctly old school Hip-Hop influenced, though without the charm of authentically antique flavor. It's a sort of stiff meter common among the elderly who venture to bust a rhyme, and while not always incoherent for picking any word that will fit the cadence, is typically meaningful but un-clever. A sense of natural flow is spotty at best until the final track, "I Know You Know," in which the listener's suspicions of affectation relax, and one could be convinced that he means it from his heart rather than his pamphlet. Contrast this with consistently interesting, creative and well performed instrumentation. Though never stretching toward remarkable challenges musically, the guitar parts are appropriate for the tracks and are nicely varied throughout. Sparse, gently mixed beatbox backing is pulled off excellently, a rare accomplishment outside of the most well respected Hip-Hop practitioners. Chord patterns are kept simple, but they rarely get boring. Overall, it's a firm foundation that perhaps could have benefited from a lyrical partner to help dull and limit the idiosyncrasies of the vocals. In search of standout singles, the aforementioned "I Know You Know" and the second track, "R-Paygio," come to the forefront. As good as the latter sounds, it's the foundation of a much better song that didn't get put together. Long for not having a melody to speak of or lyrics it's repetitive but absorbing. Gabriel describes it as something for "when I'm really stoned and staring at myself in the mirror." I don't think he's being sarcastic, because if he was, he would have come up with something to throw into the foreground of the track to make a song that commanded attention whether or not one has indulged. It's an obvious lack in an otherwise solid moment on the album. Overall, you probably need to be of the choir to get into this one, though it's certainly not a bad effort. There are just too many quirks that, while probably endearing in person, seem assumed without a performer to present them as part-and-parcel of personality. Off-beat passion demands context that just isn't there on this record, though I'd gamble a live show to see if it would come together on stage.
This album can be purchased at the Joshua Gabriel Official Website About LOTD Contact/Staff Advertise Home All content LEFT OFF THE DIAL 2001-2005. All rights reserved. |
