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Written by Bob McMahon Tuesday, 01 August 2006 04:54

The nimble MC also effectively satirizes the fast food industry in "The Fries," observing, "People ain't even survive through the drive through."

 

The press package for Boston rapper Mr. Lif's sophomore full-length Mo' Mega describes it as "the album he had to make." In that case, Mr. Lif must have had to make a predictable album. His lyrics focus around familiar topics like politics, love, lust, and introspection. And EL-P, who produces 8 of the album's 11 tracks, creates dissonant and often robotic soundscapes as only he can, but brings no real surprises to the table. Thankfully, the record's familiarity doesn't breed contempt. For despite the fact that it breaks no new ground, Mo' Mega, is a finely executed album that reflects the experience and skill shared by Mr. Lif and EL-P.

Compared to Def Jux flagship rappers such as Aesop Rock and EL-P himself, Lif has a more traditional boom-bap cadence. Appropriately, EL-P streamlines his sound on most of his productions here, opting for cleaner samples and more standard rhythms. His work is still too dark and unmelodic to be confused with hip-hop played on MTV, but the difference between these beats and those on his earlier work is noticeable. This approach generally works well for Lif, as the music allows him to use the straightforward rhythms at which he excels while still being menacing enough to properly underscore his angry rants.

One of the better of those is found in "Ultra-Mega," which finds Lif decrying a materialistic society with his wry portrayal of a greedy corporation. "Did you notice, we also have.../Oh, you have?/Let me grab a bigger bag/Now walk through the scanners/Keep us in your daily planner/We're a Master Store/But really mainly just Master," Lif listlessly raps over a densely layered percussive EL-P beat. Both the lyrical delivery and the beat help accentuate Lif's point that we're all easy-to-program consumerist robots. The nimble MC also effectively satirizes the fast food industry in "The Fries," observing, "People ain't even survive through the drive through." Lif is sure not to forget his favorite target, our government, with "The Brothaz." Here he attributes our slow response to Katrina and the Darfur genocide to the victims' skin color. Though his delivery is deft and EL-P brings a great horn coda to the mix, his use of the race card feels cheap.

Mo' Mega mercifully lightens up in its second half, with the humorous cut "Murs Iz My Manager" (with Murs, of course) that features an excellent crackling funk backdrop courtesy of Edan. Elsewhere, Lif runs the gamut from emphasizing hygiene in relationships ("Washitup!") to lamenting over his father's abandonment of his family ("Lookin' In") and resolving to do better in a touching ode to his daughter ("For You"). Lif handles all of these subjects well with clever lyrics and rhyme structures. However, he occasionally has an overly monotonous flow that doesn't complement EL-P's noisy production. But other than this minor flaw and an annoying backdrop on "The Fries," Mo' Mega is a solid and entertaining album. It may not be a milestone for hip-hop, Mr. Lif, or EL-P, but it's an engaging listen and worth your time.