Staump.com

WordSmiths review by timstaump

posted: August 2008

The WordSmiths are a hip hop group straight out of Lakeside, California. Their album, "Aggressive Intellect," is filled with innovative beats, and clever rhymes. Their style is distinct, and every song on the album has it's genius.

The album starts with an introduction to the artists who are behind the music. This was a nice touch to the album. It made the artists feel more real and present.

Track two ,"Listen Carefully," is very connected. The song has a flow that went from beginning to end. One of the best lines is, "...I'm quenchin' the thirst for MC's..." The words are strong, the chorus is memorable, and the ending ties in perfectly with the beginning.

The first thing that comes to mind when hearing "Breakfast with Blockhead Freestyle," is that the beats are Bad Ass. The stand up bass licks are used very well in combination with the drum set and rhymes. This is one thing that stands out consistently throughout the whole album. The beats and instrumentation chosen for "Aggressive Intellect," are not todays typical hip hop sounds, and gives every song a unique feel. This is refreshing for the listener, who gets to hear hip hop with a fresher timbre.

Track five is,"We're Comin'. " The lyrics on this track are clever, shocking, and in your face. The only weak point to this track is the chorus. The rhymes are aggressive and strong, but the chorus did not have that same strong feel.

"Lakesider Rider," is a tribute to the WordSmiths hometown. Being from Lakeside ourselves, the Staumps get a kick out of listening to this one. The WordSmiths paint a picture with their words, and that picture looks like Lakeside. The WordSmith's hometown is a "...great place to grow up, but a fucked up place to live..." You gotta love Lakeside!

Track seven, " 6 Million Ways 2 Die," is one of the weakest on the album. The rap style is totally off. This song felt like it should be angry, in your face, and hostile, but the vocals felt flimsy and too laid back. The listener kept waiting for this song to hit them, but the vocals were holding back the explosion.

Track eight, "Catch Me Freestyle," has some of the best vocals, beats, and instrumentation. The feel is old school, and chillin'. This one is perfect for a late night chill session.

Track nine is," Girl Who Left Me Interlude." All that can be said for this one is thank God it is only a minute long. The melody is cheesy, and the whole thing felt totally out of place. The vocals are not impressive, and it is all around not up to par with the rest of the album.

"Slide Through Sonnets," is also one of the best. The chorus hooks the listener, and by the end, you're singing along. The rhymes on the track are impacting as well. Rap should leave you feeling a little beat up afterward. It should feel like you got tackled, and that you tackled someone else at the same time. This song has that feel.

"Writers Block"...All that can be said for this track is that it interprets how writers block feels, pretty dead on. Frustrating as all hell!

Track twelve is," The Alphabet Song." This is the best song on the album. It really shows off the talent of the WordSmiths. They used every letter of the alphabet to come up with clever phrases that they somehow made fit together in a logical flow. This song is one that anyone could enjoy listening to.

The other track that is really enjoyable to listen to, and has some great lines is ," Things the Mouth Can Do." This one has the head bobbing factor. It sounds raw and real, like you turned down an alley and a group of rappers are going off just for the hell of it.

Overall the WordSmiths have some well done tracks and original concepts. Every song has a different feel and great beats to back up some mouths full of clever rhymes. One of the WordSmiths greatest talents is creating imagery with their lyrics. There are very few moments of weakness, and the strong moments blast through. It is an album that has tracks to chill to, and tracks to get pumped up to. The WordSmiths did a great job of representing their hometown, and putting out art that they can be proud of. Staump.com recommends everyone to take a listen to this group of lyricists, and we look forward to their next CD!