Album Review: Rhymes and Beats good but inconsistent

By: Justin Pacheco

Posted: 10/16/07

10/16/07 - I'm not someone who normally likes rap. Usually I only listen to rap in an ironic sense- there's just something ridiculous and funny about the obscenity-laden DMX tracks and the flawed Modus Tollens in the repetitive "This Why I'm Hot."

However, I have developed a taste for rap that uses rock instruments as the main part of music. Bands like Gym Class Heroes and N.E.R.D are some of my favorites. The Grey Album, which mixed Jay-Z's Black Album with the Beatles White Album is another one of my favorites.

gNotes, a hip-hop producer and MC from Massachusetts, seems to fit into this category of music, although he doesn't fit perfectly. There is not much in the way of traditional singing like that found on Gym Class Heroes or N.E.R.D albums.

Nearly every song on Rhymes and Beats is pure rap and many tracks are filled with a variety of synthetic sounds to accompany the guitar and bass. This makes sense though, as gNotes is a rapper, not a band.

The album is a nice listen with mostly mid-tempo songs. The strong guitar riffs and enjoyable trumpets on "Samba Tryst" make the track stand out as one of my favorites. "Muddy Treble Clef" is another strong track, very catchy although it's an extremely short song that clocks in at just over two minutes.

The slower tracks, like "Missin' You" and "Burn Down the Stable" almost have a bluesy feel. These tracks are very effective at conveying the feeling of sadness and remorse gNotes obviously feels.

gNotes is an acquired taste, but Rhymes and Beats is one of the more unique albums I've heard recently. It's a good change of pace from the barrage of punk, emo and hardcore rap that I usual hear. Its not perfect, in fact it's a fairly inconsistent album and gNotes voice gets grating after extended listening. But, Rhymes and Beats is worth a listen if you're in the mood for something different.