Music: Music Review: Random Axe: Random Axe

Jun 26, 2011 Music Avenue

The gruff delivery and roughneck charisma of J-Dilla protg Guilty Simpson have made him a popular guest rapper in underground circles, but his cartoon aggression can wear a little thin over the course of an entire record. Simpson shared his Stones Throw debut, O.J. Simpson, with the trippy instrumentals of producer (and fellow J-Dilla collaborator) Madlib. Simpsons new supergroup, Random Axe, again finds him sharing the spotlight with collaborators who play to his limited strengths. The belligerent antics of Heltah Skeltahs Sean Price take some of the weight off Simpson, but the projects real MVP is Detroit producer Black Milk, who produces and raps.

Black Milks quietly assured production gives the album the diversity it lacks lyrically, whether hes setting some of Simpson and Prices most thoughtful lyrics to a spooky minimalist haunted-house beat on Everybody Nobody Somebody, or counteracting his lyricists abundant grit with sparkling, anthemic pianos on Random Call. The supergroup concept is an invitation to self-indulgence, but Random Axe burns through 15 trackssome of them about 60 seconds longin about 40 tight minutes, making the trio more than the sum of its considerable parts.

Edot Music
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