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REVIEW
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De La Soul's most recent album
Hip hop careers last about as long as clean diapers. The disposable nature of Hip Hop artists is like a sprint compared to the long distance pace of acts in other genres. De La Soul have proved themselves the equivalent of the U.S. Olympic 400 meter relay team by being something most of their peers (the few heads who've been in the game ten plus years) are not: relevant.
Where most hip hop acts of De La's vintage rely on cred and past glories, De La Soul continues to bring us up to the moment newscasts from their universe. They're like those older brothers who come to party classy, those domino smashers in the corner essential to every function. They're that cat in the barber chair next to you giving you one to grow on.
Bionix is the second installment of a trilogy of albums. Fans of the last installment will find the party continues here, but those flag bearers for De La's geeked out odes to Oodles of O's and Eyepatches will not find as much eclecticism here. What you will find is party music to the struggles we live today. This is capital "S" Soul music. I can't put this album on without thinking Marvin Gaye or Sly and the Family Stone. It can be reflective and moody, but it always bumps.
Most of the nonsequitors are gone. These brothers are up in the club dropping wisdom. In the deep-end-diving "Trying People", Posdonus reveals he's "got fan's around the world but his girl's not one of them" while Dave the Dove confesses his love of women and a desire to be married. Possibly their deepest cut ("Millie Pulled a Pistol on Claus" is neck and neck), with its swooping vocal sample and dubbed up bassline, this is a modern "People Get Ready".
They balance the deeper moments of standouts like "Held Down" featuring Cee-Lo (damn that brother can sing) with its "Backstabbers" theme, and "Special" with its soulful vocal hooks, with party tracks such as "Simply" with its wobbly Paul McCartney sample and classic Nice & Smooth style delivery, as well as "Watch Out" where Posdonus delivers lyrical barbs like "unlike the underground who rock for heads, we include the throat, chest, arms and legs," over a catchy latin groove. This sentiment encapsulates the entire album. They giving you the whole hog. De La continues their tradition of being catchy without being predictable and showing increased lyrical mastery with each outing, as opposed to resting on their laurels as many of their contemporaries do.
Resident MCs aside, the few guest appearances fall flat, with the exception of the ever welcome Slick Rick on "What We Do (For Love)", and a clever comedic turn by B-Real in the stripped down Jay-Dee banger "Peer Pressure". The Reverend Do Good skits are funny and fit nicely with the albums umbrella themes of spirituality, and growth.
If not for some of this albums droopier moments like the boring "Am I Worth You" and "The Sauce", and the unnecessary "Footprints" retread of "Simply Havin" this album would be a perfect 5 for 5.
Think of each of these tracks as birthday gifts from Plugs One Two and Three to you, their toast saying "You've come a long way baby." It is a perfect compliment to the kind of searching soul of the seventies that could still bump a party. This WILL bump your party. Know that.
OVERALL RATING: 4/5
REVIEWED BY: kangol
ADDED: 2002-04-25
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