Song Review: No Mo

Song Review: "No Mo (f/ Ja Mar)" by Stat Boi
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10818072

Stat Boi and Ja Mar collaborate to put together "No Mo," a "no time for games" type of track.  Stat comes in first to deliver a solid introductory verse.  Confident behind the mic and down-to-earth, he turns out a verse that connects with the audience for the most part.  The biggest issue I had with this verse was the mix.  Some of the adlibs at the end of the lines were making it hard to actually hear the words.  Try panning them to the left around 20-40.  It will make a huge difference in clarity.  Also, backups are meant to be backups ... that is, they probably shouldn't be louder than your main vocals.

Still, I enjoyed this verse better than the second verse, which bring in to question, why even have a feature?  Don't get me wrong, Ja Mar doesn't have a terrible verse, it's just that it didn't blow me away.  I'm pretty greedy with verse space on my songs; I don't want a feature unless I know my feature is bringing something to the table I can't.  Maybe because of the song topic here; there's not much Stat could have said in a second verse that wasn't already said in first verse and hook.

Anyway, I digress.  The second verse was cool, but it seemed a bit low and some of the words weren't really spoken well (slurred, almost), making it hard to discern.  There's a difference in a southern accent and not speaking clearly, and having family in the Carolinas and south, I know this was a case of the latter.

One thing I must say about the hook, though.  When I first played the song, I had not actually checked for the title of the song, as I was preparing this blog entry.  The hook dropped and I could have sworn I heard a cow mooing in the background!  I later realized it was the artist harmonizing "Noo Moooo," but it didn't come out so well.  As I mentioned earlier, panning should certainly help here.

Overall, after that initial shock, the track was pretty cool, I thought.  It's not a track built with layers of thought, it's not going to stand the test of time.  But it's an enjoyable track that I'm sure people will be able to relate to and will get a sense of familiarity when they hear it.

All that said, check it out for yourself below:

N. Talekt

Week of 5/8: SoundClick.com Hip-Hop Top 5

This week gave some tough decisions as to the top five ordering, but for me, the final verdicts came down to replay value. What song would I play again? Here's the rather enjoyable list for the week:

He Man Huff - It's All On Me
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10608381

Boss Game - The Way I Be
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10598697

Chayse MacLair - I Aint Tossin In the Towel Remix
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10606870

Stat Boi - No Lie (f/ Jamar and Deshawanna)
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10597267

Mic S. - I Am Just a Monster (f/ Boss Game & N. Talekt)
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10610473

This week, He Man Huff snatches the top spot with "It's All On Me." Why? Simple: replay value. A simple track with three verses with storytelling lyrics cover personal topics for the artist in a way the listener can relate to. The hook ties the stories together well, just as a good hook should. The quality could be better mix-wise, put getting past that, the track is great. A big part of having a successful track is being able to have your audience not just enjoy your music, but feel you music. The more they can personalize their experiences with your music, the more they crave your work.

A close second this week comes with a rawkus Boss Game track, "The Way I Be." The beat drops and you can't help but nod your head. Boss rides the beat well here and the rest really takes care of itself. It's a track that sounds official, I could hear it in the car, the radio, the club. The quality is great, even the introductory ad-libs, which is typically where Boss Game's tracks falter. The single issue I had with this song was length and variation. I felt like there should have been a bridge and a third verse. That would have made this song out the park, giving it the variation it needs to be dynamic and repeat-able. As is, it's pretty cool, just missing the edge.

Right up there with the previous two is Chayse MacLair's effort. This track discusses Chayse's refusal to, well, toss in the towel. Chayse carries himself on the mic in a confident, consistent way that makes all of his tracks have potential for breakout success. This is no different. AllRounda supplies a nice backdrop and Chayse keeps the witty, interesting lyrics coming. The quality is pretty good, better than He Man Huffs but not quite as good as Boss Game. I think the bridge here, a missing link in Boss Game's track, was a swing and a miss -- good idea, wasn't feeling the execution.

Between these three tracks, it's hard to say which one shines the most. I would say pick a day, and I may give you a different answer. Today, at this moment, this order is how it shakes out. But frankly, it's a toss up. Chayse did an excellent job with his song this week, Boss Game's song had me rockin, and I was feelin' He Man's topics of discussion. Great job to the top 3 this week.

Now, the four spot is more clearly the four this week; don't get me wrong, I think it may have ranked higher on a less competitive week, but not on this occasion. Overall, the quality is ok, not bad, not perfect, from Stat Boi & company. The song is something to smoke to (which I don't, so maybe that's why I don't relate), with a well-delivered, but nonsensical hook. The verses were a bit pedestrian here, but I'm not sure if that wasn't on purpose. I was expecting a bit more from the girl, but she seemed to put her delivery on cruise control (could also be a mixing fail). Overall, the song comes out solid & I think the target audience would enjoy it, but not my cup of tea here.

For the final spot, a bias choice here rounds out the list with Mic S.'s psychotic track "I Am Just a Monster." Everyone goes in and delivers some nasty verses over a pounding, eerie beat. A fresh sound and a good outing overall.

As always, nice work this week by everyone, especially to the top three this week. Again, a tough decision that could have shaken out in a number of different variations, and I went back and forth with it for some time, but again, after listening to the track multiple times, the one that wore off the least was the one I left atop for today. I expect more of the same next week.

N. Talekt