LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Deconstruction Records) - For legendary emcee Aceyalone, being out of the norm has paradoxically always been the norm. After indulging his love of Jamaican music for 2007's Lightning Strikes, the musically diverse emcee brings his admiration for doo-wop, blues and funk to the forefront.
On the title track, finger snaps, falsetto choruses and Rickenbacker guitar dominate the production, a sound closer to Phil Spector's Wall of Sound than today's by-the-numbers beats. 'What it Wuz' recalls the same era, but looks more towards Motown and Holland/Dozier/Holland production to emulate and update classic soul groups (think Martha & the Vandellas, Four Tops).
'To the Top [Remix],' with its classic Bo Diddley beat, conjures up images of an early-20th century juke joint on Saturday night, while 'Can't Hold Back' is pure grimy funk, showcasing Aceyalone's faux-bandleader personage as much as his emcee side. In true James Brown form, the emcee genially barks instructions to his band and engages the crowd in a rowdy call-and-response.
'I'm not from that era, but this is my ode to it,' says the emcee of the album's feel. 'I'm just putting myself into that character as a showman and bandleader. But I can still rhyme with the best of them. Artists are going to experiment and go different places and I love that whole era anyway.'
In stark contrast to the quantity-over-quality approach favored by so many emcees, Aceyalone has always prided himself on quality control. Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones is no exception. With Lonely Ones, Aceyalone along with producer Bionik, strikes down sonic boundaries and throwing the listener back to a time when music was pure, energetic, and fun. Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones isn't just a collection of songs, but an album where every part is essential to its meaning.
In 1995, the emcee released his debut solo album All Balls Don't Bounce, earning massive critical acclaim and Allmusic.com declaring Aceyalone 'one of the greatest lyricists the West Coast has ever produced' and Bounce 'a spectacular lyrical milestone.'
Since then, the emcee has released eight more solo albums, with 2006 alone seeing the release of two albums. 'You might say I'm prolific,' says Aceyalone, 'but I'm still a work in progress. I'm just a conveyer of what's already out there and people just don't see it. I just interpret it.'
Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones represents another chapter in a consistently evolving career for the emcee. And after nine solo albums and countless more with others, there's still a whole novel to go.
Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones will be in stores March 31, 2009.
