One of the Bay Area's best-kept secrets is no longer a secret. September 2009 brings the release of the Crown City Rockers' third album The Day After Forever, released domestically and internationally by Gold Dust. This five-piece hip-hop band from Oakland is truly ready for the world, and the world is MORE than ready for them.
On The Day After Forever, CCR incorporate the fluid vibrancy of their legendary live shows into a studio context, resulting in what is easily their best and most fully-realized album yet. Lead-off track "Break" resonates with boom-bap goodness; anchored by Headnodic's pulsating bass line and Max MacVeety's crashing cymbals, it offers emcee Raashan Ahmad a chance to get stupid fresh on the mic, firing lyrical salvos at breakneck cadences:
"Heed the one who keeps it funky and hot to boot.
While you're all watered down like some pea green soup.
take it back to my days in my pea green coupe and
skate, rock, bounce, move... BREAK!"
Keyboardist Kat O1O evokes mood-uplifting, swirling atmospheric textures on "Soul" whose chorus references both Bobby Byrd and Eric B. & Rakim. Silky, sophisticated, uptempo funk is the order of the day on "Kiss" (featuring guest vocalist Silya), which finds Ra ruminating on matters of the heart. "Go On" (featuring Solas B. Laigee) builds around a stomp-worthy soul clap and features a jazzy intro and coda by Ms. O1O. "Astroshocks" finds CCR taking a futuristic funk ride through the outer reaches of your mind, as Ra's inspired stream-of-consciousness flow rocks the planet organically:
"Freeze/secret life of plants and trees/if you feel it in the wind then breathe."
For anyone who ever dug Jonzun Crew and Soulsonic Force's space groove steelo, that's that ish. "Go Away" mashes up a Billy Squier/Run-DMC-esque big beat with Headnodic's subtle soul samples, as Ra seeks solace from urban hustle and bustle in blissful solitude.
But that's just the first half of the album. The second act keeps the momentum on blast with barely a pause for breath. "Cruisin'" draws inspiration from a top-down excursion along California's picturesque Pacific Coast Highway, with a soulful hook by guest vocalist Destani Wolf. "Let's Love" references romance from Montana to Jamaica to Santa Monica over a percussion-heavy groove which is pure electric relaxation. "Clap Your Hands" brings back the classic crowd-moving call-and-response chant over a church-style organ and a secular bass line peppered with funky handclaps. "Make it Hotter" is somewhat self-explanatory, as Ra raises the room's Kelvin temperature by a couple thousand degrees-luckily, mellow flute samples provide air conditioning and some relief from the sweaty funk. "That's Life" is another soul-in-the-hole type of cut, featuring guest vocalist Jason Jasper, which might remind some of classic Stax/Volt R&B, updated with Ra's spirit-affirming rhymes. The album's closing track - "Forever Song" - seals this modern-day hip-hop classic's status with staccato syntax, moody keys, syncopated drumbeats, and a smooth bass line to ride out on.
Overflowing with inspired, passionately conscious hip-hop statements and highly-melodic musical creativity, The Day After Forever is easy listening material for b-boys and b-girls, soul flower power children, alt.groovesters, and indie rock refugees, which, unfortunately, might make it hard to listen to the other "stuff" passing for music these days. Hip Hop is alive and well on the Day After Forever.
For more information go to: www.crowncityrockers-thedayafterforever.com
On The Day After Forever, CCR incorporate the fluid vibrancy of their legendary live shows into a studio context, resulting in what is easily their best and most fully-realized album yet. Lead-off track "Break" resonates with boom-bap goodness; anchored by Headnodic's pulsating bass line and Max MacVeety's crashing cymbals, it offers emcee Raashan Ahmad a chance to get stupid fresh on the mic, firing lyrical salvos at breakneck cadences:
"Heed the one who keeps it funky and hot to boot.
While you're all watered down like some pea green soup.
take it back to my days in my pea green coupe and
skate, rock, bounce, move... BREAK!"
Keyboardist Kat O1O evokes mood-uplifting, swirling atmospheric textures on "Soul" whose chorus references both Bobby Byrd and Eric B. & Rakim. Silky, sophisticated, uptempo funk is the order of the day on "Kiss" (featuring guest vocalist Silya), which finds Ra ruminating on matters of the heart. "Go On" (featuring Solas B. Laigee) builds around a stomp-worthy soul clap and features a jazzy intro and coda by Ms. O1O. "Astroshocks" finds CCR taking a futuristic funk ride through the outer reaches of your mind, as Ra's inspired stream-of-consciousness flow rocks the planet organically:
"Freeze/secret life of plants and trees/if you feel it in the wind then breathe."
For anyone who ever dug Jonzun Crew and Soulsonic Force's space groove steelo, that's that ish. "Go Away" mashes up a Billy Squier/Run-DMC-esque big beat with Headnodic's subtle soul samples, as Ra seeks solace from urban hustle and bustle in blissful solitude.
But that's just the first half of the album. The second act keeps the momentum on blast with barely a pause for breath. "Cruisin'" draws inspiration from a top-down excursion along California's picturesque Pacific Coast Highway, with a soulful hook by guest vocalist Destani Wolf. "Let's Love" references romance from Montana to Jamaica to Santa Monica over a percussion-heavy groove which is pure electric relaxation. "Clap Your Hands" brings back the classic crowd-moving call-and-response chant over a church-style organ and a secular bass line peppered with funky handclaps. "Make it Hotter" is somewhat self-explanatory, as Ra raises the room's Kelvin temperature by a couple thousand degrees-luckily, mellow flute samples provide air conditioning and some relief from the sweaty funk. "That's Life" is another soul-in-the-hole type of cut, featuring guest vocalist Jason Jasper, which might remind some of classic Stax/Volt R&B, updated with Ra's spirit-affirming rhymes. The album's closing track - "Forever Song" - seals this modern-day hip-hop classic's status with staccato syntax, moody keys, syncopated drumbeats, and a smooth bass line to ride out on.
Overflowing with inspired, passionately conscious hip-hop statements and highly-melodic musical creativity, The Day After Forever is easy listening material for b-boys and b-girls, soul flower power children, alt.groovesters, and indie rock refugees, which, unfortunately, might make it hard to listen to the other "stuff" passing for music these days. Hip Hop is alive and well on the Day After Forever.
For more information go to: www.crowncityrockers-thedayafterforever.com
