J.F. Arnold and Nick Ahern go in on W.L.A.K.'s (We Live As Kings) self-titled debut.
MUSIC REVIEW: W.L.A.K. (We Live As Kings)
WRITTEN REVIEW BY CALVIN MOORE (4.5 OUT OF 5)
DUAL IMPRESSIONS REVIEW BY J.F. ARNOLD AND NICK AHERN (4 OUT OF 5)
GENRE:
HIP-HOP/RAP
LABEL:
COLLISION RECORDS
RELEASE
DATE: MARCH 5, 2012
So,
Christian hip-hop is going in on
these group projects as of late. This has been met with mixed results.
Sometimes, there is not strength in
numbers. Grouping together a bunch of capable solo artists does not always
necessarily make for a hot album that is received well by the masses. Often,
these groups spark and then fizzle out, such as with the High Society
Collective (despite the fact that HSC released one of the best group projects
to date). However, when it comes to a project like We Live As Kings’
self-titled debut on Collision Records, all I can think is, “This project has staying power.” The rap collective,
comprised of Swoope (CHH’s very own Kanye West), Christon Gray, Dre Murray, and
Alex Faith have hit pay dirt with this project. Alright, it may not make these
artists rich, but it will gain them quite a bit of respect and attention.
Lead
single/video “Imagine” kicks things off. And while we’ve all heard this song
and played the video multiple times by now, it still operates as a great lead
in to what’s to come. The music builds over Christon Gray’s capable vocal chops
before pulling up short of getting too thick. Dre Murray steps to the mic,
followed by Alex Faith, Christon drops a few bars, and it’s all anchored by
Swoope.
The best track, I believe is “Long Way
Down.” Why? Because it shows the versatility of this collective. Christon Gray
proves exactly why he is an integral
part of this group of “not just rap artists.” Essentially, W.L.A.K. features real songs that show that it transcends being a
simple hip-hop project. It is also an R&B album. It is also a jazz album.
It is also a classical album. It features so much and defies labeling without
frustrating the listener.
“Reign is
Coming” and “YHWH” are really the only certified “bangers” on the project. Thankfully,
neither are overstated, bombastic numbers, as that might have threatened to
throw off the feel of an otherwise classy project.
One of my
favorite tracks on the project has got to be the Hillsong-sampled, “Arena.”
Using the echoing chorus from one of Hillsong’s best songs “With Everything,”
Dre Murray and Christon Gray work hard to craft something new. This could have
gone horribly wrong, as it did for KJ-52 when he sampled Hillsong’s “Go” on his
most recent album. Instead, Murray and Gray took one of the best parts of
Hillsong’s piece and embedded it within their own.
This is but
a small sampling of so much to like on this project. I am not without my
concerns, however.
First, with
a project like this is whether it is a sustainable model of artistry. Most
groups find great difficulty maintaining the momentum after an initial release.
Given that we live an age of geographically-dispersed artists who have never
met being able to collaborate on a project because of the power of the Internet
and email, how long will it be before solo careers and dislocated members find
it difficult to schedule time in the booth for another project? With the
exception of 116, all of the pairings in Christian hip-hop have only released
one project.
Second, the
project features a lot of Swoope.
While heavily featuring one of CHH’s current wunderkinds isn’t a bad idea, I wonder if relying so much on one
established emcee would be viewed as W.L.A.K.
being a Swoope album with lots of guest spots.
Apprehensions
aside, I think W.L.A.K. is going to
be the group project to beat this year. It is street-smart, savvy, and
musically imaginative, the emcees play well off of one another’s strengths, it features
a profound theme throughout, boasts solid production and maneuvering, and fills
in the gaps where one artist might be lacking. There’s so much to like about
this project. While not perfect, I’m pretty sure it’ll be in heavy rotation for
a while.
