Scroobius
Pip
No Commercial Breaks
Reviewed: 09.14.07
While “The Scroobious Pip” might be a nonsensical
poem by Edward Lear, Scroobius Pip is Britain’s newest
hip-hop poet. His rhymes flow naturally in a near poetry-slam
style. Scroobius Pip’s style is conversational, even
moreso than other British rhymers, like his predecessors
Andy Carthy (Mr. Scruff) or Mike Skinner (The Streets).
Scroobius Pip is making quite the name for himself across
the Atlantic, securing radio play and performances. And
after hearing his 2006 album, "No Commercial Breaks,"
anyone can see why. Scroob appeals to a broad range of music
enthusiasts, from jazz-lovers to street poetry heroes. And
word-crafting aside, the beats are just plain catchy.
Scroobius Pip could easily be likened to the British hip-hop
mixes of The Streets. And with a slight frame and a full
beard, he also looks about as well-suited to the world of
hip-hop as well as Matisyahu is suited for reggae. However,
Scroob is still loyal to a very raw, simplistic sound. He
stays away from excessive layering of backbeats and effects,
showcasing his lyrics. The music that accompanies him is
dainty and nonintrusive. For example, in “1,000 Words,”
his lyrics are followed along by a very simple, repetitive,
yet jazzy, piano melody. Finally, an artist who still cares
about the complexity and cadence of words.
Not every track on the album is great, though. Track 6,
“At All,” goes against the grain of his other
songs. The mix is not fun to listen to – the treble
is turned up too high, Scroob’s voice is turned down
too low. His voice is lost in the screeching, erratic beat.
The track “Development,” which is the first
song Pip actually crafted, sounds like the end result of
They Might Be Giants turning into a rap group. The lyrics
turn into a somewhat educational list of gases on the period
table of elements. However this song is a great jumping
point for future work, and his other tracks help listeners
to realize he has, indeed, “come a long way, man.”
My favorite track on the album would have to be “Rat
Race.” The music is jazzy and passionate, and rather
than true rapping, Scroobius Pip speaks like he is reading
poetry. The lyrics are so simple, but are fit together so
masterfully: “As I wake up with the previous night
still ringing in my fragile head,/ trying to piece together
any shitty things I might have done or might have said,/
I drag my lifeless carcass to its feet and out of bed/ and
clock into another day.” His thick accent is so animated
and easy on the ear, so this is a great track for lyric-centric
folks.
For those of us who are more interested in old-school hip-hop,
there is track 2, “Muses.” Scroob partners up
with Emonomy, a UK DJ, and Emonomy gets back to the basics
of fundamental vinyl-scratching. It is really basic, so
for vinyl purists, this track is where you want to go. Even
as someone who skipped over the hip-hop movement a couple
decades ago, I love the rawness Emonomy brings to this track.
And I really can’t say enough about the first track,
which I mentioned earlier, “1,000 Words.” The
lyrics feel deeply personal, as Scroob describes his own
story. And the analogies are gorgeously crafted: “’The
pen is far mightier than the sword,’ he said,/ as
he stabbed his pen in my leg and the ink mixed with the
red.” This track is truly the strongest example of
what Scroobius Pip is capable of. Because it is the first
track, it might set expectations a little high for the rest
of the album, but on the other hand, it sets a lyrical precedent
that listeners can follow throughout the other not-so-sophisticated
tracks.
Overall recommendation: "No Commercial Breaks"
is a great debut album for Scroobius Pip. Hip-hop fans and
poetry fans alike can all appreciate this album. It is entirely
worth dropping a few bucks to be able to catch Scroob at
the beginning of his musical career and follow him throughout
his future endeavors. Also, keep an eye out for Scroobius
Pip's work with Dan Le Sac... it's not something you'll
want to miss.
Reviewed by: Karalee
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