Editor,
I just had to react to Jessica Del Curto's review of the new Atmosphere album in Wednesday's Daily Lobo.
When I threw this album in my CD player, I must admit that I too was hoping for something better than Seven's Travels, which was a damn disappointment. Unlike Del Curto, my pessimistic ears were incredibly relieved.
In contrast to that last album, Slug returned to an articulate and sometimes masochistic honesty delivered through an ever-evolving flow that consciously pays homage to BDP and Public Enemy. He successfully delivered his infamous emo raps blended with battle rhymes that find their destructive power in Slug's ability to highlight the nuances of his adversaries - be they women hell-bent on over-tapping his emotional reserves or power-hungry pseudo-intellectuals.
No doubt that life on the road has taken its toll: "I've lost more to my travelin' soul than I care to talk about." Furthermore, Slug has committed the mortal hip-hop sin of becoming largely a businessman, as he unabashedly claims in advertisement of his competence in the song "Employees of the Year" on the recently released Felt 2 collaboration with Living Legend's Murs. Nonetheless, the man's got a kid, and hip-hop doesn't provide a retirement plan.
This album proves Slug's ability to balance the necessary evils of business with the unrelenting standards of sincerity we hip-hop fans rightfully hold artists to.
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As for Ant's production, this guy compulsively redefines versatility. Any bad review of the tracks he laid down for this album reflects nothing more than superficiality on the part of the reviewer. He draws on such a diverse array of samples, weaving them into incomprehensibly coherent, soulful and innovative tracks. The way he uses verbal samples is absolutely insane - check the way he flips a split-second verbal sample on "Musical Chairs" to make it function almost like an instrument and comprise an integral part of the song.
As for the complaint regarding Slug's tendency to "recycle catchphrases," I agree that this can get old, but for seasoned fans, it can add a level of complexity to the song by examining at how these old ideas fit into new contexts provided by the new song.
In conclusion, I've got to say f*** the pundits, pick this album up and decide for yourself.
Chris Miller
UNM student
