This album was released on September 4th this year. Unsung is an artist with whom I was only slightly familiar before checking out this project. Unless I’m forgetting something, my first introduction to him was his feature on iAlive‘s I’ll Wait Forever album from earlier in the year. I enjoyed his performance there quite a bit, but it was hardly enough to get a strong idea of his style, so I pretty much went into this new album blind. There are a few aesthetic details that kinda influenced my level of anticipation though. First of all, the announcement video for this album was pretty damn entertaining to me.
I just think it was a genuinely enjoyable video to watch, so that was a good way of opening me up to the album. The next thing I noticed is the length of this project. It’s about 48 minutes, which is a pretty standard length for an LP. However, there are 33 tracks on it. The longest track here is one minute and 56 seconds. I’ve listened to albums that contained really short songs before, and my level of enjoyment has varied. I like billy woods‘ Today, I Wrote Nothing album a lot, and I think the recent Duncecap record is great. However, I’m kind of infamous for my aversion to Earl Sweatshirt‘s critically acclaimed 2018 album, Some Rap Songs. Those are all the main examples that come to mind immediately, but I didn’t really think this album would be anything like any of those projects. All I was expecting was an interesting and unique record, and I wasn’t let down.
This is one of the weirdest albums I’ve ever heard in my life. I’m actually not even sure how I’m gonna approach this review. Well… I mean, I guess that’s not true. I’m not gonna review it differently from any other album. I’m just… It’s just kind of a daunting record because there’s so much going on here. I’ve never heard an album like this. It’s definitely creative. Anyway, there aren’t any songs that I don’t care for on this record, so I’ll write about the whole thing in the proper order of the track listing. It opens with Huh? Chedt Breez Intro. This is where we’re introduced to this Chedt Breez character, who plays somewhat of a host for the album. Basically, he is a podcast host who is playing the full album for listeners, and every now and then he’ll come in to discuss certain aspects of the album. It’s kind of hard to explain without just playing the album for you. At the very least I suggest you watch the video I posted in the preamble of this review in order to get a better idea of what’s happening here. The video plays a specific role in the album. I mean, you can still enjoy the album itself without seeing that video, but it adds a layer of immersion that you don’t get with most albums. It’s kinda like that screenplay that Donald Glover made as a complement to Because the Internet. So anyway, I’m pretty sure this Chedt Breez character is played by Bunga. By the way, the acting throughout this album is phenomenal. Every single skit sounded like a real clip from a radio program. They knocked it outta the park. It even has that weird NPR-esque feel where the host’s mouth is too close to the microphone and you can hear the squishy, wet noises of their mouth. Anyway, Chedt finishes his intro about halfway through the track. At this point he kinda has a hot mic moment and is like, “can I do that over? Did somebody put something in my drink?” Throughout the remainder of the album he kinda slips further and further into delirium, so I guess that’s his character arc. Anyway, it’s a really good track. I mean, it’s just a skit, but it had me hooked, and I can’t imagine listening to this album without it. That can be said about every single skit on this project. Track 2 is the first actual song, and it’s called Demon in a Pit. I think this track is fucking awesome. The opening verse from Unsung is fantastic. I love how smooth and almost slurred his flow sounds. The dude is actually fantastic at putting rhymes together. He’s super talented.
Man, I should probably stop crying all the time
This high anxiety just gives me puffy eyes
The deep sea leviathan straight divin' all the time
More road rage cursing, I keep driving over lines
I love the lighthearted, kind of wonky, goofy sounding production too. I don’t know how I’m gonna be able to write about some of these instrumentals. I don’t think there’s a single track on this album in which the beat doesn’t switch up at least once. The ever-evolving production makes this project feel like a 48 minute long rollercoaster ride. Brandt fucking slaughtered that second verse on this track too by the way.
Serpent with the hiss
Snake eyes left 'em searching for a wrist
Kept my fortune in the fridge
Couldn't force another wish
Took my portion out the dish
Ate your morsel on a whim
Finger to the wind
I'm searching for a win
I feel like the content got really dark towards the end of the song. Anyway, it’s a pretty awesome track to me overall. There’s not a single aspect of it that I dislike even a little bit. The production is amazing, and both of the verses are fire. The song’s dope af. It’s followed by Cornfield, which is another highlight for me. By the way, I love the whimsical sound effects that play throughout this entire album. They’re the same as the iconic sound effects that you hear in a bunch of classic cartoons. Anyway, the production here is fucking awesome. It actually sounds like it could be in an old cartoon, but not really a comedic one. It’d be something serious like He-Man. Unsung’s rapping here is phenomenal too. I love the way he writes.
I may have lost it, unearthing your coffin
The spider, the respite, they're one and the same now
I try vocalizing the meaning of demons
Enhancing the yeast of the years in the bread
I kinda feel like the production is similar to what the RZA went for on the Ghost Dog soundtrack. It switches up after about half a minute and gets even better. Seriously, the production here is really fucking cool. I think the song is pretty amazing to be honest. The production and rapping just had me hooked the whole time. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire 59 seconds. Yes, the song is that short. It’s dope af. The next song is called Egg Breakers Inc., and it’s just as good, if not better. I love the opening verse from Lt. Headtrip.
She too sexy for her psych meds
I'm too edgy to have nice friends
We're talkin' 5'10" haulin' ass on all fours
Unquenched, 7'sumn" on its hind legs
Break a couple eggs and make an enemy
Yo, evolution's simpler than empathy
I love the way the beat switches up for Unsung’s verse too. The little instrumental interlude between their performances is super smooth, and then once Unsung starts rapping it gets a bit more RZA-ish again. It sounds like if RZA did a fuck ton of acid though. It’s really cool. Unsung killed this shit too.
Scrapin' up the algae for a mask, so my cheeks glow
Gap between my teeth display the distance of these gravestones
And I only floss when necessary
As the floss get stuck when curses flow like a tributary
I don’t know how I’m gonna choose a favorite track from this album because all of them have so much going on. This one is definitely a strong contender though. It’s dope af. It’s followed by a skit entitled Blister William Mooney. It’s a fake commercial in which Bunga plays a man named Blister William Mooney who is advertising his resurrection services. The weird instrumental and sound effects in the background are awesome, and the commercial is genuinely entertaining to listen to.
Hi, my name is Blister William Mooney, and I’ve been resurrecting people since 1993. That’s right; shortly after the Chicago Bulls’ third championship. I’ve been bringing people back from the dead to see Jordan and the rest clinch another three title victories over their opponents. Call me now, and I’ll bring my collection of vintage pillows, wax cedar candles, and specialized incantations to your premises to return your loved ones back from the hereafter.
— Blister William Mooney
So the whole theme behind these fake commercials is that the label forced Unsung to put them in the album so that they could make more money. That’s actually a really interesting idea. I mean, it’d never work in real life because it’d fucking ruin the album, but the way they did it here is super entertaining. I think this one is really dope. The next actual song is called Foods We Eat, and, once again, it blew me away. The first part of this beat is really melodic, and it sounds gorgeous to me. Unsung of course killed it too.
Paint tongues in the Tongue Splasher style
When your gums meet gum and your grip goin' wild
Wait in line where you meet mean mugs at the dugout
With a palm full of spit, handshake with the thumbs out
"Good game!" Folks are in the bleacher seats
Paper cups spelling out the name of the winning team
Through chainlink fences, foul ball presence
With the nice RBI, but the speed wasn't in it
The beat switches up about halfway through the track, at which point Jack Wilson comes in for the second verse. I’d never heard of this guy before, but I really dug his performance here.
Carry out distortion in a Marriott Absorbin' more than recommended portions Causin' internal contortions The malady of counting calories is feelin' wild to me My inner hunger can't define the way I'm lookin' outwardly Runnin' steps, a hundred reps, want nothin' less than chiseled chest Ain't done unless each muscle has been stretched and I got nothin' left
Again, I’d never heard of this dude before listening to this album, and he fucking spazzed here, so that was a nice surprise. I wasn’t expecting that. Apple Music had someone named DJ Brewer listed as a composer, so maybe that’s one of his aliases? I’m not sure. The song is dope af though. I love it. The following track is called Low-Fat Cool Whip, and it features a great verse from Duncecap. I liked his comment about having a “post-nut glow.” I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that phenomenon. If anything I usually have a post-nut slump, but that’s neither here nor there.
When the crew dips that's when the mood hits Decompress or get up, and then do shit Everything's a queue, movies my peruse list I'll wanna finish, but they keep adding new script Tired of it all, life's such a snoozefest Lost while building, follow the blueprint Smarter not harder, patience is some true wisdom Bored as a sheathed sword while stackin' income
The instrumental transition between Dunce & Unsung’s verses is really awesome. The second verse from Unsung is great too. Overall, this track didn’t really blow me away like all the other songs up to this point, but I still really dug it. The production was tight, and the rapping was great. The song’s dope. It’s followed by a skit entitled Huh? Chedt Interviews Brian. This is an interview between Chedt Breez—who I believe is played by Bunga—and Brian Salvatore. Brian Salvatore is Bunga’s real name. So yeah, there’s a chance I’m wrong about this, but I’m pretty sure it’s just Bunga being interviewed by his own character. It’s pretty damn stupid, but in a fun, entertaining way. I really enjoyed this skit. I think it’s dope as hell. Again, the voice acting is superb, so I have to commend him for that. The next track is called You Are Hallucinating, and it’s another highlight for me. I think the opening verse from Unsung is awesome.
Climbin' up to heaven in a bad mood
We were destined to be tangled in a curfew
Cryptic message in my cereal and soup
Can't speak the language though, alphabets in dream food
Counting pennies being penniless in bed
Sock full of dimes for intruders in my head
What's the point of a gun for internal monologue
When the bully's now your god?
The production here is weird as hell, but I dig it. It switches up for the second verse, which is performed by Bloodmoney Perez. I’ve seen this guy’s name floating around Twitter for the past year, but the only other time I’ve ever heard him rap was when he was featured on Sleep Sinatra‘s SLEEPER EFFECT project. I should probably look into more of his work because I’ve really enjoyed the two verses I’ve heard from him. He did a great job here.
Vacuum seal, mass appeal, crashed a deal
Rather struggle on my terms
Cook & cut for dollars earned, lots to learn
Take notes, jot it down; a few to share
Just in case you ain't aware
Life ain't ever been fair
I’m wondering if he’s implying that he almost got a deal with Mass Appeal Records, but decided against it. Maybe I’m reaching with that interpretation, but it doesn’t matter. His verse here was great. I think the song’s dope as hell. The next one is called Sheesh, This Kid’s Got Gumption! The first verse here is performed by an artist named Cunabear. I don’t think I’d ever heard of him before, but I enjoyed his performance a lot. His voice kinda reminded me of Aesop Rock.
Got enough gumption to step into the function
Feelin' so inclined to rhyme and dress to the nine
To pluck a jungle flower from the vine
A divine shoulder to cry on as a life
Once scary now shrivels and dies
The reference to Sisyphus was cool, and I just love the way he was rhyming here. I’m definitely gonna have to look into more of that artist’s work. I love the way the production switches up for Unsung’s verse too. You know who would be perfect over this beat? I feel like MC Paul Barman would slaughter this shit. It would fit his style like a glove. Anyway, Unsung’s performance here is just as great as all his other verses on the album. I like how he ended it with that directional scheme. That was tight. I think the song’s dope as hell overall. I love it. It’s followed by a skit entitled Playgore Gorms. Much like the Blister William Mooney skit, this is a commercial in which a man named Playgore Gorms advertises his resurrectional services. This may be an extreme stretch, but I think the whole resurrection theme may tie in with there being 33 tracks on the album. ‘Cause, ya know, Jesus was supposedly murdered at the age of 33. I don’t know. It’s just an idea that I had. Anyway, Playgore Gorms is a Southern resurrectionist who is offended by the fact that he’s been dubbed the “Patrick Ewing” of his field. The Southern accent really added a lot to this skit for me. I don’t know why, but it just makes it way funnier.
I don’t offer any fancy products or sprays. I don’t use special pillows or candles. Just me and my work boots kneelin’ over your loved one in the comfort of your own cottage or bungalow with a very simple incantation of the third pressing of the necronomicon occulta whispered gently from my parched lips. Please offer me a glass of ginger ale upon entry so that I may tackle my dryness issues before proceeding.
— Playgore Gorms
I enjoyed this skit quite a bit. The following track is entitled Highland Novena, and it’s weird as fuck. It sounds like some Gregorian prayer that I’d hear a bunch of creepy old priests chanting in a cathedral. I guess this is the kinda shit that would play in the background while Playgore Gorms is attempting to resurrect my granddad. I don’t know. Obviously this isn’t the kinda thing that I would just casually listen to on its own, but within the context of the album I actually did enjoy it to some extent. I’m not sure what language it’s in, but I think it’s pretty cool. It’s followed by a highlight entitled Jars Like Pickles. I love the relatively melodic production during the first verse from Unsung.
Don't shrug it off, why your speaker got a dry cough
Leader signed the name, hard dot to break the pen
Drink the ink until it smears and bones excrete marrow
Don't light the flame unless you've gathered up the candle
I think he’s actually rhyming about resurrections here. I can’t think of a better feature he could’ve gotten for this song than Iceberg Theory, whose verse was fire.
Trigger finger itchin'
Hammer sickle fickle
Kept organs in jars like pickles
Dollars, more than a fistful
Made my sleep fitful
Move like any matter when the stone cast ripples
He killed this shit. This is another one of my favorite tracks. I wouldn’t mind hearing these guys do more work together in the future. This shit is dope af. It’s followed by Loincloth in the Sauna. The muffled beat here sounds kind of cloudy and dreamy. It almost sounds a little Vaporwave-ish to me, but I like it more than any of the Vaporwave stuff I’ve heard in the past. The first verse from Brandt is great.
Cough clouds in your optics, false flag on your coffin
I'ma laugh at you always
Said a prayer in a hallway, must've thought I was fallin'
Must've felt like hell in that sauna, but I stay in that water
I really love the piano loop during the interlude between the two verses on this song. That shit was fire. The second verse that Unsung eventually spits is also flames.
I started movin' back and forth
Hazy apparitions in the sunlight
Stretched with the curtains in the dust
Pretended we were He-Man and Battle Cat
Graduate to Snoop Dogg and battle raps
Sundays yawn like tomorrow never comes
Assumin' to be human, but the batteries weren't included
In the garden where I buried Skeletor for the last time
I like the song a lot, but it didn’t blow me away like a lot of the others. It’s not quite as weird as a lot of the best moments in my opinion. With that said, there aren’t any aspects of it that I actually dislike. I think it’s a dope track. It’s followed by I Hustled These Streets. This is a Spoken Word track performed by someone named John Dorsey. It’s actually a pretty dope piece. I kinda wish there was more going on sonically since it’s pretty much an a cappella track, and I also would’ve preferred a more reserved delivery from him, but the writing is pretty great to me.
I hustled these streets wanting to scream
But I held my tongue
Knowing you can catch more dreams with honey
Our reflection, like the pavement, a cement blanket
Strewn from the echo's sleep
Built to last, not fade away
These streets hustled me
It’s a pretty good track. The next one is another highlight called Post-Destruction Elvis. I really dig the jazzy, saxophone-driven loop at the beginning of the song, and the first verse from Unsung is great.
Stakeout with the steaks out
With the no-glow rug, get potato scallop baked out
There's a season for the seasoning
An obtuse meaningful meandering
Don't flip the patties pandering
At this point I kinda figured out the formula that Unsung had going with this project. The majority of the songs are more or less structured the same way. Every verse on the project has its own beat. The second verse on this track in particular is performed by Lt. Headtrip, who does a pretty great job.
Posted on the porch while the hurricane approach
Kids in a cellar, like, "where did daddy go?"
The oldest holds the infant while the middle child meddles
The wind's collecting houses like a child gathers pebbles
The post-destruction sunset is a psychedelic masterpiece
Casting apricot and lavenders and calm
Amongst the devastated landscape
There's no place like disaster relief
I love the imagery here. He killed this shit. The song is dope as hell. Track 17 is another resurrection commercial skit entitled The Dream Team, and it’s performed by someone named Eric Augenstein. Rather than advertising resurrection services, he’s advertising the law offices of Piven, Barley, and Mahone, who will help reanimated corpses sue their revivers.
Since 1992 we’ve been the dream team when it comes to meeting your legal needs. Don’t be fooled by phony resurrectionists or resurrectionists making phony promises to bring your loved ones back to their original state. There’s always going to be complications when the dead walk the Earth. These complications may or may not include: PTSD, sunken eye movement, delayed reaction times, limp, erectile dysfunction; nude lips, eating disorder, stringy hair, caked on makeup, irritable bowel syndrome, no bowel syndrome, embalming leakage, overgrown fingernails, excessive feels, smells, lack of socks, ashy bones, and many more. Call Plimpkin, Barney, and Malone, the Dream Team, at 555-TAKEMEBACKTODAY, and we’ll put your loved ones back in the dirt where they belong.
— Non-Attorney Spokesperson
No, that was not a typo; he did in fact refer to the members of the dream team as both Piven, Barley, and Mahone, as well as Plimpkin, Barney, and Malone. Only god knows which names are correct. Anyway, I enjoyed this skit a lot, but not quite as much as the preceding couple of commercials. It’s still dope though. It’s followed by another skit called Huh? Chet Breaks It Down w/ Dr. Topto. In this one, Chet explains that the commercials are actually a part of the album rather than part of the Huh? podcast. Huh? is the title of the show by the way. Here, Chet directly references the SASE Records August 2020 Board Meeting video that I posted in the preamble to this review. I like how he mispronounced “SASE” as “sassy.” Anyway, the album already had kind of a surreal, mystical atmosphere to it, but this is where it starts getting even weirder.
There are distinct sound issues, uhh, which indicate non-intended glitches in the maxillary audio folds. A whole strewnum of posangelical altidaltas, and a switch-back effect between tracks that open a grogen of sound waves and gateways to which one may hear alternate sound lengths. In other words, there’s an album hidden within the album’s synced time signatures.
— Dr. Octo Topto
The doctor with whom Chet is conversing is using some very esoteric jargon, some of which I’m pretty sure is total gibberish. Chet doesn’t actually acknowledge anything Dr. Topto says at any point in the interview. He instead just comments on how he’s not feeling very well, presumably due to the effects of something that he believes may have been slipped into his beverage. The next track is entitled Full Body Voltron Cast. I really like the relatively ethereal-sounding production here. Once again, the opening verse from Unsung is great.
Humble to the gentle creaking nature of the swirling spires
Having this in dreams is nothing when you take a step outside
Sun approach from red leaves, amass the night from orange to white
A starless apparition in a chariot, the world afire
I think I got those lyrics wrong—particularly the second half of the quatrain—but it is what it is. I think his verse here is really goddamn dope. The second verse is performed by an artist named Lamon Manuel. I thought his rapping was pretty interesting. His flow kinda reminded me of the RZA, but with U-God’s voice.
This is the soundtrack to James Dean's public beheading
This is a soundtrack to a drone strike on the royal wedding
Some of his lines were a bit difficult to understand just because of the layered vocal mixing. I really enjoyed his performance here though. I think it was great. Overall, the song is dope as hell to me. It’s followed by another collaboration with Bloodmoney Perez entitled Traced Palm Springs. I actually think Blood’s performance here is even better than that of Are We Hallucinating.
Now it's time to put their name on boards
Not for no awards, but for the pain that's been involved
Wanna judge whoever's called
Seen better, know her too
Still managed to hustle 'til I'm chosen few
Never here to front, I'm fuckin' true
He killed this one. The beat that he raps over is cool, but definitely not a standout instrumental compared to some of the others on this record. However, I actually really love that second beat that comes in for Unsung’s verse.
Fingernails grow longer than the daylight
I stay up nights, reading figments from the campfire
Lockin' wrists like a prayer for the summertime
Or friendship bracelets, pull the thread and unwind
Make my bejeweled, I like to feel like I'm royalty
Don't spoil me, but make it seem like there's some real loyalty
Part of me thinks that Unsung is rapping from the perspective of someone who was raised from the dead due to that line about his fingernails growing. In the commercial for that law firm, one of the “complications” was “overgrown fingernails.” Maybe it’s just a coincidence. Anyway, I really don’t know who had my favorite verse on this track to be honest. They both killed this shit. It’s another highlight for me. I think the song’s dope as hell. The next track is called Huh? Chedt the Critic.
So let’s take a break and listen to a track from a new upcoming cable series titled ‘Detective Swamp Venom.’ It’s about a detective in the Louisiana Bayou who hunts down his own ancestors, who are a clan of vampire carnival workers. Premiering on Showbie Max this next coming months.
— Chedt Breez
So the instrumental that eventually plays is supposed to be from the soundtrack of Detective Swamp Venom. The word “critic” in the title of this skit refers to the little comments that Chet is making while the song is playing. I guess he’s not really crazy about it, but I think it’s pretty dope. Anyway, the next track is called Rhinestone Doughboy. This is one of the few tracks without a feature. The opening verse is pretty nice, and, once again, the beat made me think of the RZA.
Man, shut it down, I'm not here tinkerin'
Tethers in the hem of the needle as it sinks in skin
A picked scab will escape 'less you leave it in
Scrub it in the weave of your soul as you breathe it in
Once the beat switches up, Unsung kinda sings in the background over a more downtempo instrumental. It’s pretty nice. I wouldn’t say it’s amazing or anything, but I definitely enjoyed it. The song is far from a favorite of mine, but I don’t really have any serious gripes with it. I don’t find it as interesting sonically as a lot of the other tracks, but overall it’s pretty dope. It’s followed by a highlight called Starchy Sandwich Buds. The production here is much more chaotic, and the opening verse from Unsung is fire.
Spell it with your marker-scented fingers in a notebook
There's real crooks, acrylic-painted canvas on the meat hook
It seems like skill don't reflect for the price of things
Eatin' Subway sandwiches that drip oil diamond rings
New cloth wardrobe with faces painted on the belly
Bone broth gold robe get laced, ain't it sweet? Don't tell me
You were in the car when it drove straight off the cliff
Pray to the last gods you read about when we were kids
I love the second beat on this track even more than the first one, and Duncecap’s performance here is fantastic. I think his verse on this track is even more impressive than his appearance earlier on the record.
Off of the couch, sit up and back down
Nobody's perfect, I just wanna pass out
Work's been started, but it's starchy, it's arthritic
Mix up my moves like sex dice with hard liquor
Well oiled machines only work when you turn them on
The show is just a game, Rap Tom Bergeron
I can't tell if this is fine or it's burnin' down
Life is just a meme, I'm in tears like a circus clown
The song is dope as hell. It’s preceded by a skit called DUNCE VHS, which, as you may have guessed from the title, is a commercial in which Duncecap advertises his VHS store. This one doesn’t seem to have any connection to the previously established resurrection theme. It’s still an entertaining skit though. It’s probably my least favorite one up to this point on the record, but I still like it. It’s pretty good. It’s also longer than any of the actual songs that it precedes, so that’s kind of interesting I guess. I don’t know why I felt the need to point that out. Anyway, the next track is called Hot to Trot!, and it features a verse from an artist I’d never heard of before named Cody Cody Jones. Out of every feature I’ve heard on this record, he’s probably my least favorite, but his verse isn’t terrible or anything. I just didn’t find it to be particularly impressive. His flow felt really basic, and none of the lyrics really stood out to me. It’s just super decent. I also don’t even really think the production during his verse is all that. The second verse from Unsung himself is definitely what makes the song worth returning to for me. The beat here sounds like the BGM you’d hear in a desert-themed level of a Mario game, and the verse Unsung spits is nice.
Newspaper says rain in the forecast
No new news when it's crumpled on the doormat
I'll take that rubberband though, shoot I just saw that
Makin' fingerguns, go hard, walk the dog
Eight days a week, up to 12 times a day
All he does is sleep when he's home nowadays
That's probably too much exercise
He goes straight to cradle the couch, move aside
Overall, it’s definitely one of the weaker tracks for me on this record, but I still enjoy it enough to return to it in the future. I think it’s pretty good. On my first listen of the album, I kinda felt the same way about the next song, Witch Kissing Techniques. I definitely prefer this one now though. I think the production here is a lot more interesting. It’s relatively loud & chaotic. The opening verse from Brandt is really good too.
Left to spin Dervish in the wind I'll be gone in a min Palm frond in the gin No qualms with a sip Read palms for a witch Said she's not to be kissed Black tongue if I did
The beat is just fluctuating and morphing all over the place throughout his verse. It’s actually pretty damn cool. I just kinda wish his flow was a bit more unique. I guess that’s just a nitpick though. I do think that Unsung had the better verse, but it’s not like he completely blew Brandt away. I really like the relatively melodic beat that comes in for Unsung’s verse too by the way. It’s really great. I think the song is dope. The next track is called Got Time Bruv? Lt. Headtrip has one of the most energetically delivered verses on the whole album here. A lot of the features along with Unsung himself have very reserved, lowkey vocal performances, but Headtrip sounds pretty animated here. It’s really dope. He killed this track. The closing verse from Unsung begins with him rapping about how he’s been listening to a lot of “books on tape” lately. At first I thought he was referring to Books on Tape, the Deathbomb Arc artist, but I think he’s saying he literally listens to audiobooks. I don’t know. I might be wrong, but I doubt it. His verse is pretty nice overall though. I mean, the content isn’t that interesting to me, but I think the way he rapped about it prevented me from switching my attention to something else. The song is dope. It’s followed by the penultimate commercial skit, The Headtrip Hole. At this point, the whole commercial gag started getting a bit old to me, but I did still enjoy this one. I particularly liked how the tone of the commercial shifted from super tense and serious to very fun and energetic. That was kinda funny. I also liked that part about Gary not letting people park in front of his house when his kids are over for the weekends. That was funny. Anyway, I’m not gonna go into all the details of this commercial in particular, but I did enjoy it a lot. It’s followed by the final solo track on the album, Lasagna Pots. Once again, the weird production here is just ever so slightly Vaporwavey to me. Unsung’s rapping is of course really great here too.
Flies are buzzing 'round
Vultures in the newspaper windows in my town
Dustbowl ballad with a ramble in the waddle falling down
Man, l'eggo all the Eggos
If you're smart pat the butter, large bowl of red potatoes
In the dark, go to school where the summer won't start
It's the only way to end it when the fins are all sharks
I think this track has one of his best performances on the whole album to be honest. The production is fantastic as well. It switches up to a softer, more friendly-sounding beat towards the end of the track. I think the song’s dope as hell. The next one is called Mortgage Stranglers, and it features one last verse from Lt. Headtrip. Pretty much everything I’ve said about most of the other tracks applies to this one. The production is pretty chaotic and all over the place, and it switches up for the second verse. The first verse from Unsung is super well-written.
I was sent here directly by a portion of the light beams
That flicker when they touch woodgrain upon its tight seams
Holding 'til lost and stressed, the circuitry of concrete
That stirs a couple cogs loose, don't worry 'bout these sheep's dreams
The verse from Lt. Headtrip is really great too. I honestly don’t know whose performance I prefer because they both killed this shit. I think I was more impressed by the rapping itself than anything, but the production was pretty damn cool too. The song’s dope as hell. It’s followed by the last commercial, which is called For a Bad Time Call. I don’t know who the woman speaking in this ad is, but, believe it or not, the tone of her voice along with her reserved delivery actually remind me a lot of Keisha Plum. This person obviously doesn’t take herself anywhere near as seriously as Keisha Plum though. Anyway, she’s advertising Bunga’s phone number, which… Well… I actually have no idea what she’s advertising to be honest. She’s telling listeners to call Bunga, so that he can pretty much disperse some of his own anxiety to them.
Take a break from your successful job, fabulous love life, fulfilling hobbies, and winning sports franchise fandom to call an aging Mets fan who has had the same job since he was 22 and is now pushing 40. Call 1-900-BUNGABRIAN today!
— Unknown
This is a pretty good one. The penultimate track is the final skit on the album, and it’s called Huh? Chedt Begins to Slip. As the title kinda hints, this is Chedt Breez pretty much having a full on existential breakdown.
Is it possible that this whole album was some kind of glitch in the folds of time and space? Or is it simply that the whole thing was just a clever advertising ploy? I mean, I searched Brian Salvatore’s Mahjong records on worldofmahjongplayersunder70.com/hotbiz, and I didn’t find a single hit. In fact, there’s not even a single Brian on the list of World Mahjong players. In fact, that’s not even a real website. Is it possible that SASE Records made up the whole story?
— Chedt Breez
As you can see, shit starts getting pretty meta here. Chedt starts getting a bit too self aware, and it almost feels like a Truman Show type situation. That’s one of my favorite movies of all time, so I of course appreciated this aspect of the album. It’s rare for albums to kinda break the fourth wall like this, so I think it’s really cool. The final song on the album is entitled The Sup Bub Retirement Plan, and it features another fantastic performance from Jack Wilson. The production here is really goddamn cool too. It sounds like the BGM from an old movie based on some sort of war. Anyway, the reference to Freddie Gibbs‘ recent collaboration with The Alchemist was really dope.
Freddie with the mercury
Gibbs with the alchemy
Stylishly eating Alfredo from the balcony
Fredo with the death kiss
Bronson with the death wish
Action with the fresh dish
Fed through falconry
Talcum on his nutsack
Crowded on the bus back
Shouted on a hush track
Louder than above max
That reference to Action Bronson’s Falconry song was nice too. He killed this shit. I really love the way the beat switches up for Unsung’s final verse. It sounds kind of serene and wholesome, while still being super complicated and involved. The verse itself is really nice too.
Water flowers from the well with the runic walls
Praise all life to the grass, be it big or small
I'll retire to my study, walking through the halls
And question how the planet will prepare for the star to fall
The song itself doesn’t really feel like much of a finale, but it’s still a highlight for me. I think it’s dope as hell.
This album is really damn good. As I mentioned before, this is one of the weirdest and most unique projects I’ve ever heard. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an album this self-aware before. It’s kinda hard to describe the concept here, but I think it’s kind of brilliant. If there’s one thing this record has going for it, it’s originality. I think it contains the best skits I’ve heard since Little Brother’s May the Lord Watch. Again, the voice acting here is top notch. I think Unsung is a fantastic rapper too by the way, and the production here is awesome. I love how throughout the entire 48 minute runtime, there’s not a single beat that gets played for more than 50 seconds. You never have time to get tired of a beat because this record is constantly throwing new sounds at you. Even though it’s a pretty standard length, the large amount of separate tracks does kinda make it feel longer than it is. This was far more noticeable as I was actually writing this review though. It isn’t something that stood out as much when I was just listening to the record casually. Anyway, I do think that in the future if he’s going to attempt this style again it would be nice to get a bit more variation in the song structure. Even though the songs are constantly switching up, you can kinda catch on to the pattern pretty quickly. Almost all of the songs switch up the exact same way. Most of them feature just two verses, each one having their own specific beat. It might be cool to have one long verse with five different beats, or maybe 3 verses with their own beats. That’s the only aspect of the record that was predictable in any way. However, even with that said, this is easily one of the most fun listening experiences I’ve had with an album in 2020. I’m really glad I got around to this project before the end of the year. I encourage all of you to check this record out because it’s just super cool, even if you aren’t into the music itself. At the very least I’m sure you’d be able to appreciate the unique approach he took here. Also, there’s little to no profanity, which I didn’t notice until the album ended, so it’s family-friendly. This shit is really creative. Check it out. It’s a dope album.
Favorite Song: Foods We Eat
Least Favorite Song: Hot to Trot!
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