To All My Friends/Blood Makes the Blade Holy

by Atmosphere

2010 was a disappointing year so far as hip-hop goes.  There weren't many big releases, and it is easy to see people are bemoaning the glory days of the genre.  Personally, I found myself branching out further and further afield this year, into jazz and archival African releases.

Then Atmosphere come along, drops a double-ep, remind me why I love hip-hop, and give me hope, as they continue to innovate and redesign themselves into a more mature, thoughtful, and musical group.

There are twelve songs on this disk, and they are great.  Slug has been working on his storytelling skills, and many of his songs here take the form of spinning a good tale or two.  'The Major Leagues', 'Scalp', 'The Best Day', and 'Americareful' (awesome name) all fit that bill.

There is a more rocked out and aggressive nature to songs like 'Until the Nipple's Gone', 'Shotgun', and 'Commodities', although they are balanced later by the softer songs like 'Hope', 'The Loser Wins', and 'Freefallin''.

What has always made Atmosphere stand out has been Sean's willingness to examine his own life and problems through his lyrics.  He's not as navel-gazing as he used to be these days, and is instead turning his past experiences into lessons or poetic examinations.  'The Number None' talks about his first girlfriend, and is equally explicit and wistful.  'To All My Friends' is the best song on this disk, as Sean reviews his influences in music and life, and defends his choice to keep plugging away at the music industry.

This is such a nicely balanced project that it's hard not to think of it as an album.  If this is what they're turning out to tide people over, I can't wait to hear the next LP.