BACK TO MAIN
By Loose Cannon - UGSmag.com
1. Ground Breaking - A nice way to start the LP with a spiritual track containing multiple scratching laced over a continuous piano backdrop from Kool DJ EQ. The rhymes are definitely ground breaking with that Dungeons & Dragons theme going; Sounds nerdy, but these two emcees make it come off extremely dope. - 4
2. Strength - Prevail opens up with a dope verse over a gleaming piano loop from The Alchemist, but Mad Child steals the show: “I’m utterly repulsive / And self abusive / Offerings from the gifted / I’m swiftly allusive / Making fun of myself / I’m quadro-frantic mentally / Not laughing at me / I’m laughing with me accidentally / Trip on Swollen Members / Keep it on if it suits ya start / Silver surfing and ride the wave of the future.” - 4
3. Lady Venom - Prevail opens up with an aggressive heartfelt verse: "…Vomiting from the quarantine, praying for the end / You can tell by the stench that the venom’s settin’ in / All the pain in which you reign is classified as do or die / But in the realm in which we dwell its function x, a multiplier / Imagine the madness / The return of the Jew from Nazareth / The hunter and the hunted / The colonized and the savages / They only challenge is they bringing up dirt to bury us / Be aware I hunt with The Daughters of Seribis / Where we’re going don’t stress, they’ll be plenty of time to rest / Close the curtains, brace your sternum / This is just a contest.” The track from DJ Paul Nice is pretty bouncy, blending a chanting sorceress on the hook with tacking cowbells in the background. - 4
4. Front Street - Their last single is another dope Alchemist creation, as Mad Child creeps above the upbeat surface: "I’m a bad man / Baseball bat in your brains like bam bam / Ask me if I give a damn / Never that I’m puttin’ emcees on front street / My techniques complete when I compete / I’m knockin’ this one straight out the box so take a seat / Getting rich I focus on strength / Plus I’m throwing lyrical flames, here’s the pitch / You can end up in a ditch / That’s already been dug / I came up with crazy kids plus got love from thugs / I’m pulling yo plug flat line when you attack mine…” - 4
5. Bless + Destroy - One of the previous 12”s brings a Zodak cascade of sleek uptempo piano chords and his own cutting up of KRS voice samples on the hook. With an uncurbed display of lyricism, Mad Child spits lines like: "Suck on my potential and choke on this persistence." - 4.5
6. Counter Parts (featuring Dilated Peoples) – Iriscience, Evidence, Prevail and Mad Child are here to change the whole sound of art; Evidence’s blues guitar licks, and whirling strings assures that their goal is accomplished. Madchild shines again: “Mad Child twists & turns like an Indian burn / With powerful jaws and character flaws / Rippin’ and tearin’ with claws / Kill if I'm aware of the cause / Not to mention / Knuckles white from inattention / Witchdoctors/ And war chiefs approaching / Fantastic adventures / Of frightening fortune / Scorpion tail snaps / Constrictor strangles / S&M rocks / Dilated works the angles.” - 4.5
7. Circuit Breaker - The Alchemist is strongly becoming one of hip-hop’s top-of-the-line producers with tracks like this. Full of pure beauty with orchestral violin sways and a spattering piano loop equal another gem in Alchem’s resume. - 5
8. Out of Range - The Edge Crusher sets the head-crushing bass performance with rising hats of staccato measure; Zodak brings in the riffing Western guitar strings and cuts up the track quite nicely. Mixed in with warnings of mental validity from these lyrical tyrants, Prevail & Mad Child bring to you one of the album’s best tracks. - 4.5
9. Bottle Rocket (featuring Evidence, Everlast, & Divine Styler) – "The rhyme excursions touch minds like brain surgeons / Feel the lyrics tear gas, even on clean versions." Evidence makes his presence felt on the rhymes and also does a typically good production job with piano loops of melancholic flair. The contrasting styles of Evidence, Whitey Ford, Mad Child, & Divine Styler are what makes this a wealthy balance of pure hip-hop. - 4.5
10. Assault + Battery - Proving they’re shatterproof, Prevail & Mad Child attack the rumbling bass and guitar simmering Zodak track with rhymes of blood rushing & deranged intensity, that easily makes this track a “cult classic.” - 4
11. Valentines Day Massacre (featuring Thirdrail Vic, Saafir, & Big Nous a/k/a Hobo Junction) – Swollen Members join the Hobo’s in a simple, but majestic Kemo produced posse cut. - 3.5
12. S + M On The Rocks - The conversing energy and mix of styles between the Swollen Members blends in well with Joey Chavez’ chiming carnival backdrop. Mad Child sums it up on their very first single in one line: "Candlewax cracks once S & M busts." Without a doubt, this song receives a… - 4.5
13. Committed (featuring Son Doobie) – Kemo “Therapy” lays out another track with each emcee spitting a verse about their level of commitment and dominance in the rap game, and to of course never be faded. I’m not a big fan of the shouting out hook from Son Doobie, but the collimate strings and added chimes make this track a winner. - 4
14. Left Field (featuring Del Tha Funkee Homosapien & Unicron) – Swollen & Del = dope, right? Well, not really. Del comes off pretty well, but the track he produced sounds kind of like some outdated Hiero material with it’s light-hearted feel and boom bap beat. Although Prevail comes off nice, Unicron doesn’t do anything for me. Some nice cutting by Mixmaster Mike and DJ Science at the end although “Left Field” sounds way out of place. - 3
15. Horrified Nights - More orchestral violin loops from The Alchemist as Prevail spits to the “competition” about being a forceful aspiration in the Swollen Members catastrophic realm of the mic. - 4
16. Battle Axe Experiment – Non-stop flowing rhymes from Mad Child & Prevail over demeaning Zodak bass filled with sickle-slashing cuts. - 4
17. Consumption (featuring Aceyalone) – A very mellow produced track from Evidence with infinitival lyrics from Acey and SM - very mind bearing indeed. - 4.5
18. Sinful Bliss - DJ Paul Nice on production again. Problem is, this track sounds too much like the other cut he laced with the electric guitar loops. Luckily the Randy “Macho Man” Savage of rap takes over, as Mad Child rearranges your mind frame with piercing lyrics of disturbing behavior. Prevail also prevails and brings a dope verse to the table. - 3.5
Song Rating – 4
Rhymes – 4
Beats - 4.5
Originality - 4
Overall Rating - 4 mics
Although I haven’t heard a whole lot of Vancouver emcees, I think it’s safe to say that Swollen Members holds the crown in duo talent. The unique medieval stylistic subject matter/themes, extremely credible varied production and the contrasting cloak & dagger lyrical styles make them a top hip-hop collective. The debut from Van-City’s twosome definitely completes a worthy Balance of nutritious hip-hop for the advanced listener.
1999 [UGSmag.com]