The Grouch reviewed
The Grouch
Show You The World
(Legendary)
If Murs is the star storyteller of California’s Living Legends hip-hop collective and Luckyiam the resident eccentric, then The Grouch is the crew’s laid-back everyman. With his umpteenth solo effort, this L.A.-based MC/producer is in his most meditative state and at times, most experimental.
The album’s best single, “Artsy,” is a breezy SoCal-centric number in which The Grouch argues that being a vegan or doing yoga like many trendy Angelinos do has nothing to do with being artsy – it’s more about being vocal and staying grounded. As the MC says on the track, “I’m not weird, I’m honest.” And this declaration sums up this album to a T. Some of the MC’s approachable honesty includes addressing the adverse effects of illegal downloads (“Yardwork”) and big business (“Mom & Pop Killer”) atop mellow but memorable keyboard-laden productions. Yet when The Grouch melds his candor with new sounds, the results aren’t as productive. This is especially true with “Favorite Folks,” in which he tries to embody the Bay Area’s hyphy style while rapping about his ups-and-downs. The combination clashes.
To Grouch’s credit, he can step slightly out of his comfort zone and shine as he does on the Raphael Saadiq-assisted title track – a slow-rolling slab of synthy soul. As many indie MCs have come and gone since The Grouch emerged in the mid ’90s, it’s assuring to see his skills are still sharp and he has hardly given into hip-hop’s latest formulas.
— Max Herman
