Visionaries -- This album sucks
Ralph Barbagallo
based on a few singles. Well, one single, 'Blessings'. The rest of the
album is atrocious. Also, one sort of deceptive marketing tactic is that
after hearing the whole album, it's Christian rap, but all the singles they
released were noticably secular. Not like Christian rap is necessarily bad,
but I found that a fairly deceptive marketing scheme.
It's a one-listen album. I plowed through all the tracks, and
'Blessings' is the only really great single on it. It was one of my
favorite singles of '98 (then again, I think it may have come out in '97).
The only halfway decent tracks are the ones already released as singles, and
one mix by Rhettmatic that's pretty good. Other than that, the beats and
lyrics are completely forgettable. One of the most ridiculous tracks on the
album is this dream/fantasy story track about assasinating the Pope. It's
so silly. Apparently it's Christan rap, but they're not big fans of good
ol' John Paul.
In short, a complete and total disappointment. Is it me, or does
HipHopSite.com like almost anything? They gave this 3 stars (or @'s). Not
worth it at all.
Oh yeah, in that same shipment I ordered the Tried by 12 remix album. I
loved the single years ago, but all 14 or so of the remixes suck. I was
just looking for the original single anyway, so I guess it's ok (but a
complete waste of money). One of the remixes is actually listenable, the
rest drag the East Flatbush Project classic into the depths of
ambient/dub/techno/electro/industrial/whatever hell.
--
Ralph A. Barbagallo III --- fl...@concentric.net
--- http://www.concentric.net/~flarb --
Steve 'Flash' Juon
says...
> Ok, so I got sucked in. I bought the Visionaries full-length on Sandbox
> based on a few singles. Well, one single, 'Blessings'. The rest of the
> album is atrocious. Also, one sort of deceptive marketing tactic is that
> after hearing the whole album, it's Christian rap, but all the singles they
> released were noticably secular. Not like Christian rap is necessarily bad,
> but I found that a fairly deceptive marketing scheme.
I'd have to admit your description totally goes against the grain of what
I was thinking when I accepted the lyrics to 'Blessings' on my site last
week. I assumed based on Rhettmatic's allegiance and their steez that
they were another underground East coast group - not just rappers for
God. Again like you say it's not necessarily wrong, but it is deceptive.
> In short, a complete and total disappointment. Is it me, or does
> HipHopSite.com like almost anything? They gave this 3 stars (or @'s). Not
> worth it at all.
Well I can't front cause Pizzo can run his site any way he pleases; but I
have on occasion thought they were a little too nice on some of their
reviews. I suppose they want to keep people happy to get product -
probably the same reason I don't get almost ANY product at all except
through Punch Media Relations and Bomb Hip-Hop.
Peace, Flash
--
"Look out the window golly the sky is electric blue..." --> Andre B.
"Sony or Aiwa, black or white, I fit in all stereotypes" --> Wordsworth
Steve 'Flash' Juon --> contact dj.f...@pobox.com for e-mail
Hip-Hop Lyrics Archive --> http://www.OHHLA.com/index.htm
Suite 101's Hip-Hop --> http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/116
B.B.
too, for a little while that is. The single "Blessings" is nice, but the
rest of the beats suck, for the most part (I didn't mind "Audible Angels").
My comment about HipHopSite.com's ratings is that I generally agree with
them. I do believe that the 3 @ rating fitted the album. Some people
really liked it, like www.hiphoppages.com (which is a tight site, props to
them), but others just couldn't grab the feel for the album. The lyrics
were above par, which I feel that could justify the rating, plus they came
with originality. I just didn't feel them. I traded it in and bought the
Rascalz "Cash Crop", which thoroughly impressed me, people need to go check
it out if they don't have it.
Peace
and Respect,
B.B.
"To each his own" - INI
Ralph Barbagallo
out there, but sometimes I think their reviews are a little soft--like
they're afraid to really annoy some of their suppliers. But, the new single
audio clips and news bits are invaluable.
Peter Agoston
>> In short, a complete and total disappointment. Is it me, or does
>> HipHopSite.com like almost anything? They gave this 3 stars (or @'s).
Not
>> worth it at all.
>
>Well I can't front cause Pizzo can run his site any way he pleases; but I
>have on occasion thought they were a little too nice on some of their
>reviews. I suppose they want to keep people happy to get product -
>probably the same reason I don't get almost ANY product at all except
>through Punch Media Relations and Bomb Hip-Hop.
Yes well, I wrote that review for the Visionaries album. And while
there are some rather hard to listen to tracks, there are some
equally nice ones too. Although maybe you didn't read the review and
only peeped the rating, which I personally could live without (a rating
system in general is too opinion forming), but (to inform you) I basically
said
after hearing this album you'll either love the Visionaires or
never want to hear them again. It seems as though you choose
the latter, which is compeletly fine with me, I am in no way the
president of their fan club nor am I heading a milita to burn down
their homes. Personally I thought it warranted 3 @'s, you didn't.
I'm not telling anyone how to judge their hip-hop albums, but
don't take in only one opinion, ask other folks (ie newgroup, homies, etc)
people think differently. peace
Peter Agoston
Steve 'Flash' Juon
vab...@teleport.net says...
> after hearing this album you'll either love the Visionaires or
> never want to hear them again. It seems as though you choose
> the latter, which is compeletly fine with me, I am in no way the
> president of their fan club nor am I heading a milita to burn down
> their homes. Personally I thought it warranted 3 @'s, you didn't.
> I'm not telling anyone how to judge their hip-hop albums, but
> don't take in only one opinion, ask other folks (ie newgroup, homies, etc)
> people think differently. peace
>
> Peter Agoston
Hey Peter, chill holmes.
1. I write reviews myself so I'm always offended when people judge an
entire review by the rating alone.
2. I said that HipHopSite (and consequently you) are entitled to rate
and review albums any way they want. What I should have said is that
the ratings don't USUALLY reflect an accurate statement although the
WRITTEN WORDS do.
3. I think we have seen, based on newsgroup reaction, that people do in
fact tend to lean on the side of "never want to hear them again".
It was your call though and you made it how you wanted. S'all good.
Peace, Flash
--
"Rap ain't about bustin caps and fuckin bitches
It's about fluency with rhymin ingenuity" -> Del the Funky Homosapien
Todd Ito
: I'd have to admit your description totally goes against the grain of what
: I was thinking when I accepted the lyrics to 'Blessings' on my site last
: week. I assumed based on Rhettmatic's allegiance and their steez that
: they were another underground East coast group - not just rappers for
: God. Again like you say it's not necessarily wrong, but it is deceptive.
Why would you think the Visionaries were from the East Coast? Rhettmatic
and all the Beat Junkies (except D-Styles and Short) are from LA. And all
of the emcees owe a lot to Project Blowed, although none of them are
anywhere near as good as the Blowed cats. Their whole "steez" is very
Los Angeles to me, especially all of the different ethnicities of
everyone in the group. I haven't heard the album, but I have never heard
anything about them being Christian rappers. I know LMNO was in some
weird ultra-Christian group like the Bretheren or some weird shit. Anyone
else know?
Todd