Ghostface Killah & BADBADNOTGOOD
Sour Soul
*** out of *****
The band plays that retro soul style that fits the Wu Warrior's verses like a glove even managing to toss in a few instrumentals like the easy string laden "Stark Reality" or the horn blown "Experience" album closer. When the front man comes on though he does it in his trademark style, uncut repeating the ghetto war stories of yore and coming on the heels of 36 Seasons, he does have a feel of going through the motions as a lead MC. Far from poor he still links words and syllables effortlessly but there is a sense of having heard it all already that creeps in.
Things are mixed equal measure for BBNG's smooth sliding beats and Ghostface's pimp rhymes ("Tone's Rap") or pumped up with energy when it is called for over crisp drums and keyboard choruses ("Mind Playing Tricks"). The guests add a nice texture update with Danny Brown injecting a verse for "Six Degrees" and Elzhi trumping Ghost's power on "Gunshowers".
The upbeat tone though is fleeting, the mainstay is the 70's retro soul vibe and BBNG perfectly play it, if without a distinct feel; if anything they replicate the sound too perfectly it almost feels sampled. The best combo of all the styles is the Tree helped "Street Knowledge" which rolls along effortlessly with musical flares from the ether and rhymes from the gutter.
This album feels par for the course (not a major highlight far from a letdown) just more of the same smooth jams and gruff vocals, a pattern Ghostface has seemed to settled into nicely over recent years.
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