Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Album Review: Boogie - Everythings For Sale

Boogie
Everythings For Sale
***and1/2 out of *****

The 29 year old MC named Boogie (Anthony Dixson) from Compton, CA has made waves with mix-tapes over the last few years, but now from Shady/Interscope Records comes his debut full length Everythings For Sale. Produced primarily by Keyel the flow of the record is a mix of jazz instrumental passages, bass beats and introspection.

From the beginning Boogie is conflicted with mixed messages as "Tired/Reflections" uses the refrain  "Ain't no point in using weapons, no I'm at war with my reflection" and this theme is constant throughout; this track sets the tone and keeps a dour mood for the full album. The pull and pull and pull of living life, doing right, being himself and questioning everything Boogie seems searching and depressed on every single track lyrically. Never confident or happy, there is a angst that is clearly more internally raging then externally violent. Musically the style is cohesive in it's searching as well. a restrained mix of club ready beats around soft instrumental passages lead to solid backing musical results.

The opener manages to drip in sultry vocals, piano runs, jazzy string and horn parts which materialize and drip into nowhere. "Silent Ride" continues this same motif while he vocally tries to get rawer when it comes to the chorus and Boogie puts on a DMX-light impression. "Rainy Days" incorporates hypnotic bass rolls, skittering slaps and a haunting flute line, but instead of keeping it to himself a disjointed Eminem joins in with mixed results, but it is easy to observe why an aging Marshall Mathers sees some of his young questioning (if supremely less violent) self in Dixson. 

A better full guest run is the sped up lines from J.I.D who joins for a few bars of "Soho" which Boogie starts more aggressive on than normal before musical breaks are slammed, slowing things back down with jazzy sounds for the last stanza. These musical accompaniments are lush and rolling, keeping things flowing while Boogie's lyrical journey is disjointed and confusing but not in a negative way; as Boogie ends the song saying "He is cooping with a lot". 

Generational malaise has been discussed and Boogie is smack in the middle of it, at times feeling more like a spoken word/poetry reading or psych session then a hip-hop album, the intro acoustic guitar is a wonderful simple accompaniment before the bass and horns hit elevating things on "Skydive". Christian Scott atunde Adjuah shows up to blare his horn on the questioning of relationships/everyday living titled "Whose Fault" but the jazz vibe is constant through Keyel and others (Dart, C.Ballin, etc) production which is engaging and challenging.

Things are more one note and less successful on the modern R&B sounding tracks like "Swap Meet" and "No Warning" and the harder trying "Self Destruction" feels almost as a parody with all the self examination which came before. Like the artist himself the music succeeds best when it isn't sure where to go like on "Lolshm (Interlude)" as a shift mid song works wonderfully. 

For a first album Boogie sounds like an old soul (just officially entering the game at 29 qualifies him as such actually in hip hop) who can't figure it all out or his space in the world; join the club. Promising, deep, challenging, enjoyable and very of it's 2019 release date yet with timeless musical traits, Everythings For Sale breaks the right way for Boogie and team. 
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