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Battle MC champion Eyedea seems to have lost the plot. He has morphed from angry b-boy (think early Eminem) into a tortured soul of an Emo-Hop artiste. The new album “By The Throat” has less traditional beats than you’d expect from Abilities, but more of a live grunge-lite experience, which would have sounded better played by a live band. Some tracks are as dark as anything by Dälek or El-P, but let down when Eyedea attempts to sing. Not just any lyrics though, Eyedea seems to have found some of Trent Reznor’s notebooks:
I eat my words they taste like dirt.
I’m only ashamed because I know what it’s worth.
Find my comfort, it’s I blame
Shove my pride back down my face
My worst habits wakin’ up at least once a day,
Balance barefoot on a needle heaven’s just a jump away.
Oh for godsakes, cheer up. Go outside, get an ice cream and go and fly a kite.
It’s a shame as I see what they are trying to do, and as instrumentals the tracks are really good. “Spin Cycle” has something very Secret Machine-sy about it but sounds like Cool Ethan (Jason Schawrtzman) trying to be Bono. Eyedea is a tight MC; he just needs to go back to what made him a great battle MC and lose the self deprecating, broken heart cry-baby rhymes. She ain’t coming back, mate.
Listen: www.myspace.com/eyedeaandabilities
