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“Can We, Beat the Terrorist” sets up ‘Syriana Style’ as he takes on the issues of the Iraq war. As Braintax says, the lyrics speak for themselves as he doesn’t hold back on Bush, Blair, Army, journalists, DJs(?) and oil barons. Even ‘Georgeous’ George Galloway MP (Respect Party/talkSPORT late night host) gets a soundbite. Braintax adopts an Eminem tempo and the beats (by Louis Slipperz of Raw Dog) sound particularly ‘world’ as they use “real” instruments. Could be the anti-war track that gets it right on all accounts.

But that doesn’t prepare us for ‘The Grip Again (A Day In The Life Of A Suicide Bomber)’. Again having a go at the axis of evil (Bush-Blair-Sharon) to a beat that he found on a trip to Madrid.

The dark-electro-sample from Elmore Judd’s album Angel Sound (Raw Dog production) on the retro anti-Thatcher/Reagan ‘Decade’ emphasises how little we’ve learned over the years.

But it’s not all about the political raps. In contrast, ‘Exit Plan’ is all acoustic guitar chill backing track and another great production is by Ghost (he of the brilliant ‘Basic Instinct’) who provides the beats on an indo-percussive tip for a ‘Pick A Subject’ battle with Verb T.

The tracks on the ‘Run The Yards’ / ‘Last Tenner’ single stand out due to their familiarity but some of the other tracks here would have been equally good singles.

The homage of Steve Strange’s ‘Fade To Grey’ is a bit of a surprise as he shares the mic with rising star Dubbledge on ‘Anti-Grey’.

There’s no fading to grey on this album, just a great variety of UK hip-hop with some common Yorkshire sense. He says at the start, “All we need is food, clothes and shelter”. I’d say music comes next and Braintax’s message is undoubtably ready to go to a wider audience.

Hectic mix nomination: ‘Syriana Style’, ‘Anti-Grey’, ‘Decade’, ‘Back To The Riveira’, ‘Run The Yards’, ‘Last Tenner’

Reviewed: Braintax — Panorama (Low Life Records) Cat. No. LOW46CD Release date: October 2006

Tracklisting:
1 All I Need (3:33)
2 Can We? (Skit) (1:22) featuring Jouranlist Robert Fisk
3 Syriana Style (3:38)
4 Monsoon Funk
5 Good Or Bad featuring Mystro
6 Anti-Grey featuring Dubbledge
7 Last Tenner
8 The Grip Again (A Day In The Life Of A Suicide Bomber)
9 Pick A Subject featuring Verb T
10 Decade
11 Run The Yards
12 Back To The Riviera
13 Exit Plan Produced by Copperpot [www.myspace.com/jonnybarnacle]

Links:
www.lowliferecords.co.uk