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Los Angeles based Todd Mumford is ‘Mum’s The Word’. Mum’s the Word is described in the press release as a “veteran L.A. producer” and he’s attracted some of the best ‘usual suspects’ to support him here. Busdriver plus Abstract Rude and Myka Nyne of the Freestyle Fellowship/Project Blowed, Brother Ali of Minneapolis’ Rhymesayers and OhNo. You can see the links with the Daedelus and Busdriver albums and in some ways, the material itself covers a ‘middle ground’ as tracks range from Hip Hop to Reggae to Jazz. Don’t get me wrong, this is not MOR. Apparently the idea was to find a hip hop meets Mr. Scruff/King Britt. The result can’t be that far away as he seems to have hit the right mix of bump and electronic chill.

Gilles Peterson finally picked up the title track on his Worldwide show on 15th May as his favourite record store had the 12” in stock at the time. It’s a catchy head noder with cosmic flushes and features Abstract Rude and Loslito (The Rebirth) on keyboard and bass.

However, as good as the title track is, ‘Star Fi De Show’ featuring Natty Roots is pure (?) Dancehall excellence. I don’t know whether this is an old riddim that he’s adapted but wow! A couple of cans of Red Stripe and I’ll bounce around to this all night. And if you fancy some nu-roots, ‘War Dub’ is a modern old skool electo-dub and ‘The Beretta Factor’ (featuring Myka 9) has that skankin beat with a spaghetti western theme. Lee Perry at the Black Ark for today.

‘Follow the Path’ with 3MG (Eligh, Murs + Scarub) is a downtempo rap containing the message; ‘we all need music in our lives’. It precedes ‘Smashing’, a little dubby with some nice synth lines and flutey sounds plus a Latin beat thrown in. But the tracklisting never lets this mood continue for long as the next is, ‘Let ‘Em Out’ featuring Oh No (Madlib’s younger brother). Very much in your face rap (profanity warning).

Similarly, ‘The Distance’ features Senim Silla (ex-Binary Star) in an up-tempo anti-Pol Pot rap with reggae influenced bass line with some tribal-esque percussion that is followed by, ‘Fantasy World 2’. A flutey broken beat flava.

On ‘Treacherous’, Brother Ali spits over a deep bass and string samples (reminiscent of Black Planet/Exquisite Corpse). Whilst the next track, ‘Physical Form’, starts like, say, The Dells with bongo/piano intro and then continues in a broken groove (the percussion sounds like a musical interpretation of typing on manual typewriter with carriage return, ‘Ching’!). ‘Stepping Stone’, is similar in vein incorporating Japanese influences with Danny Levin providing the laid back trumpet solo.

The last track is ‘Steppin’ Out With Mr. Banks’, which is very Café del Mar, this time with Joe Banks on horn duty. Jazzy and mellow. Has this already been picked up for an advert on the TV? Not sure, but we’re talking Miles on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the park. Relax.

Busdriver appears on and co-wrote, ‘They Wanna Rap’ and it’s unmistakably ‘him’ over a flute lead and more horn by Mr. Levin again. It is highlight, but there’s lots of them on this album. The almost alternating Instrumental/Rap of the tracklisting works well as it never lets you get too comfortable. My CD is disintegrating due to repeat plays, especially ‘Star Fi De Show’. It must come out as a single at some point you would think but you won’t be disappointed with the 12” if you want an introduction (see tracklisting below). But hey, get the CD. Did I mention, ‘Star Fi De Show’ is 4 minutes and 5 seconds of dogs b*ll*cks?

Reviewed CD: Release Date: 02/25/05

Links
Official Website: www.greylabelrecordings.com
Gilles’ “favourite record store” If…Music [June 05 “NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE”]
Gilles Peterson :: Tracklisting 15/05/05 : : Common in Session “Mums The Word - ‘Constant Evolution’ feat. Abstract Rude (Up Above)”

Constant Evolution 12”
1. Constant Evolution Feat. Abstract Rude
2. The Distance Feat. Senim Silla
3. Let Em’ Out Feat. Oh No (Baptman Remix)
4. Constant Evolution (Instrumental)
5. The Distance (Instrumental)
6. Let Em’ Out (Remix Instrumental)

Constant Evolution: CD
1. Brub Intro
2. Constant Evolution feat Abstract Rude
3. Follow the Path feat. 3MG
4. Smashing
5. Let Em’ Out feat. Oh No
6. Treacherous feat. Brother Ali
7. Physical Form
8. Star Fi De Show feat. Natty Roots
9. They Wanna Rap feat. Bus Driver
10.Stepping Stone
11.The Distance feat. Senim Silla
12.Fantasy World 2
13.War Dub
14.The Beretta Factor feat. Myka 9
15.Steppin’ Out With Mr. Banks