Labcabincalifornia - Album Review

Just an overall appreciation for the album's dopeness. The rapping is slower, but I think you can also take in way more of it, which I think is most important.
And I think it's just as good if not better than their debut... So shoot me.

One thing to remember, this album is full of early Dilla... Like 7 tracks I think. I'm talkin' pre-Stakes Is High Dilla. In a lot of ways tho, the production on this album seems ahead of its time. Anyway.

Bullshit
The beat (courtesy of Dilla) isone of those smooth and slightly haunting jazz loops that wouldn't have sounded out of place on Do You Want More?!!?!, which I think came out the same year... Maybe. Anyway, this is a cool smooth song, nice way to open an album.

Pharcyde
I actually like this beat, sort of a sonic piano thing, but the sample is sorta atmospheric and the lyrics are great. And Slim Kid 3 is great scratching, I think. This one was produced by Bootie Brown. Fatlip and Bootie's verse are ones to look out for. Still, the album has yet to truly start flowing.

Groupie Therapy
After about a minute skit, the beat finally kicks in. I think most experienced hip-hoppers can automatically tell who produced this track, I could immediately. Beat's cool, very catchy and pretty fast paced. Fatlip and Bootie fight over the ownership of this song too... Personally, I think Bootie wins. It's about groupie's by the way, but it's still very likeable.

Correction, way more paid is why she laid and played
The charade in the game of deception
This mysterious mistress is just an actress, of the mattress
Cuz, she's a wanna be macktress
Well built, but equipped with the tackiest of tactics
-Bootie Brown

Runnin'
What can I say, if you haven't heard this song, odds are you aren't really big on hip hop. Dilla's second beat, my personal favorite song off the album, dope lyrics all around, one of my favorite songs out there, and a definite candidate for top 10 hip hop songs.

She Said
This is about I guess classy type women, but not always. Anyway, I like the beat by Slim Kid 3. It's one of those songs you can drive while playing. I think the outro singing's a little long, but this track's infectious.

So I commenced the mackin' to baby to see what's crackin
So maybe I get her back at the cabin and start attackin'
Threw back a shot of yack and started jabberin' gibber
Fibbin' and ad libbin', just to get her to my crib then
We was chillin' on the bed bumpin' some Isley
Thought I was about to spread the thighs but she surprised me when she said
-Fatlip

Splattitorium
One of those weed tracks, which I guess weren't so popular back then, so whatever. Nice instrumentals by Dilla, which, especially now that he's passed, gotta wish they rapped over, you know? It's nice either way... Mellows you out, like weed! Weird how these things work out.

Somethin' that Means Somethin'
As close as The Pharcyde gets to criticizing public hip hop, another dope beat from J Dilla... One of those Dynamite type beats that are simple but catchy as hell. Fatlip steals this song.

You best believe I put in time to conceive
Deep concentration from sunrise to eve
And even in my feet sometimes rhymes formulate
We form lyrical storms falling from a cloudy brain
In my dreamlike state
Then I awake to make these silly saps collapse
As I dilapitate the wack
When it comes to rhymes I'm kinda like a mack
I got these flows strollin' up and down the track - Fatlip

All Live
De La-esque interlude.

Drop
Another Dilla beat, I hear this uses a sample backwards, which is SICK. Lyrically it's another album high. I can't really decide who's best here. The beat's weird, but nice nevertheless. A lot of people should know this song too, it was the first single.

Hey You
Ahh... I like this song better than Drop. The beat's really heavy, made by Slim Kid 3. It's really dope. Lyrically, this is better than Drop too, all of 'em at the top of their form. Imani might take this actually. Nah, gotta give it to Bootie. Sorta storytelling of hip hop artists. Check it.

Because of my high altitude
The attitude of this one dude was so lewd
That he was viewed as rude
And pursued by the side he was BOOED
And chewed like food in the feud
Ending the career WAAAY shorter than an interlude
And dude, the word I heard was that your vision was blurred
-Bootie Brown

Y?
One of those tracks, just like Jadakiss' in terms of intent for the song. Tell me why, blah blah... Great song. Bootie keeps takin' this shit. Dilla beat, so guess what? It's dope.

Know why I said it
Hear me clearly though, it's so severe and dreaded
That they need to be beheaded
Why I'm, readily, steadily, stimulatin' and mutilatin'
All sloppily copy imitations, cuz they irritatin'
So I'm intimidatin' them over the snare - Bootie Brown

It's All Good!
Interlude.

Moment In Time
DOOOOOPE... One of those reminiscent beats that feel slightly sad as well... Think Summertime or Reminding Me [of Sef]. Produced by this excellent nobody named M. Walk who really deserves exposure. It's a Bootie Brown solo, so yeah, he takes this one too. Lyrically it's sick, it's dedicated to a friend who died, but it's not like T.R.O.Y. Great song. This album is really consistent, something you accept by this time.

The Hustle
Bootie Brown produced. Another great song. Has sort of one of those movie scene type feelings to the beat. Lyrically top notch performances from all MCs concerned... I could listen to this song all day. At one point, Bootie's voice sounds scarily like Andre 3000's. I'd say Fatlip or Imani take this one, but I really can't decide. Imani's still in it tho, have faith. Get it?

Little D
Interlude, actually kinda fucked up.

Devil Music
By Fatlip, the beat, which is cool. Smooth, reminiscent of Bullshit. Not what you would expect from the title, but very nice song. Check it. Don't sleep.

The E.N.D.
Another beat by that dope nobody, M. Walk. It's just nice to listen to, and it's a great finisher. Lyrically their bringing the heat again, and the lyrics are all about their lives. Gotta love this track, you really can't. It's amazing, 17 tracks and odds are you won't be ready for the E.N.D. Nice closer.

Excellent album. Cop it, download it, listen to it and hit me up.

Score: 9.5/10