1) Less One
Great storytelling on this one, about a cop who’s personal life keeps influencing his professional work: “Officer got a little bit lost in the zone/It all took him back to childhood, home sweet home.” Really liking Slug’s flow on this one, can’t really explain why, though, just something about his breath control and the spots he pauses at. Got a bunch of nice lines in there, particularly ending the verses: the line above, and “Ain’t no telling what them boots might do/If she leaves him for someone that looks like you.” The beat’s pretty good too.
2) Good Daddy
More good storytelling. This track talks about a father-son relationship, before ending surprisingly with the lines: “That’s how good daddy takes care of him/Then that good daddy goes downstairs to package heroin.” Great finisher (Note: I’m probably reading more into the track than Slug intended lol), as it shows that even the best of people – in this case, a “good daddy” – can do bad things or have other problems in their life. Nice beat too, good instrumentation.
3) Carry Me Home
Nice sample and instrumental on this track. Once again, the track is good, Slug narrates (I’m sure a lot of people, especially Atmosphere fans can relate) about how his life is fucked up and he knows it (first verse is third person, second is self-narrated) Great lyrics, great flow. A lot of quotable lines…in particular I liked the part where he spits, “Not a victim, fuck the sympathy/Figure it out and kill the bitch in me/Pour a little liquor out and call it a victory/They said the sky was limit free.” Great song overall
4) Happy Mess
I like the instrumental, and the chorus, albeit repetitive (“This, that, and this”) is catchy and pretty good. The verses are great, with Slug making a love song that doesn’t ignore that life is painful and has a great mix of realism. For example, in the third verse he raps, “You see me at lowest moments/You give me sight when I have broken focus/With a smile that opens up like a rosebud/Even when it all seems so fucking hopeless.”
5) Not Another Day
Wow, a great ending to an EP that’s been dominated by storytelling, with Slug narrating three different stories in between a greatly chosen sample that wails “Oh, not another day.” The stories are, of course, of various hardships in life, be it a single mother, a bullied kid, or a homeless man. Great lyrics overall, can’t even pick any specific lines. All three stories are well done, and it’s a nice instrumental. Overall, a great end to the EP.
Grade: A
- DKE
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