Music Reviews
Album Review: Pharoahe Monch – ‘Desire’
By Jeff Swindoll Jul 11, 2007, 22:34 GMT
Pharoahe Monch is the stage name of Troy Donald Jamerson and is one of the founding members of the rap duo Organized Konfusion (with Prince Poetry). Pharoahe branched out on his own in 1999 and ‘Desire’ is his third solo effort.
According to the press release, Monch says, “be original, be true to yourself, and be as skillful as possible on the mic device.” Mic device? Well, you know what they’re talking about.
Monch does try something different to my untrained ear in that he starts the album off with a gospel intro that will make listeners think they’ve picked up the wrong disc. He then connects the next track “Free” to the spiritual in that it deals with freedom from slavery, etc.
“Push” features Showtyme, Mela Machink, Tower of Power, and some great horn work. “Welcome to the Terrordome” samples the title track from Pubic Enemy and also “Come and Get it” by H. D. Rogers. “Body Baby” even has a sound like a song from the ‘40s.
Grammy winner Erykah Badu even turns up on “Hold On.” The epic 9-minute “Trilogy” follows a fellow finding out his wife is cheating to the events that unfold after that revelation.
Monch lays down some good rap but also puts in enough interesting variations to keep my untrained ears listening (and rap is not my favorite genre). I liked what I heard.
‘Desire’ is now available at Amazon. Visit the music database for more information.
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Older Talkback
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haloedbmynameJul 29th, 2007 - 09:34:56
I bought the CD and listened to it on a trip down the coast from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. I was most impressed by the song “trilogy” which expertly tells a story of adultery, extortion, and revenge. The production on this album is earnest and can be enjoyed for its attempts to create soul from synths, some live collaboration, and carefull samples. The lyrics are thought provoking and clever and are most impressive when Pharoahe is using his skills to describe a situation (i.e 'Hold on') rather than bragging about what he is and what you are not (i.e.'what it is').
The songs “Body Baby” and “Bar Tap” are not good. Positive erudite rappers can never contact the sexual immediacy that dumb-assed rappers who can’t think passed their d*cks seem to conjure into hits almost unconsciously. Another issue is that the use of R&B choruses on every song is kind of like when three times dope got with Steve Arrington from Slave for live from Akniculous land (read: not good).
That said, I would recommend you buy or download this CD. It may be the only thing to save you from the thug-rappers of the future who will weigh you down with a platinum chain and then suck your brain out of its skull.
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