Artist: GlueTitle: Catch As Catch CanRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Jessica Dufresne
Listening to Glue is like being transported somewhere between two decades ago when the Beasties ruled and into the future where one can imagine anything goes sound-wise. That being said, it’s sound that takes center stage on Catch as Catch Can (Fat Beats Records) and makes or breaks the CD because you’ll either like it or you won’t as there really is no in-between.
On their second full-length, trio Adeem, Maker and DJDQ are appealing to the rockers and Hip-Hoppers explaining in “Blemont and Clark” that, “We make Hip-Hop so y’all can appreciate/But then we remix it so rock kids can relate.” The result is that there is no cohesive sound on the album, which can be a bit alienating. Emcee Adeem says that, “I like mosh pits ’cause head nods get boring,” which is all good, but if you’re not into that rock sound, it may be hard to get through the CD without hitting “skip” a few times.
There’s still a lot to like about the album, such as at the very least, it dares to sound different, and frontman Adeem’s rhyme skills. His talents shine brightest as a storyteller, weaving a haunting Twilight Zone-like tale on “Vessel”, on which a boy learns that he is really a machine and on “Hometown Anthem”. The latter takes you on a jazzy horn-inflected journey of the emcee’s life and also pays homage to his small-town home in New Hampshire. A much-needed dash of soulfulness comes in the form of “Glupies” (groupies) with its rapid drums mixed with vocal sample. Adeem’s spitfire flow rides alongside as he warns a glupie to “Stop looking for a bed and start looking for a home, baby.”
Catch as Catch Can is an acquired taste depending on how you like your Hip-Hop, and as the old saying goes, everything is not for everybody. However, there is potential for this crew whose grind is quite impressive, having sold more than 10,000 units of their debut album on their own at venues and their website. That tells you that they must be on to something. But the answer to what that is, is not easily caught on this album.