LMS (Miami) - Oh Well

Hear The Track Here

Although I get asked to review a lot more rap and hip hop these days than I used to, it's still a trickle compared to the deluge that's out there. I try, wherever possible, to snatch a listen to some things off my own bat but with my review schedule it kinda complicates things. One of the artists who has given me some tracks over the last year is (to give him his correct name) -LMS- (Miami). A rapper from Miami via New Jersey (born in Jersey, made in Dade) I first encountered him when I reviewed Crow Flyin' (April 2006) and although I liked the rap, the track itself didn't do very much for me.

But sometimes in life you just got to say fuck it.

At least that's the first thing that jumped out of the track at me as I played it through the first time. Again I have to say that I am completely into the way LMS raps, his flow and lyrics are excellent - and on that level Oh Well is a splendid update on where he's at now. The man can rabbit like nobody's business, and he knows how to make the thing rock too and that's no bad thing. It's especially useful when the same problem that dogged earlier tracks dogs this one. Although the music is certainly of a better musical standard it doesn't put fire and backbone into the track the way the rap does and thus, kinda misses the target.

The main offender here I think has to be the very pedestrian drumtrack that holds no surprises whatsoever. For my money rap works best when powered from behind by the largest, phattest backline you ever heard, and this track just lays back too much for that to be happening. Now maybe this is exactly what LMS (and producer Big Eff) were after in which case I say very good and move on, saying along the way that this is an extremely clean recording (although not lyrically), it's rap will be it's highlight and there is no disputing how good that is. With a more powerful musical arrangement, this rapper could scorch your eyebrows off from a 100 yards.

Class rap but the track doesn't get behind it. Highly Recommended nonetheless (for the rap)