Feedback [PA] - Jurassic 5 (CD)

Upon first listen to <i>Feedback</i>, I was taken aback by how lightweight it sounded, at least musically. The flows and raps seemed a bit reserved compared to previous releases, and the music didn't make an immediate impact on me. The one thing about J5 is that they were known for the sharp lyrics and flows from their four MC's, and incredible production from the two guys in the back. I only played half of the album before I stopped it, I wanted to take a break. I did this because I thought maybe listening to it in two doses rather than one might give me a different view.

I returned the next day and popped the CD in. All of a sudden, I'm hearing the J5 I like. The group are "upping their game" so to speak. To paraphase a lyric Chali2na said about eight years ago, the album was very much like a Super Bowl Sunday, in that the first half was a bit slow and laid back. The action would pick up in the second half, and what I also liked was that the group changed up a bit in how they rapped and what they rapped about. I'm not saying they went gangsta or did some snap hop, but it was a derivative of what fans have come to expect, and I liked that. "Future Sound", "Red Hot", and "Where We At" is Jurassic 5 reacting to a 2006 hip-hop world, and proving that they can still do what it takes to move the crowd and rock parties, regardless of ethnic persuasion or what the mainstream says is in one's backpack. Forget stereotypes or trends, the second half of <i>Feedback</i> is good quality hip-hop, the music at its best.

Later that day, I listened to the album in full from start to finish, in one sitting, and I still have to say that the first half moves at a slightly sluggish pace. The album doesn't begin with an immediate banger, in fact "Back 4 U" borrows the piano loop at the end of <B>Art Of Noise</B>'s "Beat Box (Diversion One)", giving things an acoustic jazz feel more than a hip-hop one. One has to stay with the group a bit before the duet with <B>The Dave Matthews Band</B>, "Work It Out", makes its way to the speakers. Once it is worked out, the opening act is back in the bus and J5 is alive again. I think if the track order was rearranged, it might give the album a different feel. Had it started with "Where We At", which could have served as a question, and flowed into "Back 4 U", which would have been their response, I think it would have been more effective.

What did surprise me was upon looking in the credits, and seeing that there were outside producers, as if to say the group could not make it with Nu-Mark alone. He did produce nine of the fifteen tracks, so that J5 sound is still very much present.

Of course, the inevitable question, or should I say the inevitable equation: by removing Cut Chemist from the scientific formula, does that change the chemistry, or maybe that should be the dynamic of the group in any way, shape, or form? While his contribution to the group's sound is missed, it does not take away anything from the group that is J5. They still sound like a group of guys who are having a good time, not only for the sake of friendship, but for the sake of music and more importantly, for the upkeep of hip-hop. It's a new dynamic, one that holds up very well despite a slow start. At the midway point it picks up the pace and maintains it before it sees and crosses the finish line, almost effortlessly.