REVIEW: Til The Casket Drops By Clipse

(Sony)

**

Previously I haven’t had a problem with Clipse’ incessant coke talk - but that patience is running thin. Thankfully Pusha and Malice have moved into different topical matter, and inadvertently lost some of their appeal. Don’t get it twisted, there is still plenty of slanging going on, like on ‘Never Will It Stop’ where they talk about “50 bricks” - but some of this new material slips quickly into typical hard knock (past) life memoirs and flossy new day talk. That in itself isn’t necessarily bad - the problem is that these two MCs just aren’t that great at it. There are some instant standouts, like the DJ Khalil produced ‘Kinda Like A Big Deal’ featuring Kanye West and the album’s best cut - the stomping ‘All Eyes On Me’ with Keri Hilson. The problem, surprisingly, lies in the production. In true I’m-cooler-than-the-rest-of-you producer fashion, Pharrell and Hugo provide the bulk of the beats and don’t quite hit it. Tracks like ‘I’m Good’, ‘Door Man’ and ‘Life Change’ aren’t necessarily bad - they’re just not very good - and then there is the positively annoying ‘Showing Out’. I doubt I’ll ever listen to that track ever again. Overall it’s pretty underwhelming, which is a real pity considering just four years ago the duo KO’d us with Hell Hath No Fury. Next time I guess.

Sir-Vere