Debut album for Los Angeles rapper Timothy "Sinister" Johnson. The record combines beatmakers and live instrumentalists: the record is produced entirely by Tony Pizarro, who also plays bass and keyboards together with Doug Grigsby and Rob Bacon, the latter also plays guitar. The record, personal, doesn't include guests, although Kim Armstrong provides the background in some cuts and a group credited as The Mobsters is everywhere on the record performing as background vocalists.
It opens a simple and relaxed boom bap, accessible skeletal slow drum, relaxed jazzy samples, Sinister's calm, slow and smooth delivery. The second choice has a skit, then good strings in the background, energetic boom bap, fast regular tight drum, cheerful piano sample, slow flowing and relaxed syncopated delivery of the rapper. "Land of the Living Dead" is easily one of the best cuts: relaxed musical carpet, dusty, slow and dirty drum midtempo, good electronic piano sample I think, relaxed slow smooth delivery of the MC. The fourth track has a good rhythm, with tight cheap drum, good samples, relaxed vibes and Kim Armstrong chorus. Two skits follow, anticipating "Bank Heist", funky rhythm with fast skeletal drum, simple samples, let-to-breathe rhythm, fast syncopated Sinister delivery on synths g-funk. The eighth song boasts a funky boom bap with youthful and essential lively drum and a confident and inspired delivery of the performer. The record returns to relax, slow pounding drum, relaxed curious samples, good and accessible, rhythm left to breathe, Sinister's slow relaxed syncopated delivery.
The tenth song boasts relaxed mobb rhythm, synths in the background, lively thumping skinny drum, LA MC's relaxed slow syncopated delivery, with Kim Armstrong hook. Good bass lines stand out in "Don't Get It Twisted", with good samples and funky rhythm, the guy still flows worthily. Skit, then another great tune, funky and mobb soundscape, good dark samples, synths on the functional hook, smooth hardcore slow delivery supported by a quick drum. Sinister brings out a rare conscious excerpt in "Young G" on a great relaxed funky mobb beat, with slow pounding drum and relaxed sample, with a slow and flowing style. There follows a quite ridiculous cut on funky rhythm and cheap drum that precedes the last choice, funky beats with pressing samples and g-funk synths on which he delivers slow and syncopated.
Released by Three-D Records and Interscope with an Atlantic distribution, the album's commercial failure marks the end of Sinister's rap career. The boy brings to the table generic gangsta themes, crime, drugs, some socio-conscious and personal extracts, various dissing in South Central Cartel and Cypress Hill. Technically it's flawed, but it makes up for the little he has to say with fantastic production, relaxed mobb, minimal and funky, the rhythms are all solid and robust and producer Tony Pizarro manages to build a cohesive sound throughout the album. Consisting of 16 cuts, a few skits and an hour of listening, musically, it's much stronger than most Bay Area / West Coast records released around the same time, which is why I recommend it to gangsta fans.
Rating: 7/10.
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