Weekly Release Spotlight: Eyedea & Abilities
Posted on 8/17/2009
Eyedea & Abilities
By the Throat
[Rhymesayers]
Some artists can effortlessly combine hip hop and rock. It's a tricky balance, but it can be done. However, no one seems to be able to pinpoint exactly how it's done – is it an intrinsic gift that allows some people to weave these two genres together? Is it simply a matter of better beats, clever lyrics and superior songwriting? Is there a secret hip hop-meets-rock formula? And if that's the case, how did artists like P.O.S. and Buck 65 (not to mention the entire anticon roster) figure it out but the Linkin Parks and 311s of the world didn't get the memo?
On their third album, local MC/DJ team Eyedea and Abilities make a rogue attempt at cracking that secret recipe - but they do it strictly on their own terms. The result, By the Throat, has its minor flaws but is nonetheless a valiant effort. DJ Abilities' (Gregory Keltgen) intense beats and signature scratching have always nicely complemented Eyedea's paroxysmal rapping, and this frantic, almost noir sound is still represented on "Burn Fetish," "Time Flies When You Have a Gun" and "Junk." Songs like "Spin Cycle," "Factory" and "This Story" rely heavily on guitars and live (or at least live sounding) drums. Eyedea (Michael Larsen) has worked extensively with Carbon Carousel, a (surprise!) rock band, the past few years and that influence can definitely be heard loud and clear. Fans who are hip hop loyalists may resent the duo for this shift (spoiler alert: By the Throat has just as much singing as rapping), but you can't blame them for changing. Perhaps Eyedea addresses it best – on "Factory" he sings (not raps): "You're so hip hop; you're so punk rock; you're so, so, so, so cliché."
Tastes evolve, palettes expand and we can't expect artists (especially ones as talented and dynamic as these two) not to experiment. We don't know whether Eyedea and Abilities will continue to move toward the rock end of the spectrum. But whatever they do, it will be like nothing else.
Stream: Eyedea & Abilities - Junk
Written by Dana Raidt, Radio K volunteer.