Sweet Talking Your Brain
label: syntax

producers: eclectic, elektro4, mf shalem, dj mayonnaise, moodswing9, maker, scott metalic.

guests: serena andrews, eric gagne.
year of release: 2002
website: thedorianthree.com
 
This version is a re-release, put out by Syntax Records, after Adeem released the original himself on a CD-R with a different artwork (different color and the full image) and an explanation. So more people will get the chance to hear the voice, words and verses, while the ones that got the original version can brag about another little collectors item. It however is also interesting why Syntax went out of their way to pick up this record and offer it to the audience again. We will find out during this review.
First thing first: Adeem is a poet. That makes his music something you better listen to when in the mood. Meaning that when you are angry, your patience will be stressed with lines like "my motivation to be an adult has decided to catapult me over the picket fence to land on my 2.5 kids" (on "Younger Days"). Okay, statistics. We like that. But despite the picturesque description, the frustration can creep up on you. Despite dope expressionism, it's also just so many words for so little said. And in the wrong mood that can come across arrogant and 'look I'm smarter than you'-ish.

tracklisting
1. Sweet Talking feat. Serena Andrews
2. Broken Right Wing
3. Younger Days
4. Blind Walk
5. Fade Away
6. Out Of Office Experience
7. Enticing (From A Distance)

8. Circulation
9. Maker Mine
10. Forgotten Habit feat. Eric Gagne
11. Cycle
12. Random Nonsense
13. Stargazing
What makes me wonder, how much of that is just due to the mood, and how much is actually just being honest. Because at times the question needs to be allowed, if we need to care about all those things that are said on records, that have no relation to us. What then however also means that the ones that are able to find themselves in the music, will like it, and those that will not find themselves in the thought pattern, are probably an audience this record wasn't coined for.
But no mood will prevent the audience from listening up when Adeems says on "Broken Right Wing": "Ssssshhhhh the movement will speak for itself / programmed to ignore wealth by the humble matrix / look past all your twisted hatred / reliving, reinventing, making a sound reality out of pretending / I wish I had been there, face to face with Allen Ginsburg, knowing what I believe now / I would injure a strong right wing, listen to the resistance sing / lives have been handed to death for a struggle that had absolutely no grip left / we've come to inject adrenaline into the weak veins / stronger in numbers we attack through adats and four tracks / using sound as the soldier that can't be hit back / on a five minute mission to collapse". But I cringe when I hear: "I'm being too obvious, this information is to precious / cover it with repetitious word to conceal the message". Heck, just say your ish.
What then however is said with a calmed mood. So digging deeper into the mind and art of Adeem, we find him speaking on faith issues on "Blind Walk", while I do actually find myself in "Fade Away", when Adeem says: "I'd pay anything to be inspired" and "I take a lot of pride in letting my nonsense make me unique". And this song, as much as "Out Of Office" and "Stargazing" speaks on finding yourself and making experiences. And in such a way he's like a Keroac who's sitting in a car ready to dig the world for kicks. With Adeem rising the finger at himself quickly though, as on "Enticing (From A Distance)" he to an extend dismisses the temptation to experience everything. With this however being mainly a spoken poem on heard crunching pains, an epic piece of mainly words with barely music, before everything comes down and the music rises up. The response then appears in some way on "Maker Mine" where Adeem complains: "they say in this world there is someone for everyone / but I'm struggling to find someone that has experienced everyone / and I believe that finding the perfect one has nothing to do with perfection".
The production throughout the album is excellent, with everyone handing in some of his best work. Elektro4 impresses on "Enticing (From A Distance)", DJ Mayonnaise on all his cuts (with the guitary and singing "Forgotten Habit" with Eric Gagne certainly confusing people, while the second part is hurtingly intense), Moodswing9 and Maker on the ones they do ("Fade Away" and "Maker Mine"), while MF Shalem wouldn't let his partner down, with his beats fitting the moods of the other people perfectly. And Adeem even finds the time to do some turntablism on "Random Nonsense".
So to pick up the question raised at the beginning again, why Syntax re-released this record: the answer can be as simple as that it's really good. At least for the Syntax staff, but not necessarily for every single possible listeners. As you need to have a musician and poet heart to be willing to completely submit yourself to the songs. And moods like anger that don't give you the patience to follow Adeem on all his detours will also limit the amount of enjoyment you'll find in this record. With that however not arguing away that this record has a lot of quality.
review: tadah
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