The End Of The Beginning

producers: el-p, sunspot jonz, blockhead, ant, rjd2, oh no, others.

guest: aesop rock, shock g, humpty hump, el-p, eligh, scarub, others.
year of release: 2003
website: llcrew.com
 
Murs might just have recorded an album that contains the anthems of working men and women. Just like Pulp spoke to the majority of UK listeners with "Common People", so does "Gods Work" speak to everyone that gets up earlier in the morning than he desires. Everyone that earns more for his boss than for himself. Everyone that at the end of the week sits back to look at his house/apartement/new stereo/video game and just be: 'yip it was worth it.' "Gods Work" is for those that work hard, god damn hard (and it's also the first single). And your admittance of that, can be as much cleansing as comforting. And Murs speaks his tale of 8 to 10 over a clapping beat that uses a blues guitar and that helps to carry the burden.
And with this track, we're right smack in the middle of the review of Murs' long awaited "The End Of The Beginning" album, that drops on Definitive Jux. This review, and note the disclaimer tone, can only be on the fifteen tracks that are on our copy. It must also leave some production credits unmentioned, as they are not printed on the little papers that come with the record. But as always, it's not about the wrapping. And even though this uncompleted version misses three tracks, considering what's already on here, the completed album will only be even better than the already dope work in progress report. And that's especially due to one of the highlights, the 3 Melancholy Gypsies track, being absent.

tracklisting
1. You And I
2. Dibbs Did This Shit (Interlude)
3. I Know
4. The Scuffle
5. Last Night
6. Transitions Of A Rider
7. Happy Pills feat. Aesop Rock
8. Risky Business feat. Shock G & Humpty Hump
9. The Dance feat. El-P
10. Gods Work
11. Def Cover
12. Please Leave
13. Sore Losers
14. B.T.S.
15. 18 w/a Bullet Remix
16. Brotherly Love
17. Got Damned
18. Done Deal feat. 3 Melancholy Gypsies
However, we do receive the track "Risky Business" with our long lost hombres Shock G and Humpty Hump. And the mood of the track promises a party in true Humpty Dance fashion, with things however going a little sour in this plastic nose adventure. This is not the only track where the tongue in cheek spirit that's on the whole album, is made more blatant. Another track like that is "Happy Pills" with Aesop Rock, where the two enjoy the fresh air outside the asylum, with the beat opting for an old school soul sample. Besides that, there's the trash talking "The Scuffle", the skateboarder track "Transitions Of A Rider", the double timing collaboration with El-P "The Dance", that gives us a typical El beat. "Got Damned?" and "You And I" can work as a pair, as Murs speaks on some industry rules, and about his prospects and opinions that he's facing, getting even political on "Got Damned?".
With all these songs being good, there's the even better, like the future smash hit "I Know". The chorus might be based on a sample, but it's catchy and everybody can join the chanting along, while Murs speaks a little bit about this and a little bit about that, with some being uplifting and some other just descriptive. That then shows more of Murs' serious side, that is expressed full fledge on "Last Night". This tale of reality in LA comes neither glorifying, nor too damning, but just honest. The beat is again more toward the earth tones, than the metallic, fitting Murs rhymes exquisitely. This melancholy then turn into a sour mood on "Please Leave", where Murs speaks to a lady urging her to 'get the fuck out.' However, the clouds don't stay around long in this world, as the sky is blue again on "18 w/a Bullet Remix", where the upspirited beat is again based on a soul sample and Murs looks at everything with understanding, but also with hope.
There's however also some tracks where the beats are somewhat thin. Like "Def Cover", another El produced track, that's strongly based on an old school aesthetic for which many listeners could be too young to understand. The song "B.T.S." (what can stand for 'big time spender' or 'buy that shit') is also a little underproduced, with many gaps making this sound bare. The only trouble of "Brotherly Love" is, that it's not as good as the other songs opting for this type of formula.
Although RJD2 has widened the Definitive Jux sound, this record will still surprise some people. Actually, it will mainly surprise those that followed Murs' career ever since "Gypsies Luck". Probably because this Murs here speaks on easy to relate to thematics over soulful beats. Whet then are precisely the qualities of these albums. Because in the world of superheroes, Murs can't fly. He also has no funky spider web genes. He's just like us, just much more super.
review: tadah
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