...Is Clueless
label: syntax

producers: benny cassette, cookbook, pigeon john, sirocdomz, jizzm, coy, others.

guests: joey the jerk, flynn, tapwater
year of release: 2003
website: pigeonjohn.com
Pigeon John's (of LA Symphony) varying flows convey positive messages through usage of humour, wit and religious reverence. At times he can sound like Slug (although a little more whiney), and at times he can sound like Kurious Jorge (although a little more high-pitched); but almost all of the time, whether he is rapping lazily or in double-time, or softly singing, he sounds like his own man. And that's the most refreshing thing about this album.
As someone for whom religion is clearly very central, both in life and music, Pigeon John approaches parts of this album in an unexpected fashion - women troubles make up a lot of the lyrics; he is not afraid to use sharp humour and sarcasm to get his point across and, while he tends to shy away from profanity, he uses the word 'nigga' not too frequently, but frequently enough. These are all good things, though, because they keep "…Is Clueless" from becoming too easy-going and nicely inoffensive, which it comes dangerously close to at certain points.

tracklisting
1. Clueless
2. Cheerleaders
3. The Cowboy Song
4. The Chase
5. Passion feat. Tapwater
6. Seal Fate
7. 6th And Alvarado
8. Payroll Professionals feat. Joey The Jerk
9. Beverly Blvd.
10. Destruction'
11. I'm The Best In The World!
12. Rap Contest
13. Move On feat. Flynn, Joey The Jerk
14. The Heartbeat
15. Los Angeles Rap Music
16. Beautiful Little Sharp Chicks
17. Eviction Notice
18. Cry
19. B (Live At THe Arcadia, Santa Monica, CA - Dec. 1999)
The tracks which back up Pigeon John's varying vocals range from being good head-nodders to being prime examples of 'too inoffensive'. The album's opener, "Clueless", grants a good start as Pigeon John (in one of his Kurious-esque moments) introduces both his willingness to openly discuss his commitment to religion and his intention to use humour to communicate his message over chopped strings. Throw in a catchy, sing-along chorus, and things are sounding promising so far.
The humorous element of Pigeon John's work is picked up on tracks such as "Cheerleaders", "Beautiful Little Sharp Chicks" and "Payroll Professionals", but is epitomised most savagely on "I'm The Best In The World!", where he calls out rappers whose lyrics consist of 'BUCK BUCK BUCK' and seem to advocate rape as an okay thing to be involved in. Pigeon John manages to keep the actual subject matter and feel of this song relatively light, while clearly taking significant stabs at Hip Hop that incites violence and portrays disrespect towards women. On the religious side, belief in God is found as central to a number of the tracks, but perhaps most compellingly on "Passion" - which has one of the best beats on the album, with single guitar notes and a scratchy drum roll beat - and "Cry", although the latter of these is also an example of Pigeon John's perhaps leaning too far in the direction of sentimentality.
While almost every track on this album manages to sound quite different to the last, and so 'fresh' in that respect, both Pigeon John's voice and his demeanour do begin to grate after a while. At times his religious leanings are too prominent among his otherwise easy-going lyrics and distract the listener from the musical elements of the album; and occasionally his voice becomes a little too whiney, and you stop caring about his particular girl-trouble, or his criticism of the modern rap game.
Pigeon John ends "…Is Clueless" with the live track "B" (recorded at the Arcadia, Santa Monica, 1999), and while he plucks his acoustic guitar and manages to sound a great deal like Ben Folds Five, he repeats the refrain of 'be yourself', suggesting that he is comfortable with who he is as a person, and (one might assume) who he is as a musician. In which case, it's not a big deal that he loses the listener at times throughout the album, because he's quite pleased with what he's achieved and good luck to him; he's done a fairly good job.
review: cornerstone
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