Crusader For Justice
label: legendary

producers: the grouch

guests: scarub, psc, yadira, eye cue, gavin grant, zion, bicasso, others.
year of release: 2002
 
The cover says that we're listening to The Grouch'es heart. That he puts out, plugs our headphones in, and hopes that his music keeps our attention while the red serpent is whispering in our other ear. There's already that much meaning on the cover of "Crusader For Justice", Grouch'es newest and seventh solo album. Therefore it also promises a lot of meaning in the lyrics, while Grouch promised us a cleaner and crisper sound. In any case, this signifies somewhat of a leap forward, also with the sleeve being extensive, featuring all the lyrics and looking good. So Grouch is out for big things, we're willing to follow.
And although we don't want to get trackie on Grouch, if he writes the lyrics, we owe him to read. And listen. To these fifteen tracks that are opened with "Crumble Your Tower" a song where Grouch struggles with the finding that not everyone is holding this art as dear to his or her heart as Grouch does. Who uses this 'shit to get up' and uses 'this shit to go to sleep'. The words then continue to speak upon Grouch'es inner troublings, desires and satisfaction. With the man not trying to indoctrinate the audience, but he wants you to understand. Understand the content of "Crusader Of Justice", where Grouch takes the stance as the pioneer for equality. He's offering you obvious truths, shacking his head in disbelieve about all the restraint that's coming in return.

tracklisting
1. Crumble Your Town
2. Where I Wanna Get
3. Crusader For Justice
4. Backseat Drivers feat. Scarub & Safari
5. Cloud 9 feat. Yadira
6. Some People
7. Clean Nikes

8. Dragonfly
9. Ain't My Life
10. No Slow Thinkers w/ PSC
11. Juxtaposed feat. Eye Cue
12. Paint A Perfect Picture w/ Gavin Grant
13. Better Than You
14. Moves That Make Me feat. Zion & Bicasso
15. More Than Meets The Eye
The concept of "Backseat Driver" is dope, with everyone always knowing better where you should drive to, although they are on the backseat and you're behind the wheel. On "Dragonfly" Grouch spreads out his love for his special someone, with the song being so enormously personal though, that you struggle to find yourself in it. But in this you also hear how much the Grouch is at peace with himself, something that is carried further in the music of "It Ain't My Life". And that despite Grouch saying: "I've got this old fear of lookin' foolish when I soul share". What is exactly what he does: soul share. Or as said, plug our headphones into his heart.
But the serpent is still circling your legs. And that's also talked about on the arguably best song on this album: "Juxtaposed". First the beat is excellent, the DJ Drez cutting well fitted and guest Eye Cue has the right chemistry to go with Grouch and thus adds two good verses. Also good is "Paint A Perfect Picture" where Grouch speaks on the artists quest to create something lasting, something enormous, something meaningful.
A bigger problem arises with the beats. Fully built on keyboard sounds, this struggles of much of the ills that can come with that. There's as always the notable exception, as the playful "Where I Wanna Get" or the mystic flute and beat boxing on "Backseat Driver" (both done by Gavin Grant). Grouch uses the instrument's possibilities on "Some People" where the drum shuffles properly and the keyboard sounds wave a cloudy layer. The extreme melancholy on "Clean Nikes" is also good, with the idea getting looped too often though. "Dragonfly" does an interesting combination of a quirky sound and hints at dub in the rumba drum and space structure.
However sometimes the Grouch hooks up beats that are short on edge, and the crisp and clean sound makes 'em sound sterile. They at times struggle to be more than just the bass line, melody line and drum line of limited and looped ups and downs. But luckily towards the end of the album, the music settles in good waters, and the combination of everything just moaned about, is well balanced and built on good ideas. Therefore a smooth "Better Than You", a forward looking "Moves That Make Me" (minus the fake horns) and the funk growl of "More Than Meets The Eye" allows the album to end on a good note and leaves behind a better impression.
However with Grouch getting strictly personal, he demands from us, that we are willing to take interest in his person more than just that we enjoy his music. This extra value costs much, and chases away the cheap thrills that could be found in regular entertainment. So while that at times leaves us a little pushed around, there's many songs on here, where we couldn't imagine and want them to be any different.
review: tadah
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