BrassMunk - Fewturistic

www.myspace.com/brassmusic
Location: Toronto, ON

I remember back in 2001 when DJ Mastermind mentioned Brassmunk to me as the next big thing out of Toronto. I said "oh, I think I heard his track on Rap Essentials." He said "Actually, they're a group."

It wouldn't be long before everyone knew their name with huge singles spilling onto MuchMusic. Since the release of their hit-filled debut album "Dark Sunrise", Broadway has left the group, and change was inevitable.

The big box, upbeat hits are gone on 'Fewturistic', seemingly replaced by an attempt to ressurect the introspective and uplifting Slum Village sound. This transition is somewhat successful, but I'm not the best to judge as my favourite Slum Village track was the upbeat anthem 'Raize Up.'

I lost interest on tracks like 'Game Day', with a beat that sounds eerily similar to their hit 'Black Superman.' While 'Gumbo (Electric Revolution)' will be popular with the b-boys, this blend of Eddie Grant's 'Electric Avenue' meets King Reign's 'Guilty Party' doesn't match up to either of its predecessors.

'Who'd of Thought' is a real success as Dwele smooths out a nice chorus, although Reign's verse had me feeling a bit awkward: "The first time she had dick there was more than one man present / The second time she had dick there was more than one man present." 'Total Recall' is another smoothed out feel good track that's probably
my favorite on the album. And 'Brassography' was bangin.

Oddly, the biography that accompanied this album was from their previous album, "Dark Sunrise," almost as if to say "we miss those good old days."