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Monday, January 28, 2013
We at BootSlap are advocates for Indies with QUALITY MUSIC; so we base our reviews on 4 key components. This system of rating provides us a standard of quality that is not simply left to the bias of the writer or reader.
An overview of the BootSlap Rating System
In every masterpiece, there are various components that make up that work of art in a way that exemplifies it as genius. Whether it is the stanzas in a poem, the movements in a symphony or the components of a Hip Hop record; there are pieces to that work that come together and make it QUALITY MUSIC. We at BootSlap are advocates for Indies with QUALITY MUSIC; so we base our reviews on 4 key components. This system of rating provides us a standard of quality that is not simply left to the bias of the writer or reader.
IN OTHER WORDS...
The lyrics in music may be as elementary as Kermit the frog with a twist of tight jeans and pocket protectors; but the production is phenomenal, the mix is phenomenal, and the overall delivery of the artist projected well. They may get a good rating.
On the other hand; the lyrics may be completely flawless, but the delivery might sound more like a Gregorian chant, and the production is completely mixed like an old school cassette tape playing on a dusty boombox with one speaker working. That might not get a great rating. Just a simple thought to ponder when you make music.
WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING IS…
We are eliminating the opinion and trying to observe MUSIC for exactly what it is… MUSIC! So, I guess you want to know the formula, huh?
THE OFFICIAL BOOTSLAP REVIEW SYSTEM
They look something like this
(halves look like this…
)
AND BELOW IS HOW WE BREAK IT OUT ON THE SCALE
- 4.5 BOOTS: Repeat Alert!!!!
- 4 BOOTS: Pretty Damn Good!!!!
- 3.5 BOOTS: This gets a #salute
- 2.5 BOOTS: It's good, but might need some work
- 2 BOOTS: Definitely needs some work, but it has potential
- 1.5 BOOTS: It's OK…. (yea, how that sounded in your head)
- 1 BOOT: Not really a strong point, huh?
- HALF A BOOT: C'Mon Son…. (insert Ed Lover pic here)
Like we said earlier… there are COMPONENTS to every masterpiece, so this is how we ask ourselves how to rate projects:
LYRICS: Are you on topic, do you articulate well and are you creative with the way you put those words together? Lyricism is the key here, but making sense matters JUST AS MUCH here. What story are you telling me? Do I get it?
PRODUCTION: Is the production well composed, constructed and mixed? Does it tell its own story and carry its weight on the project? Is it even original??????? (We have to ask these days….)
MIX: Does everything sound clean? Are the frequencies balanced correctly across the record? Does this sound like a QUALITY MIX? Every type of music and genre has its own way to mix and blend frequencies; does the mix match your song?
OVERALL: This is done by simply taking the 3 components above; Lyrics, Production and Mix, and calculating the average between them. This then equals the overall rating of the project. Rounding in any way is up to the discretion of the writer. Think of it as a MINUS or PLUS on a test (i.e. c-, b+, etc etc blah blah blah)
THIS IS HOW WE COME UP WITH OUR RATING OF PROJECTS. LIKE IT OR HATE IT, THIS IS WHAT KEEPS US HONEST AND KEEPS ARTISTS GROWING. THERE IS NO PROGRESS FOR THE INDIE ARTIST IF THEY CANNOT SET NEW STANDARDS ONCE THEY MEET THE OLD ONES.
SINCERELY,
THE BOOTSLAP TEAM
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Tuesday, April 10, 2012
From "Bump This" to "Bail My Mind," this mixtape motivates a person to put up the house and cards for the game, so to speak. The feelings of nostalgia quickly rush to any listener that remembers the golden age NYS mind state sound of Nas.
Artist(s): Annex
Mixtape: Plan 4 Success Mixtape (2011)
This mixtape is definitely REFRESHING! It seems like this year's been one with long intros, and this album is definitely no exception (oh lord, sigh); but then the beat drops in and ears go completely at ease again. From the beginning of that drop, it was apparent that this review would be a good one.
From "Bump This" to "Bail My Mind," this mixtape motivates a person to put up the house and cards for the game, so to speak. The feelings of nostalgia quickly rush to any listener that remembers the golden age NYS mind state sound of Nas.
Annex exhibits a strong control over his flow and delivery, and he seems to know what beats fit him best throughout the mixtape. Some of his delivery is reminiscent of AZ, and while that's a compliment, this will be the main challenge for Annex. Stepping away from that sound and creating more of his own will be critical for his growth as an artist.
There are definitely "album fillers" in this mixtape, but not enough to bring the ratings down. Tracks like "Shit Happens" which didn't have the strength of his initial tracks; and "Lights On, Lights Off" seemed to be an attempt at appealing to clubs and a larger demographic. This just seemed a bit out of place on this album, or wasn't the best selection for this particular project.
Overall, the tracks and beat selection were on point with him as an artist, so it's clear the producer had a good feel for the artist and his angle of delivery. This chemistry is so critical, and they pulled it off very well. This is definitely a project you can listen to straight through.
Lyrically speaking, Annex brought his A-Game. His ability to change his pitch and direction will determine his ability to make himself distinct from other artists that are probably influences of his musical preference, but with his talent, there's no doubt he can pull it off.
If you love Hip Hop, you will want to listen to this album. He's got some relevant tracks and shows a great promise. As we looked forward to this album, we continue to look forward to MORE of Annex in the coming months here at BSR. He's definitely become one of our most notable on talent alone.
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Sunday, January 2, 2011
For those who are not familiar with Cambatta and his lyrical content, the latest album, Visionary 2 will serve as a quick reminder that there are still relevant artists in the Florida scene.
Artist(s):Cambatta
Album Name: Visionary 2
Year of Release: 2010
For those who are not familiar with Cambatta and his lyrical content, the latest album, Visionary 2 will serve as a quick reminder that there are still relevant artists in the Florida scene. Cambatta mixes his ability to weave lyrical content into everyday experiences; and makes a definite mark on the Hip Hop scene with this latest addition.
From the start of the album with "The Re-Introduction," he create the very feel Hip Hop is known for, while shooting off lyrics like, "These are visual statements, as far as that pop shit, I have minimal patience / it feels like the end of a civilization, and I'm the only nigga escapin'" to leave the listener even FURTHER interested in hearing more.
Tracks that DEFINITELY stand out a lot on this album, which are far more than just the average two gems in most album are: "On My Way," which seperates Cambatta from the stereotypical rapper; "Unstoppable Bullet," which tells a strong message; "Light it UP," with a feature from LAWS of Justice League; and "Green Light," which describes the double-edged character of money and our need for it.
While there's not much bad to say about this album, there were some slightly low points to the overall album. Tracks like "Stoopid" could have been mixed a bit better with the sample used to make it sound clearer; "Right Back At You" wasn't too impressive compared to the other tracks around it, but the singing was nice; and "Don't Blame Me," which could have used a little more work on the hook to make it stand out a bit more.
Overall, this album was HEAT!!!! This one is a definite MUST HAVE in the collection of raw Hip Hop music. Anyone who ever doubted Cambatta's ability on the mic should definitely give this download a try. Don't miss the track, "Good Ol' Days" if you come from that Golden Age of Hip Hop. You will DEFINITELY RELATE to this!
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Thursday, December 23, 2010
Aych's ability to cross over both radio and indie genres is undeniable, and his dedication is even more proven than his talent. THE CURE II is no exception to that track record.
Artist(s): Aych
Album Name: The Cure II
Year of Release: 2010
Overall Rating: 
Aych's ability to cross over both radio and indie genres is undeniable, and his dedication is even more proven than his talent. This makes him a definite moving force all within himself, and his latest release, THE CURE II, is no exception to that track record.
The album starts off with a good feel on J. Rusch's production for the intro, where Aych tells them to "Call on" him when they get tired of the nonsense we hear so much. This feel is pretty much the angle where Aych leads most of the album, which is a bit of SOUL mixed with various styles to portray the heart of the artist they call AYCH.
Some of the tracks on this album are SERIOUS REPEAT TRACKS! The one that is worth MUCH mention is "Live'N That Life" featuring AJA Lorraine. This song is seriously a CLASSIC and was stuck on my repeat for about a good 20 minutes the first time I listened. This is undeniable REAL LIFE content.
Immediately following that track is "Letter to My Pop," which shows an even deeper side to Aych. There is no doubt he left himself in the studio the night he recorded it. The dynamic in a son's view of his father was adequately explained when he states, "Never showin' up was some shit I got used to / but that's some bullshit kids should never get used to."
Some of the other tracks to pay attention to would be "Change" featuring Triple X and "Somethin' Special" featuring Dynasty. His dedication to showing various sides of his real life persona is obvious enough to command the respect of other artists.
Now, in ALL the good things to say about this album, there were equally as many points of lows to it with tracks like "Ready for the World" which lacked a bit more on the vocalist end and didn't engage the listener as well. "I'm So Fly" really wasn't too fly at all with all the features, and some of the low ends on the mix seemed to be lacking a bit as well.
Tracks like "U Know My Name" lacked a bit on the production end, even though the lyrics themselves were pretty well planned out. And tracks like "The Come Up" were a bit too repetitive on the hook for my taste. There was a little bit more of that on the hooks than I would have liked throughout the album, but it only really hurt a few tracks along the way.
If you haven't copped it already, peep out Aych's, The Cure II and GET THERAPEUTIC!
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Monday, October 18, 2010
BootSlapRap.com Album Review :: Wu-Tang Management presents The Watchmen catches 4 points out of 5!
Artist(s): The Watchmen
Album Name: Wu-Tang Management presents The Watchmen
Year of Release: 2010
Overall Rating:
Wu-Tang has never really stood still since their emergence on the scene almost a decade ago. They have released various group and solo albums, as well as movie music and animated adventures. While the last few years we have seen various efforts from each member to extend themselves within their respective styles, there has also been a major recruitment of affiliate groups that the Wu has been pushing out lately. One of those groups coming out of Florida is THE WATCHMEN. A crew consisting of 5 determined artists to make a mark on the WU Map.
Keeping true to the Wu Brand, The Watchmen dropped a double CD, with the first beginning very reminiscent of most albums with intro scripts from old school karate flicks. From the beginning of the album, you can hear a slight nostalgia of Killa Army influencing some vibes, but the crew quickly breaks away into their own style and flow as the album moves on. It's not hard to understand that this group is clearly ABOUT THAT LYRICISM and the use of "poison darts" to dominate the tracks one by one. There are some serious "burners", and much for the most unexpected reasons.
Tracks like "It's Not Too Late," with its signature Wu female vocals and crazy wordplay; as well as "Not Living" with its Soul Music quality combined with great lyric delivery make a clear impact into both the independent and commercial markets. This album has some diversity with tracks like "Cruisin" that brought a very Latin element to the crew. With tracks like these, there may be something the team is onto. It's VERY clear they experiment well.
By CD number two, you can see that the crew can do both old school styles, but have an updated flow to match the younger minds as well. There are some tracks that don't build well for the team in this album. Tracks like "It's a Shame" and "Chinese Split" didn't really stand out at all, and made the forward button look increasingly tempting.
With the mix of the incredible DOUBLE CD that remained oddly interesting from start to finish; the team was able to accomplish not only two CD's, but were varied enough in their sound to keep a listener interested enough to keep seeing what they had to bring next track. We look forward to hearing more growth from this crew in the coming months. Now, to see a performance would probably be THAT much more interesting…
