Doomtree – All Hands
Reviewed By: KURE Music Committee
Rating: 6/10
Doomtree is an alternative rap group from Minneapolis, Minnesota made up of five MC’s and two producers. This is their third official album as a group, though each member also has many solo releases under their belt. Their creativity has always come from having seven people collaborating on a single album, which allows them to create a vast, genre-defying sound. There are influences from RnB to soul and blues shining through in the hooks and beats. The production is what really makes the album stand out, its full of banging beats with grimy synth lines and popping snare. Each track seems to flow into the next, even with the sharp turns as verses are traded off between rappers.
The album is hurt by a lack of message. The best parts of No Kings were when they were able to hit a message home, each member pushing that idea even further. The perfect example of this would be the album that Run the Jewels put out last year. The two were able to collaborate and create a coherent message and style that moved cleanly from one to the other, while still being stylistically different. Yet on All Hands, messages are lost between verses. It’s hard to know if this is because of a lack of something to say or because they are no longer the cohesive whole they once were. It also becomes difficult to tell which rapper is stepping up to the mic as they all have a similar style. It begs the question if each member is truly bringing something different to the album. What I really wanted to hear on this album was varying flows and styles, each change of vocalist turning you down another street.
FCC: 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,12,13
Favorite Tracks: 11, 13, 9
RIYL: Sage Francis, Aesop Rock, Hail Mary Mallon, Atmosphere
