NUMB by ABiCA | Album Review (2009)
- SoL
- Dec 22, 2023
- 26 min read
Updated: Mar 23
PROLOGUE....
NUMB (DEMO) by ABiCA
WORDS TO THE BAND & MANAGEMENT:
First of all, thank ya’ll so much for honoring me the chance to listen to the rough edit of the “Numb” album, it means a bunch as a musician & fan. Be aware that as soon as I got done listening to the album, I immediately wanted to copy the album and give it to my close peoples to listen to but I didn’t because I don’t want it leaking to wrong hands or before it’s release date, it’s a break of trust between the artist and fans, and the final product would out do the demo album. Secondly, I can’t believe what I’ve heard from this album it’s just insane the mixture of music and lyrics ya’ll put together over the course, in Hash’s words, 3 long years. And no punches were pulled on this record and I’ve been waiting what feels like half an ion in rap time lol, but it was worth it and I’m glad I got a listen. I know ya’ll put your all in this that’s why I’m taking time to breakdown the whole album to you guys from my own experience and how they touched me to not only inspire ya’ll, but to show you guys are on the right path and give you any ideas on improving the final product if it sparks. But all in all this IS ABiCA’s best work yet! So let’s get it.
INTRO:
From the beginning of the album it was a surprising maturity of sound in the music as the intro rolled in it just took me to a place inside I was familiar with but unfamiliar with as it basically gives the expression of the overall emotional feel of the story which is Numbness, for me it’s my own experience on my own emotions being numbed and I’m naturally emotional sensitive individual so it reminded me of when all those emotions I held dear just faded away cause of a tragic event in my life that had forever changed me for the worst but eventually turned out for my good. The song has a style similar to that of Nine Inch Nails and holds to that sound for the 1st 4 tracks and a lil’ after the album (e.g. Gave Em’ A Reason). Lyrically it was amazing the words were plain, and to the point but in a form you rarely get from lyricists this day in age, and like it’s Hash is speaking but also poem form & Tac is giving lyrical backing. Expressing the experience of all your emotions dissipating, that even though Numb is not feeling anything at all its overbearing and seems unbreakable and irreversible. While at times before this is what you asked for it isn’t what you really wanted at all and in itself it is pain in one of the worst forms as you ask the question “Tell me what you see?” it can deciphered meaning any given thing. Possibly asking is there anything left good about me, do you see any of who I used to be, is the site of me ugly, is it a monster, etc. but right now I’m just scratching the surface. And as the conclusion to the song you feel an ending to something, but as the piano chords fade you quickly realize this is only the beginning of a journey, in this case a musical journey & story told through the eyes of Tac & Hash. This is the Story of being Numb.
TELL US WHY (Feat. Binary Audio):
This is an awesome opening banger to the album bringing that true rock sound I’ve been waiting to hear from you guys for awhile since “Prelude", while at the same time giving the longtime listeners a like “Oh $#!t” feel cause this is a new sound of ABiCA we getting. The lyrical narrative is the same ABiCA we know from past albums maybe to express this is the same ABiCA we know and love, speaking there career from their beginnings, expressing their views to haters those who said evil towards them, talking to those who have dealt with being numb inside, this duet talks as both like they are in our shoes but establishing they’ve been around and have experienced enough to help. Hash also speaks on how it’s been a long hard road making the record but it was worth it to be living the experience. The song’s 1 st verse is overall talking about being Numb in the eyes of Tac & Hash. As the 2nd verse speaks on the general mass against those against them and haters, putting them all down for trying to bring them down going to the meaning of the song’s chorus, which what I gather means before we finish you off you tell me why you try to take us out, why? And also a side note, Binary Audio almost sounds just like Trent Reznor and it’s sick as hell!! If I couldn’t get Trent to sing with me on a song, I know who to call!!! Besides the intro it’s a good setter for the next set of songs to follow and awesome song to play live as well.
TURN ME ON:
This is a wow track here, it’s really odd but it works so well it just draws you in and another head jerker. Bass filled in with that Nine Inch Nails- esque and rock undertone in the form of driving guitar chords gives it a sorta of journeying the web (internet) dark sound. With Tac leading the song talks on numb as the dark realm he is in and a lil’ light will help in saving him from the situation he is placed in and his “friend” he’s asking for help to get out of it to guide him to freedom but it seems he’s only droved the friend to be either numb as well or just in a place in life he/she doesn’t like and Tac is no closer to feeling better so he takes prescribed drugs to help and feeds into lies outside him and in himself. It also shows he wants to free but more majority of the time he really doesn’t care or the strength to change. On Hash’s lines is further taking the chorus further as he explains it’s really two friends who are numb and use each other to feel life by doing things that are more wild and living life to it’s fullest or by other means. Explaining the Turn Me On as in a way to make that person feel better about themselves on the inside and get away from the numbness. This gets me guessing could they be talking about each other, Tac & Hash? Maybe we will never know. In the final verse it goes into what they will be talking about more in the song I Can Be Real, only this is a more mild explanation of what they speak on deeper later. Though this song is awesome, the only thing I didn’t like is the prolonged ending of the track, it’s like how long a brother gonna bob his head to the same thing without any twist or further context, just felt real repetitive and it gets tiresome towards the end. That’s really my only complaint but still an awesome song.
THE THINGS YOU THINK I SAY:
To be quite honest, and I’ve told you guys this before, this is my least favorite track I’ve heard from Numb, and from giving the whole album a listen this still reigns true, the good thing is I like it a lot more then I used to. This is the weakest track off the album but it does keep a balance pace in sound and lyrics. Musically it still a good sound and holding on the Nine Inch Nails sound but more of an electronic sound and style. It’s still ABiCA for sure it’s a different direction as you both really just talking about partying in the club scene and just fooling with girls that just want to hit it nothing more and vice-versa for ya’ll as they use you for dick but ya’ll use them for pussy. It’s really sad but it’s how it goes and what you do. And if you take a look at Tac’s verse it can also be taking as an old flame that he loved truly & dearly but she quit on him and when he’s big in music she tries to come crawling back to get some his cheese. NOT! I would love to be put in that position honest, it would be funny as #ell. The turn off is just it’s too poppy and focuses on the electro sound too much and just gets kindof old to bounce to and the only thing keep me to the song is the lyrics. Approaching Nirvana is an awesome singer and fits the sound of the song, I would love to collaborate with him and though this isn’t as good as it probably could’ve been, it was a fitting pick for the track.
MY SONG (Feat. Cant):
This is a truly hot track to rock on the iPod FO SHO!!!!! It’s plot has been done a thousand times over but the way ya’ll bring it forth in this track in a new way of telling the aftermath of a deep breakup blew me away and been making my neck jerk ever since my 1 st listen. At first in Tac’s line I thought it was just talking about isolationism but as he went on it got obvious what ya’ll were talking about as I myself have asked and said the same things. And by the time Cant’s verse came on, a brotha was dead hooked, he truly killed it, slaughtered the beat. It was so epic in each of his lines like when Eminem dropped his verse on “Forever”, it was just that dope. Tac wasn’t lying, he’s SO sick with it. By Hash’s verse he’s speaking to the listener which was a different direction, like Tac’s verse was the asking questions, realizing the breakup as reality, Cant as in giving voice to the anger, pain and rejection and soaking in the fact you are better off without her and Hash talking directly to the listener taking in what they’ve heard so far and finally taking it as their own voice and using it to their lives and feeling stronger in spited of. This track is one my top favorites and begs the question to me what would it be like had Cant stayed in the band. It’s an interesting thought and I hope to see more ABiCA & Cant collaborations in the future cause when ya’ll do it’s not like he’s featured at all, the chemistry and flow altogether is right there and its like I’m seeing the side of the band I didn’t know when ya’ll started years ago.
TAKE THIS AWAY:
This is where the album gets more emotionally driven in the nature of the album, shows the darker side of the album and is more honest in the manner of relating ability that many people can relate to, as Tac speaks on events in everyday life on the outside and Hash speaks on the fight and thoughts going on the inside of an individual. The slowed tempo in the song gives the listener the look of Tac & Hash directly speaking/telling they’re own story as if standing right there and it gives me feel like there bearing there soul to me but it’s also relatable to as well. The sound of the song is dark and moody and is reminiscent to older Eminem songs in which gets more confessional and emotional. On Tac’s verse he talks on things happening in his life and going wrong and can taking from anyone’s perspective at any age from a teenager to a grown adult coming in self-loathing, anger & sadness with bitterness and somewhat acceptance but at the same time at the end he expresses at the end how he desires to be free from the darkness and find a way to be normal and heal the wounds that cover his life. The chorus leaves where the first verse ended asking for someone/thing or anyone/thing to take the feeling or emptiness out to be alright and happy again. In Hash’s verse he speaks on what’s going on the inside where one side begs to the light the other begs for the dark. It comes more clear he lets the dark win him over as he gets older and what life deals him they fill his mind with thoughts so dark he’ll react in the physical against those he sees are evil themselves (crooked cops). By the end verse both are in a state of anger now, Hash speaking on who is the most messed of the two on who would be willing to plunge a knife in their chest by bet, Hash succeeds and he basically asking for the other contestant to parade pictures of his bloody mess all over the web. And Tac speaking to a unknown person who is a person who he is about to hurt (possibly his ex-girlfriend from the 1 st verse) wants to play around with their murder and is trying to logic his actions and justifying himself but what is right to his eyes. By the end of the song, Hash openly confesses he feels nothing & that he is “Numb” showing the hopelessness of being free. The whole song draws me into the lyrics and music, with confessionals and a deeper sounding soundtrack makes it a song anyone can personally relate to and take it as their own, and give voice to the voiceless. I love Hash’s melodic vocals on the chorus and near singing it’s much better and stronger since previously done in the past albums. The production of this track is probably my favorite and an A+ Class favorite from the album.
DANCING THE BARS:
This was a differently, confusing, and odd track to get along with it. It’s one those songs by ya’ll it took me sometime to get with it for real, but all in all it’s no less an amazing track as well. Combining hip-hop bass, electronic sound effects and growling guitar chord, this song goes hard as lyrically it speaks on an intruder coming into someone’s house and take what he desires from the person he’s after and coming to the person in an enticing way as he says at the end “And if I get the chance to play / I think you’ll want me to stay”. I later discover at the end where Hash is whispering, it actually stays close to the story as in him needing someone to take away what’s inside him, and that playing with that individual will lead to his salvation. Which now that it’s called The Pursuit it better fits into the album’s story and the song’s meaning. Dancing The Bars is probably the name of the actual music beat, I would love to use this track in someway someday.
I CAN BE REAL:
The heaviest and possibly darkest of the whole album both lyrically and musically talks on people when they lose all they know dear to they’re heart is stripped away and they will do anything to get it back, in this case it’s the desire to feel again but only come to a short lived high that ends tragically and feeling even more F’d to the point of possible suicide. The raw rock sound is awesome and gives a slow tempo to give ya’ll the right time to spit your verses like it was rap track. They way ya’ll describe the “trip” it’s like a drug, for others can be totally different things, people or whatever, for me it could’ve of turned to drugs & alcohol but it ended up turning to sex with the person I ironically fell in love with once again and happy to know this day. The 1 st verse Tac speaks as the Numbed person explaining the pain of not feeling anything the distress he has of it & then it turns to Hash speaking as the person promising to give back those feelings lost and hold dear getting the Numbed’s trust. The chorus is the person asking for whatever it is that’ll make him/her feel something though to him/her it will taste like nothing but it feels good to the point it convinces him/her it’ll be alright this way. The 2 nd verse Tac goes again but only explaining the consequences of the trip if the Numbed person takes his advice then Hash speaks more friendly and understanding convincing the person to trip with him, while at the same time conflicting in himself the trip is messing with his mind and heart knowing the dangers of the trip himself but still takes in order to feel what he lost. By the bridge Tac talks on actually going on the trip as a pill which may prove they are talking some kinda drug that is reminiscent to ecstasy and as soon as here takes it everything goes into straight hyper-drive as the high gives him a fake feelings that remind him/she what they once had and it feels so good they never want to returning to being numb again and they need this trip to live. But it only tragically ends as the high backfires on them and the Numbness has returned into them and the trip no longer works and their only choice to get out is suicide or accepting the fact they will never be real. And they realize the trip is isn’t worth it cause it will only destroy them, or maybe it is worth it and will do anything to get that trip to feel something. This track is awesome and I’m glad ya’ll took a stab at this idea because honestly this has been a thought on my brain as an idea. It shows the love ya’ll have for rock and the chorus brings back that horror-core sound we remember, which by the way surprised me from the likes of Hash, awesome job & much kudos. And the bridge part was heavy and I’m sure if ya’ll work on it or really tried ya’ll do awesome screamos in further tracks. I agree this would make an awesome music video; I’m so stoked to see it and can’t wait til’ it comes out.
GAVE EM' A REASON:
This I heard on ya’ll MySpace profile first and Tac was flowing like no tomorrow but now I listen to it on the album Hash comes just as hard in each line he gives speaking not only a examining way but his rhymes come back to back and makes use multisyllabic rhymes. This is an awesome rap-rock track, it can be banged as a hip-hop or rock song, it’s interchangeable, I was listening that song nonstop on myspace the 1 st time I heard it blowing it upon ya’lls music player. I love it and goes back to that rock hard sound heard in Tell Us Why, and I like this one better of the two. This is on a topic I love, refusing to conform to what others think is normal and having those same people hate our guts because we refuse to be like them, its funny their faces cause they can’t change us if they tried. Just going off the track ya’ll rapping in almost quick freestyle it’s so sick, this gets me the most hyped but also inspires me to forget the what people say to me, if ain’t helpful don’t listen, SKREW ‘EM ALL!!!! It’s talking once again about being different and refusing to be controlled by the lies and bs the world, society, our government etc. gives us continuously since birth trying to break us down then what we are meant to be, trying to force us into being something much less then that. And declaring we are the outcasts and proud of it, we will never stop, never quit and anything they try to throw at us it will never work. The Revolution starts with every individual who decides to be Beautiful for him/herself.
BEAUTIFUL:
This is a track that took me awhile to get into and is another song I’ve told ya’ll on myspace how I feel on it, but imma talk on it again for the album preview review. I like it a lot more as I’ve listen to it over more and with time to let it sink into my system and is definitely a banging track especially with the twist ya’ll put on the ending verse makes me like it even more and explains further or expresses the background sound to the beat which I can only describe as an euphoric synthesized instrument that sounds like something maybe in a horror flick or something creepy. It definitely reminds me of a club banging mainstream song and the chorus is cool and whoever did this beat did an awesome work in balance of sound from the drums, horror sounds, pianos, etc. to make into a track that is awesome and is reminiscent to the club sound of Hollywood Undead. New direction on this song, but also another smash hit.
BLURRY:
Oh yeah, side note, Cant is on this track!!!!!!!!! Not Fuck Em All!!!! lol But Anyways another ABiCA 10 star hit, the piano chords give it that old time, classical sound to it along with the stringed chords (guitar and violin), it also reminds me of the Twilight score like it could be played in the movie or any dark or mystic movie in the woods scene. It still holds that basis of a hip-hop track but explores it in a much gratifying musical experience and with a constant flow of stellar rhymes it’s another smash hit that I love so truly. Lyrically ya’ll speak on the game for ya’ll as MC’s, music living, the music industry, the struggling of writing music, publicity, and intertwines with the story of being Numb. Hash talks on how it is for business of music and how of a struggle it is in making music cause it’s still a job but refuses to quit til’ he’s voice is heard. Tac speaks the honesty of ABiCA as artists how lyrics connect to fans and how it’s a give and take & vice-versa relationship between the fans & artists as they need each other. Cant speaks on a person faking to be a part of what everyone else is doing to fit in and cover up who they really are to fit in or to be the next big thing. Though it can also be viewed as a direct talk to studio gangsters and wanna-be hip-hop superstar/trap star trying to be what he/she hears on the radio or see on TV to be accepted because of the context of the first 2 verses. The last part of his line using dirty pigeons could describe hoes and now have given the faker a disease and sex is not a major thing and is not all about that with women as in view in a lot of mainstream hip-hop as in the line plainly says “sex can’t correct a Vitamin A deficiency”. Which can lead me to also believe he is referring to depression of the faker or the overall story feel of the album, Numb, and asking the question “Tell Me What You See, cause the curiosity is killing me”. Each time the 3 MC’s rhyme, you each use multisyllabic rhymes which ya’ll touch on in the album but Cant seems to use more in his verses and ya’ll bring it in Blurry so once again it feels like ya’ll together as a group not a collaboration. It’s a sick track with emotion & lyrical prowess; this proves you guys are TRUE MCs.
FUCK EM ALL (Feat. Cant):
Yes like I said before Cant ain’t on this track but is on Blurry, which he gives a superb rhyme style and holds down a tight flow. This track is straight dope, it gives that Linkin Park sound and 90’s rock flow that I’m truly feeling and I honestly miss, ah good times. Ya’ll changed the name, but I wish ya’ll kept the old name for real but oh well, its appropriate to the style ya’ll go in this song. Ya’ll go with a middle finger approach to the world, haters, society, critics, etc. and just is a rowdy moshpit song to get $#!t poppin’. Tac speaks directly to any youth listening and inspires them not to quit not matter what your views are despite the negativity you receive by others and can press thru with a big middle finger to those others trying to push you down, sweet ain’t it. Hash brings the anger further and makes it clear that ABiCA themselves will never quit and ride hard for the fans despite negative critic response and hating sore losers or people on the sidelines with their 2 cents that they’ll flip the script quick on ‘em and still be on top no compromise, awesomeness dogg. Who ever was doing the turntable cuts was ripping it up bring that old school hip-hop feel into the song making this an awesome rap-rock and a sorta tribute to that old sound that personally shaped my musical outlook in music (Rage Against the Machine, Ko?n, Cypress Hill, Deftones). And by the ending verse is straight forward to tell the listener just to be yourself don’t matter who you are or what you believe just be. The chorus is once again simple but awesome and I can see thousands or even millions of fans in a wave moshing in the front shouting it back to ya’ll while tearing up the stage, sound good don’t it. One the hardest rock tracks ya’ll have ever made and I love every second of listening to it.
JUST ANOTHER:
This is probably my favorite track as far as musically as it takes a slower pace and let you both examine what you see in the physical world around you from another person dying on the inside out, war in the Middle-East, pride of those who think they better than everyone else to being different from the rest of the crowd. It’s awesome I’ve played this track the most probably, the first time hearing it gave different things to me, musically it didn’t make me the same as what you were speaking lyrically, it gave me this bring me back to home, how the old time feel, though it did give me a sad feel to it, it also gave me happyer feel inside, which obviously changed when I heard the lyrics but was still somewhat sustained overall. I love the instrumentation from beginning to end the synthesized harmonica/keyboard sound gives that sort of feel like wow, it’s really hard to explain, all I know it’s genuinely awesome. It shows a more sensitivity to you guys’ personality and compassion to the hurt that is in the eyes of the world at large. It gives an extra general insight into ya’lls views as people and refusal to be like rest like a clone, and direct words to both of ya’ll, you guys are different and better off then most people I’ve seen or hear them speak and I love ya’ll for everything ya’ll done as musicians and sticking with us as fans. Keep fighting and never give in, and as the music goes on I flow to that place again feeling sad but at the same time happy and better. Agape. Never Just Another.
NEVER THAT FAR AWAY:
This is where the album starts to get even deeper & personally sensitivity, with piano chords ringing in the final tracks the atmosphere is more euphoric, epic, dreamy and inspiring. Similar to what Lil’ Wayne & Eminem did with Drop the World, the final 3 tracks are stronger and more cohesive fusions of rock, rap & hip-hop as far as emotional power, or Numb emotion. This track really though had me at a lost of what you’re talking about, which is the only complaint I seem to have what you guys how ya’ll word your lyrics, at times I have to listen to the track over and over to figure out just what the fudge you two are even talking about at all, and I’m getting a bunch of this that has me confused once again. Since we on the subject since the 1 st listen to “Enigma” most part I ain’t get anything ya’ll were saying unless I knew I’ve dealt with it personally, have thought of or can relate to in some manner, other than that it I’d have to play it 20 times just to get and some I still to this day don’t really understand. Lost & Found took me awhile but I was hooked to it thanks to the beat which is my favorite off the album, it pretty much like Just Another. Good thing bout this album ya’ll explain it better and it’s easier for a listener to interpret what you’re talking about which goes with the bigger maturity in this album then the past ones. But listening to it for this time, Hash speaks to the listener who feels life sucks and does the same routine and doesn’t fix the core problems and then quickly reverts back to himself referring back to the story and what they planned from the beginning of the album Numb. Tac speaks more personally about as a earliest he remembers being viewed differently from others and how it affected his own views on himself and how he taught himself to act like them for awhile with fake smiles and taking prescribed pills but ending up stop faking and just being himself by taking off the mask despite the hate. The bridge itself holds great truth in itself when you don’t know everything, and not planning everything out your much better off then those who try to control everything, just let go and let God, and as humans that’s one of our biggest mistakes, trying to control everything which we can never do and that just makes things much worse. In final verse Hash speaks on how he feels in music and how he enjoys what he has and telling others to love what they have now in their own life & Tac’s part is a bit confusing it goes back through random things but what is certain is he speaks on the question “Tell Me What You See” and what he wants to see is good and not what others want but what he wants for his life. The chorus is explaining even though Tac & Hash express the deepest parts of them to the listener it’s really nothing for real special because they can’t feel though the 2 nd part of the chorus I don’t understand for real but the only connection is it brings up the following song’s context. The song is dead awesome as I understand further the lyrics and the music goes into a mix electronica, rock, synth, and straight hip-hop it just surrounds me, it’s a blast of loud heaviness that I’ve never heard before ever it ‘so awesome I love bumping this in my speakers.
NOTHING HERE:
This is a truly moody track off the album fusing the sound of rock with guitars (mostly synthesized) and rock drumming with the overall flow of hip-hop with piano/keyboard and tons of programming it’s one the most musical tracks off this album. From what I take from the lyrics it speaks on the longevity of ABiCA, what it feels like for ya’ll making music and in the studio, the experiences ya’ll been thru, the addiction and power of music in your lives how its affected you and can’t let it go, also letting go of your own numbness that you’ve hold on to thru the years and as you get older it by itself fades and you feel better about yourself but there are still some that hasn’t left you yet but that’s ok in ways. The chorus is the most awesome part of thesong, it’s another moment in the album where it takes me to another place though it’s loud in a rock sound with horror-core screams we are familiar with it still maintains the euphoric nature to the song almost like it’s its own orchestra, the words themselves gives me a sight of redemption within the person and we have choice to go where we want to go because in the end the only thing that stop us is ourselves and our decisions we make “I’m Coming Home” means I’ve quit fighting against the place that gives me happyness in my life and if it’s not perfect it’s better then where I was before. For a second I thought it was the end album because how awesome the song, just an awesome ending song for real but the last song is next and beats this one by far. “So Tell Me What You See”.
WHAT YOU SEE:
The conclusion to the record is an excellent, superb, brilliant, and fantastic ending to the album, without any doubt. It stays tight as it returns to the rock sound as it could be played by a band, but it takes so much from others sounds and genres (Hip-Hop, Alternative, Classical) it’s a fitting ending to the record as it’s the perfect soundtrack to a song of freedom from what ever holds us back inside. The guitar gives awesome groove and when the chorus busts out it gives away melodic chords which allows space, more flow and expression to the overall sound so it’s not overbearing over the instruments, the pianos give an extra euphoria to the sound and gives the basis for Tac & Hash to lay their rhymes, the drums mix an awesome groove of hip-hop & rock style drumming fitting to all the changes in the song it’s almost like it never changes at all, and the bass guitar sounds awesome keeping a constant groove and giving good backup for the verses. This song is the obviously the most hopeful, inspiring, and powerful song off the album and probably of all the songs ya’ll have made as you both give a true lyrical showcase of what an MC can do. Tac leads the 1 st verse as you express the storyline of the record, and talks as in the past will never return to us, we grow older and life goes on nothing we can do is live on and give your best now while we still have the time, and then asking to take the song to heart and take in the truth in the lyrics of the song to push themselves and the youth to go and be Beautiful & Not Be Afraid and look to the future and live their dreams. Hash speaks on his own fight in life and living his life the best his ability expressing how the numbness he has experienced ended and his own emotions returning back to him and though he feels pain still that maybe heart wrenching, it’s ok because that’s what life is and then talks to those who wish to give in and don’t think there’s no hope that he’s been there but he made it out and it’ll be all alright for them as well if they hold on. The buildup verse to the chorus Hash goes off on the fighting and the more pressing on he goes, the more he takes back the feeling, the good back into his life, though it’s a hard road he continuously finds his place in who he is. In the chorus it aches at the numb to open their eyes and say what they see, whatever it is but urging for their site to be the positive not the negative, that they no longer have to hide from whatever they’re facing or trying to keep secret, and that the numb person who they once were are no longer who they are now and the nothingness doesn’t rule their hearts. The bridge builds up momentum for the ultimate glorious finale as Hash brings up the question again “Tell Me What You See”, it’s vague in what he is speaking but what I gather and predict is a person keeps journeying life and things come to full circle in life as we mature and grow and understand, what hampered your emotions starts to fade itself and “I’m not fucking Numb!”. Proclaiming victory continuously loudly and proudly as the continued buildup ready to explode one last final chorus only this time What You See is Beauty of making it thru, it’s not what you maybe thought it was suppose to be, but it’s much better then where you was and victory over whatever situation you thought was impossible to get over, and your suffering, fighting and struggling was worth getting to this point because you made it to this point, whatever it is, you made it. J It’s a powerful song of never giving up, perceiving thru the hardships and the story ends with happiness not pain or a tragic end, but there is life/light in the end if you fight and never give in no matter the bloodshed, and I’ve learned in the end it’s worth it in the end, to get to that place of happiness. Numb No Longer.
ALONE TODAY (B-Side):
My first taste of what Numb, straight up is dope. Sick rhymes and a moody beat that doesn’t fall short at all, this is Hip-Hop. I can’t say much on this track other than it discusses a different view on isolationism and in itself it’s an awesome track for any fan of rap or ABiCA, this is it’s a different style but you can clearly see it’s still would be seen as ABiCA in their past albums then on Numb, though this track is dope in my opinion I think it would’ve been a nice addition to the album but I understand what ya’ll meant when ya’ll didn’t feel it would fit the album, I don’t think cause it wasn’t up to par but the sound and lyrically it would’ve have felt more of an outside track then anything. But who knows it’s still one the best tracks I’ve heard from ya’ll and makes me want to hear other songs from the “Numb” sessions that didn’t make the final cut.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a Work of Art in the World of Music, I don’t even call it a Rap album, Rock album, Indie Album, this is “Music Album”. This is the first near perfect record I’ve heard in 2010 for sure 20 out of 10. Of all the music I’ve heard in this year of found a lot jewels I want to purchase before 2011, and this on the top list, your sound has matured a lot and lyrical topic has grown a ton, with a more understanding and relatable form then previous albums and storytelling has improved, the wait was truly worth it for this album and I can’t wait to buy it when it finally comes out. Ya’ll don’t have to worry much on this album because you give a near flawless effort and the final product should be much better, I have extremely few complaints. I’ve loved ya’ll music and got hooked since 1 st day I took I listen when ya’ll messaged me on myspace and I’m so glad ya’ll decided to come my way and I’ve been a fan and supporter ever since, and this album it proves my statements of late, music is getting back to it’s roots and in this age I don’t fear because it’s in good hands. You prove me perfectly right with this record, and I’m so honored you gave me this sneak peek I’ve been listening ever since I got the download. I’m just sorry I didn’t get this done sooner and message back lately, just been busy and didn’t get it finished just yet but I’m glad I did because I loved reviewing such an awesome album that I want to own very soon. J Anyways I hope this gives you insight on your record and know ya’ll have my full support and Numb is one of the best albums I’ve heard all year, this could help people get thru the tough times and know they’re not alone and they can make it thru knowing it’s hard but in the end it’s worth it, and you can’t say that about many albums nowadays for real. I have no doubt this will bring you guys a lot more attention internationally and you guys are awesome musicians & MCs. I’m so glad I got this experience and hope to experience more in the future. God Bless to ABiCA and affiliates, from loyal supporter & fan…….
Arnez Renegade Johnson
REFLECTIONS....
ABiCA - Tell Us Why (Music Video)
ABiCA - Numb (Sampler)
Stream NUMB on YouTube
ABiCA Interview Talking About NUMB
ABiCA | Official Website
Comments