Search - One Block Radius :: Long Story Short

A worthy successor to the Scapegoat Wax legacy

Travis R. Fahs | New Jersey | 09/14/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For now I imagine most of the buzz around this album is going to center around the fact that this group is made up of members of Scapegoat Wax. Those looking to this album as a followup to what was done with Scapegoat Wax will not be disappointed; it's essentially a rebranding of Scapegoat Wax with rapper Z-man thrown into the fray, and Marty James' musical vision has not changed greatly.



Marty James serves up an appealing mix of pop, rap, and r&b with hip-hop style production. Shades of Jurassic 5 and early Smash Mouth are present, but Marty makes sure to own his sound on every track. Some tracks are pure hip hop, others slower melodic confections centered around Marty's crooning, and most of them shift deftly between the two. Z-man's nimble raps complement the sound nicely.



Long Story Short is a pretty full album with 16 tracks, and some good variety. It's adventurous enough to try alot of different things, and while some work better than others, the whole is better for the experimentation. While I don't think I could say that OBR expands the sound pioneered by Scapegoat Wax in any big ways (although the balance may skew a bit more toward hip-hop thanks to Z-Man's presence), it was diverse enough and fresh enough that it still holds up these 4-5 years later.



Stand out tracks include energetic electronic hip-hop numbers "Look Out Below" and "Champion", the catchy pop number "Black Mercedes", and the album's first single "Loud and Clear", but the real standout track for me has been "Wake Up Tomorrow", which is just very well put together and encompasses so much of the One Block Radius sound in one tight package. This song is worth the price of admission alone.



One Block Radius have proven that they have what it takes at this point, and I hope that they're able to connect with their audience. It's not a CD that will appeal to everyone. It's built on a hip-hop backbone, but it's not likely to appeal to hip-hop purists, nor those that are turned off by the genre. But those looking for something fun and adventurous that dances around genre boundries would do well to at least give this a listen. And for those who were already a fan of Scapegoat Wax, this one's a no brainer."

Whether You're "Up in the Hills" or "Missin Sumthin"...An Al

Aaron J. Wong | 09/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The multi-talented group One Block Radius has created a formula that anyone with a neck can bob their head to. From start to finish, this is truly a polished work, it is difficult to find flaws in any of the songs. A classic debut from Z-Man, Marty James, and MDA."

EXCELLENT!

NTJUNK | New Haven, CT USA | 08/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One Block Radius comes up big with a debut album that is solid from start to finish. Their sound here is both unique and infectious, delivering an assortment of original beats and clever lyrics that range from heartfelt to humorous. EVERY TRACK IS GOOD! From upbeat tracks like Loud & Clear and Wake Up Tomorrow to mellow tracks like Alone and Smokescreen, the entire album is reflective of real life experiences and sentiments of this generation. This is the best album released so far in 2005 and the kind of album that will easily gain momentum as word of it spreads. A remarkable artistic achievement and a soon to be classic. GET THIS ALBUM!"