Search - Swollen Members :: Balance (Reis)

Some people...

Cancer | Vancouver, B.C. | 01/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I really have no appreciation for those who think this album was eclipsed by Bad Dreams. Shame on you all! You are no better than those who would praise J-Live's "All of the Above" over "The Best Part". It should be all too clear to all you hip-hop enthusiasts that it's not what makes them famous that counts. Balance was originally released in a very modest setting and distributed to few in a less attrative blue and white case minus a few songs contained on the better known black and red re-release. Before this they can be heard on another compilation disc as far back as 1997 (Bomb Hip Hop Records' "Bomb Worldwide"). The beauty of "Balance" is the same as "The Best Part". Both had been works in progress for a lot longer than "Bad Dreams" or "Monsters.." and thereby have a lot more variety and I would have to say more love into this first release. There are also a lot more hands involved in the creation of this project and the album cover (depending on who you are) can read like royalty and definitely adds to the album. The artists involved intertwine beautifully to produce a sound that is truly the embodiment of underground hip-hop.As any SM fan can plainly see that this sort of effort is possible for Bad Dreams because most of Balance had been almost completely finished a long time before it's release. However, this is certainly not to say that this album has the assortment of flavours as balance and effort.Not to say that I hate Bad Dreams or the new mainstay of that album (namely, Rob the Viking) but it is not as good as Balance. And if you say that you think "Monsters..." is their best CD then you really need your head examined.All told, pick this one up first if you didnt already pick up Bad Dreams. If you already own Bad Dreams and think it is the
...then you must hear "Balance". Its different and you must certainly be aware of the context which results in this albums multi-facetedness."

CLASSIC

mistaproduca | toronto | 10/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This here is a classic hip-hop album that gets very little praise. This is before the members dropped their horrible teeny bopper album ''heavy'' and sold out their art like trolls to the industry. Honest to christ i cant even beleive this is the same group. The beats on here are rugged, u cant hate on evidence, alchemist, and zodak production. Plus it was just mad child and prevail. Now rob the viking and MOKA [whos incredible when hes SOLO] is in the crew. They completely betrayed their loyal fans and sold out. Bad dreams wasnt a bad album, monsters in the closet were balance out takes with the exception of some additional new mainstream garbage but still was a solid release. THIS ALBUM HERE IS WHERE ITS AT! THIS IS THE CLASSIC SWOLLEN MEMBERS! it will always be mad child and prevail. NO TRASH LIKE YOU SEE ON TELEVISION! COME BACK SWOLLEN! underground for life daddy!"

It's cool

pj azzara | 10/31/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"They're from Vancouver B.C. and wow, I didn't think them cupcakes could rap without saying "eh?" But they do. It's good. I like track 14 myself."