Search - Vast Aire :: Dueces Wild

"PLUS I GOT MORE HOES THAN A THUNDERCAT... HOOOO!"

D. Wilson | NY by way of Cali | 08/09/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Deuces Wild marks the return of Vast Aire as a solo MC, bringing with him his patented voice, delivery, and rhymes that run the gamut of esoteric ("chill out hero, I move my blade like Beatrix Kiddo"), to dumb ("my flows cold like a Saint Bernard"), to skilled (don't mess with the spider 'cause you think you're fly), to flat out "what the F that mean ("that wouldn't be cool if you called my name, 'cause you be soft like video games")?!" One thing that's hard to argue though, is when a cat has this much going on in a verse it's hard to get bored with his brand of wordplay (at least for a few listens). As far as the album goes, this is a step up from his last solo effort Look Mom... No Hands, yet still suffers some from the typical feel of the material he's released since taking a leave from fellow MC Vordul Mega and their group Cannibal Ox (with producer El-P), it's spotty; filled with some definite moments but still lacking greatness as a whole. That said, this is the best stuff I've heard from him since The Cold Vein. The album starts off strong right out the gate with the track "You Know (You Like It)" with Vast agressively spitting lines like...



"Okay let's seperate the blues from the pink,

I can break it down from A to zinc,

I can snatch your girl with just one wink,

I think fat boy's got game,

don't you think?"



... over an ambiant track with a bassy synthesizer tearing back and forth throughout. In fact, the production here is the main difference that this album has with Vast's recent work... it screams, "Yeah, I'm not El-P but I'm gonna try my best to emulate him!" And by now I think we can all agree that it's the sound that works best with his style. Other notable high points are the posse cut "When Starz Fall" (featuring Double A.B., Thanos, Swave Sevah, and Karneige), "Take Two", "Graveyard Shift" (featuring Genesis), and "The Crush" which plays like a companion piece to "The F Word" off The Cold Vein (though Method Man should be catching royalties for the chorus but...). Another nice surprise on here is the reunion of Vast with Vordul on "Mecca And The Ox" with production by Pete Rock (not sounding like his traditional self at all here either). Deuces Wild is a good album that I'd give 3.5 stars solid, and while there's nothing on here that will change your mind as far as liking him goes, for fans of his already it's a step in the right direction."