Review: Muph & Plutonic - ...And Then Tomorrow Came
Saturday
Released: 19 July 2008
Label: Obese Records
Website: Official Website or Myspace
Artist:
Returning after a long two years the dynamic duo, Muph & Plutonic are back on the local music scene once again with their third studio album. Having released their first album back in 2001, MC Muphin (Dan Young) and DJ Plutonic Lab (Leigh Ryan) were heavily influenced by hip hop throughout their youth and both artists produced ample solo work prior to their amalgamation. '...And Then Tomorrow Came' is said to be performing well after two weeks on the shelves - according to their website it's at #12 on the Australian ARIA chart.
Opinion:
I have to say this album was an unexpected surprise for me. I wasn't a huge fan of their previous work together (saying that, it wasn't terrible either) but the boys that brought us 'Heaps Good' are back once again and I absolutely love what I'm hearing.
...And Then Tomorrow Came has very much a chillout feel to it and doesn't push onto any wild musical extremes which cause annoyances to listeners. Simply put, the album just flows. It flows so well I couldn't put my finger on the next button once (okay maybe once)... Still, it's produced very well (which I'd say is the reason for their long absence from the scene.)
The lyrics are fairly complex, as Muph mentioned in a recent Triple J interview, he constantly rhymes in a cryptic nature so anybody he knows probably won't know they're being mentioned. This would make him feel as if he's engaging with the audience better but I tend to disagree - only because we have no idea what he's on about most of the time. That said, I think this can only be a good thing seeing he's covering more personal experiences through music unlike your average 'rap guy' who raps about women, sex and cars.
But - even though it may seem like the music is about personal experiences, how do we actually know it is if the lyricist is rhyming in verbal puzzles about people and places known to them and are unknown to us? There's the money question.
Honestly, I think it's a great album but it could just be that tiny bit better. I feel as if they've really utilised their talents well because I can just listen to the entire 50 minutes and enjoy it. The only real thing I could think of is Muph's tone of voice when rhyming. In every track he stays at the same pitch without mixing it up and down with the relevant chords. Personally, I think that's what makes these guys unique but it doesn't really sound like they're having fun with it - if every song has the same lyrical tone then it's not going to win over new listeners at all.
I highly recommend a listen to this album, Muph & Plutonic have really improved in every way from their last album.
Track Highlights:
Number 45
This track sounds great but is a typical example of where I have to guess what it's about - which is driving me crazy right now
Beautiful Ugly
Best produced track I've heard from a hip hop DJ for a long time - everything flows here
Filthy Rich
Also well produced and a great rhyming about the typical struggling musician
Don't Worry About Nothin'
I don't like using this word, but this track is just a 'nice' way to end the album. The female vocal chorus feature is a winner
Tracks that aren't doing it for me:
Balloon Heads
Feels like it's never going to end.. boring
Overall:
A 'heaps good' album showing off their full potential - very much improved from their previous work
Breezy Rating: 4 out of 5
You may also be interested in:
Muphin (Solo), Plutonic Lab (Solo), Pegz, DJ Bonez
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