So the new Arctic Monkeys album, Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino, came out last week and I still think it’s pretty wack and extremely underwhelming, so I’m simply not going to give a review spin. Can’t be bothered. I’m willing to accept the idea that I’m somewhat “not getting it”, but man, how only God knows hard it is journeying through those eleven tracks every single time. I mean, at least half of those songs to me are so identity-less and undistinguishable that I’m still not able to tell which one is which without repetitively looking at their long titles, as they do nothing but converge into a wishy-washy space-rock reverberated slime that would’ve found a better home as Alex Turner’s The Last Shadow Puppets B-sides. Also, in other news, next week sees the release of the debut self-titled EP by Californian punk-hardcore outfit Pressure Cracks, for which my man Jason Aalon Butler doubles as screaming vocalist. Make damn sure to check out their mighty, tasty, and infuriated first cut “Be A Wolf“, streaming now on YouTube and YouTube alone (which I don’t think is the best idea and ROI-strategy for the group, as we all know Google pays out the lowest average playback rates of any streaming service… Guys, you should really at least hit Apple Music or at the very least Spotify with that shit).
All this to convey the message that, in the meantime and while waiting for Pressure Cracks’ debut release, it was on me to find a new project that would grab my attention, maintain it, and nurture it stupendously enough to have me draft an unpacking ARM piece to hit the ether airwaves, so as to feed upon the algorithmic logics of SEO and nowadays’ promotional marketing keeping this site afloat. Such an epiphany came to me whilst browsing through the meanderings of Twitter, as a while back I rested my active listening attention on Los Angeles jazz-rapper Patrick Paige II’s debut solo single “On My Mind/Charge It to the Game“, released back at the beginning of April as first promo cut for his full-length studio album Letters of Irrelevance, which instead came out just mere days ago on 18th May. Unfamiliar with the dude, a quick web research (and most publications’ headlines) revealed at the time how Patrick Paige II is none other than the bassist and in-house producer for the influential and critically-acclaimed R&B/funk-soul collective The Internet. My bad for not knowing that right away, but hey, we’re all fallible. While the latter band never really did anything for me – yes I did try purchasing and forcing myself to listen to their flamboyant Ego Death, but something about the mellow and continuously laid-back delivery of frontwoman Syd was always a little too off-putting for me – my curiosity was struck with this first single of Paige II. I didn’t love it right off the bat, in fact I thought it was kind of ok (even though the resemblance to anything Thundercat would put out is almost frightening, plus Syd sings the freaking chorus on this one…), but I glimpsed enough potential to keep an eye on the release of his full LP.
And thank the Lord I did, because in retrospect I wouldn’t have blamed myself too much for not having done so. That is, the 8th of May saw the advent of a second teaser single, called “Voodoo”, which I found to be quite weak and once again very reminiscent of the type of work Patrick Paige II would undertake as his main day job in The Internet, which here reads as ‘not a good thing’. The song is a slowed down, washed-out lounge-y neo-soul/R&B scarcely led by intermittent background vocals that ought to put a little toddler to sleep at night, given the right circumstances. So when the full project dropped a couple days ago, I was tremendously glad I barely held on to this and got repaid back with high interest rates and general gratification. Paradoxically, even now in the context of the full album, I find the two promotional singles to be among the weakest moments on the record – although the ‘second song in the song/outro/beat switch’ “Charge It to the Game”, kicking in at about 3:15 into the track, is actually pretty rad and enlists a superb refrain by Arkansian hip-hop artist Kari Faux – and I still can’t fathom who in their right own mind would select these two as teaser cuts when the tracklist elsewhere contains terrific gems such as “The Party Song (Do My Dance)” or “Ode to Inebriation“.
Speaking of which, the latter track brings to the attention the fact that Letters of Irrelevance is actually a project dealing with a number of extremely serious and relevant subject matters, ranging from loss and mourning (Patrick Paige II dedicates various moments on the album, case in point the intro number “Silent Night”, to his late mother), loneliness, mental health, addiction, and family. Overall, and I still stand by my now-publicly-available initial reaction, this is a very dark and thematically uncomfortable record that ought to be understood as a coming-of-age of sorts and therapeutic-cathartical process for the Los Angeles-native, who it turns out is incredibly good at pairing such heavy topics with tremendous and brilliantly fitting compositions as well as instrumentations. One of the best examples of this is track number two “The Best Policy”, which sees a dreamy and cloudy keys instrumental synched with prudent drumming, accompanying substantial bars delivered in a surprisingly talented fashion by the bassist-turned-MC (“Skeletons in my closet and it’s so many, doors is wide open / This is dope shit for the birds, I contemplated leaving Earth / The only reason I ain’t do it, I’d rather not go to hell and burn / Plus my moms would be upset and I’d rather not chance that“).
Letters of Irrelevance (a tribute to the ephemeral and timely phenomenon of overestimating problems of the now when looking back from a bigger picture in the future, in the words of the creator himself) gets absolutely excellent in its second half, after scattered sparks of self-indulgence (“Heart and Soul [Interlude]”), blandness (“Voodoo”), and uselessness (“Voicemail”) are left behind. Leading side B of the LP is the gorgeous and sensual soul number “Red Knife” (featuring superb singer Daisy), which is essentially the best example as to how to successfully re-interpet The Internet’s flair and style in a solo manner. What follows is an extremely hooky, catchy, and G-funky/gangsta pair of tracks at number eight and nine, embodied first by what should’ve been the lead trappy single for this project, “The Party Song (Do My Dance)” with an accomplished appearance of singer/songwriter/producer ForteBowie, and then the fantastic, gloomy, and atmospheric “Get It With My Ni**as”, featuring cameos by Sareal and G Perico. At number ten comes what is arguably the most important song on the record, the aforementioned tell-all and introspective opus alcohol addiction testimony “Ode to Inebriation” (“Never the less I confess, this shit never helps / Destroying myself, abusing the potion / Make the pain slow-motion, just bad as a cry for help / Man, I got it bad when a ni**a mad or a ni**a sad / I don’t need a glass, man fuck a flask / Drink it just what I bought it in just like my dad“). The track not only showcases Patrick Paige II’s talent as bold and daring songwriter and lyricists, but it’s also one of the best expressions of his immense gifted skills on electric bass.
“The Last Letter” is what follows and it wraps up the album altogether and, to be frank, pales a little bit in comparison to its predecessor on the tracklist, although being treated with great rhymes, verses, and intentions, not to mention one of the best beats on the whole record, glowing placid jazzy dynamics with thriving drums and splendid guitars. Yet, one of the best aspects about this project, is that portions of it – the second half – hit you straight from the first listen, but it also acts as absolute grower, revealing deeper cuts as well as bits and pieces of it throughout long-term listens. Moreover, its lyrical narrative is a whole other topic on its own, existing almost distinctively from the accompanying sound and unveiling stories of pain, longing, struggle, remorse, and self-therapy. Hat’s off to this young and talented songwriter/rapper/bassist/producer, who not only decided to put it all out there transparently for the world to tap in, but he also chose to do so on his debut solo album, further justifying the attempt by unwrapping spectacular instrumental motifs, beautiful melodic lines, and a general gist for essential, honest, real, and transmitting songwriting. Among other things, The Internet have a new album coming out later in July this year, the follow-up to their Grammy-nominated Ego Death, but I’m almost certain and willing to bet sums of money that in times of critical recaps at the end of 2018, it will be Patrick Paige II’s release that will have delved into more hearts.
I’d like to thank you sincerely for taking the time to read this and I hope to feel your interest again next time.
AV
PATRICK PAIGE II
2018, Patrick Paige 29 LLC/EMPIRE
https://soundcloud.com/patrick-paige
Everything Must Swing 