Shape of Broad Minds
Craft of the Lost Art
Where this super-group succeeds is being like nothing you’ve ever heard before, but Jneiro Jarel and “company,” very unfortunately, fail in becoming much of anything at all. Which is something they may have been trying to do all along, which, assuming the many faces of Jarel, might just be the statement to be made.
Despite whatever lyrical failures Craft of the Lost Art stumbles over, mad props are given to the experimental spirit of the album’s instrumental selections. Most compositions even manage to conceptually match the song titles. The rhythm of ‘Solo (Underwater)’ reflects plasma submergence in deep drum thought, while the alternatingly ethereal-lite and mind-numbingly mumbled “Buddafly Away” truly does float across the air on the back of strong ganja smoke. Then there’s the sing-songy, barbershop bluesy lullaby of “Buzz Around Town” or the poorly voiced Andr’ 3000 bee-bop melodramatic orchestration of “It Ain’t Dead!” With this Jaylib-esque buffet of musical potluck, Craft Of The Lost Art has no sound-diversity dilemma.
‘So Much’ may be the only track’besides the MF Doom-aided gem ‘Let’s Go’ and Count Bass D helmed dopeness of “It Lives On”‘that has any sort of melodic comprehension. However, the true feat for this 23 song, 70 minute album is that not a single song manages to generate a single quotable line.
It’s a little like sitting at the elementary school lunch tables with the kid who’s trying way to hard. He means well, but his style is overtly in your face, when really you’re just trying to rush through a PB&J and get to recess. Just because you’re trying to do something different doesn’t mean you have a free pass, but at least someone is trying.
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