Depart From Me…
7 Jul
Today Cage released his 3rd solo album , Depart From Me, on Definitive Jux records. I have been a Cage fan for a long time, ever since I heard Agent Orange.
This is not that Cage. I’m pretty sure that the only reason the name Cage is on this album is for name recognition as the album does not tie in sonically with anything he’s ever done on record. This isn’t a bad thing, but if you’re looking for another Movies for the Blind or Hell’s Winter, look elsewhere.
I opened my CD with caution, I knew sort of what to expect because of the INKY EP, but I was still a little apprehensive about one of my favorite MCs taking the rock route. I stick the CD in the Mac and start importing it to iTunes all the while checking out the 10 page booklet done by Alex Pardee (sick). The CD finishes importing and I throw the headphones on ready for whatever.
I’m going to try my hardest to be unbiased in this review. I don’t know if it’s possible, but it can’t be worse than Pitchfork’s review. I’m going to go track by track, excuse me if you disagree with any of this.
1. Nothing Left To Say – Opens with some sort of poem, things don’t look good so far. Oh shit, old Cage flow cuts in and ends the apprehension. Camu Tao tribute/Vast Aire diss. Best of both worlds. El-P production.
2. Beat Kids – F. Sean’s production is nice on this. Story time. Cage is talking about his Father, Step-Father and Mother. He’s best when he’s introspective and you don’t get much more introspective than this. I like the Red Banks Kids Choir on the hook. Nice job.
3. Dr. Strong – Two things jump out at first. Cage sounds like Kurt Cobain on the intro to the track and F. Sean seriously ripped off some Marilyn Manson on the production. After 3 albums and countless features, I think the Stony Lodge theme is kind of beat. The hook is definitely the best part of this song. Next.
4. I Found My Mind in Connecticut – I don’t even know what to say about this. This is pretty much Cage complaining for 4:20 over a perfectly good beat. What a waste.
5. I Lost It In Haverton – Cage + El-P = Gold. Any other equation seems to equal shit. Good try F. Sean, you can go Hatebreed again. Whoever this girl that Cage is talking about must have really done a number on him. Classic line: Her tongue slowly passes her lips like a shark’s fin.
6. Teenage Hands – Cage’s ode to pedophilia? What? You lost me on this one.
7. Eating It’s Way Out of Me – Once again, El-P with the save. And once again Cage ruins the beat by crying all over it.
8. Kick Rocks – I don’t care what anyone says. I heard this song a long time ago. I like it. Reminds me of some old Vomit Spots.
9. Captain Bumout – I actually really like this song. F. Sean’s production is crisp and the hook is on some old David Bowie shit. Excellent.
10. Strain – Aesop Rock on the production is awesome. The beat and lyrics is about as close as you’re going to get to Hell’s Winter. This is the Cage I like.
11. Fat Kids Need An Anthem – Seriously? This should have stayed in the studio, or your mind. I’m sure it seemed like a good idea at the time, and I’ sure you’re all about your health now, but wasn’t 15 tweets in a row talking about sit-ups and treadmills enough? I guess not. Song FAIL.
12. Look At What You Did – I’m not even going to attempt to review this song again. Just look here for this one.
13. Depart From Me – The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear this beat is Usher’s Love in This Club beat. Am I the only one? Really? Again, Cage uses this song to talk about this girl. “It’s really over” is what he keeps saying on the hook. I sure hope so. That bitch ruined a perfectly good Cage album.
14. I Never Knew You – The Shia song. It’s actually pretty good, the story is a bit disturbing, but compared to Movies For The Blind, this is pretty tame. F. Sean’s production actually doesn’t suck on this either.
I tried Cage, I tried. This album is full of shit. I can understand your whole not wanting to perpetuate “black stereotypes” but did you really have to embrace the awful white ones? And for someone that threatens to block Twitter followers for mentioning his past or talking about old Cage, you are the only one that seems to not be able to let go of it. I’m sure Stoney Lodge was horrible, but move the fuck on. Seriously.
The end.
Pretty on point. Not much desirable on this album.
I was actually hopeful. Oh well, I feel bad for talking people into preordering.
One of my biggest problems with this album is the lack of depth; most of these songs consist of 8-bar verses, leaving virtually no time for Cage to develop well thought-out themes or messages before the choruses kick in.
He mentions in some of his interviews how DFM is chorus-heavy, but it’s not–there are no more choruses on here than on any of his other albums. It’s just that there’s half the content in his verses, which is why these songs all fall flat and feel redundant, in my opinion.
Even the tracks left off the album (“Hugs and Kisses” and that Aesop Rock song from DJX4) have the same song structures, and that shit is irritating to me. If he wants to change his style that’s fine with me, but he should at least make a compelling argument for himself by actually spitting complete verses.
Can’t believe you let him get away with sticking an old skit on here as a track.
Found you through Junkies, and just wanted to add my 2 cents (as I’ve lost my DJ password…)
The only reason I liked Kick Rocks was for nostalgia’s sake. Thanks for commenting. What was your Jukie screen name?
I agree 100%. This review is as on point as it gets.
lol @ “the bitch ruined a perfectly good cage album”
Fair enough but….you liked:
Nothing Left to Say
Beat Kids
Haverton
Eating It’s Way Out of Me
Kick Rocks
Captain Bumout
Strain
I never knew you
A little more than half the album. You may not love the album, but you can’t say you like half the tracks and then sum it up as “this album is full of shit”.
The songs that I liked were still shitty. This album is full of shit.
Teenage Hands isn’t about Cage and pedophilia. It’s about adults taking advantage of teenagers. Cage should have included a third verse about taking advantage of teenagers’ wallets by writing songs about heart break, depression and high school, but then they’d be on to him…
It’s a fun album. Cage will make more money with this one than any one before. Good for him, he’s paid his dues. Let’s hope it’s out of his system for his final album…