A veteran indie rapper who's been steadily dropping impressive verses since the late '90s, Brooklyn emcee Wordsworth has a lengthy resume that belies his underdog status. Early in his career, he worked with both A Tribe Called Quest (on their final album) and appeared on Mos Def and Talib Kweli's much-loved Black Star project. He recorded extensively with Punchline, Strick, and Masta Ace; the three of them would eventually form the supergroup eMC, releasing their exceptional concept album The Show in 2008. The Photo Album is Wordsworth's second official solo joint (following 2004's Mirror Music). It finds him in a mostly autobiographical mood, with 18 highly lyrical tracks primarily focusing on his everyday life, childhood recollections, and paying dues in the rap game. Bolstered by strong production from The A.R.E., Apollo Brown, and Hezekiah, the album's standouts include "Coloring Book," "All I Knew," and "Knock on My Door."