All Over

Album Review

CMA stars Living Legends crew members Grouch and Luckyiam. Of course, with production from the Grouch as well as crew member Eligh, this is obviously not going to be much of a stretch from LL crew's established style of distinctly West Coast underground rap. Lead single "Windows" is a classic example of the Cali hip-hop mold, with Grouch dropping references to "Michael Jackson jackets and three stripe socks." There's a message of getting up and getting over which is always respectable no matter how often we hear it, but it's really the jaunty piano lick and not quite Kanye West-helium-pitched-vocal-sample that makes the track appealing. Guest MCs Brother Ali, Slug and Murs each bring their distinctly likeable flavors, while Del tha Funkee Homosapien flows over one of the more interesting beats of his career, a broken space-jazz groove which might be worth the cost of this CD alone. Certainly not redefining backpacker hip-hop, the CMA does keep it interesting, adding touches of unique flavor to your favorite dish.