Making Perfect Sense

Album Review

Making Perfect Sense is a low-key affair that seems resigned, almost satisfied to sneak in under the radar. Nevertheless, the fifth album from prolific rapper/producer the Grouch easily ranks as his finest, and stands among the best of the solo projects from San Francisco/Los Angeles' Living Legends collective. The Grouch produced the majority of the tracks here himself, mixing slender beats with stripped-down funk and soul — along with the occasional off kilter effect — to create a minimalist, yet surprisingly diverse sound. A number of guests take the mike here—most familiar to Living Legends fans —but the Grouch handles most of the lyrics as well, and his vocal style is equally low key, if not quite as arresting. Sounding off on over-hyped artists and disingenuous industry types, dismissing his critics, and chronicling his struggles as an independent artist, the Grouch often sounds more than a little bitter. In other moments, praising his friends and those have stood by him, or preaching the value of self-reliance, he sounds thankful, even hopeful. In either case, the producer/emcee isn't finding much to laugh about. Making Perfect Sense is clearly no party record. The music is excellent though, and this is as thoughtful and sincere a hip-hop record as you're likely to hear.