The Layover

Album Review

A year after his acclaimed solo LP The Weatherman, the respected West Coast MC/producer known as Evidence lays off the Pro Tools and takes a turn on the mike on this EP release. The Layover began life as a five-song collaboration project with North Carolina beatsmith Khrysis, an idea the two had while on tour with Little Brother. The end result is an economical ten-track effort that never seems to falter. With a narrative centered on a weary Ev stuck in an airport waiting on a never-ending flight delay, The Layover allows the Dilated lyricist to stretch his Weatherman concept on tracks like "Rain or Shine" and "The Cold Weather." Evidence turns introspective, passing the mike to Phonte, Blue, and will.i.am on the haunting Khrysis-produced "For Whom the Bell Tolls," while the Alchemist collabo (billed as the Step Brothers) "So Fresh" stands out as one of the EP's most inspired moments. Consistently above-bar from start to finish, The Layover ends on a high note with the self-produced gem "The Cold Weather," as Ev lays his trademark controlled monotone over a stumbling piano loop.