In a lot of ways it’s sad, but at the same time it’s funny.
Thinking back on the best times of my life, I’d have to say that the majority
of them involve me just chilling with my friends at a bar or in a basement,
sharing stories and shooting shit. For the most part, nothing of any grand
scale comes to mind. Conversations about sketchy hoes of the past, how much you
can drink, that time you randomly got body slammed into a bench, how cool you
are, how stupid everyone else is, and how easily you could fuck that guy up – all
make up the greatest stories ever told. This is Louis Logic to
me. He’s the epitome of a good time, and his music has always inspired smiles,
laughter and some form of, “…this motherfucker is RIGHT!”
Like his previous works, Misery Loves Comedy – a dual effort with
producer JJ Brown – largely consists of Lou
making fun of people and reflecting on how great sex and alcohol can be. This
alone makes the new record dope, but what separates the new record from past
ones is the much stronger element of “the everyman persona” Lou
has taken on. “The
Withdrawal Method,” which expresses the confusion and frustrations
of the oh-so common on and off ex-lover relationship, attests to Lou’s
average man character and it is also one of the albums sharpest joints. His
flow over an incredibly smooth keyboard makes this track impossible not to dig.
The only real drawback to be found here is JJ’s production not
keeping up with Lou. Never bad, but rarely above average, “The Perfect Circle”
epitomizes the fault of the LP. Backing Lou’s breathtaking,
cinema-worthy storytelling is a re-hashed sample. Sure it works well, but as in
the case with a lot of the songs, Lou deserves better. But
back to the good stuff…”Rule By A Fool” is gem noteworthy this time for having that
seasoned witty swagger complete with Roots style live
instruments. Hints of that eclectic flavor come more than once on this record.
Tell me you don’t think of De La when sitting through “Classy Mc Nasty”
or Little Brother via “All Girls Cheat.“ Yes… “All Girls Cheat”
– the classic Louis Logic record. What is amazing is not how
blunt, crude and down right offensive Lou gets with tracks
like this and “Beginner’s
Lust,” but rather how he put a smile on your face while doing so.
For instance: “Its twice the pleasure to invite a guest for S&M/ get
some friends together and try suggesting sex with them/ but that depends on
whether you like it or just catch offence/ cuz you met some femmes that I’d die
to end up pressed against.”
Let the record show, however, that while these two cuts mark that Sin-esque
fun factor that Logic fans have come to expect, the ironic
truth of it is that more than a throwback, they serve as evidence that Louis
probably can’t make another Sin-A-Matic. That innocent flare, while
still apparent throughout the record, just isn’t as fun as it was with “Dos Factorium”
or “Idiot Gear.”
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Personally though, I don’t really mind it. So few rappers, if any, are able to
maintain that freedom and rawness which made their classic debut classic to
begin with. I like to assume it’s because despite how much we fans love to put
them up on a higher level, musicians, and artists in general, aren’t timeless
like their works are. In fact, they mature and change like the rest of us. This
is why, even though you can say Misery Loves Comedy lacks that
off-the-wall diversity Sin-A-Matic was famous for, it has much more
direction and brings a stronger sense of self. Above all else, Louis
Logic is still Hip Hop – and as we all know, Hip Hop is you, me, and
everybody.
