Chris Orrick is the very antithesis of a stereotypical rapper. He’s white, a former factory worker Michigan and his lifestyle screams “working class.” There are no fancy cars, big booty video girls, bottles of expensive liquor, exclusive club appearances, or fat stacks of cash.
Those individuals who are in tune with underground Hip Hop know such a persona is nothing new. What he is, without a fraction of a doubt, is honest. Formerly known as Red Pill, Orrick made the switch to his government moniker, which seems to be an appropriate move for someone who shuns the smoke and mirrors. His latest album, Portraits, gives a very personal glance into the inner workings of who Chris Orrick actually is.
Embracing a true-school approach, Portraits is lush with sample-heavy production, conjuring up an image of digging through dusty crates and tapping on an MPC. At times it’s soulful, sometimes it’s head-nodding, and at all times it’s sonically digestible. Surprises exist lyrically, in the ways Orrick chooses to approach various topics. What at a minimal glance seems like easy listening quickly turns dark when focus moves to the lyrical content. In fact, Portraits is downright depressing. The album opener, “Self Portrait” (produced by Nolan the Ninja), is a scathing self-criticising vent over a jazzy, horn-complemented beat, where he unleashes a barrage of hate as he raps to himself, “Hate the way you look/I hate the way you dress/I hate the way your living room and kitchen is a mess/I hate the way you stress/The way you overeat/I hate the way you can’t get out of bed and oversleep.” It’s the type of raw introspection that many people feel but rarely want to acknowledge.
This same acknowledgment of his inner demons continues in many shapes and forms throughout the album. “Lazy Buddies,” the token ode to love which looks at Orrick’s life with his girlfriend of thirteen years (and their recent addition of a kitten named Pistachio), still even manages to allude to his constant theme of alcoholism, even though the record stands as one of the more positive offerings. It’s followed by standout track “Escape Plan,” which starts out a bit ambiguous, but it becomes apparent Orrick is all about avoiding falling victim to recidivism. What follows is perhaps the most downtrodden offering of Portraits with “Anywhere Instead,” which addresses suicidal thoughts, loneliness, his unhealthy lifestyle, his name change, and once again, insolvable alcoholism. He even goes so far as to throw in a punchline one would feel guilty laughing at, rapping, “Was gonna kill myself by using exhaust fumes/Turns out the regulations made that shit too clean/So thanks Obama for the disappointment/Now I just avoid it/Only time I ever die is in my dreams.”
When the canvas dries, it’s clear Portraits wasn’t painted to be a party. It doesn’t contain the feel-good summer tune for your next seasonal road trip, and often, the deep emotions trump the musicianship. But it might make someone who is stuck in a dark place feel less alone. It’s a relatable project for those living the check-to-check, clock-punching, sporadically unemployed, or those suffering from mental illness, or fighting the general struggle.
Chalk it up as a necessary dose of realistic humanity.
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This album was amazing as all hell. Chris Orrick has delivered an immaculate album from start to finish. Seriously, A 3.2? Get the entire Fuck Out of Here!!!.
so the biggest complaint is chris made a real album for real people going through hardships and not some bullshit radio rap? good to know where you stand.
this is a tough listen…he can rap tho
Another great album in the vein of his debut album. Chris’ flow is always top notch and his content is very personal. Got to love that!
This is right up there with Royce’s new album, but in a different way. Chris Orrick isn’t a polysyllabic Dynamo, but he’s a competent MC with a message, and he delivers poetry that means something. That alone should rate this a 5/5.
Ratings are always an issue of contention. My issue with this was that the review doesn’t adequately say what’s wrong with the album. The way that it’s written, it doesn’t point out anything that the album does poorly, or anything that the album tries to do but fails at. The review more or less just says “this rating would be higher if the album wasn’t depressing” – but depressing isn’t inherently poor/average quality. Especially if a depressing work is what the artist intended to make, and he executed it well. Movies like Schindler’s List and Requiem for a Dream were depressing; are they average movies just because they’re depressing? The only sentence here that begins to justify the rating is “emotions trump the musicianship,” but there aren’t any examples given to back up the argument. I like the writer’s work otherwise, so no shit talking here; just thought this review could’ve justified the rating better.