Ghostface Killah and BADBADNOTGOOD - Sour Soul
 

As both a BBNG and Ghostface fan, I about pissed myself when Six Degrees was released - needless to say I've been extremely excited for this album. Recent Wu Tang releases have been pretty weak, but I enjoyed Ghostface's late 2014 36 Seasons, and am so glad to see BBNG blowing up.

Critically, this album is getting amazing reviews. I'm spinning it for the first time in its entirety now, so I'll post a full review later, but I'm interested to see how the forum rates it.

It seemed like an incredibly unfocused and largely disposable with neither artists bringing their A game. I might give it another couple of listens throughout the year, but I was pretty disappointed by it so I'm going to let that heal a little bit before going back.

That's too bad. So far I think a lot of the beats are quintessentially BBNG, re: hella groovy, did they all just fall flat for you? However, I will say that the more I hear I am inclined to agree that it seems really unfocused/uncohesive for a Ghostface album, which they seem to try make up for by making a lot of the beats sound the same (Six Degrees and Street Knowledge being the example that comes to mind). God and Doom's verse on Ray Gun is painful.

That said though, I'm about 2/3rds of the way through and am ultimately not discouraged.

I think what didn't work for me was that BBNG never sounded like BBNG, they just sounded like some studio musicians hired to come in and lay down some live instruments for Ghostface, who himself didn't feel like doing much work either. I can't remember a single song where they were aloud to just go off into some weird little jazz tangent, and while their last album certainly felt more restrained compared to their earlier work, this just felt downright textbook.

BBNG are more than capable of loud cacophonous improv jazzy tangents, it's been proven before. But Sour Soul I feel was always meant to be subdued, given the short length of the record, and they've taken their newly minimal sound to put Ghostface in the forefront, giving the record a wholly organic, dark Brooklyn sound (even though these guys are from Canada).

I haven't heard a good hip hop record that hasn't relied on samples or beats, much less feature Ghostface Killah, in a good while. I'm enjoying it much :)

This is a good to very good album in my opinion. It's not particularly special in any regard, other than being a somewhat fantasy pairing to fans of both artists. But I enjoy most of it for what it is, and I'm still listening to it regularly.

Even If I end up cooling on it over time, at least it's given me two awesome tracks in 'Six Degrees' and 'Gunshowers'. Hopefully my man Elzhi starts to get a little more shine as a result too.

3.5/5

I dug the vibe on 12 Reasons so I feel like I'd probably dig this, I understand from what I've read that it's not Ghost's best work but it's hard for me not to like something he even touches, to be honest, cuz I ride dick like that so what. Also that cover is the shit. But I'll check it and come back. It'll actually be one of my first experiences with BBNG as well, so that will be fun.

Didn't know about this. Will cop and listen at some point over the next two weeks. Didn't think much of 12 Reasons but enjoyed Ghost's last album.

Features are big.

At first I thought it was somewhat lame and lacked really memorable grooves and flows, but after I listened to it several times it grew on me.
It's still no masterpiece, but a cool and enjoyable album in my opinion.

It's a grower, not a shower ;)