Injury Reserve cycles through different forms – the bone-crushing and bass heavy, the feather-light and confessional – totalling every single one.
A razor sharp and nonconformist debut, elevated by its playful self-awareness.
What makes the trio so interesting, then, is something outside of their unique position within the genre's movements -- outside, moreover, of their purported claim to "experimentation". It's an understanding of their craft -- an acceptance of its boundaries -- and a willingness to grow.
Having always navigated between experimental and classic styles of hip-hop, this new record sees the trio’s creative pulse palpitate at full throttle.
What sets them apart is that they feel like real dudes. There's no pretension — they're you, if you were much, much better at rapping.
Sure, this record’s energy dips at times, and it’s clear the group is still learning, but on the whole it’s an arresting debut that suggests a very bright future.
Too often ... Injury Reserve gets stuck between its experimental urges and its pop ambitions. In searching for a happy medium, it’s never quite noisy enough or quite catchy enough.
Hello! And welcome to Album of the Year reviewer tutorial!
Step One: Being a New Zealander on this site is like a constant lottery win, because we get records a day early, meaning that I can put anything in this review and because it's early, the algorithm helps me out and I can be a shameless whore every Friday!
Step Two: Make sure no one does a review more then 5 likes before you post. Hell, I'm probably too late to this record, because I didn't wake up on the spot at 1am!
Step Three: Write ... read more
ah yes three dudes yelling at me over car scratchy zyoom zyoom noises hmmmn music ah yes
fav tracks: jawbreaker, gtfu, jailbreak the tesla, rap song tutorial, WHAT A YEAR IT'S BEEN, three man weave
One of the main aspects I look for in an album is creativity. Creativity is something that’s vital to this music industry as it keeps everything changing, provides genre defining moments, and can potentially change music forever. Following the norm may be a safe strategy, but that boldness and bravery, to strive for something more, to take a large risk on your full-length project, to provide something that could either be a hit or a miss, is something that shouldn’t be taken for ... read more
Interesting Sound; Great First Album
Many of these songs sound amazing while some feel as if they are lacking. Some songs are just a little all over the place and a little more messy than the others. Overall all 3 of the members performed well and showed their talent in their debut album. Features from JPEGMAFIA and Freddie Gibbs really tied the whole show up making it a complete album.
Koruna & Lime - 7.25/10
Jawbreaker - 6.5/10
GTFU - 6.25/10
QWERTY Interlude - (skit)
Jailbreak the ... read more
This is one of the most creative, innovative, and fun rap albums I've ever listened to. It perfectly walks the line between experimental and catchy and comes out on top with nearly every track.
GTFU feels like a modernized and distorted version of a Neptunes and Clipse collab, Jailbreak the Tesla captures lighting in a bottle by combining SOPHIE-esque PC production with great rap performances, and Rap Song Tutorial is just so ingenious. Other tracks remain (slightly) more stripped back and ... read more
1 | Koruna & Lime 2:26 feat. A-Trak | 85 |
2 | Jawbreaker 3:28 feat. Rico Nasty, Pro Teens | 84 |
3 | GTFU 3:20 feat. JPEGMAFIA, Cakes da Killa | 85 |
4 | QWERTY Interlude 0:32 | 70 |
5 | Jailbreak the Tesla 3:19 feat. Aminé | 92 |
6 | Gravy n’ Biscuits 2:37 | 84 |
7 | Rap Song Tutorial 2:22 | 79 |
8 | Wax On 4:27 feat. Freddie Gibbs | 88 |
9 | What a Year It’s Been 3:33 | 91 |
10 | Hello?! 1:06 | 76 |
11 | Best Spot in the House 3:18 | 85 |
12 | New Hawaii 4:35 | 79 |
13 | Three Man Weave 3:26 | 93 |
#18 | / | Loud and Quiet |
#37 | / | The Line of Best Fit |