Hypnotic beats, intentional production and pulsing rhyme schemes fearlessly drive listeners to the brink of a frantic fervor on Spank Rock’s sophomore release Everything is Boring and Everyone is a Fu**ing Liar. And while Spank Rock (Naeem Juwan) and his producer XXXchange (Alex Epton) seem to focus more on minimalist beats and lyrics, the finished product on EBEFL, is a dense, intelligent and insidious release of hip-hop deception.
The sparse, yet heavy-as-death beats on tracks like “Ta Da,” “Nasty” and “Turn It Off” make Spank Rock’s paranoid rhymes beyond danceable with rhythmic intensities laid thick as smoke from a burning auto, while “The Dance,” “Cool S#@!” and “Baby” draw comparisons to mid-90s Prince club tracks. To further the album’s dance-ability, the highly accessible “Car Song,” features the shimmering vocals of Santigold, and sparks with new wave accents. The first single of the record “#1 Hit” features a Latin back-beat and a contagious lyrical treatment, coming to an apex with a beautifully melodic chorus. Violent rhymes and beats rule on “Hot Potato,” “Birfday” and “Race Riots,” while “Dtf Dadt” is neurotic to the point of psychedelia. The albums closer “Energy” has acid-soul accents, reminiscent of Bobby Womack or Curtis Mayfield, with it’s horn arrangements and swinging beats.
Spank Rock’s vision is one of insanity, minimalism and variable beauty. With the help of XXXchange and others (Diplo, Pharrell, Boyz Noize, Sam Spiegel, Crystal Castles) Everything is Boring and Everyone’s a Fu**ing Liar helps Spank Rock achieve a level of unadulterated, creative genius. And while SR appears to be on the brink of a psychotic episode, at times, the rush of his creative vision inspires euphoria, to be played out with reckless abandon. Spank Rock has established himself as a revolutionary voice within the genre, all the while begetting a serious ass-shaking for his listeners.
Grade: A-
Miles Christopher
Everything is Boring and Everyone is a Fucking Liar by Spank Rock
