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Brooklyn, New York-based The Lordz are the McLeer brothers
- Mr. Kaves and ADM. They have collaborated with a number
of recording artists including Sublime, Everlast, and
Ozzy Osbourne, as well as being active members of the underground
punk/hip hop scene since the early '80s. The objective of The Lordz
latest album The Brooklyn Way revives the early days of punk-hop
when the brothers' creative juices were stirred. They have amassed
a collection of songs that take music fans into the underground world
of punk/hip hop isotopes and bring that sound into contemporary times.
The album is a tribute to their home and the heroes who sparked their
desires to affect people in a positive light.
From the upbeat punk-hop number "Back Up" to the accelerating
skatepunk grooves of "Outlaw" featuring Tim Armstrong
of Rancid, the album is a crossroads of rap and rock banqueting
rousing arrangements. "Rollin'" is a melodic sounding Ramones
tune with a '50s style rock 'n' roll cruise. The flash action of "It's
Alright" injects fun, evoking a release of energy with rap and
rock gears intermingling while the underpass of downy keyboard foments
the song with rustling swishes. "Runaway" features guest
vocalist Jaret Reddick and suds the melody with a high spirited
propulsion as the lyrics encourage: "Feeling that you don't belong/
Girl let's run away."
The coursing hip hop/punk jumps of "New York Groove" are
jovial and hail with pride equipping the tune with authenticity and
a rallying spirit. The island breeze of the cool punk treatments on
"Sound Boy" feature Bedouin Soundclash as the melody
preens with loose beats in a quiescent shrouding, while the straight
up punk scoops of "People Who Died" are vigorous and buxom.
The title track features Everlast and loops pulleys of roaming acoustic
guitars whisked with a scratcher and cymbal shakes. The number has
soul and is overshadowed only by the final track "Mama's Boy"
which emotes warm, gospel-swirled hip hop vocals grazing in a path
of plush piano strolls and gulfs of violin brushes. The song is comfy
and succor-enriched featuring singers Chrystina L. Fincher,
Jennifer Carrozza, Jeff Scott, and Geoff McBride.
The Brooklyn Way is produced by Russ-T. Cobb and Adam
McLeer (ADM). The Lordz played a few shows on Vans Warped Tour
in 2006 and will be opening for Rancid in the Fall. The Lordz have
set a standard for themselves to play punk-hop with meaning and their
album renders that theme with honesty. The album also comes with a
DVD that presents snapshots of the McLeer brothers growing up in Brooklyn
and experiencing the music that would forge into punk-hop. It's hard
not to let your music be corrupted or convoluted by know-it-alls,
but The Lordz stayed true to their breeding and made a cooling compilation
of punk-hop mixes with The Brooklyn Way.
-Susan Frances
Tracklisting:
1. Back Up
2. Outlaw
3. Rollin'
4. The Brooklyn Way
5. It's Alright
6. Runaway
7. Sound Boy
8. New York Groove
9. Uh Oh
10. Let's Go
11. People Who Died
12. Mama's Boy
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