It’s when I hear albums like this I ask myself why everyone always says that hip-hop sucks now. Well I know why, because Nelly and Lil’ Jon are on the radio, not Time Machine. But this ain’t McFly, Doc and the Delorian, it’s Jaysonic, Comel and DJ Mekalek. It has been three years in the lab for this trio, laying down their original concepts around some finely crafted true-school beats. What resulted is “Slow Your Roll,” the sleeper album of 2004.
Time Machine aren’t breaking any new ground or blazing trials that will be followed for years to come, but throughout the album they come with original material over and over again. Just see “Spelling Bee” and lines like “you can’t spell acupuncture without punk/punks are on pins and needles actin’ up when they drunk.” They even make a dope song out of posing simple questions like “a million and one things to do/I only got so much time, why should I give some to you?” Can’t forget clever, tongue-in-cheek “Let’s Not Be Real” that will surely get some laughs with lines like “let’s not be real cause everyone likes big breast/and ya getting’ less attention with a-cups on your chest.”
For those of you who yearn for that ol’ boom bap, Time Machine should take you back with their consistent servings of neck-snapping drums. “Who Needs A Mic?” is as good as it gets, especially when Mekalek kills the Slick Rick sample in the chorus. Even “Personal Ads,” a song dedicated at finding the right women, packs a hard beat with that early 90’s thump. The same goes for “A Cold Day In Hell,” which is even better. Shit, even the interludes knock (“The Assembly Line,” “Water In Your Cereal”). The guests add to their aesthetic as well, Special K of Audio Two plays host on “Spelling Bee,” Edo G represents the ‘Bury on the reggae-infused “Mind In A Spin,” and throwback emcee Edan kills it on “@$$hole.”
Where most albums trial off near the end, “Slow Your Roll” actually picks up and finishes with three of the LP’s best songs, “Especially4U,” “Thinking About You,” and “The Way Things Are.” “Slow Your Roll” is not the best album of 2004, but it is one of the most enjoyable listens you’ll have this year. Both emcees are likable personalities and execute their unique ideas well over Mekalek’s 2004 boom bap. It is no easy task getting significant attention in today’s flooded indy scene, but Time Machine is not the group to be overlooking. Excellent debut.
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8/10
