After interviewing the guys for my other outlet, OkayPlayer.com [interview here], I noticed the guys have a blatant humorous nature; they love having fun. You’d think guys from Harvard who were sought after by Kanye West, Jermaine Dupri, and Pete Wentz would be all business, but after being picked up by Pharrell and Chad on Star Trak, the musical duo maintains a free spirited frame of mind that makes their craft that much more special. Being welcome into the hip hop community with open arms, Chester French (comprised of Max and DA) have already collaborated with A-list rappers and have been invited onto plenty of albums to lend their voices and musical touches (Common’s “What a World” [read review] and Asher’s “As I Em” [read review]). Their major label debut, Love the Future, is just as impressive as any music lovers would expect. It’s loaded with a variety of flavours, great vocals courtesy of DA, and most impressively, a discipline that younger stars in music today need to have.
If the album has a dent it in, it certainly doesn’t appear in the first half. “C’mon,” “Babee Buell,” “Jimmy Choos,” and “Time to Unwind” touch just about any aspect of live instrumentation that you can touch and the subject matter spreads from independence, apples of their eyes, gold diggers, and everyday stresses. Musically, these songs are all top notch and provide a little jump and excitement to each 2-4 minute experience.
“Beneath the Veil” shows DA with a Country-type of demeanor resembling that of Johnny Cash or Carl Wilson, yet, he hits totally different notes wonderfully on “She Loves Everybody.” The vocals of DA along with the musical stylings and timing of multi-talented and multi-instrumental-using Maxwell Drummey are sculpted together so well that the groups name couldn’t suit them any more perfectly (Daniel Chester French is a famous sculptor most known for his Abraham Lincoln seated statue).
There really aren’t many complaints towards Love the Future, but the one long “Country Interlude” really does kill a heavy momentum that the album developed in its first half. Nevertheless, it acts as a fitting halftime before the album jumps back into action and continues along for an eventual strong finish by putting the album the bed with the appropriately titled “Sleep.” It almost seems as if LTF was a little too safe, but by producing this album themselves, these guys can only gain more and more musical knowledge and develop their craft to levels we may not even be aware of yet from them. And still, while this may not suit every hip hopper’s taste, Jacques Jams Volume 1: Endurance surely will.
85/100
“Not Over You”
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“Bebee Buell”
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“Beneath the Veil”
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
there mixtape with clinton sparks is a perfect intro for dese cats…..just stupid fesh music (yea deez…i said stupid fresh lol). i just love the lack of fear u kno? justtaking the music in any direction they feel it can go
actually Mag, you said Stupid fesh… no idea who Fesh is.
With that said, Clinton Sparks’ mixtape might be a little bit of a curveball when coming into this because it’s not alike at all. But check out my interview with the guys because they talk a little bit about it… comedically of course.
now u see u knew whut i meant man! darn canadiens lol
but nah i heard pieces and ur right sonically i think its a curve but i feel like the overall feel of the music (i.e. fun, pushing boundaries, etc.) seems to be in dat same vein. and dope FRESH interview on ok sir
Yeah, that interview was a little difficult to take in, really wish they took it more seriously, but apparently, that’s not how they do it. they were great for doing it though, big ups Jessica!
I read that they’re already starting work on “Jacques Jamz 2.” These guys are dope and they’ll only keep improving, which means I’ll be following them for a good while!
Great Down to earth guys. They reply to every email. I even got a signed copy of their CD. They haven’t been promoted well enough in my book.
yeah Tory, that service they have is pretty cool first time I’ve heard of that, they treat their fans well.
And you are right, they haven’t been promoted well. In fact, they’ve probably been promoted better in the hip hop community rather than anywhere else
i’ve actually been listening to this a lot lately. this and everything i can find from drake. and it’s making want to hear these guys collab really soon. drake and c. french would do serious damage i think.
Peace to HHL