Sean likes ugly girls and most underground rap sucks. At least that’s what the duo’s names suggest. However, after modeling the previous two albums after Christina Ricci and Lisa Bonet and delivering such great product, it’s obvious that both names are false. With this third project, A Tribute to Rosie Perez, it is once again prevalent that the names couldn’t be more wrong. After all, Rosie Perez is far from ugly and “underground” rap, in this case, certainly doesn’t suck. But, like all Felt albums, there’s a necessary third wheel to help form the perfect tricycle, the producer. Felt 1 had The Grouch (associate of Murs) and Felt 2 had Ant (lifelong Atmosphere member with Slug), so having Aesop Rock in for Felt 3 provided the perfect middle ground for both emcees to designate a neutral source in for production. However, after delivering two very good projects, the duo + 1 deliver a project so difficult to listen to and monotonous in nature that one can’t help but ponder what they (the listener) may be missing. The end result is simply an album that is remarkably unsettling, and since the lyricism and emceeing is as on point as ever, it is only appropriate to look at the production as the one big flaw.
The bar is set extremely high for the other 20 songs as soon as the album kicks in with its bonafide star, “Protagonists.” You get the best of Aesop’s hard hitting base and timing, as well as Slug and Murs trash-talking like it’s a habit. “Who made you wanna rap/ and be independent?/ it’s Felt motherf*ckers if you want it come and get it” chimes Murs right before Slug sticks it smoothly with “Who’s this? If the new shoe fits I’ll take two kicks/ truth is, without new hits we’re all useless/ get used to it, my crew swooped through it/ like a sewer sewage unit just to produce music.” This song certainly displays everything that is well and good about Felt 3, and when it works with this formula is when Slug + Murs + Aesop all win. Similarly with “Henrietta Longbottom” and “She Sonnet,” two addictive beats from Aesop backed by wonderful emceeing of the storytelling variety from the microphone fiends. This back-and-forth is reminiscent of Phife and Tip, and throughout Felt 3 (and all of the Felt projects for that matter) it’s hard to pick a “winner.”
But at 21 tracks long, there are certain to be some faults on the project. While there isn’t one blatantly “bad track” on the LP, there are certainly a barrage that just do not satisfy the ears and settle in. “Felt Chewed Up” displays impressive flows from the two emcees, but as mentioned, just doesn’t sit right. “Whaleface” is lyrically clever, but slightly yawn-worthy and certainly nothing to write home about, the same goes for “G.I. Josephine.” And while “Felt Good” or “Deathmurdermayhem” all bang hard, there’s a particular uncomforting feeling left throughout the project; one that won’t get many listeners coming back for more.
Felt 3 as a whole doesn’t have that “Woman Tonight” or “Suzanne Vega” sweetness or quirkiness to it, both in atmosphere and production. Aesop more or less presents similar dark beats throughout the album and beats a dead horse with that notion. What would’ve been more successful? Perhaps it’s growing by not growing, as Slug says on “The Prize,” “Some people call it swagger/ I’m a little bit older, so I still call it Mojo/ it really doesn’t matter/ if you got it you get it and if you don’t then you won’t grow,” right before he delves a little bit deeper into the tremendously dope verse in that laid back I-don’t-care cadence.
Every once in a while throughout Felt 3, you’ll come across the rare occurrence of a beat and lyricism so in sync that it fulfills the Felt standard of harmony. The album’s closer “Paul Reubens” is great (and presents the Felt 4 tribute-woman) and “Bass For Your Truck” hits hard on various levels (especially in the ride), but as mentioned, this is a rare pleasantness. Frankly, little needs to be said about Slug and Murs as emcees because they are evidently dope and consistent throughout, but dare I say that they seemed more comfortable with a less neutral producer? Moreover, what made Felt 1 and Felt 2 so successful was the cohesiveness and precision presented of them, a task that is nearly impossible to fulfill with 21 tracks. With that said, the album is simply too long, too uneasy, and too unfulfilling. This by no means is a “loss” for anyone involved in this project, but it is certainly a blip in the radar.
67/100
Protagonists
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Glory Burning
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Paul Reubens
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Jon FTW!
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Well said Deez. I would’ve given it a little higher number (maybe 72) but you said it perfectly. Nothing on here is bad but it is tough to get through 20 tracks of Aesop Rock production. The beats at times seems to all sound the same. Maybe if it was a little shorter, it mind not feel that way. Slug & Murs do their thing as usual though. I hope we see a Felt 4.
album seemed like a big flop
isnt MURS “Making Underground Raw Shit”? haha
^^^ It’s actually one of those open ended type of Acronym, at least that’s my interpretation of it
I’ve listen to this four times. I didn’t feel a connection with the music or the rhymes. I got on the Murs bandwagon kinda late, but I still thinks he sounds perfect over 9th’s production. This doesn’t do it for me.
Props to their distro tho. This album is at Best Buy along with the first two editions.
aesop rock is just pure garbage. the beats on this album, musically, do not make sense. just a bunch of noise and random drums. i would give this album the lowest possible grade. this makes the blueprint 3 look like a classic.
^^wow, keith.
i wasnt impressed by the album neither, but it wasnt that bad! we got a lot of wack shit comin out these days but this album definately shouldnt be called “garbage”.
On point as usual fam. I personally liked this joint. Aesop stepped it up with this one and has really grown in to his own as a producer to me. It’s a step up from his first work on Bazooka Tooth and feel that he brought another level to the collabo. He aint El-p or nothing but dude has laced some fire. I agree that it was a LONG ASS ALBUM. But it was cool.
I met Slug in B more when he came thorough on tour for When life gives you lemons and we spoke for a hot second. ( cool dude ) I was gonna ask him about another Felt record and suggest that Alchemist should have been the producer for it but i was WAYY too blunted to remember to ask lol.
Props Deez
a lot of people were saying how great this was when it dropped a few weeks back. Personally I miss ANT. Felt 2 was incredible and I like Atmosphere and Murs. I didn’t like Bazooka Tooth(Truth is i hated it) but loved some of Aesops earlier records. I have to agree with Deez for once on this one. very disappointed.
I agree completely. Murs and Slug are still clearly dope, and remain some of my favourite artists today, especially Slug. I was probably too excited for this third installment from these two guys after such a long wait following Felt 2… but damn, I expected more than this. And like you pointed out, it’s not the rappers that fail to satisfy, it’s the producer. Aesop clearly didn’t mesh well with these guys. I HOPE these guys can redeem themselves with Felt 4.
I was thinking something was wrong with me when I was less than impressed with this. Glad to see that I’m not alone. I think that Aesop is just too industrial with his production and that Felt needs a more organic, bluesy sound to it. Again no one does a bad job here, it’s just that the styles don’t fit well. I’ll tell you what though, it would be awesome to see a Felt 4 with RJD2 making a return to hip-hop. You can’t tell me that wouldn’t move some units.
Great review Deez!
Y’all are crazy. This was the best Felt of the 3. I never really considered Aesop to be a producer, so I was pretty skeptical on this one. Slug is dope, but his latest efforts haven’t really been all that exciting. I’ve also kind of outgrown MURS (just seems corny these days). That being said, Aesop absolutely killed this shit. I don’t know what switch went off, but the production is on some psychedelic, updated Bomb Squad ish. Slug and MURS finally sound hungry on the mic and really threw me for a loop. All three killed it. I really enjoy hearing Slug and MURS spit more agressively. I’m glad Ant wasn’t a part of this (chipmunk soul + same drums (where there’s no bassline – just an 808 under the kick with an overcompressed snare and same pattern)). So, there you go…I pretty much insulted everybody, but I love this album and I think its top-notch quality from all 3. This deserved a much higher rating, imo.
Felt 4 – Tatiana Ali?
It’s hilarious, that someone who just praised the album so highly didn’t even listen closely enough to catch who they actually NAMED to be the Felt 4 woman.
This is also hilarious because you just called Ant “Chipmunk Soul” with the Same Drums, when in fact, he used all live instruments on You Can’t Imagine, and hardly brought in “Chipmunk Soul” as a crutch.
i have to be put together wrong or something. this is some of my favorite production in a long time, and it fits the interplay between slug and murs like a glove. hip hop needs more noise, that’s where the soul is.
I’m having trouble deciphering from this review specifically what it is that you don’t like about the album. You speak of “rare pleasantness” and how it’s “remarkably unsettling,” but you never really say why. Not a very thorough review.
Though, RSE is an “indie” label, so the site is probably $35 richer. Ha!
come on, mike, that’s kind of a cheap shot.
“…doesn’t have that “Woman Tonight” or “Suzanne Vega” sweetness or quirkiness to it, both in atmosphere and production. Aesop more or less presents similar dark beats throughout the album and beats a dead horse with that notion.”
with that, i get his point. that bit also just about sold me on this album. when an unfavorable review still sells me on its subject, there’s no question in my mind that it is a good review. bad reviews, favorable or not, only ever preach to the choir.
It’s hilarious, that someone who just praised the album so highly didn’t even listen closely enough to catch who they actually NAMED to be the Felt 4 woman.
This is also hilarious because you just called Ant “Chipmunk Soul” with the Same Drums, when in fact, he used all live instruments on You Can’t Imagine, and hardly brought in “Chipmunk Soul” as a crutch.
hahahahahahahaha………