Braintax - My Last & Best Album
Published by Editor March 13th, 2008 in Music Reviews.
The final studio album from UK hip hop long timer BRAINTAX dropped at the start of this week with a real limp, with very little PR and the impending departure of Joe from UK shores, to the Land Down Under, has made this a rather translucent release that may pass a few by. I remember less than 18 months ago the hype surrounding his previous LP and the massive queues of people being turned away from the Faversham as it was overcrowded.
The final instalment of the Braintax trilogy is entirely produced by COLIN EMMANUEL aka C-SWING, who has produced many UK hip hop acts , as well as artists including BEVERLEY KNIGHT, JAMELIA and OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN.
As with his previous solo albums Biro Funk (2001) and Panorama (2006), My Last & Best Album tackles a range of personal, political and global subjects that reach beyond the normal scope of many artists within UK hip hop.
For me this album really is Braintax’s worst the lyrics are lacking and the clean synthy sounds just don’t wash with the vinyl crackle-y Brains you are used to on Biro Funk & his LOUIS SLIPPERZ releases in the recent past. A large let down is the samey track listing, with the topics on the LP regurgitated from his previous 2 LP’s we have yet another “Riveria Hustle” that makes the original UK classic feel watered down by the fact he’s done it 3 times now, but this time we have MICHAEL CAINE to help us forget that its just another rehash of the same old formula.
Lowlife Records has fallen off in recent years with dwindling sales and poor outoputs compared to many of the other UK indie’s. This release serving as Brain’s swan song really is a let down, no doubt in a few years Mr Christie will come back with something to make us forget about “MY LAST & BEST ALBUM” but until he does you’ll have to keep bumping his decent back catalogue to serve as a substitute.
Tracklisting
01. Magnum On Crack (Prod. By Colin Emmanuel) 02:34
02. Fix Up Come Up 03:58
(Additional Vocals From Brandon Flux, Joey Brains, 4/9)
(Prod. By Colin Emmanuel)
03. Retail (Prod. By Colin Emmanuel) 03:28
04. Real People 03:18
(Additional Vocals From Imaani, Sammy Jay, Daniel Debourgh)
(Prod. By Colin Emmanuel)
05. Duvet (Additional Vocals From Daniel Debourgh) 03:50
(Prod. By Colin Emmanuel)
06. The Beast Is Us (Prod. By Colin Emmanuel) 04:02
07. Munchies (Prod. By Colin Emmanuel) 03:16
08. Invisible Media (Prod. By Colin Emmanuel) 03:36
09. Goldfish Bowl (Prod. By Colin Emmanuel) 03:39
10. Riviera Hustle 3 (Ft. Michael Caine) (Prod. By Colin Emmanuel) 03:45
11. Last One Out Turn Off The Lights 04:06
(Additional Vocals From Imaani, Sammy Jay, Daniel Debourgh,
Steve Mason) (Prod. By Colin Emmanuel)
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26 Responses to “Braintax - My Last & Best Album”
- 1 Trackback on Nov 14th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Hmmm, sounds sad
I have ordered a copy no less and am not expecting greatness but I’m sure I’ll still like it.
he wrote one mintin trak that d90 rox one time ago
the nu ish dunt really cut it though
very repititive lyrics
think he copies and pastes em from song to song tbh
I just found it samey and the production ain’t my cupa tea, and c-swing should stick to Olivia Newton John
Production - needed to be different or else it would have been even more saemy than you think it is already.
Lyrics - Tea and biscuits, retail therapy, the media? New topics for Braintax. As for the other things, well, he’s still the same guy isn’t he? He still thinks about the same sort of things; each song is still different to before.
Were Bristish - we love to see someone succesful fall. And we let that mentality affect the way we assess things.
This is still a good album and probably better than alot of things youll hear this year.
Yeah I mean the quality is good but with new Kashmere,Brotherman,PetePhilly BTI & so many more dropping or about to drop his final album & best is more meh than Whoa!!
yeah i listened to the album the other day as was not impressed, reminded me of the last Chester P album which I liked but when something reminds me of something eles it kinda puts me off. I’m not hating this release just dont think it really lives up to the title but some bits of it made me laugh like the track when he’s rapping about biscuits and cake, I dont think it will become a classic though.
Yeah, Brotherman is sick…still not heard BTI?!and Kashmere also does it good. Glad you acknowledge it’s good. Defo not best, no way! Maybe not last? The biscuits and cake one is funny.
He’ll be back he’ll be sat in the Aussie sun and get inspired I bet my “last tenner” on it
hmmm, interesting. I saw this yesterday in HMV and as you say, I had no clue whatsoever it was being released! I resisted buying it at the time mainly because I’m well skint, but this review and its following comments haven’t got me excited for it.
I’ve been thinking Braintax’s production has being going downhill a bit for a long time now. Its got less and less creative and more and more commercial as his career has gone on, which wouldn’t usually be a problem if he fully embraced a commercial sound but his rap voice, lyric content and the rest don’t go with the new sound. I’ll give it a listen, just out of loyalty to a Uk pioneer, but it doesn’t look good.
Well i thought most of the beats sounded the same on this album however im liking Riveira part 3
Well i full on like it! And have listened to panorama again and its better than that sonically…maybe not lyrically.
Hey All,
I just wanted to say….
I HAVE NEVER WORKED WITH OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN!!!
NEVER!!!
I can handle everything else…but that was really winding me up.
So once again…
I HAVE NEVER WORKED WITH OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN!!!
Peace.
oh shit thats too funny - Chris you’ve gone quiet bro..!
C Swing dude, maybe you can tell me when this is gettin a vinyl release? I usually buy direct from Joe or Disorda but I’m not seeing it on LP anywhere, any ideas bro?
Peace ADE ONE
Dude make sure the PR doesn’t say you worked with ONJ???
LOL!!!
It’s all cool.
I know it is being pressed up on vinyl but it got delayed so it didn’t happen at the same time.
I’ll try and find out a specific date for ya.
Look out for my upcoming 12″ with the cast of Grease and Leaders of the New School!!!
Nah this album has a few good tunes in it. Wouldn’t say this is a bad album at all. The production I thought goes really well over all… Very clear cut, almost commerical but it works well with the subject matter Braintax is spitting.
Might see this guy in oz if I see him do any shows
Cheers Colin, very much appreciated bro.. The new 12″ sounds interesting man! I’ll keep an eye out for it
catch you laters dude
Peas
Hey all, I haven’t herd the album yet, but have ordered one, im from Australia so it takes a little time to get down here. Does anyone know where Braintax is moving and why he has decided to make this the last album?
i like it. it took a few plays to really get into it but im pretty impressed.
i can see what people mean though, its never going to compare to Biro Funk or Panorama.
really like the last track, i recognise the tune though, where is it from?? any help?
I thought this was a great album, I can listen to it all the way through without skipping a single track… not something I can say about every album.
I think the production is good and the beats fit Braintax’s style well.
The lyrics are great and he puts some brilliant points across to the listeners, whilst keeping his lyrics witty and a good flow.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33763989040
The lyrical content of Biro Funk was different and insightful at the time, but he is sounding so cliché now.
This IS NOT pithy social commentary but rather Sixth Form Socialist nonsense, whose research sounds like it came entirely from a (in no way at all bias) Micheal Moore Film,
I think Braintax needs a reality check: there is no 9/11 conspiracy, the west aren’t the bad guys, and I bet he shops in tesco’s just like the rest of us.
Very few artists can credibly delve into politics, Bob Dylan can Braintax can’t. You want to hear quirky and irreverent takes on British life in UK hiphop, not have the rap equivalent of the Green Party Manifesto rammed down your throat.
GROW UP for god sake!
it sounds like tender has the world all worked out. its people like you….. …no sorry im going to leave it at that. i dont like bitchin and everyone else knows what i mean. dont think his ‘TENDER’ ears cant handle the truth tho. why not write your own album?????????????
It amazes me when i read these things what some people
say. theurbanshop said this album reminded him of the last chester p album (I take it you mean “from the ashes”) this is a laughable comment. The two MC’s are so different, do you even listen to what they say!!! Production wise the two are worlds apart too. This is a good album, not as good as the other two in my opinion, but good anyway. Tender…. Braintax is a real guy, with real opinions, what would you rather he spoke about? guns and bitches? I’d like to hear you rap. One last thing… oxfordhiphop?? do they even sell hiphop music in oxford??????
lol ziggy - oxfords got good artists - notably pneumatic n sloth, and dj indecision… that said, ive never been to a hiphop night there. but i know of a few emcees from down that way. tis like gafawing at the prospect of yorkshrie hiphop (and alot of ppl do)…