Some Heat for Everyday Life
Posted June 15, 2015
By DwayneLacy_NRT, Staff Reviewer
Tragic Hero is a New Jersey based artist with an original name who has gained much momentum in the last few years with an EP released with Wes Pendleton and multiple features (using both rap and vocals).
Having a buzz and anticipation for an album is obviously a blessing and a curse. There is the sheer excitement and impatience of fans salivating to get a taste of the new music, but there can also be a big letdown if the album is not what was expected. Following the singles "Winter" and "My Own Worst Enemy," the new album My Own Worst Enemy was carefully crafted, written and produced.
On the intro, he jumps right into the ugliness of the inner workings of the soul that only God knows about. Dre Murray joins Tragic on "1984," which has the feel of a sequel to Dre's "Pharaoh," which featured Tragic. This song has definite meaning, alluding to the book/film of the same name and mentioning Emmanuel Goldstein. Tragic and Dre ponder what happens when an artist just succumbs to what is popular and what would have lingering effects on a generation. After your career ends and the smoke clears, will people remember you and the impact that you made, or will you just be another "fly by night" artist that was hot for a minute?
I was taken aback by the setup of "Winter." There was something familiar with this song, arranged in ¾ time signature and with part of the chorus resembling that of "Indescribable" by Chris Tomlin. However, that is only a fraction of this complex song produced by Wit and carefully articulated by Tragic Hero.
"Nothing You Can Do" gets right to the heart of the matter of someone who is battling an addiction that he cannot seem to shake. Although it seems like he will never change, Tragic makes a strong determination that he will no longer be a slave to "it." Although the beat sounds like something that has been done before, I cannot deny that Wit and Daniel Steele made something that knocks hard.
The decision to let Christon Gray jump on a track and smash the chorus and the end of "Try Again" was definitely the right one. Tragic mentions the burdens of family members being sick, his wife's temptation to leave him and other insecurities that cross his mind. Another "less is more" chilled out banger is provided by Wes Pendleton and Wit. "Happy People (featuring Taelor Gray)" is the jam! Hot Handz makes the beat go from simple Hip Hop 101 boom bip to a smoother beat. The emcees kill it on both beats.
Closing Thoughts:
Tragic Hero has delivered such a solid, dope album. I believe My Own Worst Enemy will be critically acclaimed and appreciated by the fans. There are times where he falls into a chorus or two that sounds too familiar with what we have heard from him before on features. However, that is the exception and not the rule for this noteworthy project.
Song to Download Now:
"Try Again (featuring Christon Gray)" (Get it on iTunes here.) View All Music And Book Reviews By DwayneLacy_NRT | View DwayneLacy_NRT's Profile
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