Home Sweet 'Home'
Posted February 10, 2019
By JoshuaGalla_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need To Know:
Aaron “Canon” McCain originated from Chicago, Illinois, yet grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. After college in Memphis, Canon settled in Tennessee to perfect his hip-hop craft. Before signing with Reflection Music Group (RMG) in 2011 and putting out his debut album Blind World, he released his first mixtape in 2009 titled, The Great Investment. The following year, Loose Canon was released as the first of three in the series (Volume 2 in 2014, Volume 3 in 2016). In between that, Canon debuted his second full-length release, Mad Haven, in 2013. A handful of singles blessed fans over his eight-year career in Christian Hip-Hop (CHH) before his following was blessed with his third full-length release Home on December 7, 2018.
Canon has molded a sound of its own. A little bit trap. A little bit street. A little bit boom bap. All original. Tagged as one of the fastest “spitters” in CHH, his talents spread elsewhere too. Canon prides himself as one of the more prolific storytellers too. Transparency into his life, faith, viewpoints, and heart is vividly seen across all releases, but especially prevalent this time around.
What it Sounds Like:
Canon offers an overall viewpoint of Home on his homepage (www.getthecanon.com) which sums up the feel of the project, "I want people to feel proud about what they have. If you have little or much, there is hope. The comparison game tears down houses. If there's anywhere you belong, it's home."
When one thinks of a home, emotions of comfort, relaxation, love, and security pour in. Canon compacted these feelings and created a project the listener can fall in love with; something absent in music in recent years. A recipe for success with a pinch of autotune, a swirl of impressive features, a few cups of quotable wordplay, and a spoon full of east coast flavor summarizes a record for the ages.
Home represents a non-stop house party from start to finish Kid-n-Play would be proud to host. “Ain’t Got to Love Me” and “Lord Of the Lies” encompasses Canon’s heart on the project. “Pacman” and “Bammm” sets an aggressive tone. Featureless “Focus” and “Push Thru” accent Canon’s flawless delivery bar for bar. Then, the tempo eases downward like a slow dance climax for “We Gone Make It” and “Home” pinpointing the home as a place of comfort. A place the listener can kick back and digest the makings of a classic.
Spiritual Highlights:
Canon never hesitates to include his personal faith and related lifestyle in releases. Home is no different. Biblical versions of love, personal reflection, life obstacles, and his daily walk are spotlighted throughout each of the 10 tracks.
Spiritual endurance is found in “Push Thru” with lines like, “I may crumble but I got faith now, watch me push through.” God’s faithfulness is discovered in “We Gone Make It” with, “God over everything, won’t lose no self-esteem, even with broken dreams, peace still surrounding me.” Similar spiritual gems can be unraveled throughout the track list. Fans will be encouraged to hear how Canon personally traveled through various trials and triumphs attributing his faith as the supreme conqueror.
Best Song on the Record:
From a project smothered in street anthems and melodic highlights, a clear favorite defined was a struggle. However, “Pacman” featuring Aaron Cole arises as a personal favorite. Between the catchy hook and the aggressive flow shared by Canon and Cole, the artistry of each demand attention.
For Fans Of:
Tedashii / Bumps INF / Derek Minor / KB
Final Word:
Canon mastery of wordplay, symbolism, and lyrical control is quite evident in Home. The project contains a comfortable mix of tempos, welcomed inclusion of summer-like anthems for the streets, and material requiring multiple listens to truly appreciate the balance of weighted topics. Even though the project is heavy on included featured artists (12 in all), the personal vibe of hearing Canon’s heart from multiple angles of life is easily deciphered. Overall, Home is one of the few projects of 2018 that didn’t get lost in the onslaught of weekly releases standing out as one of the top ten releases.
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