Murs - Murs 3:16

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Music reviews of Murs 3:16

Music Review: Short but Sweet
Rating: 4 Stars

I bought this more for Murs than 9th. Most of the time on this album, he's story-telling and/or talking about women. The intro is a good way to kick off the album, with a good verse to get us in the mood and a nice electric beat from 9th Wonder. An intro that adds something to the album, not one of those pointless ones that needs to go. "Bad Man," "Rainy Days," and "Freak These Tales" are about women. The first is about how he just can't seem to be a nice guy and a player at the same time, the second about his troubles finding a woman, and the last about getting laid. With all these tracks, Murs does what he does best...he comes across as an average guy you might meet off the street, kicking rhymes about real life, but with his own quirky style to make it entertaining. "Sitcom rap," as he himself calls it. "Trevor an' Them" and "Walk Like a Man" display his story-telling abilities. The first is a just a funny story about a robbery gone wrong, but the second takes a more serious turn, talking about the death of his best friend and his quest for vengeance. Again, it's nice because he does it as a guy with problems and not a hardcore thug. "H-U-S-T-L-E" talks about his different methods for making money when he was a kid. It seems like it's taking a jab at rappers who brag about selling coke. "3:16" and "The Animal" are more or less battle tracks, which are Murs' weak point because he has neither the lyrics nor the voice to command the mic. Still, his slightly off sense of humor makes these worthwhile. "And This is For" is a total surprise, because it confronts real issues, which Murs didn't really do on his last album. He attacks thug rappers and whites who don't respect the hip-hop culture, which is dangerous but perhpas all the more admirable since most of his fans are white.

9th's production didn't blow my mind, but I can see where his success comes from. He reminds me of DJ Premier because of his skill for putting samples together and knowing how to set the right mood for each track. "The Pain," similar to RZA's "Rainy Dayz," perfectly captures the sorrow Murs is trying to get across. "Bad Man" is fun and energetic. "And This is For" sounds...how do I explain it...conscious. It matches Murs' grief at the problems in the hip-hop world. The "Walk Like a Man" beat changes between grieving for Murs' friend and truimph at his revenge. I liked the tones in the beats. My problem is their lack of intensity. You can barely tell the drums are even there, and the instruments just never seem sharp or aggressive enough. They suit Murs alright, since he's not a very intense rhymer, but they wouldn't be good for battling. You couldn't call them "hard beats." Maybe he makes them harder for other rappers, though.

In the booklet for Murs' Def Jux debut, it says "Murs is your best friend." I don't think that really came across as much here. Partly, there were more sad tracks, but I think it's largely because of the track "And This is For," which has caused a lot of controversy online. Maybe it's because I'm white that I think the thoughts expressed in this track lowered my enjoyment of the album, like I'm not 100% comfortable listening to it. Nevertheless, that song speaks the truth for the most part, and it would be wrong of Murs to make his music too "white-friendly" if that's not what he's feeling, so I still think it's good he put it on here and I commend him for making it. As for the rest of the album, his main strengths...personality, quirky humor, and story-telling...shine through clearly. One of the best in 2004 so far.

Description of Murs 3:16

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