Indie (March 6, 2012)
Review by Larosa
There are always artists that seem to be perpetually under the radar. They make good music, but they never seem to get noticed or receive the recognition that they deserve for their music, even though they are good at their craft. Applejaxx seems to be one of those artists. After making his debut on Tonex’s Out the Box album and releasing a very respectable first offering, nobody really took notice of him. For a while it seemed that the only attention he garnered was negative because of his association with the aforementioned gospel artist. Well, today is a new day.
With this new day, Applejaxx is on a mission to get Christians everywhere to start living fresh. For too long believers have settled for whatever processed foods the world throws at them, causing nothing but problems; but, Applejaxx wants them to know that they can be Organic and live a healthy life that is pleasing to the Lord. Taking his personal goal of living and eating healthier, Applejaxx uses this as the theme for his album, urging the listener to stop taking the easy road; instead, opting for a path that is more fulfilling, both physically & spiritually.
The album starts off very strong with the opening track “Rise” featuring Jekob of Washington Projects & label mate Mr. Coldstone. It’s here that you are immediately drawn and are given the first step for living a fresh lifestyle, trusting in Jesus Christ and rising up from our sins. Using witty punchlines & straightforward raps, Applejaxx delivers a very compelling message that you can nod your head to while also being edified. If there’s a song where the theme of the album is really driven home, it would have to be “Original.” It is here that you are taken on a journey through a lyrical grocery store, where Jaxx talks about being original musically & culturally instead of settling for being a no name brand carbon copy. Throughout the remainder of the album, Applejaxx walks you through a myriad of topics, such as relationships (EyeCandy) and living in the Word (Got Jesus), all of which help to show how you can “Live Fresh.”
In listening to this album, one of the things that really makes it standout is the production. It’s not your classic boom bap, nor is it a clone of the sounds that are popular today. No, it’s something different altogether. With the theme of this album being all about living fresh & being original, Applejaxx makes sure that this is loud & clear from the jump with his choice of beats. The beats are futuristic, upbeat, fresh, and original; plus, they are all perfectly suited for his lyrical delivery. Really the only track that raised an eyebrow was “Original,” but he still showed that he was able to make it work & serve its purpose. Other than that, there isn’t really a beat that sounds bad or doesn’t fit his style.
One of the things that can spell death for an album is the number of guests that an artist has on their album. Looking at the track list for Organic, you can see that there would definitely be cause for concern. Out of a total of ten tracks, there are only three that are solely Applejaxx. Yet, once you get past looking at the track list and actually give the album a listen, you begin to see that this isn’t nearly as much of a concern as one might think. In most instances, the guests are on the chorus with the exception of a verse from fellow Fadacy artist Mr. Coldstone. Aside from that false positive, the only real drawback is that there are some volume leveling problems where some tracks are louder than others, but that could just be the review copy I received, which may not have had the final mix. There really are very few flaws with this album and to point any out would be simply nitpicking.
As a whole, Organic is a complete meal for the listener. The rhymes are on point and the beats bang. Applejaxx rides his theme from start to finish, showing that believers can truly live fresh. There is absolutely no filler or preservatives on this album. What more could you really ask for? Applejaxx should definitely become a household brand after this release.
Still diggin’ this album!
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