Devin the Dude - Landing Gear: Album Review
Devin the Dude, Landing Gear (Razor & Tie, 2008)
If ever there's a sign you might have a weed problem, it's when you get dropped from Rap A Lot Records. Which is what it says happened to Devin the Dude in the world's most accurate encyclopedia. Oddly enough, Devin might be near the height of his popularity, thanks to the hipster embrace of last year's actually kinda underwhelming Waiting to Inhale. Can Devin maintain that momentum, so to speak? Let's have a look.
IN MY DRAWS
The synths on this hardly sound like they're from the '90s, let alone this decade. I'd suggest this might be a cover of a UGK record, not unlike that one T.I. record I wasn't a very big fan of on King, but I actually kinda like this. So that can't be the case, right?
I CAN'T MAKE IT HOME
Something tells me Devin achieved the slightly drunken flow on this song by actually drinking. There's an element of paranoia throughout this album, even though I think I read somewhere that Devin is legally allowed to smoke weed. I guess that doesn't count while you're driving.
THINKIN' BOUTCHU
A song about how Devin sits and thinks of an old flame while he self-medicates. How very emo of him. I don't even think this is meant to be ironic. Though it's humorous, in the way that anything this sad, old weed casualty says is somewhat humorous.
LET ME KNOW IT'S REAL
This must be the "I can't get any worthwhile stank because I smoke too much weed" portion of the album. Again, this is surprisingly unguarded. If only the production was worth a shit.
EL GRANDE NADGAS
El grande nadgas, anyone? Bueller? I took Spanish up through college, and I couldn't begin to guess what that means. Hopefully, some Mexican guy didn't tell him it means cans, and it really means nuts. I'd hate to see Devin go out like that.
ME, YOU
A little Neptunes-y, but in the most budget way possible. Given a shitty keyboard and an afternoon, I'm sure I can come up with something better than this. I've seen that episode of Cribs where Mannie Fresh made the beat to T.I.'s "Big Things Poppin'." I'm not buying into that myth that production using a keyboard requires more effort than working with samples.
HIGHWAY
Lo fi to a fault, even relative to the rest of this mess. There's also weed carrier raps. Skip!
I DON'T CHASE 'EM
Featuring Snoop Dogg the pimp at his most vicious. In the age of "it ain't tricking if you got it," this ought to be required listening for today's youth.
YO MIND
People who smoke weed for breakfast shouldn't kick message raps. Plus, more weed carrier raps.
YOUR KINDA LOVE
Like a less gay "Love Lockdown." Like "Love Lockdown," it's almost all singing. Devin doesn't kick a verse until two minutes in.
I NEED A SONG
A song with nothing but weed carrier raps. And the beat would sound like a Ralph Tresvant record, if it wasn't so poorly recorded.
STRAY
Finally, because things hadn't gotten weird enough, here's some bums take on the guitar solo from one of those silly early '70s era Isley Brothers records. And then Devin comes in on the R&B vocals threatening to strangle silly bitches. Roffle.
COMMENTS: After the first couple of tracks, I was all set to declare this better than Waiting to Inhale, despite the ridonkulously half-assed production. Then the thing went on and on, and some of its appeal began to wear off. Part of it's that I just plain don't fit the target audience for this sort of thing. Perhaps because I'm not that into weed myself, the idea of a guy smoking epic amounts of it doesn't amuse me or otherwise interest me. But part of it's that this is obviously such a low budget affair. If they'd paid actual musicians to play on this album, Devin might have had something.
BEST TRACKS: "In My Draws" "Thinkin' Boutchu" "I Don't Chase 'Em"
BONUS VIDEO: The first of a series of viral videos he let someone talk him into doing
