Rage Original Soundtrack
LP
I have heard mixed reviews concerning the film itself; I personally have not witnessed it. However, I have had the opportunity to get my hands on a copy of the soundtrack. I don’t know about the film but the soundtrack is certainly weak. There are no outstandingly brilliant tracks that stand out above the others but there are some so hideous that they haunt the listener and make him/her forget about the half descent songs. So hideous in fact, I was forced to contemplate which clown was responsible for compiling this bland excuse for a CD. Imagine my surprise upon discovering that Mark B was the culprit. Imagine my further surprise once I realised he was the producer of the worst tracks.
The album starts promising with The Great Ones feat Al Tariq with ‘That Nigga’, Third Order ft Rodney P and then Swollen Members. Unfortunately from here on it is all down hill. Isn’t it ironic that a soundtrack for a film that deals with the struggle that is UK hip-hop owes some of its best tracks to American artists. Rodney P is the only UK Mc that holds his own but this is by no means the “rhythm killer’s” best work but I think it is more of a case of the instrumental undermining the artist. Swollen Members, Al Tariq and The Great Ones easily outshine the other English rappers who appear on the album.
It has taken me two attempts to review tracks 5-13. This CD has been collecting dust on my shelf for 3 weeks because I did not want to torment my ears with likes of Eye of the Hurricane by New Flesh for Old. This honestly has to be the worst tune ever manifested from the bowels of the UK industry. The instrumental is sadly enjoyable but the Mc’s…. What drugs were doing the rounds in the studio that day?
Many people have been awaiting the return of Mc Mello, but if subsequent material is anything like this he might as well not come out of retirement. I thought that this track sounded dated and was forced to wonder whether the Mello man has been away too long? In all honesty I have not really heard any Mc Mello solo records due to my age, so was very disappointed upon hearing this considering his reputation.
I can’t be bothered to slag off every track but I have enough strength in me for one more insult. DJ Vadim and The Isolationist (who strangely appears to be two people- maybe more but I turned it off.) give us Laser Tooth, which has the most boring and stupid opening to a track ever to be recorded. The first minute and five seconds is filled with a long-winded sample and the mindless rambling of these yanks.
The other tracks aren’t that bad (apart from Mark B and Blade’s We’ll Survive) but they are not good either. Hybrid sums it up perfectly in rages Mind Trap:Made for only hip-hop addicts Only the most dedicated, puritan UK hip-hop fan can appreciate this sound track. When doing a review I usually play the CD in question constantly but Rage soon got swapped for Hi-Tek and Kweli, which happens to be the same time when I realised how rubbish this CD is.
Mark-B’s choices obviously revolved around politics and not quality of music. Mark pick up a copy of The Word Lab and listen to what your compilation should have sounded like.
Uncut described Rage as a “killer soundtrack”; it certainly sapped the life from me.
- D-One | profile
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