Louis Logic - Sin-o-matic

It's been over a decade since Jane's Addiction declared that "nothing's shocking" - however, that hasn't stopped countless underground rappers from trying to prove them wrong. Louis Logic is the latest to lace his complex, multisyllabic battle-rap flow with tales of cannibalism, perverts, murder, and Bugged-Out Shit^TM in general. His formula seems to work well at first (especially with the choice selection of beats, boasting production far above-average for an indie release), even resulting in a few truly memorable tracks; yet shock value alone can't carry a 17-track LP to classic status. Sin-O-Matic definitely remains worth a listen, however. With a brainy-yet-skewed charisma eerily similar to pre-platinum status Eminem freestyles, Louis is more than able to drop a clever couplet or hysterical punchline every rhyme or two, and even when at it's most stereotypically "indie rap," the disc never loses momentum. Highlights include "Postal," an ode to soul-sucking dayjobs that rides a Dirty South bounce throughout; the freakout Latin guitar on "Diablos;" and "Idiot Gear," an absolutely infectious track which could EASILLY be a hit single in some alternate universe. Yet without a doubt, Sin-o-matic reaches its peak on "The Ugly Truth," a brief respite from the comically gory mayhem and backpack-rap boasts. On the track, Louis spits hateful stereotypes one after the other with unbelievable, literally jaw-dropping venom, only to reveal the voice of the narrator in a twist ending that must be heard to be believed. The song is thought-provoking, darkly comic, and above all, completely captivating in a truly original way. With such a creative and striking song, Louis Logic proves that he's still worth watching, even once the sound of his other shock-factor rhymes fade out. [www.louislogic.com]