Before I get into the actual review, I would like to say that an
indie act who
actually records their CD in a garage should get some sort
of bonus points. So props to Ghost Fleet for doing it the hard
way.
That said, I’m impressed with
Conspiracy Theory, the third CD from rap duo Ghost Fleet for
a lot of reasons, the least of which involves it being recorded in
someone’s garage. While I’m discovering I like some rap and hip-hop
— and lemme tell you, this is a major life crisis here — I’m
realizing that what I don’t like is the same thing I don’t like
about pop, country, or any of a number of other genres; ninety
percent of it is crap that sounds alike. Thankfully, there’s still
artists in any genre who take a few chances — which gets us back
to Ghost Fleet. These guys have a quirk or two to their
straight-ahead rap sound that makes them a lot of fun to listen
to.
First and foremost, it may have been recorded in a garage, but
it sure as hell doesn’t sound like it. The sound on
Conspiracy Theory is slick, crisp, and well-engineered —
the rhymes are clear, the background music and percussion is
perfect, and the whole thing comes together in a tight, elegant
package. There’s no waste on
Conspiracy Theory, and there’s a lot of tasty rhymes packed
into this CD.
I also have to say that Syde Show and Mr J must really like
weird sounds, and it means that
Conspiracy Theory is a continued roller coaster ride of
surprises. From the cartoon
BOING!!! on “The Collective” to the retro synthesizer intro
on “End Of Dayz [Oldschool]” to the almost-classical background
music on “Blind,” there’s some damn fine — and damned unusual —
tracks on this CD. I particularly like the contrast of piano and
rapping on “Welcome To The Real World,” and “The End” is one of the
most powerful rap tracks I’ve ever heard.
Fact is, Ghost Fleet seems passionate — and pissed off — about
a great deal of things. There’s a lot of substance to
Conspiracy Theory; the title is, I suspect, not a mistake.
There’s a lot said on here about control, be it political, social,
or media-related, and Ghost Fleet seems determined to point out
that the Emperor is not wearing anything and needs a swift kick in
the ass. I concur — and the best part of it is, it’s pretty damned
fun to listen to.
