Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Album of the year? Possibly, 6 Jan 2007
It's dark. It's almost impossible to listen to in places. Yet, you cannot escape. It's almost a morbid fascination that forces you to listen as Plan B drags you into his raw, dark, unforgiving world. The guitar parts he plays bring an original sound to an over-crowded genre, and his delivery suits his lyrics perfectly. Each track is an experience, and the lightest track on the album, "Charmaine", leaves you breathless. Plan B has a real gift for story telling, and you will no doubt be hanging on every word if you make the right decision and buy this album. Quite possibly a modern classic.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Impressive., 18 Jan 2007
British hip-hop is - and some could say always was - in dire straits. Never able to match America in quantity or quality of artists, we are left with a handful of visionaries; Dizzee Rascal, Mike Skinner (who's recent album is a joke), Skinnyman. Jamie T, Plan B's nearest contemporary, is another rap troubador with live instruments who moves much further into the realms of other music types than Plan B; Plan B, despite wielding a guitar, sticks more to traditional hip-hop.
The Eminem comparisons are legitimate; Plan B has the same rapping talent (not quite as great), the same vitriol and vicious rhyming, the same twisted sense of humour (right down the genital warts and small penis), and seems to aim to offend; for Eminem, the likes of Christopher Reeve have been his whipping boy. For Plan B, it's Jill Dando. There's even a song about his mother; although it's in sympathy for a boyfriend on drugs, rather than in hatred for herself being on drugs.
However, this does not detract from an impressive debut album. Plan B may not be as original - although there is originality here, which I will get to later - as Eminem is and was, but he is still witty, sharp and brilliant at what he does. Rapping often over his own instrumental samples, he is insulting, profane and wilfully offensive in the way that few rappers outside of Eminem really are.
The bursts of originality, however, show a classic artist in the making. His Britishness, and those urban vignettes, for one, is an advantage. While Eminem would step into his characters totally, Plan B will often sympathise - on 'Tough Love,' for example - or, on 'Charmaine,' allow himself to be victim of catastrophe. He also has his own causes to rant against, most importantly religion. On at least two tracks he rails against it - showing a surprising knowledge of religion itself, though, adding to Eminem's tradition of intelligent hatred. He also willingly plays against gangsta culture - opener 'Kidz' criticises the mentality of British teenagers, rap fans, who think, for example, that guns are cool - and on 'No More Eatin' he practically has a hardcore punk song on his hands.
All in all, there is enough originality and wit on this album for it be an excellent debut, and without even trying Plan B has wedged himself into the top level of British hip-hop. His sophomore effort, with any luck, will see him furthering his skills and uniqueness to his advantage.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Listen- Just Don't Let Your Kids Hear It, 12 Aug 2006
It's hard to imagine how brutal Plan B's actions might be. Because his words are haunting, shocking and very, very impressive. He's a rapper and he's got that indie touch to him, his acoustic guitar. "Mama" sticks in your head so much that it stays there for days. And debut single "No Good" creates that blend of Uk rap and indie music, it's wonderful to hear.
This is a great, great record. He has obviously had a tough childhood to say the least, but you can feel the passion, feel his heartache. Maybe that's down to the brilliant production, but I reckon the youngster is behind most of it. The actual track "Who Needs Actions When You've Got Words" is the perfect album closer. However tracks like "Charmaine" and "Missin' Links" bring down it's overall rating because they are a bit TOO much. A bit too scary.
It's a brutal, haunting record. Give it a listen, you'll either love it or hate it, but whatever you do, don't let your kids hear it.
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