Review – Reconcile (of Mass Reality) ‘Chronicles: the Lineage, Life & Legacy’

Rapzilla Staff Rating:
Average User Rating:
{mainvote}

Let me clear my throat. Reconcile jumps onto the scene with Chronicles: The Lineage, Life & Legacy, a release that is fraught with energy and emotion and truly lives up to its title. Detailing his lineage with some throwback musical elements and experiential lyrical content, Reconcile points out that much of what makes up our identity is based in our past. Taking things one step further, other songs explain that while these events may help define us, we are still in control of and responsible for our day-to-day actions (a.k.a. life). The final piece of the puzzle, the legacy, is as much a result of our life as our life is of our past. With this album, Big Rec encourages his listeners to realize the interconnectedness of these three aspects of our existence and make it count for something.

Musically, Chronicles features a wide range of styles and catchy compositions. Tracks such as “The Antidote” and “Nostalgia” show off a nice, horn-heavy funk sound, while “Stealth” has a southern futuristic sound to it. Other sounds include the soulful “Slave Trade”, the upbeat hidden tracks, several low-key ballads and “All In The Fam”, which is interestingly similar to Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life” (minus the “uh-huh-uh”). The music is done very well and keeps the listener’s ear throughout.

The downside of the album lies in the sluggish ballads. Reconcile is clearly at his best when he is rapping headlong on the fast energetic tracks. He keeps pace with his raspy cadence and proves to be a very entertaining artist. However, once the rhythm slows, his enthusiasm seems to disappear as well. While the lyrics are still full of emotion and meaning, the intensity of his delivery is lacking, making the album somewhat touch and go.

Overall, Chronicles should be well received, featuring touches of old school flavor (reminiscent of LL Cool J, P.I.D. and a lesser known group called Apocalypse) given a modern treatment. At times, Reconcile shines as one of the more captivating rappers in the industry and his lyrical strength allows the songs to connect with his audience. Big Rec (and Mass Reality) establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with.

Release Date: February 7, 2006

Label: Mass Reality Enterprises

Buy on iTunes

Tracklisting
1. Intro
2. The Antidote
3. Many Waters [The Heritage] feat. Omniblaize
4. Nostalgia
5. Split Decision
6. The Revolutionary [Interlude]
7. Stealth
8. Process feat. Drastic of the Remnant
9. Under the Influence feat. Explicit & Vandal of Mass Reality
10. Wreckshop
11. Eleventwentyone feat. Byron Davis
12. All in the Fam feat. Mass Reality, Chosen1, Cash Hollistah. & C
13. They Don’t [Interlude]
14. Slave Trade feat. Firstborn & Di’elect of Mass Reality
15. Good Newz
16. Outro

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular