In November, Stainless Steele dropped the (free) album “Straight Jacket Time Killin“. If you’ve been a heavy listener of Stainless for a few years now, you probably remember his 2009 project, “My Top Friends Are Beat Makers“, where he collaborated with various beat makers around the globe, that he “met” through Myspace. SJTK is pretty much the part two to that. Again, he linked up with a handful of electronic, hip hop producers, such as Abjo, Chit$, AL_PD, Swarvy, Mndsgn, Infinite Potentials, Sir Froderick, Jonti, and others. And they reside in places ranging between France, Canada, the U.S., London, and Australia.
“Straight Jacket Time Killin” has 13 tracks, laced with exotic, electro beats that Steele creatively flows over. In usual fashion, whatever he raps about (whether it’s wacky, bizarre shit vs sensual, amorous feelings vs heartbreak and sadness), it’s done in such a beautiful, poetic way. I see his style and skill of story-telling, as if he’s in a fictitious, black-and-white world (ala “Sin City”), where he is brilliantly splashing the walls with bright, colorful paint (of words and sounds). Like his past works, this further dives into his “perfect maniac”, sometimes twisted, imaginary world. Perhaps his parallel universe. That may be weird to any one reading this, but if you’ve read my other Stainless Steele reviews, you’d see that I’ve spoke about his story-telling before — his use of vocabulary and the words he pieces together to create a dreamscape in your mind is exquisite.
Anyway, on to the review!
01. ABJO’S DOJO ——————– 5/5
Produced by Abjo.
“And I don’t S-T-O-P // Like a sign that’s shaped like an octagon // You know me for teachin’ the youth like I’m Obi Wan Kenobi // I hold the microphone so closely // ‘Cause I still have yet to find my one and only” Stainless Steele opens up the album with a beautiful Abjo beat, with the energy to match it. In moving forward with the “can’t-stop-won’t-stop making music” mentality, he rounds it out by speaking out to an anonymous, faceless woman, in hopes to have her (along with his mic) in his grasp.
02. DROP DEAD GORGEOUS (video) ——————– 3/5
Produced by Stainless Steele and vOPhoniQ.
“Drop dead gorgeous, like murder on the runway // Pistol in her pantyhose, sophisticated gun-play” He sinks into the static, drum clap beat, and lays down some wonky, borderline nonsense, raps. I laughed when I heard him drop some shit about Kanye and Chronicles of Narnia within the same three seconds.
03. STRAIGHT JACKET TIME KILLIN (video) ——————– 5/5
Produced by Chit$.
This beat was the first that seemed to incorporate some grimey elements (the muffled drums and fuzzy bassline), along with the electronic nods. Really diggin’ it, and it’s appropriate for the subject matter. Steele floats above reality, into another world, where he unveils some personal thoughts that reside in the darker nooks of his mind. “I believe in God and I pray like I can see the other side // And it’s only gotten deeper ever since my father died // I’m surrounded by everything, from all sides // Now enters the honorable, all rise // But I bow my head instead, ’cause I knew better…”
04. ICE PYRAMID ——————– 5/5
Produced by AL_PD.
Fuuuuck, harps sound beautiful at any time. Can one play the strings of a harp haphazardly to where it’d sound terrible? I’m guessing no. Lovely at all times, ya know? This track is the shortest on the album, clocking in at 1:12, but it feels full. You know when you hear short songs, and you don’t feel satisfied with the length? Like, it was so good, you wanted a bit more? Well, this was so good, and in that little time, I’m left satisfied. The story was told; a fairytale of a mystic, harp-playing ice temptress and some white witches. You know, the regular.
05. LE FLOW COLLAGE ——————– 4.5/5
Produced by VLooper.
“You hear that flow, it drove the underground wacko // Every since 12, I’ve been spittin’ like tobacco.” You hear that vocal chop of Jadakiss’ verse, from The Lox’s “All For The Love”, in the beat? Yeeeeah. That first line fits perfectly with the mad-hatter, maniac stories that Steele spits. Not much to say about this hypnotic track, except I vibe with it.
06. TECHNOLOGY FOR ROMANCE (video) ——————– 5/5
Produced by Swarvy.
“Feel my mechanical love…” Another romantic, love type of song from Steele… not that I’m complaining. Personally, I love that passionate shit from him and the way he attacks it. If you’re not familiar with the way he describes feelings, moments, and characters, you should know that he effortlessly paints a clear image in your head, like a movie. It’s a special talent to describe what you envision, whether it’s fact or fiction, to other people. The song title speaks on a burgeoning romance that came together by technology, and ultimately through music similarities. Within his verses, he cleverly sneaks in equipment drops (Projector screens, SP-12, Tapedeck, Radio) and some music artists/bands (Radiohead, Portishead, Talking Heads, Aphex Twin, Stereolab, etc). Pretty cool song.
07. THE FRESHEST KID BLESSIN IT ——————– 5/5
Produced by Mndsgn.
“Yeah, baby, and I never met a beat that I couldn’t get down // I go to work, while these other jerks just stood around…” Steele grabs the mic and weaves inbetween the knockin’ beat, doing his thing, and tellin’ ya how it is.
08. LONDON RIOTS ——————– 4/5
Produced by Infinite Potentials.
Less of a riot, more of a psychedelic, fonk trip. No disrespect to this song, the content or his apparent lyrical ability, but I was feelin’ the beat way more. Gimme that instrumental!
09. NOCTURNAL REVENGE ——————– 5/5
Produced by Mndsgn.
I love how he opens the song with, “The sleeping beauty suddenly awakes // A venomous kiss, the forked-tongue of a snake // She’s falling towards Earth at an accelerated rate // Burning up in a dream, you could say it was fate // She’s never been inside out, until this moment // Now she’s spilling her guts, and molecules scatter like confetti…” Tell me that’s not a beautiful description of something that’s supposed to be of dark imagery; a fallen angel. There are a handful of songs where Steele references himself as an outlaw, or takes the shoes of a dangerous character (not so much a villain, though), that often rescues a lovely lady in need or trouble. This is one of them, and this is a dope track. “It was a night-time passionate crime // With no alibi // And now the beauty sleeps sound like a lullaby”
10. ONCE AGAIN ——————– 5/5
Produced by Zenios.
Yoooo, I recognized that once again vocal sample in the hook! Planet Asia on that PBWolf “Definition of Ill” Madlib remix. “Too twisted to get laid // My music’s too mystic to get played // Spanish switch blade razors from under my tongue // What’chu runnin’ from // I made a list of my favorite emcees, and I’m #1 // Shining like beams of light, coming from the sun….” Once again… Steele rightfully-so boosts his ego and shows you why he should be one of your favorites (not only in this song, but in this album and the rest of his discography).
11. QUE BONITA ——————– 5/5
Produced by Pitch Black Theory.
“Then it all goes dark // She walks guilt-free, feeling no remorse after breaking all those hearts // We thought we’d fall in love, but we never could predict we would fall so far // That during the descent we would start to grow apart // The perfect pair, like we could’ve been on Noah’s Ark // Kissing with the lights out, it created such a spark // That when our lips touched, our mouths glow in the dark…”
With a track titled “Que Bonita”, I expected nothing but something good, and it was just that. And, of course, tangled up in a love story. That’s also a reccuring theme – love, lovesick feelings, and heartache. Que bonita!
12. LUNAR CHIVALRY (ft Maf Maddix) ——————– 4.5/5
Produced by Sir Froderick.
“Drop my thoughts like a bridge, and walk across no matter where it lands…” Suiting up in knight armor alongside Stainless Steele, is Maf Maddix swaying his sword in the second verse. “Lunar Chivalry” playfully hits a theme of the medieval days (or nights, in this case). A time with knights, where moral and social codes were followed. Where good and righteous battles evil. “Masquerade, as the jester, dancing in the frame // Pulled the sheath off the blade, cut the head off the king…” Solid song… and the piano keys in the beat… woooo, smooth!
13. MAGIC FABRIC ——————– 5/5
Produced by Jonti.
This Jonti beat reminds me of some that Stainless Steele has made… it embraces the sounds of nature, spacey vibes, and it’s all ethereal and beautiful. I love it! And Steele pairs perfectly with it, supplying the listener with another enchanting story of his travels. “I blast, automatic, never shackled in my own thoughts // I roam across unknown lands when I zone off // It’s like magic, it’s like magic, it’s like fabric that’s cut from my own cloth…”
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