Search - Lewis Parker :: Masquerades & Silhouettes

Though it's not always obvious, much of Massive Attack's sound is informed by their time spent in the hip-hop underground. So it's only fitting that the first release on their Melankolic label is from Lewis Parker, a youngster (21 at the time of this album) with a penchant for relating his experiences in science-fiction terminology. Parker, however--well, he's not a Jedi yet. His rhymes have potential, and he has an interesting outlook, but he has yet to find the verbal flow to pull it all together, though he comes closest on "Crusades," which is a shame, as it's the album's most generic track. Still, the eight songs here do occasionally sound as if they come from a galaxy far, far away--the production incorporates sweeping Brazilian tinges, clarinets, and some great drum sounds (though without any real rhythmic innovations)--but it's grounded in the familiar (a warm needle scratch, crackle-and-pop background). The force is strong in Parker, though, and this is a promising debut. --Randy Silver