May 20, 2010
Sage Francis
Li(f)e
Anti-
Sage Francis is a man that all independent rap fans knows and, for the most part, love. From his early days slamming out brilliant mixtapes which showcased his innate ability for wordplay before releasing the seminal album 'Personal Journals' on Anticon. His journey from that well-known hip hop stable (as it was then) to the punk label Epitaph was met with some consternation and raised eyebrows, and yet he kept his roots deeply set in hip-hop. Strangely, as he moved across to Epitaph's less punk Anti- label, he has also moved into guitar-led territory. Does it work? Well, for the most part, it actually does.
A list of names such as Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie), the late Mark Linkous (of Sparklehorse fame), Jason Lytle of Grandaddy and Jeanie Schroder from DeVotchKa tells a story without even having heard the album, with these men, quite separate from hip-hop, lending their help in both production duties and guest appearances. But what Sage does best is deliver stories and clever witty repartee. The backdrops he raps over on 'Li(f)e' allow this to come to the fore from the six minute opener 'Little Houdini', the more upbeat 'Three Sheets To The Wind' with its extremely catchy chorus and the conversely relaxed 'Slow Man'.
The tracks that really stand out though are those which twinkle like gems in amongst the rest of the album - 'Diamonds and Pearls' and 'The Best Of Times'. The former's throbbing backbeat being overlayed with strings and glockenspiels in what can only be described as outrageously pretty and the latter, co-produced by Yann Tiersen of Amelie Soundtrack fame, slowly building up from its sparse introduction to a crescendo which excels because it doesn't try and grow louder or brasher than it needs to be.
There are a couple of lulls during 'Li(f)e', 'London Bridge''s guitars are a little too jingle-jangle indie and 'Love The Lie', the following track, meanders aimlessly until rescued by the aforementioned Tiersen closing number. But that shouldn't take away from the rest of the album. There may not be classics like 'Climb Trees', 'Makeshift Patriot' or 'Crack Pipes', but there are markings of brave steps away from more traditional hip-hop, even the leftfield arena he was entrenched in. For that, and the fact that the album is genuinely interesting and enjoyable, Sage Francis should be applauded.
'Li(f)e' is out 10th May on Anti-
