In an era where new music is disposable days after its release, it takes a lot for an artist to truly stand out amongst the pack. As a longtime underground favorite, Reks intends to hold listeners attention over with his latest album, REBELUTIONARY. With Numonics handling the production duties of the album, this project is a follow up to his Straight, No Chaser album that was released earlier this year. While Statik Selektah served as the featured producer for that project, Reks opts for a different sound to accompany his social commentary. Never one to shy away from controversial topics, Reks ups the ante on his latest effort.
Opening the album with “Unlearn,” Reks takes aim at everything that we consider truth in America. The dark beat gives off a somber yet infectious vibe that will have you nodding with it. This allows him to question the political structure of the nation, as he challenges the rest of us to educate ourselves. These same sentiments can be found on “Ignorance Is Bliss” as he addresses institutionalized racism and how people are content with abiding by stereotypes. The song serves as a lyrical exercise that places the spotlight on those that can’t find it within them selves to bring about change. His willingness to evaluate the system and those that enable it, regardless of what side of the fence they’re, on is a stance more should take.
One undervalued aspect of Reks’ lyricism has been his ability to tell a cohesive story. Following a well-rounded interlude, “Avarice” comes as one of the album’s stand out cuts. Backed with horns that command your attention just as much as the samples provided, Reks crafts a tale that commands your attention. If the story of a black girl lost in modern times doesn’t impress you, Reks keeps his momentum going with “The Jones.” His ability to relate to the everyman is on display with this one: a down and out man going through rough times with a love interest has Reks stepping outside his comfort zone, but he executes it well.
Though the words are carried out mostly by Reks, it would be unfair not to address Numonics contributions to this album. As he carries the production load, he manages to match Reks’ lyrics with a compatible soundscape. The problem usually found in albums that feature only one producer is that the overall sound tends to get repetitive. Fortunately that isn’t the case here. Numonics draws from various influences and sounds that show he wasn’t afraid to get experimental here. It’s obvious that he was influenced by 60’s era music, especially on songs like “Passport” and “Gepeto.” His attention to detail is perfect on “Avarice,” where he finds his strengths in placing layers over layers. This allows for the every distinct sound of the track to be heard without overshadowing the others.“Shotgun” is another great example of this. You get the sense that Numonics was crafting a score for a film and not just the typical album, as it has a cinematic feel from start to finish. Not once does he disappoint or ever lose chemistry with Reks on this project.
The drawback with this album is that while it has few flaws, the noticeable ones are hard to ignore. While it was obvious that it would be heavy on social commentary, songs like “La Luna” and“Hallelujah” come off as filler. Also, sequencing plays a major part in determining a great from a good album, and that’s where this truly fails. While the interludes serve as good transition points, songs that aren’t preceded by them sound out of place. While that can be overlooked as most of the songs are still of good quality, the tracks come off as stand alones as opposed to a unified body of work.
Even though the feel of the album could use some revising, it doesn’t overshadow Reks when he’s at his best. Some tracks tend to get monotonous due to his no thrills flow like “Bang, Bang,” but when Reks does shine, he does it well. “Gepeto” is a song worthy of being called the album’s best, as he addresses topics ranging from Trayvon Martin to Casey Anthony. It’s one of those songs that touch a nerve when you hear it, and should leave you shaking your head at the sad truths he details through out the track.
With over a decade in the game, Reks has proven that if nothing else, he has managed to be consistent. REBELutionary is a worthy addition to his catalogue. Having spent a career touching on political and social issues in his music, focusing an entire album on it is a risk in that it could easily become too overbearing for listeners. Fortunately, Numonics provides him with the means to keep your attention while Reks words aim to enlighten. The album opens the discussion for issues that need to be addressed more publicly and not just swept under the rug. For that reason alone, this album is a winner.
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