Known as the creators of “emo rap,” Atmosphere’s fifth studio album, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, is definitely true to form. The album exudes drama and emotion. But Ant and Slug have taken a bit of a different approach in perfecting this one. The combination of Ant’s synthesizer beats and Slug’s storytelling rap could be credited to its considerable success. Slug has, once again, taken on the role of storyteller. But instead of recounting his own life experiences as he has done in the past, Slug puts himself in the shoes of drug dealers, addicts, single mothers, homeless men and others striving just to make it through theday.He brings these characters to life, creating real peoplewith real struggles,whom audiences can relate to and feel something for.
Songs like “Yesterday” and “The Waitress” use unconventional rap instrumentation—the piano—adding to thatvery emotion these Midwestern “emo rappers” are trying to convey to their listeners. Slug is not in the least bit ashamed to expose his damaged characters and the lyrics definitely prove that. “Like the Rest of Us” opens the album with a soft melody playing from a child’s music box, proceeding again intothat soft, ballroom piano, where Slug ultimately sets the tone for the rest of the album: raw and real.
Whether it is their new approach to production or Slug’s profound story deliverance, When Life Gives you Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold as a whole is quite a triumph. Atmosphere has opted to show a different side of hip-hop, one that most in the genre have steered away from in order to maintain their hard, strong, attitude. Atmosphere have matured as a group and this album without question demonstrates that. They’ve successfully taken their lemons and painted them gold. The result—a great album.
—————————
Track Names
—————————
Like The Rest Of Us
Puppets
The Skinny
Dreamer
Shoulda Known
You
Painting
Your Glasshouse
Yesterday
Guarantees
Me
Wild Wild Horses
Can’t Break
The Waitress
In Her Music Box
—————————
Artist: Album
—————————
Atmosphere: When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
—————————
Genre
—————————
Hip Hop/Rap
—————————
More Information
—————————
http://www.myspace.com/atmosphere
http://www.rhymesayers.com
http://www.myspace.com/rhymesayers
