In interest of full disclosure, I did the graphic design work for this album.
Thank you.
The end.
Oh, you're still here? Well then maybe I should actually do some writing. First, a little bit of explanation since this is the first of hopefully more than a few reviews of this sort. Instead of doing a full breakdown of each track on the album, I decided to choose one song and focus on that to give it the respect it deserves. The song selected for each album, might be my favorite, the one that captures the album the best or one that just makes me want to say a few words. Really, there is no requirement; I am hoping this way I am more inclined to spread some quality music and do it in a way that is a little different than everyone else and in a way I will actually do it. So let's see how this whole thing goes.
What is different about those late night hours when most normal people are dreaming of whatever horrible or beautiful creatures infest their minds? Why do so many artists of all mediums seem to thrive when the darkness takes over? Where does all that special creative energy come from? Who thought starting a review like this was a good idea? These are the question, Written at Night, the latest brainchild of Uncommon Nasa, attempts to answer. Well, maybe not the last one. Although if he wants to answer that as well then he is more than welcome to try. The structure of the album is pretty straight forward, it takes you through the feelings of an artist in the period of time from 12am to 4am. That is the album in its simplest form, but of course that does not begin to explain the album. It does however give you a frame of reference of what is going on and that can only be helpful. Unless of course one is watching part 8 of Twin Peaks: The Return but I digress. A few other nuggets that may help you: the album is entirely produced by Nasa, it is essentially a collab album with a bunch of different vocalists, and it all fits together beautifully. But let me get into what song I have chosen to spew words about. (That is a horrible sentence and I somewhat apologize for including it but this is all ramblings of a mad man in a box.)
3 A.M. and Uncommon Nasa and Mike Ladd provide you with "Black Hole." The track begins a bit of keys and laughter before the words that always enter the minds of people awake at 3 in the morning are recited by Nasa, "Terrifying, Truly." And this is before the song really gets going, just setting the stage. Then the rather jarring synths kick in, reminding me of fighting sleep and slowly losing the battle but forcing yourself to keep working because you have these ideas that must get out no matter how late it is. It just so happens that those ideas just happen to be on darker side of paranoid reality from both artists but even at the darkest of times there is a bit of either hope or humor, or both depending on your point of view. But the overall theme of the track is we are all fucked because the people in charge are greedy lying assholes who want us to cower in fear from things that we should and should not be afraid of as they get richer and abuse their power. Don't get too upset though, since the chorus reminds us this is how it always has been.
By this point I'm sure you are thinking this is a track that will depress the hell out of you but it shall do no such thing, unless you not willing to actually listen to what is going on both instrumentally and vocally. Let me dissect this a bit more. The chorus needs some shine even thought it happens roughly halfway through, it will be discussed now.
"What it is, what it was and what it always shall be."
These words repeat, 4 times. But it isn't the words themselves that will burrow into your consciousness but the way the vocals are layered. Nasa is telling you this at least two times in slightly different phrasing in different channels while Ladd is whispering it underneath and overtop, this all happens simultaneously capturing that late night dystopia of beauty to perfection. Each time you are lulled to thinking the manic chaos is over before being hit again until when it finally stops you actually want it to repeat one more time.
As for each artists' verse, there is some amazing phrasing, juxtaposition and imagery created. Nasa speaks of the end of days and mentions that "the tallest man read from a script of a thousand words" before going into detail on a few of the horrible images broadcast on TV in recent years, while also including how to carve a turkey. Each time I hear this verse, I picture a Kanamit (the rather tall aliens from the "To Serve Man" episode of The Twilight Zone) pulling the strings of the world's images as if he is on Satellite 5, but none of these images are fake, they are all too real and invoke fear in many of us, either for good reason or because we feel as if it should be scary. Then there is Mike Ladd's verse which stream of conscious would make James Joyce proud. Whether discussing the idea of the ruling class constantly crushing the hopes and aspirations of those below them, the style of music he makes, making your girl orgasm, or bringing the whole system down, he does it flawlessly in a way that few vocalists or writers can. I can sit here and tell you how it works but the best way is for you to listen to it for yourself.
With "Black Hole" Nasa was able to do something incredible, capture a time and state of mind that not everyone has experienced but even those who haven't are able to get the idea through the lyrics and instrumentation. It works perfectly for the album as well, placed at just the right location in the sequence of tracks where it is neither expected nor unexpected. Ladd's feature fits right in line with the track as well, and this is what separates this album from so many other collab albums, each guest fits the track and gets the feeling and concept of their song which makes it feel like a cohesive project. Written At Night is a concept album where time and our relationship to it are the stars.
You can stream and BUY the album here.
