Search - MC Paul Barman :: Paullelujah

Challahlujah!

taogoat | the mothership | 11/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"MC Paul Barman might be the most inventive lyricist in hiphop history. What he lacks in rhythm and delivery, he makes up for in humor and verbal creativity. This is not to say that he cant flow; his flow is nice, and it fits his lyrics--and he's only going to get better & better. Also, he's got an interesting voice that adds humor to his words.



Those who enjoyed the sex jokes in "It's Very Stimulating" will not be disappointed with "Paulellujah"--there are two tracks with some very clever sex rhymes.



And "Paullelujah" has another track describing how mind-numbing school us. This is not just some kid saying school bored him--this is an ivy league educated man intelligently critiquing our school system which saps the life out of its students. Mandatory schooling is part of the American indoctrination system. "Back-to-school nights are visitation rights and boredom is the warden."



There are 2 songs on this album describing the scene in the local anarchist bookstore. Youre sure to appreciate these songs if youve ever been in a radical bookstore... And it helps to know who Noam Chomsky is--but hey, if you dont get some of Barman's references, just do some homework so you can get his jokes. Now, granted, these are humorous songs--but that doesnt mean that they are meaningless. He's dealing with a pretty serious topic--a volunteer run anarchist bookstore, full of political implications--but he's giving us the human side, the reality that people hang out chatting & rarely buy anything. It's funny because it's true. He clearly understands the scene and has read his Chomsky. At the end of "Anarchist Bookstore Part 1," he gives a brilliant critique of the term "P.C.," politically correct.



He's got another political track that only tangentially mentions serious political issues while focusing on the humorous & human side of things, talking about hooking up with girls at pro-choice rallies...



In "Old Paul," he rhymes from the point of view of himself as an old man looking back on his career, questioning his place in hip hop, facing some of the criticism of his nay-sayers...



Then there's the highlight of the album, both because of its clever flows and Prince Paul's lovely production, "Bleeding Brain Grow." Possibly the most impressive lyric on the album--or in rap history, for that matter--is Barman's palindrome quintuplet: "Ma, origami magi roam. Eve, Mika, Rza, Evil JD. Nasir is Osiris and J-Live, AZ, Rakim, Cormega, Cage, Mr. OC: I'm anomie. I, mon ami." Now read it backwards. You find me another rapper who spits out 5 palindromes in a row (okay, 4--"eve" was a gimme). That's just impressive, and unprecedented in hip hop history. In his own words, "Acrostics, narratives, Fibonacci challenge poems, declarative palindromes, manifestos. My five fans can attest, yo."



Probably the only slightly serious song on the album is "Excuse You." Barman, far from being blind to the pain of existence, chooses to face life with humor & creative wordplay.



"Make No Mistake" is an anti-war song that quotes Bob Dylan and Noam Chomsky--and it's funny too...



Then there's "Talking Time Travel," which is an imitation of & homage to Bob Dylan's talking blues songs. His imitation of Dylan's pauses & intonations is absolutely perfect. If you havent "Talking World War III Blues," you will really be missing the whole joke when you listen to this song. Somewhere out there, Bob Dylan is smiling...



The last track is a really funny and well-done spoken word/poetry piece. He simultaneously makes fun of the medium while doing a very good job at it. This is a nice ending for the album, youre cracking up & going "What?!"



In short, this is a tight album with a little something for everyone by one of the smartest lyricists in hip hop."

A "Paul's Botique" for the new millenium

J. Savage | Weymouth, MA United States | 06/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Am I making a mockery of a culture like the Choco-Taco?/Am I to rap what France is to Morrocco?" asks MC Paul Barman in "Old Paul". Once you hear it, you'll know -- there's no mockery here. Barman is the real deal: an MC hero for the NPR set. Where else can you go for rhymes like "Anger!/Like Margaret Sanger!/Sitting on a bloody coat hanger!" and "I think about all the pube I got/while reading the Rubyat(sp?)"? He drops more names than Liz Smith, and throws down rhymes faster than the scrolling headlines outside the NYTimes building. Nerds who like their bass bumpin' are gonna find just what the need in Paullelujah."

More meaningful than most

J. Savage | 11/16/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A previous reviewer writes to say that MC Paul Barman has wasted his time. That reviewer, I am sorry to say, has wasted mine and yours. Barman's second CD is a significant improvement over the first in technique, content, rhyme, and diversity. It includes his usual self-deprecating and enjoyable humor; serious attempts to discuss the orgy of war, the orgy of the sexes, our contempt for the environment, and our occasional contempt for each other. And this is done with some wonderful imagery and poetry as well as Barman's trademark esoterica. Personally, I don't understand how a writer can say he has enjoyed MC Paul's previous work and find this one less meaningful. It is altogether more thoughtful and less sophmoric.Sometimes a performer just outgrows members of his audience."