The British Eminem!
Nse Ette | Lagos, Nigeria | 07/23/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Rapper Professor Green has had two top 5 hits in his native UK; "I need you tonight" (featuring Ed Drewett and sampling INXS's "Need you tonight" - "It should be me that wants to get rid of you, instead it's you that don't give a d**n..." he raps as he tells us of an ended relationship) and "Just be good to Green" (featuring the airy vocals of Lily Allen and sampling The SOS Band's "Just be good to me", though it's actually closer to the Beats International Dubby cover "Dub be good to me"). Real name Stephen Manderson and aged 26, he's been compared to UK acts The Streets or Lily Allen. With his nasal whiny vocals and aggressive lyrics, he's also earned comparisons to Eminem.
He mines a rich well of sound; skittery Funk on opening cut "Kids that love to dance" (featuring Emeli Sande), gritty Rock on "City of gold" or the more sublime "Oh my God" (featuring Labirinth and snarling swirling guitars), while the haunting synth-driven "Jungle" (featuring Maverick Sabre) wouldn't sound out of place on an Eminem album.
"Do for you" tells us he used to sell drugs for a living till he changed his career, "Falling down" juxtaposes downbeat verses to a Disco-ish chorus to good effect, while "Monster" features Example and is Techno-ish set to a staccato of beats. Closing the album are a trio of downbeat songs; the echoey Dubby "Close the door" (featuring Fink and harrowing strings), "Where do we go" (featuring Shereen Shabanaa and some Jazzy trimmings), and the heartfelt piano-driven "Goodnight", an ode to his grandmother who raised him and the albums highlight.
Aggressive, catchy, and playful all at once."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1