Search - Laquan :: Notes of a Native Son

Political Bark Without The Bite (3 Stars)

Norfeest | Washington DC USA | 02/02/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'm almost positive that nobody remembers Laquan, and righfully so. Some will remember his lukewarm single "Now's The B Turn" (which I LOVED) way back in 1990, but he never made much of a splash after that song was released. Though the album isn't terrible, there are tracks on the album that you'll forget about as soon as they aren't playing anymore. All of the production is handled by Wolf & Epic and they manage to keep things funky even though a few of the songs sound alike.



Most of what plagues this album is the fact that Laquan comes across somewhat softspoken. His lack of passion almost makes his positive/aggresive message seem like a waste of time and effort. At some points on this album, you can actually hear the music drowning his voice out when all he has to do is speak up. Also, it doesn't help that a lot of the songs are incredibly long and preachy and he tends to ramble for long periods of time. With the exception of "Lyrical Theory", each song averages about four and a half minutes apiece with the longest being 6:28 and the shortest 3:41.



Though this album isn't as good as it could've been, it's still solid and worth a listen if you can find it. There are strong political and social statements made throughout the album, but they don't really come across because Laquan seems almost bored on some songs. I'd reccomend picking it up if you can find it used for about four or five bucks.



Standout Track: Let The Vibes Flow, Now's The B Turn (My Favorite), Notes Of A Native Son, Tear Your Soul Out, Imprison The President, and Brother To Brother"