Posted on 04/22/2008
In the early/mid ‘90s, the Bay Area underground scene established itself as a breeding ground for lyrically minded MCs who shunned the cartoonish hyperbole of popular gangsta tales for relatable rhymes about everyday life. In 2008, the bay continues as a hotbed for alternative hip-hop, but the mass of every-man rappers now vying for attention on networking sites web-wide has led to a set of underground cliches every bit as predictable as those dominating the mainstream. Case in point, the debut album from Oakland MC, Mister Sayre.


    Handled mostly by his Lost and Found Generation crew, the production on The Most I'll Confess is generally diverse and nuanced, providing Sayre with some ear catching backdrops ranging from bluesy to futuristic. On "Something's Missing", atmospheric keys and stuttering drums create a palpable tension, and Sayre's intense and commanding delivery make the song a call to arms against the creative stagnation which has created a long lamented void in hip-hop. But as the album progresses, Sayre's flaws as an MC become apparent. While his machine-gun flow can bring inten-sity to the more aggressive cuts ("5:00AM", "Hoods") , it comes across as stilted and awkward on the meditative mid-tempo beats which make up at least half the album.  And then there's the persona, or lack thereof. Sayre comes off as a regular guy, rapping about regular stuff, in a way that's well, pretty regular. The requisite song about being "on the grind" ("No Sympathy"), the average guy woos beautiful girl saga ("Hello"), and of course the song about the artist's love for music ("Simple as Music") are all present, but none manage to rise above the hundreds of underground hip-hop songs that have already covered the territory.
 
   Mister Sayre does show a more unique vision on the album's highlight, "Neo Nostalgia For Now", a three part opus that begins with a murky drum and bass beat and slowed down vocals and builds in speed and intensity with each movement. Even as the beat speeds up, Sayre remains in the pocket with a relaxed flow, and the  type of con-versational inflections that are missing throughout most of the album. Perhaps as Mister Sayre grows more comfortable as an artist, we will get more of these inspired moments, where he stops trying so hard to show how normal he is, and gives us a taste of what makes him unique.

- Jeff Harvey