Archetype
After ten-plus years together, Lawrence, Kansas duo, Archetype will go their separate ways after the release of their oft-delayed 3rd album, Red Wedding. The duo’s swan song is played by Nezbeat’s phenomenal production, which seamlessly combines samples and live instrumentation. This results in dark, moody backdrops for iD’s poetic verses.
The album opens with the high energy “All In,” which consists of keys, a flurry of horns, and an excellent Mos Def (sorry, Yasiin Bey) inspired hook by iD. Melodic hooks on tracks like “Everybody’s Sayin,” “Sharp Tongue” and “Dance of the Dead” are one of iD’s strong points throughout Red Wedding. He’s also a pretty skilled wordsmith, but is not a terribly engaging MC and has pretty standard flow on most tracks.
The overall vibe is a pretty somber one, as iD drops some pretty depressing subject matter over Nezbeat’s sinister beats. On the album’s title track, one of the album’s stand-out cuts, he does deliver a very moving performance, telling a story about a drug addict and prostitute dying. Archetype’s DIY aesthetic is also apparent throughout Red Wedding, and it gives the album a very raw feel (which sometimes is a good thing and sometimes not so much). Nezbeat’s beats are layered nicely with different samples and instruments, but they often drown out iD’s vocals.
Red Wedding is definitely not an album for everyone. Archetype fans will certainly love this record, but others may have a hard time getting through it. Nezbeat and iD have their niche, and are great at what they do. And knowing that Red Wedding is essentially a divorce for these two artists, makes it even more saddening.
-Zach Gase
