Posted on 11/14/2008
Existing in the limbo between soul and hip-hop, it’s not wholly off-the-mark to associate Now On with contemporaries such as Platinum Pied Pipers or Foreign Exchange. Their sound isn’t identical with these other artists, and leans more heavily towards hip-hop, but Now On are readily identifiable as part of the zeitgeist. On Tomorrow Already, touches of a retro soul sensibility intersect with current underground hip-hop vibes, the product of solid MCs on the verses and catchy singing on the hooks. Warm synth effects add a slight feel of futurism and modernity, but not so much so as to turn off critics of the current electronic influence in hip-hop; Now On also retain an organic feel that will appeal to fans of classic hip-hop without directly mimicking it.

Now On is comprised of MCs IX Lives and Jackson Perry, with Haircut handling DJ chores and additional vocals. Though Haircut produces most of the tracks, the trio is musically assisted in several places by guests including 14KT, Vaughan T, and current favorite Jake One. The backing music is usually a combination of programmed drum beats, bass line, sampled instruments, and a synth or keyboard sound for additional depth or atmosphere. Turntable cuts and scratches offer occasional punctuation. The overall sound, though emotionally charged, also reflects the laid-back jazz-funkiness typically associated with Southern California. The guest-produced tracks don’t necessarily stand out as having been guest-produced, and are easily absorbed into the core sound of the group while creating some variation on that sound.

Vocally, there is very little to criticize ---again, hooks are generally sung and work excellently in this context. The main two MCs are lyrically dense and deft enough to hold your interest (“…no squares in this circle, we spinnin’ at an axis to access dope”) and are successfully augmented on selected tracks by Aloe Blacc and others. Highlights include the breezy headnodder “The Willows,” opening stomp “The Answer,” and the penultimate, well-produced “Reprise,” which showcases a strange effect of fading the vocals into distortion. Some tracks during the course of the album are more middling, but the length of the release doesn’t render this too harmful; it’s enjoyable in total and the very good songs weigh things out favorably.

- Justin Deremo