Tag: Montener the Menace

Montener the Menace – “The Miserable Git Next Door” album

Montener the Menace is an MC from London, England who I first caught wind of him during the COVID-19 pandemic when he released his full-length debut I Have a Hidden Hobby. Even though overloaded with features & the instrumentals sorta sounded similar to one another, dude definitely proved himself lyrically & the sophomore effort he followed it up with a year & a half ago Anyone Home?. But as 2022 draws to a close, Montener is looking to return in the form of his 3rd album

The title track kicks off the album with an orchestral boom bap instrumental cautioning how miserable of a person that he considers himself to be whereas “Tomorrow’s Never Promised” with A-F-R-O & Skyzoo works in a crooning vocal sample talking about how life is short. “Gunslinger” however comes through with a western-tinged sequel to “High Noon” off Anyone Home? just before “Sliding Doors” returns to a more symphonic-based sound vividly telling the story of someone whose mother always referred to as her greatest mistake.

However with “Decisions”, we have Guilty Simpson as well as REKS & Skinnyman joining Montener in lavish boom bap anthem about the choices you make in general leading into “Hate to Love” has a more rawer approach instrumentally discussing what hate & love mean to him. “Teachered Artist” laces some dusty drums & trumpets confessing that his mission is to teach, but then Verbz comes into the picture for the keyboard/string-laced “Juxtaposition” produced by Domingo talking about crooked cops.

“Movie Decade Crusader” is a soulful dedication for all the film buffs out there while the song “Running My Mouth” is a triumphant boom bap ballad talking his shit whenever he happens to pull up in town. The penultimate track “About Love” comes through with a 6 crazy & a half minute UK hip hop posse cut featuring 14 other MCs all showing their own distinct flavors prior the the outro truly ends the album returning to the boom bap with a plucky loop advising to leave him alone unless you wanna go to war.

Anyone Home? showed some significant improvements over I Have a Hidden Hobby & The Miserable Git Next Door continues to do that in an impressive fashion 17 months later. The production on the album was a tad bit superior, but I admire that the overabundance of features are continuing to be toned down to a respectable volume as Montener continues to reveal himself as one of London’s most skilled underground MCs today.

Score: 3.5/5

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Montener the Menace – “Anyone Home?” review

This is the sophomore album from London emcee Montener the Menace. We first caught wind of him last spring when he released his full-length debut I Have a Hidden Hobby in which dude was rapping his ass off, but was overloaded with features & the instrumentals sorta sounded similar to one another. Not even a year has passed & Montener is continuing to stay busy by dropping Anyone Home?.

After the intro, the first song “We Need to Talk About Kevin” works in a chipmunk vocal sample to talk about being hurt whereas “High Noon” enlists Fatlip, Masta Ace, Rah Digga & Wordsworth over a old western loop comparing themselves to that of outlaws. Dude later addresses his flaws on the twangy boom bap cut “Imperfections” just before he, Craig G & Ed O.G. return things to the essence on the violin-heavy “Take It Back”.

“The Struggle” with El Da Sensei, Guilty Simpson & Micall Parknsun is a icy look at everyone’s own problems that they face while “Dog Food” is an orchestral depiction of being homeless. After the “Anyone Home?” interlude, “It’s Always Sunny in Croydon” is a decent little posse cut showcasing Montener’s homie from the titular London city leading into him & A.G. talking about their legacy on the uplifting “Legends Never Die”.

The song “I Can’t Resist Hearing…” is an endearing tribute to fatherhood while the track “Feed the Foxes” with Boodah uses the title as a metaphor for giving to the poor accompanied by a bluesy beat. Then just before the outro, the final song on the album “Bloody Marvelous” with Keith Murray finds the 2 flexing their rapping prowesses over a rich instrumental.

To me, Anyone Home? is exactly what I wanted out of I Have a Hidden Hobby. The features are toned down to an appropriate amount, Montener’s lyrical topics are more serious & I also like how he refines the traditional old school sound he goes for by dabbling with a variety of different styles.

Score: 3.5/5