James Joyce the Squatch – “Discomfort Inn” review

Here we have the 4th studio LP from Brooklyn, New York emcee James Joyce the Squatch. A member of the Nitebreed collective alongside Donnie Menace & White Cheddar, he would make his solo debut in 2016 with Pawn Your Heart of Gold & follow it up with the sophomore effort The King James Version: The Pre-Quill as well as Dapper Scumbags: Reality Check Cashing. However, he recently signed to Stray’s newly formed Rogue Hollow imprint & having the label’s in-house producer Charlie Beans soundtrack James trip to Discomfort Inn.

“Butterflies & Bile” produced by Charlie Beans opens up with a sinister boom bap instrumental talking about the inability to trust your gut when it’s filled with those 2 things whereas “Chef’s Kiss” gives off a heavy g-funk/trap vibe boasting his lyrical proficiency. “Chaise Lounging” leans further towards a trap sound with chopped & screwed and g-funk undertones talking about not fucking with drama because he doesn’t see any importance in doing so while “Cat n’ Mouse” explains that the depths get darker the further we descent.

Stray makes Discomfort Inn’s only guest appearance on “Little People” dismantling the kind of individuals who don’t have anything to live for just before “Know Your Worth(less)” stylistically reminds me a bit of Heltah Skeltah from the boom bap beat to the unapologetic hardcore lyricism. “Molting Truth (I Was Happy)” experiments with a cloudier sound repeating what his inner-child said to him while “Pick Your Poison” ends the 1st leg talking about choosing between disappointed or getting ignorant.

“Blunt as Fuck” gets the 2nd half going taking some inspiration from the dirty south forever keeping it to the point leading into the title track profoundly talking about this home he built being more perfect than life itself. “Phoenix Down” combines cloud rap & boom bap confessing this long ride he’s been on simply following the way he’s been feeling while “Shampaign” walks a razor’s edge without even knowing where it’s bound to go.

Nearing the album’s final moments, “Ghost10” hops over some pianos to talk about seeing everyone in Hell toasting with the squad while “Plottin’ & Schemin’” kinda has this shimmery trap quality to it detailing that the man in the mirror’s trying to kill him. “Leave Behind” continues the cloudy boom bap crossovers talking about building himself up to heaven to scrap the golden gates while “Dirty Water Baptism” expressing thankfulness for the people he was starving with.

Having previously heard his verses on both Chainsaws & Boomsticks albums when Donnie Menace was signed to Lyrikal Snuff Productionz, it was interesting to hear Charlie Beans was producing all but 2 tracks on Discomfort Inn & I’d have to argue that it’s the most cohesive entry of James Joyce the Squatch’s entire solo catalog. Charlie’s production is a huge upgrade from James’ previous full-lengths & I commend him for getting a lot off his chest with this one lyrically.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Donnie Menace – “Chainsaws & Boomsticks II” review

This is the 4th full-length studio LP from Stratford, Connecticut emcee/producer Donnie Menace. Emerging in 2008 off his debut mixtape The Threat & the leader of the Nitebreed collective, he would later continue to establish himself with the full-length debut Wrath of a Menace followed by his 2nd tape The Threat 2: Audio Sickness & his sophomore effort Bonded by Chaos. However over a year & a half ago by now, Donnie’s last album & his Lyrikal Snuff Productionz debut Chainsaws & Boomsticks was met with significant acclaim compared to his previous material joining the likes of Gully & E=MC Skelter. But for his LSP sophomore effort, Donnie’s returning with a sequel to his debut for the Denver gore hop label.

“The Boomsticks Reloaded” is a grimy, 2-minute self-produced boom bap opener unloading lethal battle bars on y’all whereas “Talk to the Chainsaw” keeps the kicks & snares in tact for a follow-up to the joint “Talk to the Boomstick” off Donnie’s last album with a reference to the late WWE Hall of Famer, former 2-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, ECW Television Champion, 2-time WWE United States Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, the oldest JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion & 3-time WCW Hardcore Champion Terry Funk. “Take ‘Em Out” featuring White Cheddar looks to take out all competition over an organ-laced boom bap instrumental just before “Omen” samples “Trouble, Heartaches & Sadness” by Ann Peebles spitting the wicked shit.

M.M.M.F.D. joins Donnie for the bloodthirsty “Let Them All Rot” setting out to bring pain & destruction leading into “Run It Back” going completely drumless bringing it hardcore lyrically. “Another Scumbag Anthem” by Nitebreed pretty much lives up to the name conceptually returning to the boom bap, but then “Watch You Suffer” shifts gears into trap territory tackling more horrorcore themes.

“Where You At?” featuring Lex the Hex Master finds the 2 east coast lyricists joining forces for a hardcore anthem assuring everyone that they ain’t going nowhere while “Catchin’ the Bullets” gives me mafioso vibes from the instrumental to the subject matter from a gangster’s perspective. “S.M.B.T.M.D. (Suck My Balls Through My Drawers)” featuring the Super Famous Fun Time Guys says it all going for an old school vibe while “Body Shop” properly ends the album if you don’t count the “Lair of the Cenobites” remix with a ghoulish boom bap joint about dead corpses.

The first Chainsaws & Boomsticks was easily the most refined body of work compared to his previous material & the sequel here is as equally enjoyable as the predecessor from a year & a half ago. The production is primarily centered around boom bap with some trap undertones & a tight guest-list on top of the lyricism going from being boastful to straight gangsta & even murderous.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Donnie Menace – “Chainsaws & Boomsticks“ review

Donnie Menace is a 34 year old MC/producer from Stratford, Connecticut who emerged in 2008 off his debut mixtape The Threat & as the leader of the Nitebreed collective. Then came his full-length debut Wrath of a Menace a couple years later, which was followed up with his 2nd tape The Threat 2: Audio Sickness & his sophomore effort Bonded by Chaos. But considering that Russian-American horrorcore veteran Scum signed Donnie to Lyrikal Snuff Productionz & his mentor dropped S.O.S.’ debut Blame Us last weekend, it was only right for him to deliver his highly anticipated LSP debut.

“Talk to the Boomstick” is an organ/boom bap infused opener mixing the wicked shit some some braggadocio whereas “Who Slashed Ya?” is a cool lil horrorcore rendition of the classic Biggie joint “Who Shot Ya?”. “Around Here” returns to the boom bap warning that you should’ve never popped up near his parts, but then the “Theatrikill” remix with J Reno & Lex the Hex Master has the same verses & a new instrumental from Donnie himself that lives up to the O.G.

Meanwhile on “Violating”, we have Donnie over some chilling production talking about people looking at him like he’s Satan himself just before the Nitebreed comes together for the dusty “Brude” to talk about how you’re gonna find out what really happens when titans clash likening themselves to The Brood consisting of Gangrel alongside WWE Hall of Famer, former 11-time WWE world champion, 14-time WWE tag team champion, 5-time WWE Intercontinental Champion & WWE United States Champion Adam Copeland and former 2-time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, TNA World Champion, 4-time WWE world champion, 4-time WWE Intercontinental Champion & 9-time WWE tag team champion Christian Cage. “Do You Hear Me Now?” ruggedly calls out his detractors, but then Scum tags along for the grotesque “I’m Choppin’ ‘Em Up” talking about dismembering bodies.

“Low Life” brings back the organs & dusty drums to look back on his success thus far while “Devil in Me” with Claas & Smallz 1 goes into trap territory confessing they don’t know how much longer they can hold their stress inside them. “The Executioner” gets in his storytelling bag with a hair-raising beat while the penultimate track “I’m a Creep” by the Nitebreed is a rowdier cut confessing they can no longer deny being creeps. As for the “Luv 2 Kill” remix with Mr. Grey & M.M.M.F.D., it’s a great closer & my favorite remix of the 2 throughout the album

LSP’s been making a whole lotta noise in the underground this year & the Nitebreed leader’s debut with the label proves that he fits right in with everyone else over there. The production is a step up from his last outing, Donnie himself sounds hungrier than he’s ever been & the performances from the just about every feature that he takes with him for the ride are on par too.

Score: 4/5

@legendswill_never_die on Instagram for the best music reviews weekly!