IN REVIEW: Run the Jewels

IN REVIEW: Run the Jewels - "RTJ4"

RTJ4, the (obviously) fourth album by esteemed hip-hop duo Run The Jewels. Comprised of El-P and Killer Mike, RTJ was launched in 2013 and has grown in scope and status with each subsequent album released. Through equal parts humour and activism, the duo have achieved recognition from critics and fans alike that have at this point arguably eclipsed their individual accomplishments, which are numerous.

RTJ4 sees El-P and Killer Mike in typically top form, scaling back on some of their more humourous tendencies in favour of the society-baiting observations that the times call for (though they still allow themselves the occasional joke); much of its subject matter seems perfectly suited to the current environment and in many ways plays as prophetic, although if we're being honest it's more so the soundtrack to history repeating itself.

Though lacking in some of the "fun factor" that made their first three albums such a blast, RTJ4 is more personal and important. Killer Mike is particularly hard hitting here, using his platform to talk about the things we need to be talking about right now; when he says "I can't breathe" on walking in the snow, he's referencing Eric Garner's death six years ago that eerily parallels that of George Floyd, and that its release lined up with another tragic killing only underlines how little progress we've made.

To say Run The Jewels have made the soundtrack to the summer is an understatement; its fresh, old school-indebted beats and heavy, important message are both reflections of years of checkered history and snapshots of the horror show we're living in the moment.

June 3, 2020 • Jewel Runners/BMG

Highlights ooh la la • walking in the snow • the ground below

Comments

Year in Rock 2025

Alright, I've got some explaining to do. By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but: a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...

Year in Rock 2013 Nominee: Arctic Monkeys

ARCTIC MONKEYS Do I Wanna Know? From: AM Released: September 10 That Year in Rock 2012's Single of the Year R U Mine? ended up on this album is pleasing, and it fits the motif well enough. But R U Mine? isn't what makes Arctic Monkeys' fifth album an Album of the Year contender. Sweaty, sultry and pulsing with sexual energy, AM is the kind of record that's just as effective whether you're chilling out after a long day, staring into a mirror prepping yourself for a late night clubbing session or setting the mood for some escapades in the boudoir.

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up! What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...

SOUND BITES

Search This Blog