Although this is my first time hearing his music, Busdriver has been on the scene since the mid 90s. In that time, the LA-based rapper has released eight studio albums, Jhelli Beam being his most recent record. Even if you aren’t a big fan of rap or hip-hop, Busdriver makes you pause and listen. His method is not that of your typical rapper. He enunciates, his style is multifaceted, and he plays with tone and style with ease. His expertise with controlling his voice and tempo is amazing and Busdriver is his own scratching turntable. His vocals skirt the lines of rap, reggae, indie, hip hop, and dancehall.

Busdriver has been called both “smart and a smart-ass.” That is certainly the right assessment of this LA-based rapper and his underground style. The catchy drum and bass beats are strong, but don’t overpower the lyrics. The tracks on this album aren’t simply songs – these are performance pieces. Instead of the conventional raps about money, women, or the high life, Busdriver takes the intelligent route and touches on several political and cultural references. To list a few we’ve got Youtube, Vladimir Putin, Forest Whitaker’s portrayal of Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland, Isaac Hayes, Dwight Eisenhower, working at Starbucks, David Carradine, and driving a Prius.

I love the diversity on this album. It’s nice to hear the songs of rapper who doesn’t take himself too seriously, injecting a bit of fun into his music and lyrics. While “Least Favourite Rapper” is used as a chance to poke fun at himself, “Me – Time” is delightfully comical as his sings along with Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K 331. Every song embodies its own distinct mood, each holding its own merits and influences.

Busdriver is an exceptional artist with a musical vision that sets him apart from the rest and Jhelli Beam is an interesting album that deserves a thorough listen from anyone who appreciates complexity and the avant-garde.

Track Listing:

1. Split Seconds (Between Nannies and Swamis)

2. Me – Time (With The Pulmonary Palinpsest)

3. Handfuls of Sky

4. Scoliosis Jones

5. Least Favourite Rapper (featuring Nocando)

6. Quebec And Back

7. Do The Wop

8. World Agape

9. Manchuria (featuring Myka 9)

10. Unsafe Sextet/Gilded Hearts of Booklovers

11. Happy Insider (featuring Nick Thorburn)

12. I’ve Always Known

13. Fishy Face (featuring John Dieterich)