Lee Bob Watson - "Let the Hate In (I Won't)"

05/11/09 • -1 min

review by Robbie Santos
Lee Bob Watson’s track “Let The Hate In (I Won’t)" comes from his CD Family Album (Grass Roots Record Co.). Watson does not adhere to a set genre and is not quite country or indie rock. But rather, he brings together a unique blend of folk, country, and soul-jazz. Heavily influenced by the music of the late 60’s and 70’s, he combines different several layers into a distinct sound punctuated by his soulful vocals.
Lee Bob Watson passionately proclaims in his track that “I won’t let the hate in” with a country, gentlemanly like drawl on top of a steel guitar. The virtues of perseverance and faith through hard times seep through the song, leaving the listener with a simple message of optimism. Watson lets his talents shine through as the track expresses the story being told by a man and his guitar. He lays down bluesy, rhythmic guitar solos as his vocals echo the plight of the everyday person. The sound is completely organic and never comes across as forced, taking on a kind of a grassroots charm which makes it easy for the listener to identify with the message Watson is trying to send.
Lee Bob Watson’s track, “Let the Hate In (I Won’t)”, presents the soul-searching quality that the blues brings about but as well as his own unique sound. In these difficult times, it is easy to delve into negativity and spread it to others but Watson encourages hope and love through his catchy, nuanced song.
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Let The Hate In (I Won't) (mp3)

Previous Episode

The Love Language - "Sparxxx"

review by Perry Chavez
Sparxxx is an experience that is lighter sound-wise than the Love Language’s debut single Lalita with a bouncy guitar and harmonies that channel the Beach Boys. It has a somber tone in comparison but equal amounts of awesome.
More emphasis is placed on the melody and vocals on this track as they sweep over the fast guitar whose prominence sometimes changes and can be sparse at other times. The melody’s notes rise and release, like a cold, refreshing wave at the beach, into the chorus. It would be a shock to find that the Love Language’s Stuart McLamb was not influenced by 60s pop because this song unconsciously has what seems to be influences of artists of that period.
The song feels naturally a piece of that time period but with a modern twist because it rocks way more than anything could back then.
The tone is surprisingly upbeat for a song that describes the singer’s “heart in ruin”, but then you hear that the tone is inspired by “white lies [that] have set [his] heart on fire” as he continues to describe that a girl he was smitten with wants to watch his heart in pain. It then all makes sense. He’s angry, he wanted her to “blow [him] away, like a birthday candle” instead of watching him squirm, and it’s chilling to hear him end the song chaotically as he emphatically screams “do what you, want!” because that’s exactly what she did to him.
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Sparxxx (mp3)

Next Episode

Presto - "Pour Another Glass"

review by Kristine Ugalde
No stranger to the game, Presto has been producing and DJing for almost 20 years. He describes his sound as “hip hop with a soul backdrop and jazz edge.” It is almost too easy to guess his influences: DJ Primo, Pete Rock, Jay Dee, Tribe--yet, he brings to the (turn)table a definitive edge.
Although State of Art was released June 2008, hip hop heads continue to sleep on Presto. Why? Because the digital age has led to saturation of wanna-be artists/producers now that hip hop has imploded the music industry and American culture. His album does justice to the hip hop luminaries before him and his collaborations on “State of the Art” with such influential hip hop greats such as Large Professor, CL Smooth, and Sadat X is an indication that hip hop, even with its explosion in the mainstream, is still capable of producing quality music.
His sound is jazzy, soulful, organic, old-school with refreshing enough to keep it contemporary. The layered instrumentation of jazzy keys, echoing horns, easy-going drum composition, and the inclusion of sleigh bells in a meticulous, yet subtle synthesis of samples shows his skill as a producer.
And so the age old question still remains: what is hip hop? Is it flashy videos, blatant misogyny, violence and brutality, or reinforcing materialistic values? To avoid sounding like a diatribe, the answer remains ambivalent.
One consolation is that Presto takes us back to the fundamental sounds of the early 90’s. Sampling jazz and soul music using a keyboard rather than an MPC gives the production a sense of intimacy and live instrumentation.
Blu still doesn’t disappoint. A favorite in the underground scene, his consciousness and ability to illustrate day-to-day vignettes demonstrates how the resurgence of West Coast hip hop deviated away from gangsta rap and into an art form used to contextualize his environment. His flow displays his excellent storytelling skills about how he emerged from being a eager amateur to internet/underground success. Blu balances his cockiness while still maintaining his cool against the jazzscape background.
His album does justice to the hip hop luminaries before him and his collaboration on his album “State of the Art” with such influential hip hop greats such as large professor, CL Smooth, and Sadat X is an indication that hip hop, even with its explosion in the mainstream, is still capable of producing quality music.
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Pour Another Glass (mp3)