Artist – Jackal Trades
Album – Trip Hazard Advisor
https://jackaltrades.bandcamp.com/album/trip-hazard-advisor
Idiosyncratic Glaswegian rapper, Jackal Trades aka Mark McGee enters the hip-hop arena super equipped, delivering the cut of his jib with an interesting spin-off concept album titled ‘Trip Hazard Advisor’ which was released October 1st 2018 and stands as a follow up from the journey of ‘Jack the Lad’ which appeared on Jackal’s 2016 ‘Need the Character(s)’ album. Collaborating with a blend of Scotland’s finest hip-hop producers over 16 tracks, such as Mistah Bohze, Physiks, Asthmatic Astronaut and Scatabrainz as well as featuring distinguished female vocalists, Jo D’arc, Becci Wallace, Sev Ka, and Becca Star to name but a specified few.
Jackal Trades has skilfully & successfully laid down a superbly rounded, vocally assorted album laced with signature beats and a distinguished, immersive rap narrative which overflows with creative energy, depth of expression, & clarity of deliverance. Jackal Trades was also nominated for ‘Best Hip Hop Artist’ at the SAMA (Scottish Alternative Music Awards ) 2018 which took place at the end of October 2018 in St Lukes with the selected winner of the title going to the supremely articulate, positive force that is Dave Hook, aka Solare. https://solareye.bandcamp.com/releases
Trip Hazard opens with quality production from Mistah Bohze on a track titled, ‘Checking In Where We Left Off.’ The track triumphantly brings forth Mistah’s dextrous b-boy scratch prowess as he executes a phat thunderous introduction to Jack, the main character to this conceptual rap narrative who finds himself embroiled in various social and interpersonal circumstances. These situations range from knife-edge scheme/estate life, in tracks such as ‘Setting The Scene’ (On Fire) to music-scene snobbery and social detachment in ‘The House That Jack’…. A track that presents Mistah’s compact, witty & sardonic rap flow along-side rappers, Dog House, Ant Thomaz, and vocalist Josephine Sillars.
That specific track owns an infectious vocal hook that flows, ‘To everybody in the house who loves house music, who never got allowed in the house to ever prove it.’…. Which no doubt will bore its way into the mushy-pens of all who embrace this sonic anthology and assuredly will be a top-quality excuse for a sing-along at a Jackal Trades live show. Consistently throughout this album, Jackal Trades rap flow is cerebral, witty and humorous with a concise vocal clarity that’s perfect to project his anecdotes.
This concept narrative offers densely articulated scenarios as well as an interesting play on words and use of metaphors. Incontestably it is a sublime celebration of unique musical talent and variating styles within the genre of hip-hop, igniting the flames of diversity in both vocal and production aspects. There within lays a compellingly diverse plethora of human behaviors described in a characterized clever manner, from dishonesty due to self-inadequacies, to the thrill and rush of the downward spiral towards delinquency, from heady chaotic, drug-fuelled nights out, projected from an introspective viewpoint to potent realizations and full drawn conclusions.
Most certainly these set of songs evokes thought and provides an arresting atmosphere. Jackal Trades explains that “This is the story of a young man called Jack who goes on a schemadelic trip after being baffled by the oversaturation of never-ending advice in the digital information age.” I think the moral of the story is, don’t try to fix yourself online……. Overall this is an interesting D.I.Y project from Mark which deserves attention to detail and appreciation towards his creative bright spark format. Jackal Trades, ‘Trip Hazard Advisor’ is OUT NOW on Spotify, Itunes, Bandcamp etc and please make sure to follow the Jackal Trades social media page for further 2019 creative endeavors. https://www.facebook.com/Jackaltrades1/
Revel Rousers 