Propaganda "Excellent" Review

Excellent or Not?: What I Liked/Didn't Like About Propaganda's Excellent

Dictionary.com defines the word Excellent as "possessing outstanding quality or superior merit; remarkably good." Websters defines the word Excellent as "very good of its kind : eminently good : first-class". Even Montgomery Burns in the Simpsons when he sees something pleasing to his eyes or hears something pleasing to his ears he says "Excellent".

If Montgomery Burns heard this album would he say "Excellent"? Well he's a fictional character so obviously I don't know. The question is did this album live up to its name? Well let's see!

If you are unfamiliar with Propaganda he's not exactly(for lack of better word) mainstream. But I believe everyone from the hipsters to mainstream listeners will enjoy this project.

"Don't Listen To Me" starts off the album on a tremendous note and trust me that note is held for a while as he transitions to the title track "Excellent". Which is a song that I skipped over at first and I fully regret doing that because it is fantastic!

"Redefine Cutter" is very edgy and bold. Lee Green is tremendous on this song and he really gives the song depth and wholeness. "Raise The Banner" draws me in with the real smooth beat and the catchy chorus. Propaganda's execution at this point is "Excellent'

But Oh Wait! Hes not hitting that high note! Because "Conquer" slows the listening down for me. Others enjoy this song but Theory Hazit didnt bring it on this one and Propaganda was sub-par. I could write a whole blog about what I liked/didn't like about "Precious Puritans" needless to say it was controversial. This song is by no means exalting "Puritans". But as a song I liked it(whether he exalted them or not).

"Forgive Me For Asking" is another bold yet smooth song. I love the way he approached it. Props is monstrous on this one.

"I Ain't Got An Answer" is definitely not a song I can relate to but I love the fact that this song is out there. Great work by Prop and my favorite MC Sho Baraka. "Warm Words" is my favorite song on the album. It really digs into that "hip-hop" feel which I think this album lacks. But that was somewhat Prop's intention with doing the spoken-word and rap in one album.

"Lofty" could've been better. Its good not great. I feel like Odd Thomas throws the whole song off and Propaganda wasn't being himself on here. Maybe I'm wrong but 'Eh'. "Be Present" was a tremendous live spoken word and it ends the album. But thats my problem. Why did he end the album with this? 

Is "Lofty" really where it ended or is it really with "Be Present". Why did the phone addiction song end the album "Excellent". It confused me and it kind of left me wanting to hear more. The album comes off as incomplete because of this. 

Nevertheless this album ranks at one of the top 5 albums of 2012 despite the cons about it. If there was a rank for "Before Excellent" or "Pre-Excellent" it would be there. I recommend to it everybody because its by no means a bad album.

Production: 9/10
Lyrics/Flow/Delivery: 8/10
Message: 9/10
Album Rating: 9/10


Tracklist:
1. Don’t Listen To Me
2. Excellent
3. Redefine Cutter (feat. Lee Green)
4. Raise The Banner
5. Excellent Analogy (feat. Alphonso McAuley)
6. Conquer (feat. Theory Hazit)
7. Precious Puritans (feat. Kevin “K.O.” Olusola (Cello)
8. Forgive Me For Asking
9. I Ain’t Got An Answer (feat. Sho Baraka)
10. Warm Words
11. Lofty (feat. Joel from Ascend The Hill and Beautiful Eulogy)
12. Be Present (live from Catalyst Atlanta)


Get this album on iTunes now by clicking here
Propaganda also offers the album for free at http://www.humblebeast.com/