Apollo Brown

The Reset

(Mello Music Group)

Record Review by Adam McKibbin

Detroit producer Apollo Brown is something of an old soul when it comes to hip-hop, clearly and openly driven by the era that started about a decade ago (ah, the golden days).  His passion for music trickles over even into his liner notes, where he thanks not just his fans, but all fans of good music in general.  He’s been plugging away for a long while now, carving out a reputation for those in the know as one of the leading lights in the new generation of Motor City producers and MCs.  If there were any doubts that Apollo had yet to earn a spot alongside the likes of Black Milk, The Reset squashes them.

The Reset lands one of its best punches right upfront, with Rapper Big Pooh and Black Milk proving to be  quite the dynamic duo on “Hungry.”  Appropriately, given the level of charisma on the mic, Brown amplifies the soulful swagger.  It’s a great way to grab attention right out of the gates.  The Reset could use a little more of that old-school swing, actually; there are a few too many forgettable forays into slower, sedate territory.  The problem on those tracks, as with “Lower the Boom,” which comes sandwiched between “Hungry” and the upbeat carpe diem cut “Beauty of a Day,” generally stems from the mic rather than the boards.  Instrumentally, Brown keeps on point throughout, including the grittier “Real Detroit” and “Street Won’t Let Me Chill,” both standouts.  It makes sense that he would deploy a large supporting cast – with no one person taking the mic more than a couple times, it keeps The Reset from being a producer showcase hijacked and defined by a charismatic guest (he also gives the impression in interviews that he’s the sort who wants to give a sliver of spotlight to as many of his comrades as possible).  But several of the hands on deck just aren’t throwing with very much heat, and Brown’s rich, 15-track album plays better when a few speed bumps are taken off the road.