Finale

A Pipe Dream and a Promise

(Interdependent Media)

Record Review by Sean P. Lambert

Straight out of the crumbling Motor City, Finale clearly sees what’s going down around him and reflects on it with a smooth, hard flow propped by cleanly mixed beats. There isn’t anything revolutionary here, but the album does give nods to a few of hip hop’s heavies (Jurassic Park, Q-Tip, KRS-One and the like) with an overall positive message that thankfully lacks the clichéd celebrations of bling, gangster life, club popping, booty clapping…

The joint can get overly reflective, especially during the verbal interlude that follows the real meat of “The Waiting Game,” supported by the laid-back delivery of Invincible, but cuts like the title track, “The Senator” and “Jumper Cables” keep it humming. Showcasing a wide range of producers, from Black Milk to J Dilla and even the phonetically real Shamus O’Flannigan, the breadth of track to track styles is, at first listen, jarring. “Issues” teeters on depressing while “What You Mean To Me,” with its high-end refrain and bouncing hook, breathes life into this dedicated rap ballad. Fusing strings, jazz licks, modern R&B sensibilities and whatever vinyl classic chunks were pulled from the crates, there’s much to like here.