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Priced to Move

Posted: Jan 24th 2009 By: mikeiles

New music season opens with X-Cal CD release party

You want to know the best part of a New Year? Sure, it's a fresh start, putting the past behind you, blah, blah, blah. For me, New Year's marks a turning point and a starting point for a whole new round of music. And true to past experience, Tulsa's local artists haven't wasted any time getting down to business.

This weekend marks X-Cal's coming out (and farewell) party with the release of his debut disc, Already on Clearance, and all the revelry that one would expect to go with it. The release party is Sat., Jan. 24 with featured guests Kawnar and PDA as well as openers David's Bandana, Hiphopapotomus and Trauma. The show is the first opportunity to pick up the disc by Tulsa's latest emerging rapper. Expect a $7 cover.

We've already taken a peek at X-Cal as the performer's duel careers in wrestling and music started to take off last September. That was just a matter of laying groundwork. Now, the rapper has his debut CD complete and is ready to shoot for the stars.

Produced by Kawnar, Already on Clearance is everything X-Cal promised last fall: a mix of rap, rock, R&B and pop, polished with a heavy dose of sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek humor. The album serves to drive home the comedy factor and somehow tie the songs together. But after a few listens, you become tired and notice the supposed highlights of the disc as faults.

Balancing Game

X-Cal's strengths are his self-deprecating sense of humor and ability to play his insecurities and vices for laughs.

Standout single "Starving Artist" lays it all on the table early on with the rapper blatantly throwing out lines like "Show me where to sign, I'll even sing like Marvin Gaye" and "I'd sell my soul for a taste of fame and I'd give everything to make a name," countered by "I'm only doing this because there's people I've gotta pay back."

It all comes off as sarcastic and semi tongue-in-cheek. "I'm pretty much openly admitting to it. Everybody else disses it, but will be the first one to do it if they're approached. At least I'm comfortable with admitting it and not lying about it. You gotta do whatever to get ahead, then later you can do what you want," X-Cal said.

Fortunately, there's more to X-Cal than selling out. Other highlights from the disc include "Another Cigarette" and "Negative Insignia," both of which see the rapper admit to his vices and expose his (ever so slightly) vulnerable side, even if delivered with dry wit and sarcasm.

Unfortunately, it's a double-edged sword.

The constant sarcasm makes the more somber and supposedly heartfelt cuts like "Seasons Change" and "Lord, I'm Sorry" ring hollow when thrown in the mix. Mostly, however, a styled sales pitch and an ode to selling out make the rest of the disc sound like a desperate cry for attention.

Recorded, mixed and mastered in three weeks, the disc does retain part of the energy of the frenetic work pace, but at times it also reeks of half-assedness. I won't lie. X-Cal's an engaging character and his disc is amongst the better of the rap and hip-hop releases we've seen on the local level, but that's not a complete picture.

I also won't misdirect you. Although it's better than the vast majority of local rap, Already on Clearance is far from a homerun. It's not up to par with PDA's Act II or Kawnar's Unclear, for that matter. X-Cal openly plays on his ties to those artists. And that's fine, but you can't rely on others to carry you.

I expected more from X-Cal - perhaps unfairly, especially for a debut. You have to live up to the expectations you've set. Some readers may think I pander to PDA, but the bottom line is Act II was miles beyond what local rap had seen previously. That album set a new standard, and if the follow-up turns out to be a steaming turd, I'll be one of the first to let PDA know.

Kawnar's production and co-writing obviously carry Already on Clearance; and PDA's additions on "Too Late to Be Nice" and "Now or Never" are two of the highlight -- moreso than X-Cal's lyrics or flow. Props are owed to PDA for the remix beats on the alternate take of "Not Available." The "Evil Twin" remix sounds more revealing than sarcastic, even if there is a dark humor to it. Unfortunately, those highlights feel more like the work of his peers than X-Cal himself, which is not a good thing for a breakout disc.

It's interesting that this weekend's release party serves as more than a celebration and coming out party for X-Cal; it's also a farewell party as he's taking his new product and giving it a run in California.

Perhaps the young hustler angle will fly better in the land of silicone and fake tans. If so, great. His actions and work ethic are going to have to be stronger than his rhymes if he expects to make it stick.

Obviously, Already on Clearance is a mixed bag, but it's not without merit. Even if it's an uneven start, the album makes me look forward to what Tulsa music will bring in 2009.

The disc drops this weekend with a 7pm show at the Blank Slate. Be sure to stop in and check it out if you want a peek at what's happening on the local hip-hop scene.

Tags: X-Cal