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Northern State: Dying in Stereo

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? by Scott McKeating
  • Type: Album
  • Release date: 05/05/2003
  • Label: Wichita
These 3 ‘MCs’ are the type of young ladies from New York that make the words sassy and spunky spring unbidden to mind. But after a few teeth-grindingly awful listens later, sadly it’s the word ‘worthlessaswanksplat’ that keep coming to the fore.

It’s not just me, I’m not being too harsh, I just really don’t have any patience for this sort of MOR hip-hop. They come over as a pointless hybrid of the Beastie boys and N-tyce (from the female wing of the Wu). I’m not using these examples as a pointer to the level of their skills, this is just a statement about the sound they’ve shamelessly ripped off. In summary; a wank version of Luscious Jackson.

The vocals begin to grate really early on, in fact by the end of ‘A Thousand Words’, I’d had enough. That’s track 1. It only becomes bearable when they occasionally switched their flows from their straightforward style which they persist in sticking to regardless of the track. Basically, 3 competitors in a Mike D impression contest. Jesus, if you’re going to copy the Beasties at least copy Ad Rock.

Oh and one last thing, they claim to have a "renegade flow". Fuck off, I’m not in the bloody mood, you cheesy bastards.

  • Northern State 1 / 10
Words: Scott McKeating

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Northern State - Dying in Stereo

McKeating,where is your spunk? Three girls, well, three college-educated smart women could do a lot worse than pick the Beastie Boys as their role models for their act. Or was it you didn't understand it when they rhymed "psychiatrist" and "archdiocese?" Maybe you need to read Thomas M. Disch's long poem, "The Cardinal Detoxes: A Play in One Act." And "cheesy bastards," you write? Aren't *you* the one who is into The Beach Boys, Ryan Adams, and The Cure? And who are who to say a thing about Northern State when you adore Snoop Dogg? Do you have his "Girls Gone Wild" video yet? Three copies, you say? I thought so.

Get some new teeth, you might like grinding them better. You lost all credibility by claiming you're not "in the mood" at the end of the review, MacDaddy SMcK (Sado-Masochist; closet Kindergarten): it reveals you simply can't stomach any positive vibe in what enters your dour ears. Lighten up and get down with the old school, you misogynist.
Old_Anonymous_Comments | 7 Jun '03, 18:37 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Northern State - Dying in Stereo

I totally agree - Northern State kick copious amounts of rap ass. At the Monarch they were ace, and when I had the pleasure of speaking to them they were polite, well-educated and actually had something different to say than a lot of other would-be rap starlets. They feel so fresh compared to the current hip hop stars, so get with the programme, y'all (or something).
Mike_Diver | 17 Jun '03, 17:07 | Send note | Report this | Reply