"Distortion" is the first solo album from the former Run-D.M.C. rapper, who used to be known as DJ Run. Now an official revered, Rev Run released this 2005 album under Def Jam to show that since the death of Jam Master Jay, although he won't do anymore D.M.C. work, he will continue to do what he does best as Rev Run.
1."I Used to Think I Was Run"
This is the opener and has to do something big to show the progression made by the artists. I believe that it was attempted, as he comes with a steady flow, however I think that the heard production masked the problems with the content of the rhymes, which weren't that good.
You get a strange one here as Revn raps on the "Sweet Home Alabama" beats, and does so with strongly contrasting MCing, which is done in the mid-eighties style, and it just doesn't fit in with the mellowness of the production.
**One Star**
3. "Boom Ditty"
This one has Rev on some heavy beats to take you back to the good old days of Run-D.M.C.. here he does everything to some live drumming, and it suits the Rap Rock way of screaming the lyrics, which he decides to go with.
**Four Stars**
4. "Breaktime"
Here is a very short one which has The Rev performing on some breaks. It is a hard one and has stern drums backing him before some more modern synth takes control. I felt that it was a strong one, but little of it had anything to do with the rapper's input..
**Three Stars**
5. "High and Mighty Joe"
For this one you get Run doing a track on some breakbeat. I felt that it was a good change for him, and as some of is best material, such as "Peter Piper", was done in such a form, I expected big things form this, but the lack of humour, in what was designed to be a funny track, put me off.
**Two Stars**
6. "The Way"
This one just isn't happeining for me. As mos of the tracks here, it has samples of some old Run-D.M.C. work, but for me, it just remindede me what standard the music should be at, somewhere, Rev certianly isn't coming close to on this album. The lyrics on this one are just wack, and not worth listening to.
**One Star**
7. "Don't Stop Y'all"
I was just disappointed on this one as it was a teriible track. This one, unlike many others on the albun, had Rev rapping as if he was an outsider to Hip hop culture, and so raps in a very cliches form when referring to modern thing in Hip Hop, which in 2005 were quite out-dated. He makes himself sound older than he is on this with corny rhymes and a faux-New School beat.
**One Star**
8. "Mind on the Road"
Initially, I heard this one on Madden 06 , and was completely disappointed as this was the first single to come off the album and it is a big flop of a tune as it has him scream out lyrics as he attempts some more Rap rock, which Run-D.M.C. did throughout their career.
**Two Stars**
9. "Take a Tour"
On this one you have Run doign a little piece on some smooth lounge music. I felt that the beats to it gave some more variety to the album, but the perfromnce by Run just underminded this all ashe made no real attempt to make any real change.
**Two Stars**
10. "Distortion"
To end it all off, you get a proper Rap Rock track as he comes with lots of energy on really heavy production. I found that the hype which was created made it sound much better than it was as the rhymes were far weaker than the quality of the production behind him. The fact that the verse is just dissolved down wheere material seems to run low was anooying and he just repeats the title too much.
**Three Stars**
None of the track son this album go over three minutes, resulting in it being only twenty-three minutes long, this one isn't really worth your money if sold anywhere near the usual price of a CD, and the content of these few, short tunes isn't worth it either.
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