CD REVIEW
Smoked Out – Promote It
[Bloodshot Bandits/THC AllStarz]
By Tyler Davidson
“Roll it and light it up/Now let’s promote it,” says, well, one of the creatively named members (our choices are narrowed down to Saint Sludge, Smoke Plenty and Keebler) of El Paso hip-hop trio Bloodshot Bandits. That last part seems to have become a mantra of sorts, from gracing their Facebook page to being emblazoned on their EP, Smoked Out. As you can see, it’s groundbreaking stuff, this. The issues discussed in songs like “Prepared to Smoke” and “Love Gettin‘ High” clearly weren’t being promoted enough until these fine upstanding gentlemen came along.
All sarcasm aside, however, the Bandits have turned in a pretty damned reasonable disc with Smoked Out. The album’s intro track, “What You Smokin‘ On?”, is a solid outing with a chorus so catchy, it will have you bobbing your head until your neck feels like a slinky. The three follow a little too closely in the steps of acts like the Insane Clown Posse and Kottonmouth Kings with “Hater Talk (Haters Don’t Walk Much Mix),” an admittedly infectious tune that makes good use of some old jazz samples. That said, do we really need another ode to the detractors? What ever happened to “Just ignore them and they’ll go away,” as mom used to say of bullies (which is to say: my older brother).
On Smoked Out, you’re not likely to find the introspective lyrics of, say, Common, or the marked individuality of Lil Wayne—thoughts of Weezy and his “futuristic handgun” are inevitable when the line “I’m fresher than a futuristic Benz” is dropped on “What’s the Deal (Chopped & Screwed)”—but for an up-and-coming three-piece from El Paso, Bloodshot Bandits could do a whole lot worse.
