WilsonBlock1000 Radio

Ka’s 9th Album “The Thief Next to Jesus” is a Religious Experience of It’s Own (Album Review)

Posted by on

Here we have the 9th full-length solo LP from Brownsville, New York emcee, producer & firefighter Ka. A former member of the Natural Elements roughly 3 decades ago, he eventually went solo in 2008 off Iron Works followed by Grief Pedigree & The Night’s Gambit. Honor Killed the Samurai in 2016 became his most well received body of work as did Descendants of Cain & A Martyr’s Reward, but the frontman of Dr. Yen Lo and Hermit & the Recluse is coming off both Languish Arts & Woeful Studies to fully produce The Thief Next to Jesus by himself.

“Bread, Wine, Body, Blood” starts by cautioning not become the weapon they use to harm you & that there’s a sheer struggle we all go through over an organ sample whereas “Beautiful” takes the soulful route instrumentally continuing the art of sampling hoping everyone listening lives a nice, long life. “Tested Testimony” hooks up a crooning drumless loop boasting that he doesn’t have any money in the safe because he took the safest lane just before the bluesy “Borrowed Time” hoping for exactly that when his time comes.

Moving forward, “Collection Plate” keeps the drums out the fold hopping over another soul flip pointing out that he would’ve had the titular item by now if anyone really wanted to bless him while “Broken Rose Window” brings the bluesier flare from earlier back in effect talking about being economically disadvantaged. “God Undefeated” samples gospel once more assuring that God sides with the winners leading into “Soul & Spirit” keeping it drumless suggesting to build fences instead of needing bridges.

“Lord Have Mercy” works in some pleasant keyboard passages to talk about needing real freedoms, but then “Such Devotion” gets back to the gospel sampling telling everyone that they ain’t ever see this much loyalty or devoutness. He later expresses the hope that every “Cross Yoyr Bear” is gold accompanied by a bare organ while “Fragile Faith” talking about being born air-prepared for ground war over crooning background vocals.

Nearing the conclusion of The Thief Next to Jesus, the penultimate track “Hymn & I” comes the straight out the gate discussing hearing so many Christians using the “n” word as well as gathering strength on the daily & learning heartbreak from the most loyal prior to “True Holy Water” perfectly finishes up what could very well be the most religious body of work that Ka has ever made with 1 more drumless cut letting everyone know he’s here for all y’all.

Literally every single album in Ka’s discography has their own distinctive concept & after going back-to-back a couple years ago, he unsurprisingly carries on that tradition throughout The Thief Next to Jesus to the point where I firmly believe it can hang with Honor Killed the Samurai as my favorite solo effort of the 9 he’s given us in the last 16 years. Heavily building its drumless sound around samples of both gospel & a hint of blues music, the production makes for some of the best in Ka’s entire career as he puts his uniquely poetically spin on the themes of religion.

Score: 9/10

Submit news tips to thawilsonMAG@gmail.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Local Music Scenes

Music Scenes

Adelaide Music Scene African Music Scene Akron Music Scene Alabama Music Scene Alaska Music Scene Albany Music Scene Anchorage Music Scene Arizona Music Scene Arkansas Music Scene Atlanta Music Scene
Australian Music Scene Bakersfield Music Scene Baltimore Music Scene Beverly Hills Music Scene Boston Music Scene Brampton Music Scene Bronx Music Scene Brooklyn Music Scene Buffalo Music Scene California Music Scene Canadian Music Scene Charlotte Music Scene Chicago Music Scene Chicago drill music scene Cincinnati Music Scene Cleveland Music Scene Cologne Music Scene Colombian Music Scene Colorado Music Scene Compton Music Scene Connecticut Music Scene Dallas Music Scene Daytona Beach Music Scene Denver Music Scene Detroit Music Scene Durham Music Scene Finland Music Scene Finnish Music Scene Florida Music Scene Georgia Music Scene Germany Music Scene Ghana Music Scene Greece Music Scene Greensboro Music Scene Hawaii Music Scene Hiram Music Scene Honolulu Music Scene Houston Music Scene Illinois Music Scene Inglewood Music Scene Iowa Music Scene Ireland Music Scene Jackson Music Scene Johannesburg Music Scene Kansas City Music Scene Kansas Music Scene Kentucky Music Scene La Habra Music Scene Las Vegas Music Scene Lexington Music Scene London Music Scene Long Beach Music Scene Long Island Music Scene Los Angeles Music Scene Louisiana Music Scene Louisville Music Scene Maine Music Scene Marion Music Scene Maryland Music Scene Massachusetts Music Scene Melbourne Music Scene Miami Music Scene Michigan Music Scene Milwaukee Music Scene Minneapolis Music Scene Mississippi Music Scene Missouri Music Scene Munich Music Scene Nashville Music Scene Nevada Music Scene New Jersey Music Scene New Mexico Music Scene New Orleans Music Scene New York State Music Scene Nigeria Music Scene NorCal Music Scene North Carolina Music Scene Oakland Music Scene Ohio Music Scene Oklahoma Music Scene Ontario Music Scene Oregon Music Scene Oxnard Music Scene Pennsylvania Music Scene Philadelphia Music Scene Phoenix Music Scene Portland Music Scene Rhode Island Music Scene Rochester Music Scene Sacramento Music Scene Salt Lake City Music Scene San Antonio Music Scene San Bernardino Music Scene San Diego Music Scene San Francisco Music Scene Seattle Music Scene South Africa Music Scene South Carolina Music Scene St. Louis Music Scene Tennessee Music Scene Texas Music Scene Tokyo Music Scene Tulsa Music Scene Utah Music Scene Vallejo Music Scene Vancouver Music Scene Virginia Music Scene Waco Music Scene Wisconsin Music Scene Wyoming Music Scene altadena music scene american music scene local music scene music scene new york music scene northwest music scene pasadena music scene seattle music scene toronto music scene
Show more