EV Productions - Copperpot in The Reader

August 6, 2007

COPPERPOT WYLA? | EV Productions
With a slew of guests drawn from the ranks of jazz musicians and backpacker-approved indie rappers, WYLA?, the sophomore album from local hip-hop producer Copperpot, has all the earmarks of a self-important mess, but surprisingly it actually bumps. The erstwhile Daniel Kuypers uses his instrumentalists -- a jazzer-approved lineup including Frank Rosaly, Josh Abrams, and Tortoise members Jeff Parker and Dan Bitney -- to flesh out soul-inflected beats built from greasy bass lines and J Dilla-ishly diced guitars. A bit too boho for the club, probably, but custom-cut for backyard barbecues. And while KRS-One is as didactic as usual, most of the other guests -- Prince Po, Psalm One, Masta Ace -- give even their preachier bits an appropriately good-time delivery. A personal fave: "Demo," where British rapper Braintax slams amateur demos for their low-end CD mailers and half-assed artist bios, once again confirming that England produces the funniest rappers in the world

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