In one of my many hats I wear, I fancy myself a music reviewer. I’ve moved that practice to the site for my Music Funtime Show. The following was reviewed there.
According to the recent press going out, Johnny Richter has been working on a solo album since Kottonmouth Kings’ Capitol Records days. Finally, so many years later, we have it in hand and on the shelves.
For those into the Suburban Noize sound, you will be in some familiar territory here. A collection of songs about partying, smoking weed, and enjoying life round out this album, as they do other Kings and Kingspade albums. It’s always to hear these solo albums, as it was with Daddy X, and now, if you go back to pre-KMK Dirtball tracks. You get an idea of what the artist brings to the group when you single them out from the rest of the collaboration. In this case, the party songs seem to be missing something. I don’t know if it’s the selection of beats or production, but the songs seem to missing some intangible layer that I loved the Kingspade albums for. Even so, this solo album isn’t as much of a 180 as Daddy X’s solo venture.
The highlight to me was the lighter tracks, such as “Remember That Summer” and “Nice Cold One”. Nice reminders that these albums aren’t always about rebellion and illegal (or illegalish in California) substances all of the time. While the subject matter of these albums over the years may be loosing their variety, I’m rarely ever disappointed of the quality of the disc as a whole. And while not the best release in the bunch, it’s still a great album to pop in for these hot summer days with a lemonade in hand on the front porch.
>Buy It<
Johnny Richter “Laughing” is available July 6. Suburban Noize is running some preorder specials here or digitally here <affiliate link>.