CADENCE WEAPON plays on June 23 at Lee’s Palace. See listing. Rating: NNNN
In the four years since his last non-mixtape LP, Cadence Weapon (aka Rollie Pemberton) served a term as Edmonton’s poet laureate, relocated to Montreal and abandoned plans for a “rock” album called Roquentin. All of that informs Hope In Dirt City, his dense and eclectic third album.
Splitting production between himself and a talented team of young buzzy up-and-comers like Doldrums, Flow Child and the Breezes, Pemberton dabbles in club rap, soul, post-punk, psychedelia and Brazilian funk. That could’ve led to a disjointed sound, but Hope is brought together by Pemberton’s distinct vocal style and lyrics, which perfectly capture the disaffected, post-millennial, iPod-DJ, over-tweeted, quarter-life-crisis condition.
Pemberton is often criticized for his dry, monotone delivery, but here he moves between a strained croon, rapid-fire spit and sensitive whisper. It’s a lot to process but well worth the effort.
Top track: Hype Man
