Cherrywine

It's been ten years since the jazz-fused hip-hop trio Digable Planets dropped its classic debut, Reachin'...(A New Refutation of Time and Space), which spawned the number-one hit "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" and a Grammy for Best New Artist. Shortly thereafter, the group released its critically acclaimed but widely...

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno

July 10, 2003

Audio By Carbonatix

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It's been ten years since the jazz-fused hip-hop trio Digable Planets dropped its classic debut, Reachin'...(A New Refutation of Time and Space), which spawned the number-one hit "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" and a Grammy for Best New Artist. Shortly thereafter, the group released its critically acclaimed but widely ignored sophomore effort, Blowout Comb, then disbanded and disappeared. While Doodlebug's face is still on the milk carton, Mecca (aka Ladybug) has announced that she'll return to the fray in the fall, and Ishmael (aka Butterfly) has finished and released Bright Black with his new band, Cherrywine. Unfortunately, it's not the brightest beginning.

Consisting of brothers Thaddeus (lead guitar) and Gerald Turner (bass) and guitarist Bubba Jones, Cherrywine leaves the percussion to the drum machine. Bright Black opens with the '80s feel of "What I'm Talking," an introduction to Ishmael's new sound and attitude. While fans of old may be excited to hear the emcee's voice again, what he's saying today is vastly different from his screed when we heard him last. Tracks like "So Glad for My Baby," "Girlcrazy (My Cream Gets It Done)," and "Sleep Pretty Girl" find him fantasizing, watching and getting it on with women. Ho hum.

Even more problematic than the trite lyrics are the album's static music and poor sound quality. While "Anchorman Blues" has a funky, groove-ridden guitar riff and neck-snapping beat, and "Dazzlement" sports a hypnotic rhythm and bass line, most of the album is backed by outdated drum sounds that flatten the vibe. The vocals sound as if they were recorded on a karaoke machine with weak reverb effects.

Cherrywine has been praised for its live shows; unfortunately, much of that energy didn't translate to the studio. The album sounds like a demo. There's potential in this project, but its first launch is not terribly digable.

Quibian Salazar-Moreno

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