Buddy Peace - Wolf Diesel Mountain (2600)
3/5
By: Charlie Potter
Not having heard of Buddy Peace and looking at the lengthy sample credits, it initially looked like this album was going to be something it's not. The credits had me thinking it was going to be some weird rock mash up, with bits of hip hop, but the rock is used very sparingly to widen out the hip hop. In fact, the focus is so much so on the hip hop that, for the most part, it sounds more like a remix album than a mix tape, like a compilation of some tracks that Buddy Peace really likes that he has subsequently fiddled with.
The thing I find odd about mix tapes is that I feel like most people that listen to them make them themselves, and that there is a lot that only someone who does make them would appreciate. Now, I don't make mix albums and I have listened to very few, but I do know that this is a very tightly woven, artfully sculpted piece of art. It's in this dense background sound widening that all your Liars, Fugazis and Mogwais are hidden. As Wolf Diesel Mountain moves forward more and more indie is brought to the forefront, but to the effect of relaxing you rather than exciting you. This is a very altogether, laid back album. The music is nearly totally designed to make you calm and horizontal so you can appreciate the lyrics.
It's just an odd experience, listening to a mix album. You don't know if they're aimed at people who do know the music or people that don't. Most of the music on Wolf Diesel Mountain I can't say I know off by heart, but it's not like it's a collection of cool obscurities. One of my favourite surprises from this album is that it has made me want to go and search out some of this music, because like most people's music collections, there are loads of really great sections here - but also plenty of stuff I wouldn't waste my time on.
The main thing that I don't like about all this is the general feel of a great deal of the tracks. There's a sort of dreamy vibing attitude to it, it's like it's made for people that still think it's cool to smoke marijuana and wear knitted hats, like needing depressants some how makes you more of a naturally laid back easy going person. You know the sort of people, they wear really expensive head phones, all the time.
And it's this that ruins it for me. I can appreciate the skill in it, but it's just the sound plods out.
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