Album Review: Audible Mainframe – Transients (2009)

Album Rating: Audible Mainframe – Transients (2009)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Potholes

Let’s begin by stating that there is nothing wrong with this album. Okay maybe there are a few minor slips here and there, but nothing is flagrant, and certainly no track can be labeled as filler. Needless to say, Audible Mainframe has put together a great sophomore LP, Transients, filled with fun, danceable grooves. Audible Mainframe is a hip-hop group that uses live instrumentation and alternative rock to propel its music forward. They were based in Boston, but have since relocated to California, a move made evident on the opening track, “Money & Flash”, which incorporates a small sample from Notorious B.I.G.’s “Going Back To Cali”.

Transients is an interesting album, as MC Exposition turns out rhymes with an extreme awareness of the world around him – political, social, and emotional – all while working with a central theme of transitions; he focuses on describing how we’ve gotten from one place to another, to where we are now. For example, “Ice Cold”, the album’s marvelous centerpiece, focuses on our downfall into economic turmoil, and the methods various people use to cope with such circumstances. “Poison Ivy” traces a love story turned sour by a femme fatale of sorts, showing off MC Expo’s ability to narrate lighter anecdotes.

However, the album may best be embodied by the track “Subi Alto (Climb High)” an inspirational piece meant to trigger uplifting emotions. After all, Transients not only depicts how we’ve gotten into the various binds of the present, but it also presents optimism for the future.

From a production standpoint, the music matches the optimistic vibe of the album quite nicely. The tracks are fun, and as with an actual live hip-hop show, they feel free enough to roam anywhere. Some tracks rest on finely tuned guitar loops, others bust out more power and zeal, embodying many aspects of alternative rock, jazz, and ska. The hooks here are also highly entertaining and don’t skimp on intelligence. Certain tracks even make use of breezy ambient music, for added lightness.

So what is holding this album back? Despite being consistently good throughout, there are no standout moments that would make people immediately rewind and replay. It would be nice to hold Audible Mainframe to the standards they set with “The Clout pt.2” from their debut album, Framework. And ultimately, that lack of jaw-droppers is what may cost this album replay value. Anyone who is a fan of fusion records, especially with live instrumentation should give this a listen and allow MC Expo and Audible Mainframe to delight your ears, if only for one full spin.