Album Review: Fresh Daily – Gorgeous Killer In Crimes of Passion (2009)

Album Review: Fresh Daily – The Gorgeous Killer (2009)
Rating: 4 out of 5 Potholes

Brooklyn native, and AOK associate, Fresh Daily has a lot to say on 2009’s sprawling The Gorgeous Killer. The young emcee has a classic throwback delivery, yet rarely sounds dated as he delivers his crisp rhymes. He even implements the somewhat lost art of hip-hop’s call-and-response type hooks, which gives the album a warm, engaging feeling. Fresh Daily is also remarkably versatile; he shows that he can go in on a track with the intention to absolutely demolish everything in his path, or he can take a more mellow approach, slowing his delivery to ensure his lyrics are clearly communicated.

Besides being versatile with delivery, Fresh Daily has a clever assortment of thematic topics, hooks, and punchlines that mesh nicely so that each song has a little something special to offer. The track “Me First”, which features Tanya Morgan, gives a clear assertion of the lyrical prowess that these emcees possess, as well as their thoughts on where they think they deserve to be ranked in the hip-hop game (hint: it’s in the track’s title). The pleasant thing is that they never come off as cocky, while trading smooth verses over silky pianos. The following track “Supaspectaclar!” is an example of Fresh Daily’s ability to transition into a high-energy track, as he spits furious lines about wrecking parties and being over-charged for beats (did I mention he has a comical side too?). Fresh Daily also hasn’t forgotten where his roots are; “Gutterman” is a classic anthem track, laced with pounding drums and triumphant trumpets, for everyone who came up from poverty.

The ending two tracks bring a touching close to the album. “Love Breakdown” is a well-thought-out love letter to hip-hop, and in case it wasn’t already clear, it becomes particularly evident that Fresh Daily simply raps for the love of music and hip-hop with lines like, “I got love for the boom and the bap,” and “music’s the blood that I bleed.” And on “Crimes of Passion” he sends out a call for change to rid the world of its evils, and also expresses the need for strong family ties. The Gorgeous Killer could use a bit more focus around a centerpiece or central theme, but nonetheless still conveys the tight skills that Fresh Daily possesses.