Coda.fm

Under Construction, Pt. II

by Timbaland & Magoo

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Timbaland & Magoo continue to confound rap fans with albums that are mixed blessings. Like Indecent Proposal before it, this album flaunts the fantastic soundscapes that only Timbaland could conjure. For example, Tim enlists the talents of Indian vocalist Raje Shwari to sing over the most hypnotic flute and drum kicks imaginable on "Indian Flute." But, as usual, the problem comes when Tim pulls the dreaded producer-cum-emcee routine. Tim raps on a large chunk of the tracks--"Don’t Make Me Take It There" exists as one big fat exercise in narcissism. The otherworldly, genre-bending beats are still there, but the middling raps by less than stellar emcees like Frank Lee White and, yeah, even Magoo diminish his dazzling compositions. Maybe the fact that Tim pays so much attention to the rap of yesteryear is telling. On "Cop That Sh**" the crew revises rhymes from Special Ed, Rakim, and MC Lyte while "Straight Outta Virginia" is a takeoff on N.W.A. Throwback tunes to match the jerseys? Or does Tim believe rap's best days are behind it? Either way, no one's sure how an album can be both stimulating and lackluster at the same time, but this one is. --Dalton Higgins