Cage and Eyedea & Abilities both released albums in July that went in a similar direction. They both branched out into the realm of rock music. The main difference between the two albums is one album is great, and the other is terrible. Cage went way to far, to the point where I don't think Depart from Me even qualifies as a hip hop album. His vocals rarely consist of rapping and his singing isn't going to appeal to his existing hip hop fanbase or gain him many new indie rock fans. The title definitely describes the album. Unfortunately, his departure from aggressive emcee to emo bitch singer doesn't work. On the other hand, By the Throat finds an excellent balance of hip hop and rock. Eyedea is lyrically as strong as he's ever been, which says a lot, because hes already proven himself to be one of the most talented emcees to ever touch a mic. While DJ Abilities isn't as good at making rock-based beats as he was making more traditional beats on First Born and E&A, the production is still very good, and it shows that he is a versatile producer. It's an album that could easily appeal to both hip hop fans and rock fans.
Honorable Mentions:
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Umsindo
Dudley Perkins - Holy Smokes
I'm not the biggest fan of either of them as vocalists, but both albums were entirely produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow, who's not only establishing herself as the first notable female producer, but also establishing herself as one of the best producers regardless of gender.
