Mic Navarro's Corner: Action Bronson - Mr. Wonderful ALBUM REVIEW

For the last five years, Action Bronson has been a fan favorite among underground hip hop heads. You would often hear his name and see it here and there. So I of course had to see what the hype was about. Immediately I could see why people liked him. His cool, laid back, throwback flow makes him sound like he's straight out of the 90's. His voice has gained him many, many comparisons to Ghostface Killah. Sounding very similar. Not to mention his wittiness and humor when it comes to things like sex and food. If you ask his fans every project from him is heavily anticipated and that's no different this time around. This is his second album Mr. Wonderful. His debut album, 2011's Well-Done, was good and I enjoyed it for the most part. But it was his mixtape Rare Chandeliers that I enjoy the most out of any of his projects. He's not someone who switches up what he does with each release so I went into this album expecting the usual. Well I got than...and a little bit more. I thought this album was good but not great. Again you get the usual: the witty lyrics, usual humorous content and so on. But the big difference comes in the albums production. It sounds like Action Bronson may have listened to a lot of jazz and blues while recording this album. That sound is heavily involved with this album. It's an even more laid back approach from him and something a lot of his fans aren't used to hearing. I'd like to think he's just experimenting but this sounds like something he may stick with from now on. Now, let's begin the break down:

1. Brand New Car

This intro grew on me after a few listens. The production is what grew on me really because I was on the fence about it at first. Mark Ronson puts together a pretty good piano heavy production. Which of course plays right into this jazz/blues theme Bronson has going with this album. It samples Billy Joel's "Zanzibar" which Bronson said in an interview was one of his favorite songs. The track overall gives a somewhat of a happy energetic vibe to kick off the album with.

2. The Rising (featuring Big Body Bes)

Action Bronson and Statik Selektah did some great things together on the Well-Done album. Well there back together on this albums and it begins here. This track has a energetic gospel sound with the pianos, distinct organs and a choir in the background vocals. As I mentioned he brings a lot of wittiness and humor and it shows here: "My mother said I better win or else she'll fuck me up/ma we made it, I love you you lucky slut". Who else can get on a track and call their mom a slut and make it sound hilarious. That's so Action Bronson. Big Body Bes's verse was really nothing but him just talking a whole lot of shit. He didn't rap or anything, it was just talking. I mean I wasn't too bothered by it but some rapping there would have been nice.

3. Terry

Here he links up with one of my favorite producers in the game, The Alchemist. The production here was dope and multiple dope samples. It sounds like he's talking about a chick he was messing around with that was an addict. Especially in the beginning lines and a few more after. I'm probably looking too deep into that and I might be wrong but that's just my assumption. Especially considering the song title. Dope song thought overall.

4. Actin Crazy

This was the second released single from the album. I was really digging the production here. It's a simple yet very catchy head knodder. It's produced by 40 who you know does 90% of Drake's music and really doesn't work with too many other people outside of him. So it was quite a surprise to see him working with Action Bronson. Again nothing special lyrically. He just kicking rhymes about everyday stuff that interests him. He does that on a lot of his songs. Cool song.

5. Falconry (featuring Meyhem Lauren and Big Body Bes)

Here The Alchemist comes through yet again with another banger. I like the catchy tempo of it. Reminds me of one of the more older Alchemist joints. Meyhem Lauren dropped a pretty cool guest verse while Big Body Bes is doing the same thing he did on the other song...just talking. This time I felt like he wasn't really needed on this track.

6. Thug Love Story 2017 The Musical (interlude)

7. City Boy Blues (featuring Chauncy Sherod)

Now here is where the album does a complete 360. What he have here is not a hip hop song at all. This is a straight up blues song. Majority of it is just an instrumental that sound straight up like Sunday afternoon jazz. The song is produced by both Party Supplies and 88 Keys. Then that's when you start to hear the blues vocals from Chauncy Sherod. I believe the previous interlude sets up the songs that follow it. They both have this same sound (except for the last). I can't decide if I like this or not. It's different and Bronson has stated before that he likes this type of music. It will have to grow on me.

8. A Light In The Addict (featuring Party Supplies and Black Atlass)

Now this one has an even stronger jazz/blues sound. More so blues than regular jazz. The song begins very dramatic like with the soft pianos, distinct vocals and the sound of rain hitting the window. The bass line however has a bit of a hip hop feel. The hook has both Bronson and Black Atlass singing on it. Obviously he's no Luther Vandross, but thankfully Black Atlass was there to pick that slack up. Though Bronson has said he's influenced by this sound, it just sound like he's doing a bit of introspective experimenting with these songs. This one actually grew on me. We'll just have to see how other fans respond.

9. Baby Blue (featuring Chance The Rapper)

This is the third song in this three part musical. It's by far the catchiest, most radio friendly song on the whole album. The production is happy, it's jumpy and very addictive. Huge props to Mark Ronson for this one. The song is basically an anthem lashing out at women who do men wrong. The cheaters, jealous ones and all of that. Chance The Rapper, who had Bronson on his Acid Rap mixtape, comes through with not only an incredibly catchy hook, but the most hilarious verse so far of 2015. He said things like "I hope every soda you drink is already shaken up", "I hope your titties all saggy in your early twenties", "I hope you never get off on Friday and you work at a Friday's that's always busy on Fridays". I mean I was literally in tears. I guess this song is supposed to be the grand finale of this three song "musical". Which is why it doesn't have the same soft jazz sound. Love this track.

10. Only In America (featuring Party Supplies)

Okay we're now done with "the musical". Now here we get another taste of genre blending experimenting. The production has this funky electric guitar that sounds like 80's rock. Rock beats in hip hop are often hits or misses and this one was a hit. I like it. Props to Oh No on the production. I gotta say though, I was a little let down. He talks about so much stuff that I thought he would use that and play into the whole "only in America" theme. Speaking on the crazy stuff going on in the country from what he sees. But who am I kidding. That ain't his style.

11. Galactic Love

Well after going on this little genre blending roller coaster, things finally calm down here. This has this really smooth, relaxing beat that still had a little bit of jazz blended in it. Another one in the win column for The Alchemist It just has a sound of like...vacation at the beach. The hook is him on the phone with his actual moms. I thought that was pretty cool considering what he said about her earlier in this album. But overall this song is okay.

12. The Passage (Live From Prague)

This sounds like yet another long instrumental. But you can hear distinct vocals from Bronson singing "Mr. Wonderful" over and over. I was left scratching my head hearing this. But after doing a bit of research, I found out what this is. It's him live at a concert he had in Prague, Czech Republic. He says this is basically, to sum up his words, the intermission before the big grand finale (the outro in this case). It sounds very psychedelic and trippy which I'm kinda shocked he didn't dabble more into on this album. He has in the past. Still though, I can do without this.

13. Easy Rider

The album ends with it's first single. Party Supplies puts together another funky guitar assisted beat. It's a calm production but yeah live enough to jam out too. He sums up everything he has experienced up to this points and drops it into this song. Most of it is stuff he already spoke of on this album. He's got comedic lines all over this album and I didn't mention a lot of them. But he makes sure he closes out with a few more: "I had dreams of fucking Keri Hilson in my Duncans/woke up naked at the Hilton with a bitch that look like Seal's cousin". The song ends with a dope guitar rift and the roaring of a motorcycle. The beginning of him riding off into the sunset as the hook says. Cool way to close out this album.

In closing, Mr. Wonderful may catch a few off guard, but the album is definitely a solid project. He took a risk with the heavy jazz/blues/rock influence throughout, but I think his fans and even first time listeners will gravitate more to it down the road. I give it a final grade of a B. There's no denying Action Bronson is one of the top dogs in hip hop's underground division. Not many other undeground MC's have been as consistent as him over these last few years. Delivery quality projects that give us all nostalgic feelings of the 1990's due to his voice and flow. I think he's one of those rappers that shouldn't remain under the mainstream radar. I wouldn't want him to sign a major deal and have to change what he is doing. What he's doing now is perfect. Let's keep it that way Bronsilino. End.