ANDROMEDA

BLUE COLLAR MUSIC

       Fort Wayne-based hip-hop duo Andromeda are no joke, and by that I mean that they aren't fake, afraid or passive. They're real, and in a genre with roots in conflict and revolution, being real is the best thing you can be. On Blue Collar Music, their second official studio album and long-awaited follow-up to their debut, The Need, Andromeda say exactly what they want to say, knowing all along that it might leave a lot of listeners feeling uneasy – offering a rare breath of uncompromised creativity and vision. With lyrics rooted in "pro-black" themes (their words), DJ Polaris and Brainstorm continue chewing up broken modern American society, this time with more guts, complex social theories and, frankly, better beats than ever. Blue Collar Music isn't exactly a revolution, but it's certainly the kind of record that plants the needed seeds.

       On the potent "The Original," Andromeda sample one of Chuck D's many memorable lines, "Take a piece of America back / Indiana trees hangin' us instead of leaves," to accent the album's theme of deep-rooted oppression known as "blue collarism," or, as Andromeda say, "modern day slavery." Over soulful, organically produced beats, Brainstorm leads the way vocally with some of his best performances yet and easily his most academic, powerful lyrics to date. DJ Polaris (armed with his signature deep, authorative voice), too, is very active on the mic this time around, offering a sharp contrast to Brainstorm's impassioned vocals with his stern, stoic rhymes. The balance of their voices and styles is just one of the many pleasant advances to their sound.

       While racial and political themes do dominate the record, you can't help but feel another theme tucked below the surface: unity. And by unity, I mean roots. And by roots, I mean the rare bond that is Brainstorm and Polaris, two of Fort Wayne's most respected and active advocates for hip-hop music and culture. Only two individuals with a committed artistic bond could churn up an album as coherent and accomplished as Blue Collar Music. Through their love of rootsy, "old-school" hip-hop, DJ Polaris and Brainstorm have released an album that is a nod to better sounding times, made perfect for hip-hop fans who thought Brother Ali and Dead Prez were the only politically minded hip-hop artists who still mattered.

       The lyrical content, literally, is far too expansive and researched to do justice to in 700 words or less, but looking over the titles – "Rent Money," "Overtime," "The Great Depression," "Motivation" and "A Slave's Portion," to name a few – should give you the gist of their modus operandi. And the beats, well, let's just say that "Focal Point" is one of the best "modern roots" beats you'll ever hear not made by Blueprint ... and the rest aren't too far behind. They're dusty, thick, warm and accessible, but without sounding too much like anyone else right now – which is a triumph in its own right.

       Blue Collar Music is an organic, timeless hip-hop record with dogmatic, fully realized, everyday themes that prove to be relevant yesterday, today and tomorrow. Simply, Blue Collar Music is the best work Andromeda have ever done, and, as far as lyrical sophistication goes, Andromeda have raised the bar for their peers. Whether you're white or black, old or young, this album works as a document of a time and a place and a society – not to mention as a study of the relationship between racism and classism in the U.S. today. Come Whammy season, it'll be a crime (though unfortunately fitting) if Andromeda's masterwork isn't a serious contender for "Best Album." File this one under "B" for bold, brave and brilliant.

       For more info on Andromeda (or to buy one of their records), head over to www.andromedasound.com. (Greg Locke)

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