Review Summary: "This is the Cold Weather, So get your Coats and Umbrellas"
Evidence, 1/3 of Hip-Hop mainstays Dilated Peoples, at the time of this release had already put out 4 Dilated Peoples Projects, The Weatherman LP and The Layover Mixtape. Throw in numerous guest appearances, one-off production credits and manning the boards for Planet Asia's The Medicine album, and one would think they knew what to expect coming into this EP: Solid, often times subdued rhymes over amazing production and a healthy dose of turntable wizardry. The Layover EP, however does not cater to these expectations. Rather, it defies these preconcieved notions and delivers Nine songs and One interlude that all serve a purpose and take you on a journey, while Ev is waiting to take off.
"The Layover" opens the project with ascending synths, jittering about in the backdrop, as Evidence recalls how things aren't quite the same as they used to be. The Opening Lines -- "Not a worry in the world when I started, Still young and restless, hurry up and wait..." -- set the stage for an expansion of the tried and true template used in past incarnations of Evidence as an MC.He is using varied rhyme schemes, alternating between internal schemes and multiple syllable rhyming effortlessly. What truly makes it special though, is that Evidence has found his voice, and is comfortable using what seem to be in-jokes and deft wordplay to convey his thoughts. Lines like "A Missed Call is just as good as a Message" are surely going to go over many heads the first time around, but that is what makes this project special. Repeated listens reveal an uncanny attention to detail, and show an MC with a rock solid reputation and track record, updating his approach.
The EP never really loses steam from this point, with "For Whom The Bell Tolls" Featuring Phonte of Little Brother, Blu and Will.I.Am on the hook. It is a haunting track, that showcases a heady topic, but still has flavor and levity. The midway point brings "Don't Hate" which is a clever back and forth between Evidence and Defari, reminiscent of an EPMD track, but not derivitive in the least, with Ev's Lo-Fi beat and both MC's displaying their unique talents. The Alchemist provides some lush production on three tracks: "So Fresh", "The Far Left" and "To Whom it May Concern", which has come to be expected at this stage in his career. The real surprise though comes with Al's rhyming and the debut of the Step Brothers on "So Fresh". The Alchemist will never be mentioned as an all-time great on the mic, but his presence and flow illuminate a side to him that had previously been all but non-existent. Closing Track, "The Cold Weather" is far and away the best track on the EP. Self-Produced, Evidence creates a banging beat, with an absolute gem of a piano sample and recurring vocal wailing "This Is" throughout. More of the same with Evidence unleashing a calm and steady flow of bars that are simultaneously clever, personal and perfectly adhered to the beat and concept of the song.
There are only but a few moments in time that I have listened to an album front to back, consistently for months on end. I have listened to many, many artists, and many other projects from Evidence himself, both before and after "The Layover EP" was released, but I keep coming back to what I know will keep me engaged for the entire running time. "The Layover EP" is not going to set the world on fire upon its first listen. It is a slow burn, and one that gets better with each spin. I assure you, if you give this one a chance, it will have a hard time finding its way out of your rotation.
