On his only major release of 2021, Nashville-based rapper and singer/songwriter Jelly Roll offered up the short and surprising project Ballads of the Broken. The brief album took a different stylistic approach than his usual countrified rap on almost every track, going from country-adjacent hooks ("Son of a Sinner") to eerie, remorse-filled pop tunes ("Over You"). His soulful vocals and the twangy backing are the main points of interest here, which might shock listeners expecting material like "Creature" or "Fall in the Fall." But for longtime fans, this evolution shouldnt be too much of a jolt, especially after all the hints on 2020s Self Medicated. In addition to eight fully-fleshed out productions, Ballads of the Broken includes two demo recordings. ~ TiVo Staff
Rovi
徐々にルーツ回帰の色合いを濃くしていたナッシュヴィルのラッパーだが、この新作はラウドな"Dead Man Walking"を激唱する幕開けから完全に振り切っている。リル・ワイトと組んでいた頃のサザン・ラップ然とした面影もありつつ、キモとなるのは"Son Of A Sinner"や"Hollow"などの素朴な歌唱だ。アウトロー・カントリーやヒムの系譜で捉えることもできるし、外見そのままにラグンボーン・マンなどが好きな人にもハマるかも。
bounce (C)出嶌孝次
タワーレコード(vol.456(2021年11月25日発行号)掲載)