Dizzee Rascal- The Fifth Album Review

Album- The Fifth

Artist- Dizzee Rascal

For many people Dizzee Rascal is the king of urban music, who has inspired an array of artists. Yet with each consecutive album Rascal’s music can be seen to change, with his later works producing such mainstream hits as ‘Bonkers’ and ‘Dance Wiv Me’. The Fifth represents Rascal’s fifth studio album, and once again the rappers sound can be seen to change, with the Fifth presenting more of a commercial sound. But does this bode well for the album, or has Racal transformed himself into an artist that people don’t like anymore?

Track 1- Superman

Opening track Superman is a simple rap tune that starts off well with this dramatic opening, but which quickly dissolves into an urban music piece that just feels like the artist is a bit egotistical. The song focuses on Rascal rapping about his youth and his life and how he just wants to live it up with money and women. As such Rascal just comes across as a typical rapper, with the song kind of suggesting that he has become consumed by fame. The rapping is ok but Rascal doesn’t exude that sense of passion that would command your attention, whilst the uncredited male vocal that acts as the songs hook just brings an extra layer of annoying egotism. The production is slightly interesting with the frenzied electro rhythms, but this sound is also slightly bland, and because of this the album is just opened up with a track that is a complete package of egotism.

2/5  

Track 2- I Don’t Need a Reason

Initially planned to be the records second single but demoted to promotional single status after a poor chart performance, I Don’t Need A Reason is similar to the previous song in that we find Rascal rapping about his success and his ability, exclaiming that he doesn’t need a reason and just wants sex. However, this time round the rapping is much stronger, with Rascal showing us his speed and ability to great effect, whilst the ego based attitude is toned down a little bit. The production is also intriguing with the squiggly beats and clashing drum rhythms, with the distorted vocal in the song also creating this weird element to the track that is catchy in a strange way.

3/5

Track 3- We Don’t Play Around (featuring Jessie J)

The record’s first collaboration, We Don’t Play Around finds Rascal teaming up with British singer songwriter Jessie J for an up tempo party tune, in which the duo tell us of how they don’t play around, and they just want to really show you how to have a good time. The song is lyrically poor due to the fact that Rascal raps about clichéd party ideas that make it seem like he is desperate to make a big club tune, but Jessie J provides a solid pop chorus that is instantly memorable in its pure simplicity. The rapping is also snappy and catchy, whilst vocally Jessie J is great, providing a big chorus that nicely builds up in power. Producers Redone and Teddy Sky also do a good job with the production, blending some sharp piano notes and vibrant dance rhythms with stomping, dubstep tinged beats, create a thumping party song that is clichéd but still uplifting.

3.5/5

Track 4- Good (featuring Angel)

Beginning with this grand electric guitar riff, Good transforms into a groovy, quite chilled affair that finds Rascal rapping about doing an array of things and not letting things get him down, whilst guest artist Angel provides a simple but uplifting chorus in which he asks us to put our hands up high and enjoy life, because things are good. Angel’s vocals are smooth and exude this essence of life being good, whilst Rascal’s snappy raps equally convey this idea of life being good very well. With the tracks laidback groove blending with a snappy, guitar driven chorus, the production is really intriguing, but this is also an issue, as the song at times feels like it is trying to be too grand, and so whilst this might be a good live track, as a song on the album it doesn’t quite sit as comfortably as you would want.

3/5

Track 5- Spend Some Money (featuring Tinie Tempah)

Teaming up with fellow British rapper Tinie Tempah, Spend Some Money is another song that finds Rascal edging into clichéd rapper territory as he tells us of how he is just trying to spend his money, with the best thing to do apparently being getting really drunk. Because of this it just feels like we are treated to another ego based tune that you cannot really understand or relate to unless you’re rich and stupid. The rapping is okay but Tempah is definitely the better rapper here, giving us a cheekier but more charismatic rap, and this isn’t a good thing if Rascal is meant to be the lead artist. The grainy texture of the production with the clattering beats is okay but quite a bland party sound for such a track, making this another mainstream tune that fails more than it succeeds.

2.5/5

Track 6- Arse Like That (featuring Sean Kingston)

Arse Like That focuses on Rascal just going full throttle in rapping about his love of girls and sex, with the main crux of the song focusing on Rascal and American singer Sean Kingston telling this girl of how sexy she is and how people have never seen an ass like that. Yet whilst the song shouldn’t work, Rascal somehow manages to pull it off. The egotistical attitude is still there, but there is more of a cheeky element to the rapping that is fun to listen to, whilst Kingston’s smooth vocals provide us with a catchy chorus that also sees the two artists contrast each other well in terms of the British/American dynamic. Redone and Teddy Sky also once again do a good job with the production, building the track up with the use of ever more frenzied dance beats that are slightly typical of the producers styles if you have heard some of their other work, but which builds up to a stomping post chorus breakdown that will definitely make you just want to dance and go crazy.

3.5/5

Track 7- Something Really Bad (featuring will.i.am)

Released as the second official single from the record, Something Really Bad finds Rascal continuing along the same lines of the previous track, as he raps of his love for girls and how he wants to get into something really bad with them, because he loves bad girls. The song lyrically is an annoying tune with a simple idea that becomes bland very quickly, with the songs hook just sounding incredibly monotone and boring. The rapping is alright but Rascal come across as just resting on his previous achievements, whilst the presence of US rapper and Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am is just boring. The infusion of techno and grime beats is cool but also doesn’t get you excited about the music, making this a single that just feels designed for these two artists to indulge in their love of women.

2/5

Track 8- Goin’ Crazy (featuring Robbie Williams)

Lead single Goin’ Crazy finds Rascal teaming up with British star Robbie Williams for a fun dance track that is all about the two artists just not caring about life and doing things the way they want, with Williams telling us that he believes he is going crazy. The solid pop chorus is good and the two artists blend well in terms of their cheeky chappy personas, but the whole feel of the song and lyrics feels embedded in a typical party style that has already been recycled so many times by many different artists. The squiggly synths and scattered dance tone of the track is fun enough, but for a song featuring two big British stars, it isn’t the mega success that you want.

3/5

Track 9- Love This Town (featuring Teddy Sky)

Love This Town is quite an odd tune in many ways. This is because in the hook and rapping elements of the track Rascal focuses on his love for the city of London and suggestion that he hasn’t forgot his roots. Yet instead of a grime driven sound, the listener is treated to a flurry of up tempo dance beats that are really Americanised, with the songs vocals in the chorus coming from American singer Teddy Sky. However whilst this is an odd combination of things, the track itself is a fun and slick affair. The production is solid with a great build up in energy towards a forceful post chorus section that you can lose yourself to, whilst Teddy Sky’s vocals are smooth and light and create this exhilarating edge to the song as a whole. Rascal’s rapping is also strong and positive, making a nice change from just rapping about women and money.

3.5/5

Track 10- H-Town (featuring Bun B and Trae tha Truth)

The record’s second promotional single, H-Town is another song that finds Rascal seemingly focusing on his roots and his home town, but this time the production is more suited to an urban style, with the song being one of the most prominent tracks on the record where Rascal sticks to his grime roots. However the American elements are still there with the presence of rappers Bun B and Trae tha Truth, but this dynamic of rappers works well, with this song actually not finding any of the rappers outdoing the other. The subdued tone of the production with the clattering techno beats creates a vibrant but slightly chilled moment in the record that offers some relief from the party atmosphere.

3.5/5

Track 11- Heart of a Warrior (featuring Teddy Sky)

Teddy Sky takes vocal duties once again for Heart of a Warrior, a song that taps into the idea of Rascal having fought to get to where he is and how he is strong because of this. The message is nice with the rapping being smart and sharp, but the chorus follows this clichéd sentiment of having the heart of a warrior, making the song sound unappealing, whilst Sky’s vocals lack passion and are too light and stylised, with the use of Auto Tune being annoying. The heavy bass and bleeping electro notes of the song also creates a bland pop sound that doesn’t drive home the songs message enough, making this feel like a poor motivational tune.

2.5/5

Track 12- Life Keeps Moving On (featuring Pop Mansel)

Life Keeps Moving On is a shiny, almost summery end to the record, where Rascal focuses on how you just have to do what you do in life, because in the end everything just keeps moving on. The song is a smart and uplifting tune that is nice in the way that you can hear the rapping a bit more, whilst the blend of piano notes and dance beats in the production just creates this sharp dance sound which is really light and happy. Guest artist Pop Mansel provides a simple vocal for the chorus that doesn’t really do anything to command your attention but blends well with the songs carefree message, making this a sweet if slightly clichéd track.

3.5/5

Track 13- Bassline Junkie (bonus track)

Bonus track Bassline Junkie was originally featured upon one of Rascal’s mixtapes, but due to radio airplay and surprise commercial success, the song makes an appearance on this album as a bonus track. The song finds Rascal rapping about how he doesn’t need a bunch of drugs, because he is apparently addicted to bassline’s in music. The song is a weird but catchy tune that is the most grime that the artist gets on the record, and is probably the track that fans of his earlier material will love, even if it is annoyingly repetitive.

3/5

Final Review

The Fifth is an album where Dizzee Rascal definitely experiments with his sound more than ever before. Yet this definitely isn’t a good thing. That is not to say that the more dance orientated styles of the record aren’t good, but at times the artist just embeds himself into genres that are suited to different artists, and which don’t really push the music into any interesting territories. Whilst the rapping is slick, more often than not Rascal relies on clichéd ideas of sex, women and money, making you forget the forceful, really engaging artist that Rascal once was. And whilst most of the guest features are good, some artists either steal the show a little or just don’t have the right amount of energy, resulting in a record that has a mixed bag of good and bad songs, and which feels like the rapper will really have to go back and take a look at who is as an artist.

Best Track- Arse Like That (featuring Sean Kingston)

Worst Track- Superman