Qwel & Maker, Owl
Galapagos4

Owl is proudly out of step with the rap race, but Qwel & Maker’s classical hip-hop values deserve a wide audience. A prickly veteran of Chicago’s indie-ground, Qwel rhymes in splendidly discursive statements, but has learned to dial back his loquaciousness. The underrated producer Maker complements Qwel with detailed soul collages, but doesn’t overwhelm his morality tales on “The Game” and “Gin River,” the latter a poignant story of a lost girl searching for a father figure. They work in close harmony, taking Owl from the gloriously weary tour diary “El Camino” to the hard grooves of “Gambling Man.”

Grayskul and Maker take their Goth-hop extravaganza on the road. Bastard Patriots and Brahma Lagah support.

• 11/28: Stumptown, Portland, OR
• 11/29: Image VIP, Sacramento, CA
• 11/30: Elbo Room, San Francisco, CA
• 12/02: Voodoo Lounge, San Jose, CA
• 12/03: Five Stars Bar, Los Angeles, CA
• 12/05: Open Aired, Winterhaven, CA
• 12/06: The Farm, Las Vegas, NV
• 12/08: Sorts on Congress, Tuscon, AZ
• 12/10: Blunt Club, Tempe, AZ
• 12/11: Burt’s Tiki Lounge, Albuquerque, NM
• 12/12: El Patio, Las Cruces, NM
• 12/14: Phil’s Radiator, Pueblo, CO
• 12/15: City Hall, Denver, CO
• 12/16: Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO
• 12/17: Gigz, Mills, WY
• 12/18: Zebra, Bozeman, MT
• 12/19: Neurolux, Boise, ID

(all dates) w/Bastard Patriots, Brahma Lagah

Even though their album So Be It comes out today, Qwel (pictured above) & Maker have already begun a national tour. Check below for details.

• 8/28: Reggie’s, Chicago, IL (1)
• 8/29: The Bunk Space, Cincinnati, OH
• 8/30: Emerald Lounge, Ashville, NC
• 9/01: 529, Atlanta, GA
• 9/03: Shantytown Pub, Jacksonville, FL
• 9/05: Alligator Alley, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• 9/06: Propaganda, Lake Worth, FL
• 9/10: The Walnut Room, Denver, CO
• 9/11: Eloy’s, Fort Collins, CO
• 9/13: Pitbulls Sports Bar, Colorado Springs, CO
• 9/15: Badlander, Missoula, MT
• 9/16: Nectar Lounge, Seattle, WA
• 9/17: Calabash, Portland, OR
• 9/18: Gusto Bar, Boise, ID
• 9/20: Voodoo Lounge, San Jose, CA
• 9/21: Elbo Room, San Francisco, CA (2)
• 9/22: The Terrace, Pasadena, CA (3)
• 9/23: The Farm, Las Vegas, NV
• 9/24: Boar Cross’n, San Diego, CA
• 9/25: Moonlight Lounge, Albuquerque, NM
• 9/26: Limelight, San Antonio, TX

(1) w/Capital D, Mass Hysteria
(2) w/Denizen Kane
(3) w/Offwhyte

Photo by Ducky.

On September 1, Chicago rap vet Qwel and producer Maker will complete their “four seasons” trilogy with So Be It.  It (and the crazy album cover) arrives via Galapagos4. Check the press info for a musical description:

Qwel & Maker reunite for the highly anticipated and long overdue “So Be It” on Galapagos4. The album’s grimy soundscape and hard hitting drums make it the perfect ending for Qwel’s four seasons project, which began with Qwel & Maker’s 2004 classic, “The Harvest”.

Maker’s production on “So Be It” masterfully captures both the blazing and sometimes overwhelming hear of the summer and the cool relief of a summer night. The hypnotizing beats provide for a roller coaster of emotions and wide range of topics while staying true to a much larger overall theme.

Whether pondering hope and love or drug addictions and authority, Qwel amazingly accentuates the provided backdrop with flows ranging from rapid fire to melancholy and hazy.

Those expecting the fluff and filler so prevalent in modern hip hop will surely sit in disappointment. So be it.

So be the track listing:

• 1. “Dawn”
• 2. “Gnosticism”
• 3. “Back Stage Pass”
• 4. “Friend Or Foe”
• 5. “Har Megiddo”
• 6. “Interlude – Meditation”
• 7. “Berzerker”
• 8. “White Elephant”
• 9. “Fear As A Weapon”
• 10. “No Joke”
• 11. “Lunch Money”
• 12. “Interlude – So Be It”
• 13. “Paper Dolls”
• 14. “Golden Era”