Kidz in the Hall, Land of Make Believe
Duck Down Records
After two charming, playful albums and a minor indie hit (“Drivin’ Down the Blockâ€), new rap gen stars Kidz in the Hall sound world-weary. Their cynicism weighs heavily on Land of Make Believe: On “Simple Life,†Naledge wonders what success really means, while he swaggers on “Bougie Girls†and “Jukebox†with a casual misogyny uncharacteristic of the group’s earlier material. But repeated listens to Land of Make Believe find that the Chicago upstarts haven’t lost their ear for great melodies – check Double-O’s standout production on “Will II Win†and “Running†– just a sense of confidence.
