Devin The Dude
Landing Gear

Review By Joe Walker

With Landing Gear, Devin the Dude continues to be consistently impressive and entertaining. Here, he's taken the melodic material he usually reserves for choruses and weaves through entire songs. Devin's voice is blatantly soulful. It's bluesy, but not the blues. It's easy on the ears, but not easy listening. Basically, Devin is one of the most well-rounded, completely unique hip-hop artists since Slick Rick in his prime. On the opening track, "In My Draws," he welcomes us with a song that’s both funny as heck and fresh at the same time. Standouts "Your Kinda Love" and "Let Me Know It’s Real" both re-enforce my Devin's vocal ability.

The Dude is so much more than a rapper. He's an MC squared, a new breed of soul-sonic rapper/vocalist not yet fully appreciated. Think of Cee-Lo Green before he and Danger Mouse became Gnarls Barkley. The only problem with this album is "I Don't Chase 'Em," a tune featuring Snoop Dogg. The last time he and Devin teamed up, it was on Devin’s maturely written, career-reflecting single "What A Job.” "Chase ’Em," an uncomplicated macho-fest, is run-of-the-mill. He and Snoop are capable of better. Devin proves just that everywhere else on this set, rhyming with passion, skill and comedic timing.