Shad

TSOL (Black Box Recordings)

Review By Katherine Boothroyd

Shad - TSOL

Shad is back with album number three, TSOL. Straight of of London, Ontario, Shad is a rapper who can effortlessly balance a social conscience with street cred. His beats are slick and his rhymes never trite, he deserves every ounce of praise he gets. Verbose, witty and at times downright hilarious, it really is Shad’s lyrics that set him apart.

“Rose Garden” is a bittersweet tale about life’s ups and downs made all the sweeter by Broken Social Scene’s touring frontwoman Lisa Lobsinger’s backing vocals.

In the vein of Kanye’s “Touch the Skye,” “Keep Shining” is a throw your hands in the air song.

“Yaa I Get It” is an absolute killer and the best track on the album. If this track doesn’t get you moving in some way, check your pulse.

It takes a few listens to hear exactly what Shad is saying and certainly there is no shame in listening to TSOL from a purely musically perspective. But it really is Shad’s lyrics that set him apart. TSOL feels like you are up inside Shad’s head, and it’s a nice place to be. He makes himself so accessible through his music, it is like a hanging out with an old friend. Sure, there are the obvious comparisons to k-os, but Shad is his own man with a distinctive voice. What the listener comes away with is a feeling of positivity.

Genuine and brimming with an abundance of infectious enthusiasm for what he does, Shad is very easy to listen to.

Smooth, and just bursting with good vibes, this is your album for the summer.