Lifesavas – Gutterfly (Review)

By reviewing an album that came out 2 months ago, I guess I’m ultimately admitting that I slept on it. However, I figure that if I slept on it, someone else must have, too. I doubt that the Lifesavas crew will really mind the recognition.

Hailing from Portland, Oregon (home to many famous musicians though not exactly a “rap haven”), MCs Vursatyl and Jumbo the Garbageman (who also produces) and DJ Shines first emerged on to the scene with ’03’s Spirit In Stone. Having seen them live a couple of times prior to the album’s release — once opening for Zion I, another time for Del The Funkee Homosapien — I had high expectations for their debut, and came away impressed. Though Spirit In Stone helped them settle amongst underground favorites like labelmates Blackalicious, Gutterfly is Lifesavas’ attempt to emerge to the forefront of the scene. One need look no further than the album’s cover (particularly Jumbo’s glasses, word to Bootsy Collins) and the narrative on the album’s intro to catch the vibe that Gutterfly conveys, as explained on Lifesavas’ MySpace page:

“Gutterfly‘s narrative includes 14 tracks with a thread of interludes, and traces the fictional deeds of a trio of ghetto superheroes – Bumpy Johnson (played by VURS as if his life depended on it), Sleepy Floyd (a character wholly inhabited by JUMBO) and Jimmy Slimwater (personified by SHINES) – who fight their way out of the perilous confines of a mythologized Portland, Razorbade City, in a way that’s reminiscent of the creation myth behind many a great hip-hop partnership in the history of the genre (from Outkast to Tribe Called Quest). Inspired by an obscure, long-forgotten film project from the ’80s of the same name, Gutterfly draws its source material not only from Baraka Feldman’s original concept but also from the blaxploitation films of the ’70s, such as “Coonskin” and the Zatoichi series of Japanese cult films, and the desire to shatter fans’ expectations about what Lifesavas represent.”

Like Prodigy’s Alchemist-produced mixtape from earlier this year, Return Of The Mac, Gutterfly is backed by a rich, blaxploitation-era soundscape, though, unlike Alc’s darker and grimier productions, the music here is much more mellow and funky. It’s a nice homage — a tip of the fur hat, if you will — to the musicians behind blaxploitations films like Superfly (Curtis Mayfield), Black Caesar (James Brown) and The Mack (Willie Hutch), whose music has been preserved by hip hop artists of all styles. [On that note, peep Lifesavas’ favorite blaxploitation flicks over at Street Census. And, sadly, R.I.P. to all of the aforementioned names.]

Jumbo and Vursatyl “stick to the script”, so to say, employing quick-tongued flows and stylish slang on tracks like “Superburn” and “Double Up”, the latter featuring the album’s illest production with an eclectic mix of horns, flutes and female vocal samples. It’s tough to not think of Camp Lo’s Uptown Saturday Night when listening to Gutterfly (and that’s a compliment more than anything), and the Lifesavas aren’t trying to avoid such a comparison, as the Lo themselves appear on the title track, while Lo-affiliate Ish (of Digable Planets) adds a verse to the guitar-driven “A Serpent’s Love”. But it’s not all slang and character-playing — the frantic “Shine Language” (which showcases incredible flows from both Vursatyl and Jumbo) and the DWB tale “Night Out” featuring George Clinton(!!) are both more message-driven tracks. Also noteworthy are quality collaborations with East Coast vets Smif-N-Wessun (“The Squeeze”) and Dead Prez (“Freedom Walk”), which show that Lifesavas have made a few fans in hip hop already.

Like many of the films that it draws inspiration from, Gutterfly blends lightheartedness with social commentary, all in the name of entertainment. Unlike such films, though, there’s no plot-driven story really being told in the album’s songs, so the inclusion of brief interludes at the ends of numerous tracks serve no real purpose other than to push forward the blaxploitation theme of the album. But, other than a couple of tracks (such as “Dead Ones”, which, despite unearthing Fishbone for a rare appearance, is a bit too heavy) that sound out of place, and a little too much singing at times, Gutterfly is a solid sophomore effort from a group deserving of recognition, with potential for a long career.

Download: Lifesavas – “Gutterfly” featuring Camp Lo

Download: Lifesavas – “Dead Ones (Remix)” featuring Fishbone & Nas (not on album)