Review Summary: Because why the hell not?
While I was busying myself with catching up to my peers in hours of violent video games played by revisiting the quintessential Grand Theft Auto series for the PS2 – and more specifically, GTA III – I always liked to listen to Lazlo on Chatterbox. While listening to
The Mouse and The Mustache, I recalled a quote that would apply here. I even remember tidbits of the show, even though it’s been well over a year and a half since I played. Lazlo was hosting a talk show starring a basement dweller guest who was developing a health food and martial arts lifestyle guide. Lazlo, as always, smarmily belittled his guest by saying (and I paraphrase) “[That’s] like mixing ice cream and pizza, both are great, but together, they aren’t so good.” Much like ice cream on pizza, Borat and MF Doom are two great individual entities, but the combination thereof doesn’t equal the sum of its original components.
Now, you’ll be disappointed to find out that this is not an official project (insert collective ‘
awww!’ here. ) Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat and Daniel Dumille as MF Doom aren’t hooking up in some London studio throwing down bars and mixing it up on the boards together. But I’ll be damned if the guy who came up with the idea for this ‘mashup’ hasn’t got a bit of a mad scientist in him. Kulki Boolcheck (aka DigDug) mixes and produces the entire album to the most professional effect a hobbyist could conceivably achieve on a budget. Basic FruityLoops Studio- cuts are found throughout and the as-of-now anonymous producer obviously favors heavily percussion-based tracks with (of course) dialogue snippets from the movie. The female soul singer samples on the hooks are a nice, little touch, and there is a nice balance of coherency and variety here. From the slow, solid drums and warbly, aquatic synths of “Dedicated Love” to the uniquely low-key, Middle Eastern sound on “Bing Bong Bing”,
MF Borat has a strong, albeit not astounding, lineup of instrumentals.
I can’t claim that the disappointment factor doesn’t affect my rating significantly, and although this doesn’t quite belong in the ranks of
The Mouse & The Mask, no less
Madvillainy, it stands on its own as a solid, little freEP. Propelled mostly by the strength of an awesome concept and DOOM’s strength as a lyricist,
MF Borat easily secures a 3/5 rating. Because of the gimmick dynamic, there is no little-to-no replay value, but f*ck me sideways if it isn’t an interesting listen nonetheless.
