Review Summary: Lower the drawbridge.
"Things must change. We must rearrange them." At least that's what John Frusciante proclaims on Medieval Chamber, the Black Knights record he himself produced. With Wu-Tang Clan affiliates Rugged Monk and Crisis the Sharp Shoota at the reigns, a new chapter unfolds in the ever increasing creative output of the Frusciante library. To see new projects and aspirations transpiring at such alarming rates, perhaps it only makes sense that Frusciante seek a new endeavor in the form of sampling and formulating beats. As for the team as a whole, the product brought forth between these three is nothing short of impressive.
Interpreting anything John Frusciante has had his creative input in since departing the Red Hot Chili Peppers permanently is confusing at times. There are many different ideas bursting forth, with heavy focus on drum machines and synths, and that shows on this record as well. However, to discredit what Rugged Monk and Crisis the Sharp Shoota bring to the table wouldn't be fair to them as veteran artists. After all, this is a bond between all three parties that shines through the music. That is quite apparent from the get-go, and you hear visions of influence from Wu-Tang Clan production style and samples. Throughout the entire LP, along with dueling verses between the two emcees, there are a myriad of samples of dialogue in the background, all thrown in with booming drum beats on bangers such as "The Joust" and "Trickfinger's Playhouse". It's an odd tradeoff actually. Sure, there are a fair share of heavy hitting verses from Black Knights, but the power and emotion put forth in conscious raps and boasts of their prowess is diminished at times in tracks like "Deja Vu", where the head-bobbing anthem is slowly turned into a Frusciante show, with awkward transitions into a new drum sample, and Frusciante belting out his signature falsetto. Like any new formula, these things are a work in progress; there are flaws, but along with that the good elements here balance it out.
I have to commend Black Knights for this new project. It's easy to point out the flaws of a very experimental project at its core, but what it comes down to in my opinion is the love of music, and freedom of expression of new thoughts and ideas. Although I was intrigued at the thought of Medieval Chamber initially because of John Frusciante producing the album, there also exists a true love of hip-hop, and an affinity and interest in innovative sampling techniques and production. Synths run wild along with drum machines in a rather unorthodox style of production, but it is fun to digest lyrics and samples in the songs too. The Black Knights show off sides of both humor and remorse, with lines about the musical geniuses and female aficionados that they are, and also the darkness surrounding tragedies in their lives. In fact, the track "Knighthood" is an ode to their late Black Knights counterpart Doc Doom, who was murdered in 2007. Frusciante too throws some familiar samples in the mix, taking influence from Funkadelic, Depeche Mode, Simon & Garfunkel, and even Mike Tyson. Take this as you will, whether interpreted as a war of one outdoing the other between Black Knights and Frusciante, or if two worlds come together to create ultimate harmony. At the bottom of everything, Medieval Chamber brings something ambitious and new to the table, with definite shining moments of two different worlds coming together and pushing each other to new heights of musical prowess.
