E-Town Concrete The Renaissance

If there’s one band that gets a lot of flack from the hardcore community in general, it would have to be E-Town Concrete. How much of it is deserved is debatable, but the fact remains that ETC is not by any means a well-liked band. In fact, I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who would have no problem giving me shit even for admitting that this album is a decent enough effort, though I’ll admit that when I first popped this in, I was not expecting much, knowing that the basic “premise” behind the band, i.e. mixing rap and hip-hop with hardcore and rock, was what was awaiting me. That aside, I’m not going to shy away from the fact that I liked this album. It’s not fantastic, but it is different, and when I hear honest music that’s played with heart, I’m not going to reject it simply because the band is considered a joke by a bunch of elitists. So, if you’ve made it this far, here are some more reasons why I enjoyed “Renaissance”: 1. It’s NOT hardcore or metal - We all have varied tastes, and although the last time I was into rap and rock I was probably in 7th grade, I connected with this album because this is what the rap/rock craze years ago should’ve been: heavy, honest, and no-bullshit. If Terror and a ton of other hardcore bands can express themselves in that way, why can’t these guys A band’s message and approach can never be compromised by the style and genre of music they play, period. 2. Speaking of genres, these guys really do a decent enough job of mixing hardcore and rap. While it’s a bit overdone at times, E-Town aren’t afraid of being explicit with their hip-hop influence and certainly aren’t afraid to show it. As a result, you just can’t pin these guys down into any category, be it nu-metal, rap, rock, whatever. Furthermore, despite those influences, ETC sincerely tries to maintain a connection with the hardcore scene regardless of the shit they receive. And if maintaining integrity in the face of hardship really is a hardcore ideal, ETC is a lot more true to that than a whole host of hardcore bands out there. 3. Each song is unique. E-Town can easily jump from rock to laid back hip-hop to hardcore (not to mention the Spanish-influenced guitar work thrown in for good measure), and while I could name 50 hardcore bands that all sound the same, I’ve yet to find a comparable match for E-Town Concrete. Plus, the music is pretty damn catchy. Songs like “Mandibles,” “Let’s Go,” and “Battle Lines” are just plain fun to listen to, while the lyrics to “So Many Nights” are more honest and straightforward than most of the pretentious, sappy-as-shit stuff I’ve had the misfortune of hearing recently. 4. “Renaissance” is a big step-forward for ETC. The album overall is better produced and certainly better written than any of their older material that I’ve heard, and that’s commendable in and of itself. Bottom Line: This CD is NOT absolute shit as some would have you believe. It has its highlights and downfalls, and there’s more than a few standout tracks to keep your attention. However, ETC will probably never get the credit they deserve from the majority of today's self-inflated hardcore fans. And obviously, if you're only into straight-up hardcore, don't buy this. But if you can handle something different, I’d say pick this up. I’m not trying to bash hardcore in any way, or rant and bitch with this review, but a diverse scene is the only way to keep music from stagnating, and a little outside influence never hurt anybody.