Unique, Just Like Everyone Else

Description

Unique, Just Like Everyone Else is the sophomore full-length album by the American hip-hop collective Deepspace5, released on Gotee Records in 2005, distributed by Chordant Distribution. The album was recorded and mixed at Backwater Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Engineered by Jason Lawrence and mixed by DUST (Nathan W. Corrona).

For the uninitiated, Deepspace 5 is a “super group” of Christian MCs, DJs and producers including members of groups such as Mars Ill, Tunnel Rats, Ill Harmonics, Labklik, etc. From the opening seconds of Deepspace 5’s second CD, you know that something’s different this time round. Firstly, they changed labels from now-defunct Uprok Records to CCM powerhouses Gotee Records, and added new members to their already vast ranks, namely DJ Manwell, (former tour DJ for John Reuben) and Texas-based MC/producer Sivion. Secondly, and most noticeably, this is not ‘The Night We Called It A Day‘ part two. Whereas their first album was superb, but had a melancholic atmosphere running through it, ‘Unique.’ is more musically aggressive, mature and diverse. Lyrically, staple hip-hop topics are balanced by more in-depth and passionate subjects, while the lesser MCs last time round have improved their styles tenfold. My highlights are «Axe To Grind», which can be described as a God-ordained, Braveheart-esque war cry for the hip-hop generation, the raucous «Mechanical Advantage», where the manic energy of the beat threatens to overwhelm, but is handled with skill by each MC, and the strangely endearing «They Say», featuring a campfire-style guitar-led track that could have easily been turned into a cheesy Carman/KJ-52-lite youth group friendly song in the wrong hands, but becomes one of the wittiest, tongue-in-cheek tracks on the album. The only fault I could find was that its sound may not be very accessible to the 50 Cent/Nelly/Eminem/Lil Jon fans of this world, catering more to fans of underground luminaries such as Blackalicious, Atmosphere or Dilated Peoples. But whether that is positive or negative would depend on your viewpoint. [Stephen Adams, Cross Rhythms, October 2005]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/unique-just-like-everyone-else/1533123819)

CD tracklist:

01. Talk Music (vocals by Freddie Bruno, Listener, Manchild, Playdough, Sev Statik, Sintax, and Sivion)
02. Wingspan (vocals by Listener, Manchild, and Sivion)
03. Crumbs (vocals Playdough, Sev Statik, and Sintax)
04. Embrace (vocals by Freddie Bruno, Playdough, and Sev Statik)
05. Mechanical Advantage (vocals by Listener, Manchild, Sev Statik, and Sintax)
06. Truth Be Told (vocals by Manchild, Playdough, Sintax, and Sivion)
07. Half-Hearted (vocals by Listener, Manchild, and Sev Statik)
08. Free Checking (vocals by Freddie Bruno, Listener, Playdough, and Sivion)
09. One And The Same (vocals by Freddie Bruno, Listener, Manchild, Playdough, Sev Statik, Sintax, and Sivion)
10. Cityscaping (vocals by Freddie Bruno, Manchild, Sev Statik, and Sintax)
11. If I Don’t Make It (vocals by Listener, Manchild, and Sev Statik)
12. Brilliant (vocals by Freddie Bruno, Manchild, Playdough, and Sivion)
13. Axe To Grind (vocals by Listener, Sev Statik, and Sintax)
14. Start Right Here (vocals by Freddie Bruno, Listener, Manchild, and Playdough)
15. I Feel So Bad (vocals by Clueless Victims)
16. The Last One (vocals by Freddie Bruno, Listener, Manchild, Playdough, Sev Statik, Sintax, and Sivion)
17. They Say (vocals by Listener, Sintax, and Sivion)
18. Last Ditch Effort (vocals by Freddie Bruno, Listener, and Sivion)
19. One For The Road (vocals by Listener, Manchild, and Playdough)

Note: Two versions of this album was released the same year, one with a regular jewel case with translucid tray and the first units housed in 4 panel Digipak cases.