In a Perfect World

Description

In a Perfect World is an album by the American rapcore group .rod laver, released on BEC Recordings in 2001, a division of Tooth & Nail Records.

Featuring Rudy Nielsen on vocals, Ryan Fariss on guitar, Chris Butler on bass, and Jason Martin on drums and percussion.

Trends come and go in music. That goes without saying. Trends are what make pop culture “pop.” So with the rap-metal trend in full swing it’s easy for some bands to get lost in the shuffle and never be heard. But then along comes a band that has something to say and the musical chops to back it up. .Rod Laver need to be heard, and In a Perfect World is the album to hear from this three year old band.

Their BEC Recordings debut is the fourth album from the hard rockers. Production is the biggest improvement from their previous work. This sounds like a real album. There is a crispness to the album that has been lacking on their other works, which often sounded muddy and harsh, which detracted from the overall product. This album is harsh in a good way. The driving guitars, the hitting drums and bass and the very gifted vocal talents of Rudy Nielsen all complement the musical backdrop.

It is apparent that there is something different about .Rod Laver. They are not just a hard rocking band that raps sometimes. These guys are intelligent. They have things important to say. They also have a unique way of saying it. Their music has some apparent and not so apparent influences. From 80’s hair metal to R&B legends like Curtis Mayfield to Radiohead to Eric B and Rakim, .Rod Laver have a way of combining these influences into a thoughtful, driving intense music.

The album has some strong cuts. With the opener «Janet» which is a declaration of what .Rod Laver are and want to be, they set the tone for the rest of the album which is a nonstop sonic attack spearheaded by Nielsen’s vocals which are at times reminiscent of Everlast yet still very unique.

«The Kind That Could» is a self-described worship song about a God who is always there, despite our imperfections. «Time Pieces» is a track about influences and changes that happen as people grow up.

Throw in a fantastic cover of the Faith No More classic «Epic» which .Rod Laver does very well and you have an album that deserves to be heard. This album should be listened to just to hear what is right with a genre that seems to be saturated with the same old generic sound. [Aaron Bell, The Phantom Tollbooth, 12/1/2001]

Here is a good rap rock album from the band who’ve built up a growing US following through constant touring and albums on Screaming Giant. Now their first for Seattle’s famed Tooth & Nail/BEC set up is also their best. It won’t appeal to all, but it is well crafted. It differs from others mainly because of the vocals – a laid back, old school rapcore style, unlike the intensity of P.O.D. or other bands of the moment. This distinction may be the dividing point: the vocal style make this band distinctive, but the genre is led by bands with a more intense or aggressive style. The same could be said of the bass playing, which whilst good, seemed indistinct in places. Covering some great topics, mainly focusing on what our motives are in our lives – vanity and peer pressure, appearance versus reality etc, and some about relationships. A good offering. [James Stafford, Cross Rhythms, November 2001]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/in-a-perfect-world/724750868)

CD tracklist:

01. Janet
02. 436
03. The Kind That Could
04. Time Pieces
05. Doctor Zaius
06. My Color Rose
07. Numb
08. Empty Eyes
09. Kuwait
10. 24 Hours To Dallas
11. Two Karats

Note: The promotional pre-release features a cover of Faith No More’s “Epic”.

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