Prozack Turner

Many an emcee claims to know the nastiness of the music industry first hand, but few have a better claim than Prozack Turner. The Foreign Legion front man was set to release a star-packed disc when the label backing him closed its doors, leaving Zack in debt and without an album to lean on. A later trip to Ireland and a steady diet of Guinness rejuvenated him, however, and the results are collectively titled Bangathon.

Though the title might be most appropriate for a modern, club-heavy dance record, Zack's sound is distinctly and purposefully old-fashioned, full of soul-wrapped rhythms and pieces of rap's classic boom bap prototype. This comes through on the jazzy "Summertime in the Town", a feel-good jam ripped straight from the bouncy late 80s tradition. Zack dips back even further for "Ballad of Adriana Sage", an updated 70s love song with all its corniness and sap still intact. On the more contemporary tip, the self-produced "Hungry" outlines some of Zack's aforementioned industry headaches, and Rhymesayers emcee Brother Ali comes through solidly on "World's an Uproar" - an anthem to the common man's resiliency - spitting "I would never think of starting for the door till the stars don't burn no more".

Zack clearly thrives when plying his eclectic ear, however he noticeably stumbles when trying to bend his style to more accessibly mainstream fare. "Club Girls" isn't exactly a typical dance cut, but it still feels altogether out of place when stacked next to the rest of the album. Fortunately these lulls are few and far between, allowing Zack's creativity to take center stage.
- ign.com