DAMIZZA & BUTCH CASSIDY - Back B4 Your Lonely | Review By: Conan Milne


Release Date : April 3 2007

Label : Baby Ree Entertainment

Rating: 4/5

 

Dub Quotable: On this album, Butch and Damizza justify their status as overlooked West Coast maestros.

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Finally, here is a collaboration that makes sense. Two of the West Coast’s most overlooked talents, slinky vocalist Butch Cassidy and inspired producer Damizza, have united. On “Back B4 Ur Lonely,” the mellow duo craft an accomplished album that ensures no listener will take their gifts for granted again.

Being under-rated as musicians isn’t the only thing that bounds these two men together. Damizza and Butch share an obvious love of traditionally smooth West Coast Hip-Hop. ‘Mizza’s slow keys and quivering synths are the perfect foil to Butch’s buttery croon. “Cruzin” sees a lustful Butch serenade the woman of his desire over a bouncy backdrop. Damizza’s carefree raps also work well here, with his sole request being “the Goose or a Heineken to drink.” Even the relatively fast tracks retain that relaxed, West Coast vibe. On the club oriented “In 2’s,” Mr. Cassidy nonetheless speeds up his flow on a sing-along chorus, boasting, “Who’s the tightest in the industry/Dame and Cassidy.”

While the party jams work okay, Butch and ‘Mizza excel as humorous lotharios. On “Once Lovers” a nostalgic Butch lists off a list of ex-dates that he was compelled to ditch, over ‘Mizza’s suitably sulky bass. “Sunshine in April, Summer in Spring/Let me do my thing,” coos the playful vocalist. Meanwhile, Damizza is delightfully straightforward on the melancholy key loop and echoing whines of “Str8 Playa,” bluntly stating, “my whole objective is to get you out that thong.”

At a humble twelve tracks, you could be forgiven for assuming that “Back B4 Ur Lonely” would benefit from a wildly experimental track or two. However, by sticking to the funky blueprint that both of these men’s skills are catered to, we are left with a wonderfully cohesive album that can be played from beginning to end. On this album, Butch and Damizza justify their status as overlooked West Coast maestros. Hopefully, this all-too-brief offering will result in the shine that the pair deserves.


 

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