MadChild Switched On Album Review – Produced by Aspect, Chin Injeti, C. Lance and Rob The Viking.
MadChild is dropping his new album tomorrow called “Switched On” and it is powerhouse of a record start to finish, 18 tracks of pure energy that would make Satan himself have a panic attack. A verbal assault on the Canadian hip hop scene, which is a great first step to a comeback as he’s gotta take over here cause he’s not even allowed in the states anymore (which he frequently reminds us over the course of the record). I almost wish he hadn’t released his last record that had a few of the tracks on this record sprinkled through it because I would have loved to wait this long and then just hear all of these songs for the first time and feel that struggle, but hell… we can’t have everything the way we want it now can we? I’m just happy to see that he’s stuck to his guns and given us hip hop heads something absolutely maniacal to take home. This record delivers a whole new level for Battle Axe, still keeping true to their roots and MadChilds ruthless style, while also showing a pained and agonizing Madchild. Throughout the album he reminds you that he’s not the devil, he’s just like you and me… he’s got feelings, he’s got struggle, he’s had heartache and he’s not just a violent bad ass on a rampage to destroy anything that’s in his path…. Although, there’s no doubt in my mind that if you’re in his path, you best get the hell out the way.
Switched On, is indeed Switched On.. May it be a true first step into this mans come back through the mind of a tortured soul. I’m thoroughly excited to hear and follow where Madchild takes this comeback and am thoroughly excited to see the momentum keep building. As a fan from my childhood days of Swollen Members, I’m proud to say Madchild was one of the first rappers that even made me wanna pick up hip hop, and like the return of so many older acts that have been popping back up since 2009, this one is one that I hope will stay strong and burn out bright, or never at all. They say like Neil Young, that when the drugs cease to be apart of the writing process that it changes the sound, the artist and the art… But I am confident that even though he once fumbled the mic, he picked it back up and didn’t even stutter the beat. Honorable mentions for this record go to “White Knuckles”, “Iran”, “Tom Cruise”, “Act My Age”, “Broken Mirror” and “Good Crazy” in my eyes. There are no features on this record as some rappers use to fill up space they couldn’t fill… Apparently he’s just got a lot of shit to tell us, and I love it…
You need to go out and buy this record RIGHT NOW! Released today, you need to hear this in it’s entirety… And then you need to go burn down a building or something to get out the demons this records gonna leave you thinking about. All in all I would give this record 4 out of 5.
The Breakdown Of The Records/Highlights
White Knuckles – Opening up the record with some classic Madchild evil vibes, a little piece of candy for the psychopath in all of us. It’s great to hear that Madchilds back in the game, as he says “ I’m The Joker wearing war paint” . The mysterious piano and keys remind me of something of course straight out of a Jason Voorhes stalkers scene with an apparent murderous plot… Which is foreshadowing the rest of the Carn Evil that follows through the rest of the record.
Amadeus – Pure fuckery and lunacy intro to this track coming in hot to make you feel like your eyes are batting back and forth like a bad trip on mushrooms. “I’m a dirty coke mirror in your bathroom,dirty old hero trippin’ on some bad shrooms” … even though now off drugs (“Used to inhale drugs like a vacuum), apparently Madchild hasn’t forgotten what it’s like to explain what it’s like to be a dark prince of rap strung out on drugs through his mind thats been knocking evil out of the park for well over a decade… We all remember Fuel Injected right? But as he says in this heavy hitter “Back on my grind, I’m too old to fuckin’ front so I’ll attack from behind” … This track is short and sweet, with no hook or chorus… Just pure dark poetic lyrics that do the Madchild fan in all of us some serious justice… Feel the cold coming?
Iran – Once again with a beat that makes your head spin like you’re on a drug trip from Hell, it’s a miracle that Madchild could write to this without doing a line and levelling himself out. This song is on a pure comeback level… “The return of the monster” … this hook gave me chills and straight nostalgia sending me flying straight back to the days when I was in public school bumping Swollen Members wanting to walk outside with a bomb and set it off just for fun. This track talks a lot about what he’s been up to for the last few years, from his apparently drug abuse he went through to being so broke that he won’t even open the mail anymore… wether or not thats the truth who knows, but it gave me a good head bobbin feel that made me wanna break out the brass knuckles.
Hellbound – Arpeggios galore in this beat, seems to be a reoccurring pattern on this album which is really fitting, because it makes you feel literally manic and bipolar, makes your hair stand up and you wanna keep looking over your shoulder while you listen to it for fear that someone might be creeping’ up on you with a battle axe ready to end you. This song literally makes you feel like you’re Hell bound just for listening to it.
Tom Cruise – Taking a step away from the pure evil that the album hath shown this far. The lyrical showmanship in this track shows a bit of a different side of Madchild which makes this song a chill beat to bump while having some Friday drinks and smokes with the homies. “ I write them goals I much achieve and check em annually,rambling in the studio till I’m sure there’s no man handling me” … Was a line that pops out specifically that I liked, as it makes it seem like his brain is always going so crazy that he needs to scribble his thoughts down or they’ll be lost in the abyss.
He gets pretty deep here, while talking about where his life used to be and all the pornstars he used to bang out every night… He’s feeling like he’s lost his touch as he’s gotten older… Well, if this record shows anything, it’s that… There will be plenty more women that will want to “feel fame” …. Maybe this time around they’ll even learn his real name.
Act My Age – “You, you’re like fozzy the bear and you got bad habits, Me, I’m Ozzy Osborne in fuckin’ Black Sabbath” … This track comes in swinging showing that Madchild is ready and very willing to come back swinging as well. “ I’m happy to back on stage, I don’t wanna , I don’t wanna act my age, getting’ girls and just laugh all day, making money make this rap game pay” … Clearly excited to be back in the business and ready to kill it. Great vibes to this track.
Blackbelt – Repping Canada ( From Vancouver ) …. “I’m from Canada, I’m from Canada, used to be an addict, now I’m cleaner than a janitor” HA… awesome line big guy. Not much to say about this track other than… Once again, welcome to the mind of a serial psychopath… Having some issues with your life? This album is shaping up to be the album to put on and give you the courage to leave someone “Sleeping with the fishes like the headless horseman”
Drugs In My Pocket – One of my favourite beats on this record thus far. The melody, sound clips and lyrical intensity…. Take another ride through the mind of the devil himself. Not much else to say about this track other than, the albums still going strong even though this is a previously released track from his last full length.
Broken Mirror – Previously released track, yet melodically a track that I can really vibe to. The mellow dramatic deathly undertone brought on with the ambience and melody from the piano line that subtly plays behind a solemn man rapping about his life and true inner demons… perhaps looking at life through a broken mirror of bad luck and past plays that he wishes he could play again.
Fuck MadChild – “These rappers talk like fellons, but they’re all fake villains” … isn’t that what we’re all thinking? Funny thing is, when Madchild says it, it just seems real… wether it be a crazy mostly untrue story or something so badass that it would even make Chuck Norris raise an eyebrow… We believe it when he says it. Something the rap game is missing these days is the truth, even if it’s not the truth, I’m ready to believe something that isn’t fabricated, and even if it is… I wanna feel like it’s not, and thats what Madchild is continually bringing.
Good Crazy – The last track and last unreleased track on the record, and probably my favourite lyrically. “ You sold your soul, I got mine back” … these lines run deep in anyone who follows the esoteric symbolism and occult reference writing that keeps popping up in hip hop especially but even showing up in works from Steven Stills and Bob Dylan about selling your soul to make it in the industry… Leaves you wondering what that actually means sometimes, but whatever it means… Madchilds got his back and it’s very evident that he threw his soul into this record. One of the darkest tracks on the record where he explains that he will never get used to losing and he’s here for the long haul.
Written by Steve Jackson – Off of Commission
