Compilation; no rating given.

    When Jaysonic, Mekalek and Comel dropped Slow Your Roll, many jaded fans of hip-hop welcomed the debut album with open arms. Not because of its punchlines and metaphors or its trunk rattling, but because of the way the album carried itself. As a light-hearted hip-hop album that didn’t take itself too seriously, but still composed all the elements that made early 90′s hip hop incredible to those who came up in that era. So continuing in that direction, the trio link up to create an album that consists of all the elements that would make hip-hop fun again. In what seems like the group acting on the concept of a dream job of running a radio show, Time Machine creates a station all to its own with TM Radio.

     The album treads a concept that has been killed over the years- the radio concept. I don’t care how many ways you slice it, the radio concept has been used way too much. But Time Machine feels the need to run the concept one more time, and in some ways, it actually works. As a part compilation album (courtesy of the Mekalek Mixshow halfway through the album), the album features Time Machine production backing up some of the group’s buddies and some new joints of their own. Utilizing a true radio concept, the album really feels as if you are tuning into your favorite radio show as Jay and Comel guide the listener along 60 minutes of music. From guests popping in, to what seems like true radio spontaneity, TM Radio gets kudos for really recreating a radio show without it sounding forced. There are some real jewels packed into this compilation. On “Make Some Noise” Edo G. and Masta Ace really tear shit down when being backed by a boom-bap Mekalek production. Raashan Ahmad, of Crown City Rocker fame, pops in on the radio show to lend his swagger to the super groovy “Duh Huh” and Celph Titled delivers more outlandish one-liners on “Down and Dirty About My Scratch.” Time Machine also comes correct with other ill moments such as “Caught on Tape” and the extra smooth “On the Moon.” Sure there are some moments that are kind of ho-hum (Fedd Hill’s “To The Top” and Shawn Jackson’s “Dream Come True”) but what radio doesn’t.

    Although the album’s radio theme can get a little played out after clocking in at 20 tracks, TM Radio is still a throwback album of sorts that reminds us that hip-hop isn’t dead. It’s just buried real deep in a pile of shit that makes finding good hip-hop extremely hard to find. But if you dig deep enough, you’ll find it.