The weatherman needs no introduction. There are certain groups and individuals in hip-hop that are always consistent and constantly deliver.  The man they call Evidence is one of those individuals.  Whether it with his group Dilated Peoples alongside Rakka Iriscience and DJ Babu or on the solo tip, Evidence has never disappointed.   After a year and half hiatus he is back with The Layover EP on Decon Media.  This is just a warm up to the Cats and Dogs LP coming soon.  Is Evidence winning streak intact with his latest release or does it fall flat?

If you are a fan of Evidence or the Dilated camp, you know the answer to the above question.  Once again Evidence delivers a solid outing.   He will never rewrite the book on rapping, but he is still better than 85% of the emcees in the game today.   The EP starts with the title track.  After hearing “The Layover” this writer was fearful for the remainder of the EP.  Khrysis lays an extra busy keyboard sounding dud on us to start the album.  Revolution on the cut is the tracks only saving grace.  Never fear Khrysis comes back with an absolute banger on “For Whom the Bell Tolls”.  Phonte, Will.I.Am, and the continually impressive Blu lend their assistance to possibly the best track on the EP.  Alchemist lends his soulful hand to “So Fresh (Step Brothers)” with Evidence and himself going back and forth over a funky loop that will have heads nodding.  Alchemist also rocks the mic and the boards on “The Far Left” feat newcomer Fashawn who holds his own among the veterans.

Evidence shows he hasn’t lost it on the boards with “Don’t Hate” with a revitalized Defari.   Both emcees trade verses like they did on the now classic “Major League”.  Babu lends production prowess to “Rain or Shine”, why Babu hasn’t place more beats is beyond this critic.  His choice in samples is uncanny.  The album ends with “The Cold Weather”, a self produced warm up to the forthcoming LP Cats and Dogs, using an eerie piano loop and Revolution cuts to close out the album. As an added bonus the CD also is coupled with a DVD that has videos for 4 of the album cuts and 2 joints from “The Weatherman”.  Definitely worth the pocket change to pick this one up.

If there is one thing to be said for Evidence it is that he is reliable.  He constantly puts out good music for people that like good music.  With one minor misstep this EP further solidifies that Evidence is definitely one of the hardest working and well-traveled emcees in the game. -DG